One of many Google Local features allows you to enter a search for wi-fi hotspots by area, town or zip code within 1, 5, 15, and 45 miles.

Here's Seattle

These are offered as a convenience, are mostly (maybe all) free, and present no ethical dilemma.

So the question is, what's the best, longest range antenna and modem out there? I saw one site where somebody cobbled a directional antenna using a Pringles potato chip can and got a strong signal from the local library a mile away.

 

yet another reason why google rocks so much!!!

 

well these hotspots at like a starbucks are free to paying customers. ALOT of the time you need to be inside at certain places and they will give you their WPA password with your receipt, this changes daily.

but if they do leave it on the range will usually vary but usually not much past the first row of parkings spaces.

hehe so anyway to your question. a company called omni makes some pretty good extended range antennas. Youre really gonna need a wi-fi card so you can hook an extended range antenna up too. They are all about the same, maybe some have a little bit more power then others.

There is alot of junk out there though. Usually to get the best range you will need to extend it from the device broadcasting the signal. You can make the receiver more senstive but you get alot of errors with that so it will slow the connection down.