Can the Mcdonalds Wifi be used, parked outside?

Karen_taris

If parked outside Mcdonalds, in the car with a laptop, then can their wifi signal be picked up and used by the laptop, technically ?

while waiting for the food to come to you, that you have ordered, and also while eating.


Will the laptop detect the network ? (assuming signal is strong enough )

Tyler_Du

Don't you normally have to request a password or key from inside before you can access the wifi ? If not then I guess you could access the wifi

agrinnall

There are two components to it, access as covered by Tyler above, and whether the signal is strong enough to reach outside to the car park. Having never tried I can't answer, and I'd guess that it'll be different for every site so the only real solution is to try it and see.

jbainbridge

Their wifi is free to use (I think you do need to sign up).

Assuming the signal is available in the car park you will be fine.

Inner_Zone

There is a McDonalds and a low cost hotel chain across the other side of a large car park in a Scottish city, if you have a room facing the McD's you can get free Wi-Fi and not pay for the hotels own. There is Little Chef and the same low cost hotel chain across the other side of a small car park near an large East coast town again you can get free Wi-Fi and not pay for the hotels own.

Just two examples I know work, others may or may not. With McD Wi-Fi you have to register with O2 via the home page that appears.

DeltaWhiskyHotel

As Inner Zone (and funnily enough, in a Scottish city as well). Have parked in their car park, had forgotten mobile phone, needed to phone other half. Was able to use tablet + Skype to phone. For an experiment tried catch up tv - worked fine. So assuming signed up, reasonable distance & no major obstructions then go for it.

penrhyn

You only need to register once to access Mcd wifi, and its free, no codes required.
Car might screen out the signal.

barmonkey

Yes you can, you need to register with your post code.
I do it quite often.

Karen_taris

barmonkey wrote: »

Yes you can, you need to register with your post code.
I do it quite often.

How do you register? what is the URL site?

you mean register when over there, mcdonalds?

Is it compulsary to register when you are at the mcdonalds?

barmonkey

Sit outside
connect to wifi
Open browser
page comes up asking for postcode.
put in any random (postcode style) numbers
click okay

J_B

barmonkey wrote: »

Sit outside
connect to wifi
Open browser
page comes up asking for postcode.
put in any random (postcode style) numbers
click okay

Isn't that illegal?