Do I Need To Be Near An Internet Server To Connect A Wireless Laptop To The Internet?

When you connect with a wireless signal from your laptop, you are basically getting a free ride on the connection from others around you. A lot of coffee shops, libraries, hotels, malls other "public" locations will have a wireless signal you don't have to pay for. Rural areas and strictly residential areas will generally have fewer wireless signals available and those that are available will be password-protected by their users. A private user may not want to share his wireless signal with others because it slows down the connection if several people are downloading and uploading large amounts of data on the same connection "line."

If you are interested in having continued connectivity on your laptop regardless of where you are, you should think about buying a wireless internet connection card for a monthly fee. I think Sprint sells one but I'm sure they're not the only ones, so you should shop around for the best deal.