Yesterday at the mall, a young girl in front of me stopped a staff member and sweetly asked, “Sister, what is your Wi-Fi password?” The staff member looked apologetic and said, “I’m sorry, we change the password every day, and I forgot today’s. I need to check in the back…” I really wanted to tap that girl on the shoulder and say: “Hey, you’re going about this all wrong! It’s 2024, who still relies on the primitive skill of ‘asking for the password’ to get online? As a seasoned ‘internet nomad’, I rarely have much data in my phone plan and rely on my skills of ‘networking’ to get by.
Today, the 6G assistant will share two of the most commonly used tricks to ensure you connect to the internet gracefully without having to ask around.
The first trick: Map Apps are the “hidden Wi-Fi password books”. I recommend this trick to everyone I meet. Next time you want to connect to the internet at a restaurant, don’t ask for the password right away. Instead, sit down and: Open your Gaode or Baidu Maps. Directly search for the name of the establishment you are in. Click into the business details page and scroll down—surprise! It is highly likely that it will state “This store has Wi-Fi” and conveniently provide the password! Seriously, give it a try; the success rate is as high as 80%! It feels like you’ve received a secret passcode, which is incredibly satisfying. This is definitely a must-know survival skill for modern urban living. The second trick: Pay attention to those “no password required” benefits. Many large malls and chain coffee shops set up “verification Wi-Fi” for your convenience. Once you connect, a page will pop up asking you to enter your phone number to receive a verification code to get online. This type of network is actually safer because it is a temporary access point each time. Moreover, it shows that the business is generous! Next time you see this, feel free to connect. Finally, a word of caution: Using public Wi-Fi to casually watch videos or reply to WeChat messages is fine, but never use it to enter your bank card password or make important transfers! This isn’t a problem with Wi-Fi; it’s about the risk of someone bad lurking nearby. When doing these things, stick to your own data plan; that little bit of data cost is far less important than your security.