wifi for a stranded brit

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

a friend of mine from london is temporarily stranded in boston on account of the volcano (she was trying to get home from a work trip in indiana, and the plane turned around because it couldn't land in dublin) and she has to get online to do some work while she's here. in the interests of her not having to hang out in my house all week, where can she go that's got free/low cost wifi where she can sit for a couple of hours without being hassled? i already mentioned the diesel and the blue shirt cafe and starbucks - i think she's going to the diesel today - and she'll be reimbursed so she doesn't mind having to pay for it. it has to be walking distance or accessible by public transportation, but she's not confined to greater davis square.

help?

(i'm not sure how to tag this. i went with "wifi".)

Comments

[anotherthink.livejournal.com]

I've just discovered that the public library is awesome for this. I live in Cambridge and the branch on Broadway is great -- there's probably something analogous in Somerville too.

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

Borders in Downtown Crossing has free wifi. The Boston Public library requires that you have a library card for their wifi, not sure about Cambridge and Somerville.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

she is in fact a librarian, but i don't know how much that would help her if the bpl wants an actual library card.... borders having wifi is really good to know, tho.

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

Not gonna help, probably. But if she decides that she wants to go to BPL, ping me privately and I'll give her mine.

[anotherthink.livejournal.com]

You don't need a card or anything to get free wifi at the Cambridge library.

[no1onthecorner.livejournal.com]

The Somerville library has free wifi with no card required, although I agree that the Cambridge library is a nicer space.

[frotz.livejournal.com]

In the coffeehouse vein, True Grounds isn't far, and I find it a more pleasant place to pass a few hours.

If the need is just for quiet and net, how about the library?

[ed4444.livejournal.com]

According to the website, they no longer offer unlimited free wifi. You get an hour with your order, and after that you can buy more.

[lac.livejournal.com]

The Borders in the Back Bay has free WiFi as well (maybe the one in the Cambridgeside Galleria does as well?). But today is not the day I would take advantage of the Back Bay one.

[tamalinn.livejournal.com]

IIRC, there's free public WiFi in Cambridge. I sat down in the library one day on Pearl St. in Central Square and used it 'til the library closed. Didn't need a library card or nothin'. :)

[naufiel.livejournal.com]

I used to love the Diesel for this, but they do make you pay for their wifi.

If there are any Panera's around or T-accessible, they're all free wifi for as long as you like.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Not only does Diesel make you pay for wifi, but it's as noisy as a nightclub. I left there with my head throbbing from the blasting Scandinavian death metal and the people having to shout over it, and this was at 1:00 PM on a Sunday afternoon. That was my first and only attempt to do actual work there (usually I only go in for take-out coffee or socializing), but that experience repulsed me enough that I'll never try to get work done there again. I'll try Panera, as you suggest.

[ron_newman]

The only Panera near here is in Arlington Heights, at the end of the #77 (Mass. Ave.) bus line.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

There's also one in the Gateway shopping plaza, accessible by a short (if unpleasant) walk from the Wellington T stop.

[fe.livejournal.com]

Nothing helpful here. Just noting that it's amusing when I find people from other communities I'm watching show up in local ones.

[tsuki-no-bara.livejournal.com]

lj is sometimes a very small world. :D

[greyling.livejournal.com]

Cafe Algiers is beautiful and has wifi for their patrons. (A bunch of other cafes do as well.) Tasty, tasty falafel.

MIT has guest wifi, and much of their space is public for sitting.

The Harvard Coop has free wifi. Bookstore + coffee shop.

[vonelftinhaus.livejournal.com]

The Burren has free WiFi coupons

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

the cambridge public library (on broadway) is the best place on earth, period. they also have cafe areas where you can eat/drink, etc., though she'd be better off bringing a sandwich as opposed to relying on the vending machines :)

[magid.livejournal.com]

Though it's not open today, for Patriot's Day.

[oonh.livejournal.com]

darwin's ltd on cambridge st has free wifi.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I wish this thread had come up 2 weeks ago when I lost my wired connection at home and made the mistake of buying Diesel's worthless wifi in the noisiest commercial setting I've ever experienced outside of a nightclub. I don't know how anyone can do any work there unless they're deaf.

Sorry, no suggestions, but I'm glad you asked because I'm making note of the answers that are coming in.

[ron_newman]

This earlier thread may be useful. I had trouble finding it because the OP and moderators both forgot to tag it 'internet'. I fixed that.

[gruene.livejournal.com]

And yet every booth in there is still taken by a student who believes their purchase of single cup of coffee entitles them to several hours of occupying four comfy seats with themself, their feet and their stuff.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I hate that so much. If I owned a cafe I would make table-sharing the rule, and I would put a table tent ant every table saying so.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

I second the suggestion above for True Grounds -- free WiFi, good coffee and a pleasant place to be!

[masswich.livejournal.com]

True Grounds wifi isn't free any more. The will give you one free hour after you pay for an hour (although when I was there I only needed it for an hour so I didn't figure out how to get my free hour.)

Its too bad but I can't say I blame them. Its annoying when every table is taken up by someone with a computer pretending they are not done with their coffee by leaving one sip left in it for 3 hours and running an office out of there. I am a reluctant supporter of paid wifi at coffee shops to reduce the "office" look of them.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

It would be a lot less of a problem if people would share their tables at cafes. I have no idea why it's socially verboten to ask "may I share this table" when one person is taking up a whole 4-top table. If I owned a cafe I would make sharing a rule during high traffic hours.

[ron_newman]

I've never heard of it being verboten -- what happens when you ask?

If all tables are full, I don't see it even being necessary to ask.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Eek! Thanks for the update. Still love their coffee! :)

[panterka37.livejournal.com]

Good Food Cafe on Mass Ave. - between 12pm and 3pm. The wifi is free and the smoothies and sandwiches are great :).

[ursamajor]

Oh dear, is that what their hours have been reduced to? I'd been wondering.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

He's focusing on catering, unfortunately for those of us who liked going to the cafe.

[ron_newman]

See this post from a couple months ago. They're open a bit longer on weekends, 12-5.

[ritcey.livejournal.com]

For something quite a bit quieter than a cafe:

http://workbarboston.com/

$20 for a day pass

Red Line to South Station - block or two away.

(my friend is one of the founders)

[tarsier10.livejournal.com]

other free options:
Brugger's Bagels (incl. Porter)
Gourment Express (Porter, open 24/7, with parking)
Borders bookstores
Au Bon Pain locations
Cambridge Public Library branches (no card needed; when it's not Patriot's Day)
Somerville Public Library branches (same caveats)
JP Licks, by rumor

[ron_newman]

Au Bon Pain in Davis Square has free wi-fi, and is rarely busy.

[antimony.livejournal.com]

Boloco up by tufts has free wifi with purchase of food. And comfy couches. It's generally empty and I've never had them hassle me for hanging out for a good long while, but it's a hike from Davis.

[rozhinka.livejournal.com]

Atomic Cafe between Central and Harvard. Everyone in there seems to be using it as an office.