Most people head to their local Starbucks for coffee.
It’s not uncommon to see people on their laptops or tablets at Starbucks.
This may make you wonder if they’re paying for the Wi-Fi service or if Starbucks provides it for free.
Here’s what you need to know about whether Starbucks has free Wi-Fi or not.
Does Starbucks Have Free Wi-Fi?
Yes, Starbucks has free Wi-Fi.
This wasn’t always the case, however.
Before 2010, Starbucks had a system where you needed to have a Starbucks Card to access their Wi-Fi.
With the card, you would get free Wi-Fi for two hours before having to pay through your card after the fact.
Since their customers didn’t enjoy how they structured the Wi-Fi, Starbucks eventually removed that system and introduced free Wi-Fi for everyone to use.
How To Use Starbucks Wi-Fi
If you’ve never used the internet at Starbucks before, there are a few steps you need to complete before you can log on.
The first step is to find the right Wi-Fi address.
Since Starbucks has partnered with Google to bring free internet to its customers, you’ll find the Wi-Fi name “Starbucks-Google” or “Google Starbucks” on your list.
Click that to get access to the internet.
You’ll receive a prompt that asks for your name, zip code, and email address.
Once you submit that information, click on the connect button.
Your computer will connect to the internet, and you can browse the internet as needed.
You may also receive a prompt from your computer to remember the Wi-Fi network.
If you choose yes, your device will remember the connection, and the Wi-Fi will remember you.
You may not have to submit your information every time in the future.
If you don’t choose to do so, then you will have to submit your information every time you want to connect to their internet in the future.
Is The Internet Safe At Starbucks?
One of the biggest concerns you should have when using the internet at Starbucks or any public location is how safe it is.
Because Starbucks uses a public Wi-Fi address, it is not safe.
A hacker can bypass its security and get information from your computer.
Because of this, there are a few things you should do to make using the internet at Starbucks safer.
Here are some things you can do to make using the internet at Starbucks safer.
1. Avoid Using Private Accounts And Financial Information
If you use Google Chrome, then one of the things you can do is make different profiles.
It’s worth making a profile that you intend to use for public use.
You can clear the cache and data on this profile with ease.
More importantly, when you use this profile, you’ll want to avoid accessing sites that have your private information on them.
For example, it’s best to wait to check on your finances until you get home.
If you were to log into your bank on a public network, a hacker could gain information about your finances.
You’ll also want to avoid using sites that ask for personal information like your social security number.
If a hacker has access to the network, then they can see it.
Keep your internet browsing safe and general to ensure you don’t leak any information.
2. Use Encrypted Websites
Another thing you can do to make using Starbucks’ internet safer is to only access encrypted websites.
Google makes it easy to identify encrypted websites.
All you need to do is look for an “S” after “HTTP” at the beginning of the web address bar.
If you see “HTTPS” at the beginning of a web address, then it’s encrypted.
If it doesn’t, it’s not encrypted.
That said, scammers can encrypt their websites, too.
While you should always look for an “HTTPS” first, you also need to use due diligence to ensure the website is safe.
That said, using encrypted websites is a great way to make using the internet at Starbucks safer.
3. Log Out Of Accounts
When you log into an account on a public network, you’ll want to sign out of it, too.
It’s easy to forget to sign out of certain accounts rather than just exiting them.
However, if you fail to sign out, that means the account is still technically active.
This allows a hacker to easily get into your account and find out private information.
Before you log off your computer and leave Starbucks, it’s good practice to sign out of the accounts you’re using beforehand.
4. Use Different Passwords
It’s always good practice to have a different password for each website you use.
Google even makes this easier for you by suggesting and storing strong passwords.
The problem with using the same password for every site that you use is that, if a hacker or scammer gets ahold of the password, they’ll be able to access all the websites that use that password, too.
For example, a scammer might get ahold of your password on a site you use to buy fishing gear.
You may not think it’s a big deal and just change your password.
You might even cancel the card that’s connected to that account.
If the password you used for the fishing gear website was unique to it, that’s the only worry that you have.
However, if the password for that website is the same password you use for your bank, your health information, your student loans, your payroll, or a bunch of other merchant sites, then you’re in trouble.
Now the scammer or hacker has access to all those sites as well.
They can get access to your other credit cards, your social security number, and your other private information.
It can take a while to figure out all the cards you need to cancel and the different institutions you need to inform about the data breach.
By using a unique password for each website, you lower your risk.
To use the internet at Starbucks safely, you should only access websites that have unique passwords.
5. Don’t Skim Warnings
If you click on a site that Google suspects is a scam or has a virus on it, then it will block you from accessing it and give you a warning.
It can be easy to just click past the warning without fully reading it.
However, to ensure your computer and private information are safe, it’s worth taking the time to read the warning.
Sometimes, Google will mistakenly flag a website as being a scam.
If you know the website, you can click to access it.
However, if you’ve never used the website before, you might want to heed this warning.
Click away from it instead and avoid the website.
By heeding Google’s warnings about scam websites, you can make using the internet at Starbucks a lot safer.
6. Don’t Auto-Connect To Starbucks Internet
There’s a setting on your computer that allows you to automatically connect to certain Wi-Fi networks.
While this is handy for your home internet, it isn’t ideal for public networks.
That’s because you’re not entirely sure when your computer might connect to the internet.
If you were on a website with sensitive information beforehand, instantly connecting to a public network might leak that information to hackers and scammers.
It’s better to turn that setting off or ensure that you never allow your computer to instantly connect to Starbucks internet.
By avoiding that, you can have full control over when your computer connects to the internet.
7. Use Encryption Plugins
If you must access a website that isn’t encrypted, it’s worth installing some plugins that auto-encrypt websites for you.
Force-TLS and HTTPS-Everywhere are two plugins that do just that.
While it may not make you 100% safe, it makes you safer.
It also adds to the security of websites that are already encrypted.
By having the ability to encrypt sites that you use, you can make it that much harder for scammers and hackers to access your information.
If you want to use the internet at Starbucks, using encryption plugins can make it safer.
Does Starbucks Internet Work Outside?
Depending on your Starbucks location, you may have a cafe that has both indoor and outdoor areas.
While drinking and relaxing indoors is ideal for cold or extremely hot days, there are likely going to be days when you want to hang out outside.
However, if you plan on using the internet, you may wonder if going outside will shut off your connection.
The good news is that if the cafe has an outdoor area, then the Wi-Fi also extends to that area.
Starbucks knows that some of its customers want to take in the sun while they’re working or spending time on their projects.
To enable them to do so, their internet coverage encompasses their outdoor area as well.
For Starbucks stores that don’t have an outdoor area, you might still be able to get a little bit of coverage right outside the building.
However, to relax with the internet, you’ll want to go inside.
In most locations, you can enjoy the internet at Starbucks outside, too.
How Fast Is The Internet At Starbucks?
One complaint that many people have about using the internet at restaurants is that it’s usually slow.
It’s impossible to watch streaming media.
It can take forever to download files.
If you want to use the internet at Starbucks, then you may wonder how fast it is.
Starbucks actually has the fastest internet of all fast-food or casual restaurants in the country.
Its average download speed is 9 Mbps.
That’s more than double the speed of the internet at McDonald’s which has a speed of 4 Mbps.
Best Buy has an average download speed of 3.9 Mbps and Panera has an average download speed of 1 Mbps.
Clearly, Starbucks has pretty fast internet.
While it most likely won’t be as fast as your internet at home, it will be faster than any other restaurant where you intend to eat and use the internet.
As such, you can get a lot more work done using the internet at Starbucks than at McDonald’s.
What Are The Benefits Of Using The Internet At Starbucks?
You may notice a group of people who often sit at Starbucks with their coffee and use the internet.
You may wonder if it’s right for you.
Here are a few benefits of using the internet at Starbucks.
1. Support The Chain
One of the reasons it’s a good idea to use the internet at Starbucks is that it allows you to support the cafe.
The local workers depend on you to pay their wages and keep the restaurant going.
It’s usually good practice to order a coffee or something more substantial if you intend to use the internet.
That’s because they’re paying the high internet bill that enables you to use the internet in the first place.
By using their internet, you’re also more likely to buy coffee, baked goods, and other items at the cafe.
Supporting them means you’re supporting your local community.
2. Focused Vibes
The music at Starbucks and its atmosphere help those who are inside the cafe focus.
It’s designed to help keep thoughts focused and minimize distractions.
While the coming and going of customers might be a bit distracting, you can always wear headphones, too.
Because Starbucks tries to maintain a focused atmosphere, those who use the internet there can usually get a good amount of work done.
There aren’t the usual distractions of home or the office to keep you from completing your work.
Instead, you focus solely on your work, get it done faster, and end your day early.
3. Collaboration
If you have a group project that you’re working on, Starbucks is a great place to get it done.
It has several chairs and tables that you can push together to make room for everyone.
Starbucks is also neutral ground.
If you don’t know your group members all that well, it may be discomfiting to invite them to your home to work on the project.
It also means you don’t have to go to a stranger’s home.
Even if you do know your group members well, choosing a third-party location like Starbucks means no one has to worry about hosting.
No one has to spend extra money to feed the group or spend time thoroughly cleaning the house to make it presentable for guests.
The focused environment that Starbucks has also makes it ideal for group collaboration.
Everyone can focus on the task at hand.
You can get a lot of work done in a short amount of time.
Starbucks is also a relaxing place to be.
It can make everyone feel at ease which can make collaborating a lot easier to do.
4. Free Internet
Perhaps the biggest benefit of using the internet at Starbucks is that it’s free.
If you don’t have the internet at home or it goes out for maintenance or due to an outage, you may feel stuck.
This can be especially difficult for those who work at home or who have children who need access to the internet to do their homework.
A great solution is to head to Starbucks until your internet comes back online.
Since the internet is pretty fast, you’ll be able to do your work without too many interruptions.
Your kids can also do their homework without requiring you to pay a monthly internet bill.
In the meantime, you can relax with some great coffee.
Starbucks is a great place to go for the internet because it’s free and fast.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Using The Internet At Starbucks?
While there are plenty of benefits of using the internet at Starbucks, there are a few problems, too.
Here are some of the disadvantages of using the internet at Starbucks.
1. Public
Starbucks uses a public network.
This means that a hacker can access the network and hack into your computer.
Because of that, it isn’t always safe to use the internet at Starbucks.
Following basic internet safety rules can help make using it safer.
2. Loud Customers
While Starbucks is usually a relaxed and chill place, sometimes customers can be loud.
For example, there will always be those customers who get mad at the workers.
Your workflow may face a few interruptions when a shouting match begins.
3. Pressure To Buy
If you’re going to use the internet at Starbucks, it’s good practice to buy something first.
However, as the hours progress and you’re still using the internet, you may feel pressure to buy something else.
Since Starbucks doesn’t always have the cheapest options, you might end up paying more than you’d like just to use free internet.
At some point, you may have to wonder if the internet is really free after all.
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