Free Wi-Fi for DS no more at North American McDonald's now

by David Hinkle { May 28th 2008 at 6:00PM }

Personally, we can't remember the last time we were in a McDonald's, so this news comes as, uh, well ... news to us. You see, the partnership between McDonald's and Wayport actually expired back in November of last year. Canadians are also up the same creek without a paddle, as the deal with Fatport also expired. This is not to say you can't still get online at McDonald's, it'll just take a bit more for you to get online with your DS.

Apparently, using the DS Opera Browser or a wi-fi dongle with a laptop will still allow you to get your DS online. But, as one might imagine, these alternatives aren't the best. Unless you go with the second choice, you won't even be able to enjoy a game online. Oh well, if it forces you to get wireless internet in your home, it can't be all that bad of a thing, right?

Tags: browser, dongle, fatport, hotspot, internet, mcdonalds, opera, wayport, wi-fi-hotspot

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

SephFinale @ May 28th 2008 6:37PM

Good thing all of downtown Austin, TX is one giant wifi hub then, huh? I still prefer cafe atmospheres to McDonalds...their food...is not great. =/

kastonie @ May 28th 2008 6:39PM

I played mario kart DS when it came out for an hour in a mc donalds...and that was the first and last time ive used the wi fi in the mc donalds...i kept getting my ds all quarter poundery with cheese....

Jeff from Knowzy @ May 28th 2008 6:47PM

Thanks for picking up the story. I love the graphic!

Aside from my tiny, insignificant magazine, DS Fanboy is the first to report this news.

Even if you mange to connect through the dongle or Opera, McDonald's generally charges for its Wi-Fi ($2.95 for 2 hours).

However, there are four ways to get on for free:

* Get broadband (DSL or fiber) service from AT&T
* Ask cashier for a free Wi-Fi coupon (this doesn't work very often)
* Some McD franchises give their Wi-Fi away free (Know of one? Please share!)
* Pay $60/mo. for a 3G Laptop card from AT&T Wireless and McD Wi-Fi is thrown in free

Thanks again for the 15 minutes of fame!

SephFinale @ May 28th 2008 9:17PM

Cafes are cool too...they serve non-greasy food. :3 And have free wifi.

ssuk @ May 28th 2008 7:38PM

Hands down, that's the worst Mario costume I've ever seen.

Don @ May 28th 2008 8:00PM

I didn't even know that the McDonalds Wi-Fi was available in Canada! Oh well.

Jeff from Knowzy @ May 28th 2008 8:13PM

Actually, in Canada, the Nintendo agreement was through Fatport, a hotspot provider with about 4,000 locations.

None of those locations are McDonald's. And none of those are free to DS owners any more.

http://www.fatport.com/locations/

Don @ May 29th 2008 4:21AM

Thanks for clarifying, Jeff. Really set the record straight on the inaccuracies of the original post re: Canadian content. Basically they just couldn't be bothered to fact check because it's "just Canada". Surprised they even mentioned it.

Aparoid @ May 28th 2008 9:15PM

I remember first hearing about WiFi at McDonald's from Nintendo Power. I have fond memories of wiping off my DS with a napkin, too.

It seems like the McDonald's I went to stopped this service a few months early. It might've been last November or so when my DS was no longer compatible with their WiFi. No problem, I have wireless at my house now. But for shame, McDonald's!

Jamar @ May 28th 2008 9:23PM

Maybe they're going to bring whatever they're doing in Japan over here?

Jeff Lawlor @ May 28th 2008 9:29PM

@SephFinale: You got that right. Free Wi-Fi, particularly at independent cafes, isn't hard to find.

And even though the Nintendo Wi-Fi hotspot locator still claims 6,000 partner hotspots (the actual number is 0), it is useful for finding those free Wi-Fi cafes.

http://www.nintendowifi.com/hotspots/searchHotSpot.do?locale=en_US

[.sm0ke.] @ May 28th 2008 9:48PM

Somehow my router isn't compatible with the wi-fi connection, so the McDonald's wi-fi was great.

On that note, if you want your network to not suck, don't buy anything from Belkin.

Anonymousaurus @ May 28th 2008 9:50PM

Panera bread has wifi too. Oh and the food has never killed anyone either.

BlackDS @ May 28th 2008 9:56PM

Most of the McDonalds here don't have Wifi working for the DS.

This happened when they tried to seup a pay-for-wifi service with Wayport, and broke wifi for the DS. I notified both McDonalds & Nintendo. Nintendo did squat. McDonalds blamed Wayport and eventually fixed the problem at my closest McDonalds branch. The largest McDonalds in the state is still broken AFAIK.

I would occasionally go to McDonalds, prior to my getting the Nintendo Wifi Connector. Now I only go very rarely to use the Nintendo Browser.

Windows Live OneCare will NOT let the Nintendo Wifi Connector access the internet w/o turning off the firewall, so I haven't used the Nintendo Wifi Connection lately. I'll go back to playing on wifi when my subscription to OneCare expires and I get another company's internet security package.

Peace.

SephFinale @ May 28th 2008 11:49PM

That damn WiFi hotspot locater of Nintendo's says the Schlotzkies near me has compatable WiFi...but every time I try to use it there, I get an error. But maybe the locater has been updated since it first went online.

Jeff from Knowzy @ May 29th 2008 1:28AM

I'm fairly certain Schlotzsky's has a sign-in page, even though it's free. You need to click an "I Agree" button to agree to the Terms of Service, etc.

But guess what? The DS doesn't (normally) have a web browser, so how are you supposed to click that button?!?

You have two choices:

1. Use the USB Wi-Fi connection hardware and click that Agree button on your laptop (making your DS unit slightly less portable :)
2. Pop in the Opera cartridge for web surfing (You'll see the Agree button this way).

Jack in the Box and most hotel chains with free Wi-Fi do the same thing: Sign-in first, then you get full access to the Internet.

McDonald's is now the same way for DS users. Gone are the days when you could "just connect." You need to sign in with a web browser and perhaps even type in a credit card number to get online.

Logan @ May 29th 2008 9:56AM

Most McDonald's I've been to -- and Paneras as well, for those who mentioned that -- have WiFi that doesn't support the Ninteno DS at all. They used an incompatible wireless signal. My college is the same way. The only way I can get online with my DS is to use a wireless router attached to my computer, and that monstrosity is not so portable. T_T

THe Shit @ May 29th 2008 11:37AM

Whoa whoa... Canada? Where? We dont have wifi in our mcdonalds up here. Not that I know of.

Jeff from Knowzy @ May 29th 2008 12:59PM

Hey Shit,

See comment #7 for the poop on Canada.

Jeff

Soniku @ May 29th 2008 2:21PM

Why does this matter?

Why is it so hard for people to buy a $30 wireless router?

Whatever you buy will probably be better than the trash that your ISP provides you with anyway.

SephFinale @ May 29th 2008 5:50PM

Because at one point and time, and even presently, people had dial-up. Not saying I have it now, but wireless routers are actually about $40, not $30. And even then, some don't have disposable income.

Jeff from Knowzy @ May 29th 2008 6:21PM

It matters because one of the benefits of a _portable_ game system is the ability to use it away from home.

SephFinale @ May 29th 2008 9:14PM

@Jeff: Agreed

Dred242+forums @ May 29th 2008 9:32PM

I connected to McDonald's free wi-fi for the Nintendo DS only once. I played a few rounds of Metroid Prime Hunters DS...and got my ass kicked while sucking on a milk shake and stuffing fries in my mouth. The service worked well, I never lost my connection. I kept telling myself that I would go back to use the service, but I just don't like hanging out at McDonald's. Now if Nintendo could work out a sweet little deal with Starbucks???