Before my laptop battery took a crap on me I had big plans. I wanted to be able to go anywhere I wanted with my computer and be able to get online. Really though I'm pretty much a newbie when it comes to wireless connections and I'm slowly learning as I go. I want to be able to go to Starbucks and be the dork in the corner surfing porn or Sheri Santiago pics. Apparently though you need a "hotspot" or a place that picks up a good wireless signal. Apparently there are lists and maps of such places and I have compiled a bit for you if you would like to be an uber geek like me. Numerous Web sites offer searchable listings of public Wi-Fi hotspots. Hotels, airports, restaurants and many other businesses now offer free or paid wireless Internet connectivity services via these hotspots. Travelers can use these directories and hotspot finder services to locate nearby access points.

1) The Hotspot Haven
Hotspot Haven offers a large directory with clickable maps. Search by address and by service provider. A user rating service allows customers to score and rank the quality of these hotspots.

2) WiFinder
WiFinder is privately held company that indexes hotspots worldwide. WiFinder can be searched by location and by Wi-Fi protocol (802.11b or 802.11g). WiFinder lists fewer total hotspots than some competitive services, but it may contain some entries that other services do not.

3) Jiwire
The Jiwire search engine supports dozens of countries and indexes both free and paid hotspots. Search by street address, airport code, postal code or SSID. Alternatively, browse the aiport, hotel and cafe listings.

4) Wi-Fi ZONE Finder
The Wi-FI ZONE Finder is a an official service of the Wi-Fi Alliance. This directory indexes only hotspot providers that have registered for the ZONE program. Such a certification system helps keep inactive hotspots, or hotspots of lesser quality, out of the index.