WiFi and Internet guide to #DragonCon 2014

Update August 29: Hilton renamed their access points in the last two weeks.
Update August 30: AmericasMart has made WiFi free in 2014.

DragonCon 2014 in Atlanta is this weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack, at which I again will be speaking. (You can see my schedule in an earlier post).

Dragon Con is so huge  – spread across six massive buildings in downtown Atlanta – that wireless communication is essential to keep in touch during it. For the fourth year running, I’ve gone to downtown Atlanta and personally verified what WiFi options are available around the DragonCon site so attendees can know what to expect. This post contains my findings for 2014.

The map has been updated with some new hotspots and to remove ones that are gone. Much of the hotel information is unchanged from last year, but be sure to check the hotel you are staying in to be sure. The devil is in the details.

Just some of the info in this post that can save you time or money or both:

• Every host hotel this year has at least some free WiFi – and the paid options in your hotel room now typically include from 3 to 5 devices. I’ve got details.
• Is the hotel WiFi overloaded, and you desperately need to upload something? I’ll tell you several places to go in the nearby area that offer alternatives.
• Would you rather use a less overloaded WiFi by logging in with your existing WiFi account? (e.g. AT&T, Boingo, Xfinity, etc.) I’ve found several places you can do that including many new Xfinity hotspots added since last year.
• Do you need some Internet access but are not bringing a device? I’ll tell you which two hotels have computers you can use for free.

All that and much more, after the jump…

WiFi and Internet tips for Dragon*Con 2013

An updated version of this post for DragonCon 2014 is now available.

Dragon*Con 2013 in Atlanta is next weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack, at which I again will be speaking.

Dragon*Con is a huge event, and wireless communication is essential to keep in touch during it. This is the third year that I’ve gone downtown and actually checked out what WiFi options are available around the Dragon*Con site so attendees can know what to expect. This post contains my findings for 2013. You can also see my previous guides in the DragonCon tag on this blog.

Just some of the info in this post that can save you time or money or both:

• Every host hotel this year has at least some free WiFi – I’ve got all the details.
• Is the hotel WiFi overloaded, and you desperately need some free WiFi nearby? I’ll tell you several places to go.
• Would you rather use a less overloaded WiFi by logging in with your existing WiFi account? (e.g. AT&T, Boingo, Xfinity, etc.)? I’ve found several places you can do that.
• Do you need some Internet access but are not bringing a device? I’ll tell you which two hotels have computers you can use for free.

All that and much more, after the jump…

WiFi and Internet tips for Dragon*Con 2012

NOTE! This post is getting more and more out-of-date. An updated version of this post for DragonCon 2014 is now available, please read that one.

Updated Friday August 31: Most hotels now have some free option, I’ve updated this post and the map to reflect that. I’ve also included more details in the map.

Dragon*Con 2012 in Atlanta is this weekend. It is a gigantic convention for fans of science fiction, fantasy, comic books and other pop-culture topics. For several years now it has had a dedicated track of programming for skeptics called Skeptrack, at which I will be speaking.

Dragon*Con is a huge event that spans a big hunk of downtown Atlanta. Making good use of wireless communications to stay in touch during the event is essential. With social media, you can keep up with what your friends are up to elsewhere at the convention, and even see photos and video of what is going on elsewhere.

But all of that means staying connected, and mostly it means staying connected to the Internet. Since the event spans several hotels, each with their own wireless systems, this can be a bit of a pain.  There are also some gotchas with simply relying on your 3G or 4G coverage via your mobile device.

This blog post will help you sort it out.  Just some of the info in this post that can save you time or money or both:

• Do you need some Internet access but are not bringing a laptop? I’ll tell you which hotel supplies computers you can use for free.
• Are you staying at the Marriott Marquis? I’ll tell you how to save at least $5 per day on WiFi charges.
• On a tight budget and desperately need some free WiFi near the con? I’ll tell you several places to go.

All that and much more, after the jump…