Wireless (WiFi) Hot Spots in Shanghai

By Jian Shuo Wang on 2004-01-30 20:55 · Wireless

LeiFeng reported many public hot spots along the way from Xujiahui to Hongkou (A district in north east Shanghai. “So many I couldn’t even believe myself”, said LeiFeng.

Public Hot Spots

I know almost all Starbucks are covered by China Mobile Network (CMC). Users with TianYiTong Account can directly access login. The bad news is, they are charging 0.1 RMB per minutes for all users (including paid Tian Yi Tong users) after Jan 21, 2004.

Pudong Airport offeres wireless access but it is the CNC network.

My Private Hot Spots

Really? I’d like to have Internet access in a park or on the road. I will have a try from Xujiahui to Caobao Road today to see if there is any this way. I have WiFi Hot Spot in my home at 77 Cao Bao Road. It is not public now but I’d like to share it out - there is no harm for me. Others may not be able to use it since I am on the eleventh floor and the signal will be very low down the the ground.

Several days before, XGAO (Chinese site) was very happy to find out wireless network in my home. He just brought out his computer and enjoy the free (for him) Internet access.

More Resources

21 Comments
It's Hongkou, not Hongkong. :)
— WilliamW · 2004-01-30 20:55
Hmm. You should be careful to share your wifi access. Never know when people will abuse your internet access for their own purposes! (In the US people warn about those sharings [potential for abuse]).
— Lee · 2004-01-31 00:20
How are the users charged at Starbucks in China for using its hotspots? Is possible to just give the credit card information during the login? Or they have to pay cash to the store before connecting the network?
— JH · 2004-01-31 02:22
The hotspot list in Shanghai(Chinese)

http://www.51wireless.com/tyt/yewu3.htm
— stonesee · 2004-01-31 14:37
Jian, free today and browsing your site. Came across this related page that may help you locate some Hot Spots. http://www.chinapulse.com/wifi/
— Willie Liu · 2004-01-31 15:28
William, thanks for correcting me. It seems I have forget how to write and how to review the articles I wrote during the long vacation. :-D I have corrected it.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-01-31 18:01
Lee, you are right. By opening the Wifi spot, some may send out spam via the IP address, others may post senstive message and cause the IP owner to have trouble. Is there any solution for this? Let me check if there is any way to log the MAC address of all the computer connected via the spot.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-01-31 18:03
JH, in Starbucks, actually you have no way to pay (either by credit card or cash) for Internet access. Only Tian Yi Tong subscribers can access it via 0.1 RMB / minute in addition to the 130 RMB per month subscription fee. I still don't know the way to access paid WIFI yet. The website ( http://chinapulse.com ) Willie gave is a good place to find out those free public Wifi spots.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-01-31 18:07
Willie and Stonsee, thanks for providing the list. I have updated the content of the site to include them.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-01-31 18:10
Hmm. I have no idea how you would keep track of the MAC addresses of those who use your WiFi spot. But my guess would be for you to treat your WiFi as a router to the Internet (and I'm sure there are plenty of literature out there that talks about logging at the router level for all users). Do you know if the Chinese government treats MAC addresses as "legally binding"?
— Lee · 2004-02-01 09:48
Yes, you always can set up your wifi router such that it will log all the MAC addresses that connect the router and associated time information.
— JH · 2004-02-01 10:04
I am afraid still didn't find a way to get the MAC log in my Microsoft Wireless Basestation MN500. I have posted the question to the newsgroup. Hope to get an answer soon.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2004-02-01 18:54
I copied this over from the Starbucks thread because I think this is a more appropriate page.

Hi there!

I recently moved to Shanghai and pestered the building management to get Tianyitong in my apartment. On the first visit, the telecom techs just brought over an ADSL modem and made out no-one had asked for the wireless set-up.

Then, after much hassle, they returned abotu a week later with the wireless router/AP (a Beyondcable 2010). Via the building management, I tried to question them as to what Username/password I would need to use to get wireless access while out and about in Shanghai.

at first, there was lots of shoulder shrugging and then they just pointed to my original ADSL user card (with Username/password on it).

Sure enough, when I took my palm-based wireless device (an Alphasmart Dana) to Starbucks, it'd find the access point but wouldn't log in - it cam up with "wrong user name or password").

Any suggestions on how I can resolve this? The Sh telecom Tanyitong site is in Chinese (which I can't read) and I suspect I wouldn't get very far if I rang them up (I'm also not much good with spoken Chinese).

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Regards,

Bluebag
— Bluebag · 2004-03-22 11:34
I don't mean to put advertisement on your site, but I occationally see your website this afternoon and found there's some question about SIM card, wireless connection with cellphone, I believe I might be helpful since our company is doing such stuffs.

I'm using wireless internet these days, using a USB data cable to connect laptop with Motorola V66. The connection speed is a bit faster than dial. $ are counted by download bytes, not by time. So if you don't download too much things and you won't cost much.

Because my company are renting these things and I don't want put ads here, you can contact me via Email (wjia@pandaphone.com), I'll try my best to help you.
— Jeff · 2004-04-23 14:55
Shanghai free hotspots

http://www.scitrixcn.com/wireless/freewifispots.html
— Chen · 2004-04-30 09:15
I read these comments with interest as I am currently trying to research how far Public wi-fi has been deployed in China - the Tianyitong link is great - do you or anyone know other links that provide a list of all (paid for) hotspots?

Im also trying to track down China Mobile hotspots (understand they charge RMB 0.20/minute for a scheme called eTraveller) and China Netcom's WuXian BanLu service. Any help would be much appreciated

thanks
— Philip Low · 2005-07-28 21:21
Hi, my girlfriend and I will be moving to Shanghai in a month, where I will work for hopefully at least a number of years! I would like to buy a PDA in Shanghai that allows me to make regular phone calls as well as allow me to download SKype and call over the internet. I have some questions:

can I buy such a PDA in Shanghai?

If I need to buy it somewhere else (here in EU) do I need 900 or 1800 MHz?

Is SKype allowed, and would it indeed work to call in Shanghai via a hotspot over the internet to the Netherlands?

Anyone any experience?

Thanks a lot!

Dolf
— Dolf · 2006-08-31 17:33
I believe you can buy it in Shanghai.

It needs to fit China's GSM standard - 900 Hz.

Skype is allowed. PC to PC is allowed. PC to phone is not allowed, but you can use it.

The scenario you described works.
— Jian Shuo Wang · 2006-08-31 20:05
Good site!

But can you help me with the circuit diagram of a wireless electric bell? Please, I need it for my project work. I'll Be deeply grateful if do me this favor.
— Kingsley · 2008-01-12 10:01
I am now living in Shanghai China and want to put wireless in my apartment. Where do I find a bilingual technician who can help me?
— Joe · 2008-01-21 03:25
Hey Everybody,

Our cafe @ 60 Xinle Lu, 2F, close to Xiangyang Lu, has free wi-fi. Open to all!!!

Thanks, friends cafe
— friends cafe · 2008-12-11 22:09