uptowngirl
uptowngirl

Free wi-fi hotspots in NYC

NYC is supposed to be a well connected city. However though the city is equipped with paid wi-fi connections and hot spots at airports and Starbucks (Starbucks now offers free Wi-Fi for AT&T customers and holders of registered Starbucks cards), I have been trying to compile a list of locations in the city where Wi-Fi is free. Many cafes and coffee shops in NYC do indeed offer Wi-Fi but many have started charging for the service and electricity as well. Here's my initial list of spots which offer free Wi-Fi but feel free to expand it with your knowledge of free Wi-Fi spots

1) Bryant Park
6th Avenue Between W 40th & W 42nd
New York, NY 10017
(212) 869-0100
Awesome location especially on a summer's day though is not equipped with electrical outlets

2) Union Square Park
225 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 460-1208

Again great location to hang out and people watch but not equipped with electrical outlets


3) The Apple Store
767 5th Ave
New York, NY 10153
(212) 336-1440
Actually there is free Wi-Fi at all the Apple stores in NYC -Soho, Meatpacking district and the Upper West Side

4) Barnes and Nobles and Borders Bookstores around the city

5) Chelsea Market(http://www.chelseamarket.com/)
75 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10011
(212) 243-6005
Peruse foods from all over the world at this fabulous gourmet market

6) Les Halles Restaurant(http://www.leshalles.net/)
411 Park Ave South
New York, NY 10016
(212) 679-4111
Owned by dishy Anthony Bourdain of 'No Reservations' fame

7) Juan Valdez Coffee Shops in Midtown East and the Fashion district

8)Mcdonald's outlets all over the city

9) The cafes at the city' various Whole Food Markets locations(http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/)

10) Cosi cafe outlets around the city(http://www.getcosi.com/)
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
8 people following
this discussion
Report

55 Comments

BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Ahhhh! That's actually great to know about Starbucks and AT&T. Granted I never go to Starbucks unless I have left the city, but still nice to know.

I think there are endless spots with free Wi-Fi in the city. I can't think of one BK cafe that I frequent that doesn't have Wi-Fi. But here are the ones I enjoy in my area:

Boulevard
253 Bushwick Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
(718) 381-2442

The Archive Cafe and Independent Video Store
49 Bogart Street
Brooklyn, NY 11206
(718) 381-1944

Life Cafe NINE83
983 Flushing Avenue
Brooklyn, NY‎ 11206-4792
(718) 386-1133‎

A lot of people hate on that last one, as their food tends to be "overpriced," but it's not actually expensive and generally not a bad brunch spot.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK A cafe in my neighborhood M.Rohrs not only charges for Wi-Fi but also for electricity. In fact I have often seen folk logged on in an internet cafe setting at a local computer repair shop on 79th street and first avenue, Axe Tech Computers . I have forgotten how much they charge but I think they charge per half hour. This is what prompted me to look for cafes that have free Wi-Fi in my area and elsewhere in order to be prepared for the day if and when my broadband connection dies on me :).
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
Veselka offers free internet. As do a lot of the Cosi's in the city. Pheobes on Graham in Willy has free connection and hardly anyone is ever there. The big cafe across from the Lodge in south willy has free internet, but it's usually pretty crowded with hipsters on macs. Although, sometimes, it's great for people watching and a beer to go with your writing and interneting. Does anyone know of any places in the West Village / Greenwich with free Wifi? I've tried to find a place but it seems like El Dorado to me.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Jen-Mac a quick search on Yelp threw up some names of coffee shops in the West Village that offer free wi-fi-

V-Bar
225 Sullivan St
(between 3rd St & Bleecker St)
New York, NY 10012
(212) 253-5740

Grounded
28 Jane St
(between 4th St & Greenwich Ave)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 647-0943

Mojo
128 Charles St
(between Greenwich St & Washington St)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 691-6656
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
Veselka is a great place to sit and work - I highly recommend it. It's friendly without ever being bustling, and the food is generous indeed!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: Actually, Wi-Fi for AT&T is not free. Although Starbucks has a place where you can log in using your username and password, you still have to pay AT&T a monthly fee. So in a sense, it is not free.

By the way, did anyone thing about the NYPL. They have free Wi-Fi as well, if what I was told is accurate.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted yes that's true but then if you are already an AT&T customer as all iPhone users are then its free for you, also if you have a Starbucks card that you use regularly you are entitled to free wi-fi for two hours daily at any Starbucks location in the city.
To use the NYPL's facilities don't you have to be a member? A tourist visiting NYC is not likely to be a member...
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Well, uptowngirl, I will have to respectfully disagree. The reason I am is because I called AT&T and they told me to have a Wi-Fi connection at Starbucks or any location that uses Wi-fi from AT&T, you must pay a monthly fee of $59 on top of your existing plan. So, even if you do use the Wi-Fi at Starbucks, and can log in to your laptop there, you are still paying a fee for its use. As such, logically speaking, it isn't free. Do you see where I am going with this. As for Starbucks card, I do remember a guy told me that with a Starbucks card you do get the first two hours free. That is a cool deal.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted oh ok I checked once again its free for those who subscribe to AT&T's DSL service have a look at the terms and conditions from the website-
http://www.starbucks.com/retail/wireless.asp
I am just going to go and register my starbucks card...maybe I will be able to avail of free Wi-fi overseas..
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Besides AT&T users, anyone can get up to two free hours of wifi per day if they sign up for a Starbucks card. Here's a "definitive guide," because Starbucks isn't making this easy: http://www.leveragingideas.com/2009/10/18/how-to-get-free-wifi-at-starbucks-the-definitive-guide/
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl It seems absurd that anyone could charge patrons for electricity. Who would go back there? Guess I should be more grateful for the plethora of wifi spots in my neighborhood...
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
Does anyone know about the WiFi situation at Newark Airport lately?
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK that's precisely why I made this list because I have a lack of free Wi-Fi spots in my neighborhood.
Btw I just registered my rarely used Starbucks Card on the site and it said that I am now entitled to the 2 hrs a day free wi-fi use and I should log in with my user name and password. Will have to check it out...

@DBlack I think Wi-Fi is not free at NYC airports.. don't you have to use Boingo? I wish dongles were more popular here.. most require a two year plan and only Virgin mobile has a pay as you plan. I use dongles in the UK a lot and they are most convenient.






2
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I'm actually really glad that Starbucks is finally offering some kind of free wireless. It's not like they can't afford it. I have never been a fan of the T-Mobile hotspot thing, as I've always seen it as a rip off, so I'm glad they did away with them for AT&T.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@uptowngirl I had to look up what a dongle even is, and I'm still not really sure. I always hated how Starbucks charged for wifi - and the airport, too. It's not as if it's that expensive to have wifi - I'll bet those places can even get a corporate discount.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@uptowngirl I also don't know what a dongles is/are.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
You can actually search Yelp for wifi hotspots in your neighborhood. For example: http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=wifi+cafe&find_loc=Greenpoint%2C+Brooklyn%2C+NY
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: Good luck with your Starbucks card. Let me know how you make out with it.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Folks,

A dongle is a small piece of hardware that connects to a laptop or desktop computer. It looks like a USB flash drive.

Dongles are now referred to as a broadband wireless adapter or as a connector that allows one port to connect to another.

Here is an example of a dongle:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dongle

Hope this helps.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
Those are really popular these days in the UK, @hhusted. You can even get a free netbook with some higher-end plans (thin $50-60 a month)
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@everyone in the US we have gotten used to paying for everything. I don't remember paying activation charges for cell phones/ broadband access in any other country. Many airports the world over offer free Wi-Fi its really sad that NYC doesn't belong to the club.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted I must add dongles work very well. I have used them both in London and in India and they are extremely convenient when you don't have access to or have to pay for Wi-Fi . In the fall of 2008 we were at the foothills of the Himalayas in a gorgeous town called Rishikesh ( the Hollywood actor Jeremy Piven made a great documentary that featured it ) and the only way that we could access the Internet was through our little dongle which uses Cell phone technology to operate.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Ah, my dad had one of those for work (though I never knew what it was called, either) - aren't they expensive to have here? Can you get a subscription for them that works anywhere in the world?
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK They are currently very expensive in the US.. I did a search of Virgin Mobile and I think the dongle costs $100 and the top up cards for the pay as go service range from $20 to $60.
Here's a survey that compares all the contract plans for mobile broadband.
http://mobile-broadband-services-review.toptenreviews.com/
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
The Virgin Mobile Pay as you go dongle is available at Best Buy
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Virgin+Mobile+-+Broadband2Go+Wireless+USB+Card/9361834.p?skuId=9361834&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=9361834&ref=06&loc=01&id=1218096502997
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Everyone all locations of Starbucks in NYC and in the rest of the US will soon start offering free unlimited WiFi from July 1st. Previously Starbucks used to offer two hours of free WiFi to its Starbucks card holders but now its dropping that requirement and making it free for all a la Mcdonald's.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I actually noticed that the Barnes and Noble in Park Slope already offers free wifi... I was surprised, since all of those Starbucks locations usually charge an unreasonable amount for their pathetically slow services.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
Joe on Waverly has internet. Well, they don't have their own but I can always get a connection there. Just don't let that secret get out and ruin my spot.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: Yeah, I remember reading about that to on MSNBC's website. Starbucks owner said he has decided to make a lot of changes to the way Starbucks runs, in order to bring customers back to the store. He said he is going back to the way the store operated when they were constantly busy. Maybe providing unlimited free wi-fi is one way to stir the pot, as it were.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted I am quite happy about this development for where I live in Manhattan there are hardly any cafes that offer free WiFi, only one computer repair store Axe computers who charges like $8 an hour or something for the use of a computer and internet access.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
http://www.theonion.com/articles/starbucks-to-begin-sinister-phase-two-of-operation,416/
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK Great "article"
@Everyone Staples, of all places, has free WiFi if you bring your own laptop. Printing, however, even a single blackand white page, is absurdly expensive.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I have my friend who works in a big office print all of my notes and resumes for free. Certainly a great connection to have.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
I recently acquired such a connection myself and I'm really glad not to drop $25 or more every time I even walk into a Kinko's.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish isn't it outrageous how expensive Kinko's can be? I usually use the services of brother's office ,he works for a big law firm so he's anyway printing out stuff all the time. I also have a printer @home and notice that if I don't use it enough the ink dries up and I am sure you know that printer ink in this city is often more expensive than the printer itself so it makes sense to use the ink rather than allow it to dry.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl @Uraniumfish Before realizing that my friend was more than willing to print things out for me at work, I actually looked into having 70 pages or so printed at Kinkos.... $50 is what they were going to charge! I could buy a printer for less.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
I don't have to worry about making copies. I have a 4-in-1 printer that does it all. So I do not need to go to Kinkos or anywhere else for copies.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted do you buy the official ink for your printer or do you get the cartridges refilled? its the printer ink which is so expensive in this city and lately many of the cartridges in many of the printers come with a stamped use by date after which the cartridge stops working. I was totally shocked with my HP 4 in one which had such a cartridge for though it had ink in it it refused to print as the use by date was long gone. I got rid of the printer as the cartridges for that thing were so expensive. I do have an Epson printer now and have just had the cartridges refilled by an online refill company at about 1/4th of the cost of an original cartridge/
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I used to have a printer whose ink cartridges cost more than the entire thing was worth - it's incredible what printing corps get away with! And what Kinkos gets away with, for that matter.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: The ink does not have an expiration date. I get a warning message when the ink is out or low. When the ink is low, this means I have at least another 500 copies or prints to go before the cartridge is out of ink. I usually order the ink online and get it cheaper than buying it at a store in Manhattan.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted this particular HP model had an expiration date embedded in it . Believe me I was astounded when I found that out!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@All Yeah, after I dropped $50 a couple of times at Kinko's to get a big manuscript copied, I decided to buy myself a dee-luxe laser printer, since it will more than pay for itself in a few months.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
I got an amazing printer for $50 - scanner, copier, printer, also does photos! Unfortunately it sucks up ink like nobody's business, and ink is so bloody expensive it's almost not worth it!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Paid $150 for my laser printer and I discovered there's a setting to save ink. The little tricksters made it so you have to click on the setting every single time you print, otherwise you're always printing at hi res. Jerks. I hate that wasting ink is actually built into the product design. It makes the company seem like such greedy creeps.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
It looks like buying your own printer is the way to go.

@Uraniumfish Even though you have a printer at home, you still go to outside sources to have long manuscripts printed? Of course I can see how that would be beneficial, but I think it would be easier to just do it yourself?
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@NeverSleep No, I did that before I got a printer of my own. I do lately have an office hookup, though, and I take advantage of the privilege whenever I need something fancy like color printing (my printer's only b/w). And, you know, I help myself to the paper clips and such.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
Kinko's is such a ripoff!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@DBlack: I know what you mean by Kinko. I also think they are ripoffs. If I have to go to get printer ink or supplies, I go to Office Depot as I have an account, so I get everything at a discount.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@everybody I think Kinkos was bought by Fed Ex and is now called Fed Ex Office or something like that.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps that's right the new entity is indeed called Fedex office.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
No matter what you call it, it's still a ripoff!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
When Fed Ex took those over, or redesigned them or whatever, does it seem like they shrunk? I can't remember the last time I went into a huge Kinkos.... There used to be a spacious one on Houston but I haven't been in a while. And yes, they are definitely a rip off by any name.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish - planned obsolescence is the term, I believe. But thanks for the tip! Between that and my knockoff East Asian cartridges I might have a chance at affording to print out my many drafts of my novel as I edit it
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Can you print things at the library on the cheap?
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
I saw a Kinkos down from here I live a few weeks ago and the name on the building was FedEx/Kinkos. I guess they did not have time to change the name yet.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.

Add a comment

Best Neighborhoods to Live In

8.9

Gramercy Park
Ranked 3rd best neighborhood in Manhattan. View More
8.7

Russian Hill
Ranked 1st best neighborhood in San Francisco. View More
8.6

Magnolia
Ranked 2nd best neighborhood in Seattle. View More
8.9

Georgetown
Ranked 3rd best neighborhood in Washington. View More

Best Cities to Live In

6.9

Boston
Ranked 1st best city in Massachusetts. View More
7.1

Chicago
Ranked 2nd best city in Illinois. View More
7.1

Minneapolis
Ranked 7th best city in Minnesota. View More
5.8

Philadelphia
Ranked 2nd best city in Pennsylvania. View More

Tell everyone what you love about your neighborhood!

Leave a Review

Have a question?

How are schools? Is the area safe? What about public transit options?" Why not ask our community of locals!

Ask Now

Selling or Renting Your Home?

Maximize the selling price of your home by sharing what you love about your suburb to increase its appeal...

Leave a Review

Corporate Relocation Manager?

Enable your employees to share local knowledge in a private, trusted environment with those relocating... while building community.

Learn More

To leave a review, please search for a city or neighborhood, click search, then click the "write a review" button near the top of the page.

Close x