Wi-Fi hotspots are incredibly common nowadays, and you don’t even have to be in the most built-up of areas to find a connectable router. But there are still those occasions where a hotspot cannot be found, or an apparently public network is closed off by means of a password, and rather than leaving you to ask around for those magical characters, there’s an app that allows users to submit networks and passwords for the wider audience to utilize. Networks are plotted on a map, meaning you can move around towards nearby hotspots, and when you’re within range, password details are provided on tap.
The app is called WiFi Map, and is essentially a standalone version of something that Foursquare has been providing for a while. The fame check-in app regularly includes details of Wi-Fi routers and passwords for the convenience of subsequent visitors, but WiFi Map is a much more robust, specific experience if you’re just looking to open up your laptop and get a little work done.
Wi-Fi hotspots are not only great for notebooks and other devices that rely on them for connectivity, but also ideal for saving on smartphone / tablet data usage, which is often capped by carriers. WiFi Maps contains an assortment of pin-pointed hotspots – there are no fewer than two million at this moment in time – and because users can submit credentials all the time, the list is growing rapidly.
Created for both Android and iOS users, it’s free to download and try out, although at base level, will only let you see hotspots within 1.2 miles of your current location or where you happen to search. The full version, which can be upgraded in-app, loosens this restriction, and critically, lets you save maps for offline viewing – ideal if you’re running low on data and preparing a contingency plan.
Anyway, if you’re always on the move and spend an unholy amount of time looking for Wi-Fi, give WiFi Map a try, and as ever, do leave your thoughts below.
(Download: WiFi Map for iOS / Android)
Be sure to check out our iPhone Apps Gallery and iPad Apps Gallery to explore more apps for your iPhone and iPad, and also our Android Apps gallery to explore more apps for your Android device.
You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.
