Free Wi-Fi in Dubai

Go out, log on and dial up at these free Wi-Fi spots in Dubai 12 Comments

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Protection from hackers!

Shockingly, there aren’t many data protection laws in the UAE, although there are some provisions in the Penal Code about protection of privacy, under which hacking most likely falls. ‘The TRA website, www.tra.gov.ae, has all the regulations, but it’s not all clear,’ says Vineetha Menon, former editor of ITP.net. ‘Either way, “piggybacking”, the term used to describe devices linking to wireless, is fine as long as it’s your connection. Sneakily linking to someone else’s Wi-Fi is frowned upon.’

Not only should you not use someone else’s Wi-Fi, but you should protect your own. In places such as the UK, cyber-criminals are targeting café chains offering the service, including Starbucks. Rather than logging into the branch’s network, victims are being diverted to a ‘rogue’ connection, in what has been labelled an ‘evil twin attack’. While there’s little you can do to avoid this, you can make your account more thief-proof by not using any of the following popular passwords: linksys, default, Wireless, NETGEAR, belkin54g, 1234, Apple Network 0273df – and obviously ‘password’ itself.

By Becky Lucas
Time Out Dubai, 15 November 2010

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User reviews:

Posted by: meshiel on 05 Aug ' 11 at 09:51

ok

Posted by: Sam on 14 Jul ' 11 at 09:17

A few other free wifi spots:
French Connection on shk Zayed Road
Valley Cafe 2 in Oud Metha, near Snooker Point
The Pavilion Cafe, Burj Downtown

Posted by: Lizzi on 16 Dec ' 10 at 10:20

Free wi-fi is great! Obviously not all locations are completely free. You can't expect to walk into a coffee shop and use their internet for nothing. It's there to entice customers in, not to act as an internet charity.

Posted by: Glen on 28 Nov ' 10 at 04:25

I quite like the article and the efforts to put together a list of "FREE" wi-fi hotspots within the city. I must say this information is quite useful.

However, I don't think having to pay AED 10/- or AED 20/- (cash/credit) for an internet connection can be deemed as a "FREE" service, neither does having to buy at least a coffee or a drink for it make it a "FREE" service.

Posted by: Mark on 26 Nov ' 10 at 18:36

Free Wi-Fi @ Shangri-la Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road

Posted by: Aruma on 24 Nov ' 10 at 12:47

I have tried wifi at several of these places over the last 2 years, but not all of them work! The Dubai Airport wi-fi access has had problems since September, whereby the internet access doesn't work. Similarly, Dubai mall connectivity is weak through most of the extensive area, worse, it doesn't connect to the internet at all!

Posted by: Ipsita on 24 Nov ' 10 at 07:52

How can it be FREE if you need to buy something to access it. TimeOut please don't mislead!

Posted by: abed izz on 22 Nov ' 10 at 14:19

nice review of the wireless tech, but i have to observations on the above, firstly, the mentioned spots are not totally free, as you get if you buy one of the services, secondly, once the city is totally covered "wireless coverage" we call it Wi Max, which is a Wi Fi on a wider scale...

Will it ever become a Wi-Fi city? Du has brought up an initiative of covering Dubai "to be Wi Max city" but due to some rules of TRA, the project was put on hold, nevertheless, Du has resumed the work on it and Etisalat started to implement the same

Posted by: Stan Lee on 22 Nov ' 10 at 07:03

Wi-Fi Hot Spot

Posted by: Fawzi on 22 Nov ' 10 at 06:50

Free wifi

Posted by: Bryan on 22 Nov ' 10 at 06:11

Nice review of the free WiFi. Cities around the world are offering this service as a way of life. I believe it won't be long before WiFi is a staple of everyday life and must be offered for free in metropolitan areas.

Kudos to the organizations who appreciate their customers enough to offer this service. I plan to frequent them more due to this service.

Cheers!

Posted by: Keith on 21 Nov ' 10 at 11:48

Caribou Coffee is American, not Canadian: http://www.cariboucoffee.com/page/1/company-info.jsp