Public WLAN
As a public WLAN ( PWLAN ) is called a Wi-Fi hotspot , which is usually provided by the provider for customers for a fee.
Free PWLANs, on the other hand, are referred to as Open WLAN .
Such PWLANs are typically found in public buildings such as train stations, restaurants and cafes, but also in beer gardens, at petrol stations and at trade fairs. There is no uniform identifier, so that privately operated WLANs cannot be distinguished from public hotspots.
Public WiFi hotspots are important for hotels and restaurants today, and paid hotspots can also be an additional source of income by selling temporary Internet access. There are different models for billing these chargeable hotspots. This ranges from ticket printing by the operator to self-service solutions via credit card billing or in the form of coin-operated machines.
Web links
- hotspot-locations.de - hotspot search with a large database, also outside of Germany
- shareair.net - free and shared public networks worldwide
- freifunk.net - Freifunk website
- Forum Privacy: White Paper Privacy in Public WLANs