Now, Officially a FONny Guy

One of the coolest folx I know is Barry from Alaska. He's very tech-savvy, and he works for a cargo airline outfit, and flies all over the globe. He turned me onto Skype, if I'm not mistaken.

Well, along comes FON. FON is a way for people to get free or cheap WiFi wherever there's a FON router/access point. Check the map -- there may be FON points near you, or near places you visit.

If you already have broadband, but don't have a WiFi LAN, here's your cheap* way to get set up.

What FON does is split your broadband into two separate networks -- one, which is WPA-secured, and can be private (SSID not broadcast), and; a second network that's open to FON subscribers. You can set the amount of bandwidth that FON people can use, down to a lower limit of 512kbps. You can also see who's used your FON connection, when and for how long, and how many bits they slung both directions.

There are three types of FON people, or as they call them, "Foneros ": 1.) Aliens, who do not own a FON router, and have to buy credits to use any FON network access point (@ 3€/day... what's that, like $4.00 USD? I know my 10€/quarter to Skype comes out to just over $13.00); 2.) Linuses, who own a FON router, and offer it freely to all Foneros in exchange for free access at ANY FON access point, and; 3.) Bills, which is what I am. I get 50% of whatever comes in from the use of my access point from Aliens, but the Linuses get on me for free.

Right now, FON has a special offer to people who join -- it's a loss-leading promotion, where if you get a FON router, you can invite someone else to get one free. Yes, free, as in no shipping, zero dollars. I imagine this is how Barry from Alaska hooked me up with the free router.

*I would like to invite one of my East Gnashvegan homies to contact me to set them up with the free FON router I have been allowed to bestow on someone. East Nashville? Yeah, there aren't many FON spots over there. Spread the spectrum, spread the love, sez I. Of course, if you can make a case that your neighborhood (especially coffee shops, other public meetin' spots not already served by a library branch or other public WiFi) is deserving, I will hear all requests, and respond accordingly.

If you want in, get wif me ASAP. Dunno how long this offer will be good, so act now!
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