How to get internet access in Houston?

aliasojo

I'm assumming an O2 PAYG dongle from the UK wont work?

Best way for short term access?

aerostar

If you have WiFi, have you checked if the hotel you are staying in offerds it, alternatively, a little GOOGLING comes up with LOTS !!!!!

All Hooters Restaurants in Texas now have Free Wi-Fi.
also Macdonalds.

look here
http://www.openwifispots.com/city_free_wifi_wireless_hotspot-Houston_TX.aspx#29.759956,-95.362534,14



Houston
59 Diner - 3801 Farnham St - 713 523 2333 and 17695 Tomball Pkwy - 832 237 7559
713 Rest. & Lounge - 10001 Westheimer Rd - 713-244-0916
Able Auto Glass - 2403 Naomi Street suite # 10 - 713-383-8055
Agora Cafe - 1712 Westheimer Rd - 713 526 7212
Al's Sports Bar #1 - 3838 S. Dairy Ashford - 281-493-3838
Al's Sports Bar #2 - 16203 Westheimer #102 - 281-493-4824
Amigos Mexican Grill & Cantina - 11660 Westheimer Rd, Ste 101 - 281 496 3288
Associated Credit Union of Texas - inside Randalls Grocery Store - 18322 Clay Road
Augusta's Cup of Joe - 13626 Veterans Memorial Dr., Suite A - 281-866-9559
Baker Street Pub & Grill - 5510 Morningside, Suite 100 - (713) 942-9900 and 17278 Tomball Parkway - (281)517-0828
Bayou City Wings - 12804 Gulf Freeway - 281.464.8570 and 7922 Long Point - 713.461.9464 and 5598B N. Freeway - 713.696.9464
BounceU - 10601 S Sam Houston Pkwy W - 281 988 0202 and 14900 Westheimer Rd - 281 497 8222
Brown Bag Deli - 2036 Westheimer - 713-807-9191
Cafe 170 coffeehouse - 840 N. Eldridge Pkwy, #170 - 281-940-0380
Cafe Artiste - 1601 W Main
Cafe at the J - 5601 S. Braeswood
Cakeland Cafe - 11803-A Wilcrest Dr - 281-495-4006
Catalina Coffee - 2201 Washington Ave
Chili's Restaurant - 6121 Westheimer
Cliff's Grill - 6605 Main St - 713 383 0900
Coffee Oasis - 1606 Clear Lake City Boulevard - 281-488-8333
Crazy Frogs Saloon - 17776 Tomball Pkwy - 281-893-1707
Dairy Queen - 14322 State Highway 249
DNR European Fast Food - 4621 Montrose Blvd - (713) 529-0367
Downing Street Pub - 2549 Kirby Drive - (713) 523-2291
Empty Spoon Dessert Bar/Coffee House - 9405 S. Main
Farrago - 318 Gray St - 713 523 6404
Firkin & Phoenix Restaurant and Pub - 1915 Westheimer Rd - 713-526-3100
Flavors Frozen Yogurt - 5757 Westheimer, Ste 102 - 713 789 1111
Frank's Pizza - 417 Travis St. - 713-22-PIZZA
Fox & Hound - 11470 Westheimer - 281.589.2122
Fox & Hound (the Woodlands) - 19189 Interstate 45 South - 832.813.0102
Franklin Street Coffeehouse - 913 Franklin Street - 236-8433
Godo's Restaurant - 7235 Fannin St. - (713) 797-0670
GrumBar & Grill - 301 Main St - 713 224 6448
Guava Lamp Bar - 2159 Portsmouth St - 713.524.3359
Harris County Public Libraries - 25 branches
Henry Hudson's Pub - 13300 FM 1960 - (281) 955-8525 and 2703 Hwy 6 S, Suite 350 - 281.531.5917
Hollywood Book Cafe - 2409 Grant - 713.523.8855
Houston Public Library - 500 McKinney St - 832-393 1313 - and all branch locations
Houston WiFi - outdoor access in the Downtown Business District
Hungry's Cafe and Bistro - 2356 Rice Blvd - 713-523-8652
It's a Grind Coffee shop - 12225 Westheimer Rd., Suite A - 281.558.8852
John Eagle Acura - 16015 Katy Fwy - 281 589 0600
Julie Victoria Cafe - 2347 Universty Blvd, #A
Just Juice - 428 W Greens Rd - 281 875 1669
Khons Bar - 2808 Milam St
Kojak's Cafe - 1912 W 18th St - 713 426 1800
Kraftsmen Baking - 4100 Montrose Blvd - (713) 524-3737
Little Italy Coffee Bar - 9511 Westheimer - 832-252-1881
Lone Star College-North Harris - must accept guest user agreement - 2700 WW Thorne Dr - 281 618 5400
Masala Wok - 10001 Westheimer Rd - (713) 784-8811
Memorial City Mall - near the ice rink - I 10 & Gessner Rd
Mezzannine Lounge & Sports Bar - 2200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 150 - 713-528-6399
New Beginnings in Christ - 2929 Des Chaumes - 713 849 5084
New York Pizzeria @ Galleria - 5727 Westheimer Rd, #B - 832-251-0220
Panera Bread - 12220 FM 1960 West - (281) 469-5623
Panera Bread - 13704 Northwest Freeway - (713) 934-9201
Panera Bread - 22521 Tomball Parkway - (281) 257-6300
Paradise Coffee Co - 1606 Clear Lake City Blvd - 281 990 9001
Planet Zero Anime Center - 12301-J Westheimer - 281-531-ZERO
Potatoe Patch - 2020 FM 1960 East - 281-443-3530
Quiznos - 2002 Yale St - 713 861 0188 and 920 Studemont - 713 880 1401
Raia's Italian Market - 4500 Washington Ave, Ste 200 - 713 861 1042
Rick's Cabaret - 410 N. Sam Houston Parkway (Beltway 8)
Rudi Lechner's Rest. - 2503 S Gessner - 713 782 1180
Schlotzsky's Deli - 2929 Kirby Drive
Sherlock's Baker Street Pub - 1997 A West Gray - (713)521-1881 and 100001 Westheimer Road - (713)977-1857 and 2416 Bay Area Blvd. - (281)461-4702
SpinCycle Washateria - 3105 Hillcroft - 713 784 8618
SRO Sports Bar and Cafe - 444 Northwest Mall - 713 683 5025
Stag's Head Pub - 2128 Portsmouth - 713-533-1199
Stir-It-Up Coffee House - 2117 Chenevert St, Suite L - 713-655-7847
Tapioca Express - 6357 Westheimer Rd - 713-339-1004
Tapioca Express - 3311 Westpark Dr. - (713) 668-7778
Te House of Tea - 1927 Fairview St - (713) 522-8868
Tea Leaf Tapioca - 2410 Bay Area Blvd. - (281) 461-6802
Tenshi Sushi & Japanese Noodles - 10511 Jones Rd, Ste G - 281 894 9939
Texadelphia - 6025 Westheimer Road - (713) 785-6700
Texadelphia - 5530 Memorial Dr. - 713-868-3100
Thaixuan Village - 8200 Broadway St - 713-649-1263
The Bull and Bear - 11980 Westheimer Suite A - 281.496.6655
The Corkscrew Wine Bar - 1919 Washington - (713) 864-9463
The Daily Grind - 4115 Washington Ave - 713-861-4558
The Maple Leaf Pub - 514 Elgin St, Ste D - 713 520 6464
Watson's House of Ales - 14656 Grisby Road - (281)920-2929
Wendy's - 5916 Richmond Ave - 713 783 0836 and 16710 Sw - 281 277 1661 and 9145 Hwy 6 S - 281 568 0871
Westbury Sq. Cigar Shop - 5425 West Bellfort
Wolfgang Puck Express - 10001 Westheimer Rd
Yale Street Coffee House - 2617 Yale St - 713.862.2050
Youth Advocates, Inc. - 6423 Richmond Ave. - (713) 923-1874
Ziggy's Healthy Grill - 2202 W Alabama St - 713-527-8588
***************** Crowne Plaza Downtown - 1700 Smith St - 713 739 8800
Sheraton Suites - all guest suites and public areas for guests - 2400 West Loop South - 713-586-2444
Magnolia Hotel - 1100 Texas Ave - 713 221 0011
The Lancaster Hotel - rooms and public areas
Lexington Hotel- Houston Medical Center - 1025 Swanson St - 713 790 1617
Hilton Garden Inn - 722 Bonaventure Way - 281 491 7777
Houston Holiday Inn Intercontinental Airport - 15222 JFK Blvd - 281-449-2311
Houston Holiday Inn Select Greenway Plaza - 2712 Southwest Freeway - 713-523-8448
Holiday Inn Express Houston-NW - 12915 FM 1960 W - 832 237 4300
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Medical Center - 6800 S. Main St. - 713-528-7744
Holiday Inn Select West - 14703 Park Row - 281-558-5580
Hyatt Summerfield Hotel Suites - 3440 Sage Rd - 713 629 9711
AmeriSuites Houston International Airport
Courtyard Houston Intercontinental Airport - 16500 Hedgecroft Dr - 281-820-5638
Doubletree Hotel - Houston Intercontinental Airport - lobby area - 15747 JFK Blvd - 281 848 4000
Microtel Inn Clear Lake City
Lake View RV Resort Cabins - 11991 S. Main St. - (713) 723-0973
All Star RV Resort Cabins - 10650 SW Plaza Ct. - (713) 981-6814

aliasojo

Wow, that's lots right enough. Thanks.

However a more personal solution is needed as it's for my son who is to be over there working and will have little or no free time to speak of. He expects to be dead beat at the end of each day, probably wont be out and about much and will likely end up going to bed early so he wanted something he could use in the apartment building that has been booked for him. (I suspect very basic apartment building, lol.)

macman

You can probably use an 02 PAYG dongle if it'll work on a roaming basis, but it'll be out of credit in minutes, as the per MB charges will be massive. Don't do it.
Best bet is probably to buy a dongle when he arrives to operate on the local network, or a local wi-fi network he can connect to.