I’ve been meaning to map Cebu’s Wi-Fi hotspots for more than a month now. It is a project that I’ve kept putting off, mainly because of work deadlines and other tasks.
For a while, I planned to set out–and was on the verge of doing so at least twice–and go through 4 or 5 coffee shops and restaurants in a day to find out 1.) whether they provide free Wi-Fi access and 2.) how good the connection is. I am a recidivist coffee drinker, having kicked it out of my system for a few weeks last year, but still, the prospect of a caffeine overdose (not to mention wrecking my poor excuse of a diet) kept stopping me from starting with the Wi-Fi mapping.
Today, I decided to jumpstart the project by mapping access points in Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu in Mactan Island of major Wi-Fi providers (Globe WiZ and Airborne Access for Smart Bro Wi-Fly). This way, I can just add more zones when I eventually start going through the coffee shops and establishments that offer Wi-Fi access. If you know of a good spot, drop me a note here and I’ll add it to the map. To view establishments offering Wi-Fi connectivity, just click on the map icons below. You can zoom into the map by using the tools.
34 responses so far ↓
Ralph Bacolod // Feb 6, 2007 at 3:37 am
Are you going warwalking or wardriving? The best wifi that I found yet since I left Cebu was the one in Mango Square Mall..I dunno if its still there..
Max Limpag // Feb 6, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Ralph,
I’m warbiking and warwalking. I think the wi-fi in Mango Square is still available, it was supposed to be part of a push for a municipal wi-fi that would cover Cebu. I don’t know what happened to the project, though, as it never seemed to have expanded from the Fuente area.
Tim W. // Oct 11, 2007 at 9:40 am
I’m trying to hook up Smartbro for my house in Cebu, but I’m currently in the U.S. Anyone have a link or phone number for applying to Smartbro (or any other wireless solution)?
Bryan // Dec 15, 2007 at 11:51 am
Bro if want to know wer hotsopt here in cebu try to see this shirt may be it can help.. wi-fi detector shirt.
http://untitledhero.blogspot.com/2007/11/wi-fi-detector-shirt.html
Max Limpag // Dec 16, 2007 at 1:29 am
Bryan,
That’s one cool shirt
Ian // Feb 25, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Argh! I should have checked this post before going to Cebu last week!
I was only able to use Bo’s Coffee in Ayala Center. I couldn’t connect to any of the providers at the airport (Smart BRO, Wiz). (I was using an E65, by the way.)
Max Limpag // Feb 26, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Ian,
. Thanks for dropping by.
I’ve added more places. I’ll be continually updating the map and I’m set to go warbiking
CLiffordx // Mar 4, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I live in General Maxilom Avenue, do anybody know wi-fi near this area?
Max Limpag // Mar 10, 2008 at 3:54 am
Hi Clifford,
The nearest spot that I know of is Mango Square and the new mall in front of it, One Mango or something. But I haven’t checked General Maxilom yet. If you manage to spot one, please feel free to notify me so that I can add it to the map.
Munisipyo Wi-Fi: Argao offers free wireless Internet in town plaza | Leon Kilat ::: The Cybercafe Experiments // Mar 13, 2008 at 4:36 am
[...] surprised to find several dependable and free Wi-Fi hotspots. I was surprised because in Cebu City, free Wi-Fi access isn’t as widespread as they say it is in places such as Davao [...]
Arnold // Jun 27, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Here are some Wifi spots in Cebu:
FREE
Province
1.) Entire plaza of Boljoon town
2.) Entire plaza of Argao town
Metro Cebu
1.) Offroads, Panagdait
2.) All restaurants and shops in Sykes Building, Panagdait
3.) Paseo Center, Mabolo
4.) Calabria Coffee, Osmeña Blvd.
5.) Bigbucks Coffee, Ramos Street
6.) DaVinci’s Pizza Fuente, Osmeña Blvd.
7.) Coffee Bean – SM City Northwing
8.) Starbucks Fuente, Osmeña Blvd.
9.) Starbucks Paseo Arcenas, Banawa
10.) Starbucks SM City
11.) Starbucks SM City Northwing
12.) Starbucks Ayala Center (inside)
13.) Starbucks Ayala Center (outside)
14.) Starbucks Asiatown I.T. Park
15.) iStore Ayala Center
16.) Cebu City Sports Center, Cebu Business Park
17.) All BO’s Coffee shops
18.) Handuraw Pizza, Gorordo Avenue
19.) JCA Pizza, Lahug
20.) Waterfront Cebu City Hotel Lobby
21.) Marco Polo Plaza Hotel (signal can be tapped near the gate)
22.) Mactan-Cebu International Airport
23.) Environs of St. Peter Funeral-Cebu Cathedral-Cathedral Museum-Parian Area (signal originating from St. Peter)
24.) Outpost
25.) Westpoint, near Chiong Hua Hospital
26.) Xiamen
27.) Kenya
28.) Bigby’s Ayala Center
29.) Bigby’s SM City Cebu
FREE BUT LIMITED
1.) Cebu City Hall (for employees only)
2.) Golden Peak Hotel (for guests only)
3.) Perpetual Succour Hospital (for patients/clients)
Not sure if free.. Not sure too if they have Wifi but basically all coffee shops and major establishments in Cebu offer Wifi. Still to confirm..
1.) All Gloria Jeans Coffee outlets
2.) All Coffee Dream outlets
3.) Some areas in major malls in Cebu such as Banilad Town Center, Ayala Center, SM City, SM Northwing, all Gaisano Malls, Parkmall, Robinsons, eMall, Mango Square, One Mango Place, Raintree and Cocomall, Mactan Marina, Crossroads, etc.
4.) Supercat Terminal
NOT FREE, NEEDS SUBSCRIPTION
1.) Cebu City Marriot Hotel (P960 for one day)
2.) Dominion Wireless (covers the entire area of Fuente and Capitol)
3.) JY Square Mall (at least three signals exist)
4.) Smart Bro (anywhere where there’s a Smart signal)
5.) Globe Quest (anywhere where there’s a Globe signal)
Max Limpag // Jun 28, 2008 at 2:46 am
Arnold,
Wow! That one huge list. Thanks for the alert. I’ll add it to the map. I haven’t been warbiking lately. I hope to go around the city again in a few months.
cheyenne // Jun 28, 2008 at 6:09 am
hey, the new coffee shop in labangon cebu city beside Mcdo Mambaling also offers wifi… The Kafaye…
Muffinboy21 // Jul 7, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Hello guys! Im originally from davao and I am now in cebu for a month. I am having a hard time looking for a free WIFI hotspot in cebu city and in mactan. There are some coffee shops that have a WIFI hotspot but its GLOBEQUEST WIZ. actually i dont like globequest because of the expensive rate (100 pesos/1 hour). 1 hour is not enought to surf, email, chat and make stuffs in the net and it is also expensive not mentioning the coffee from the shop. unlike in davao city, there are WIFI hotspots not only in coffee shops but in some fast food chains where you can buy food and have a free internet.
Guys, can you give me a list of WIFI hotspots that are free all around cebu city? anyone? hope you will send me one because I am really having a hard time looking some WIFI hostpots since I am new in cebu city. Those areas that are posted does not offer free WIFI connection. Some of them are in Globequest Wiz already.
THanks….
lito // Jul 15, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I tried Gloria Jeans (Osmeña Blvd, near Capitol, former Boulevard area), it’s free, although they’ll charge you P20 per hour when u charge ur battery.
Coffee Dream (Gorordo Ave., opposite site of SSS, beside Kia Motors) has two signals, from the coffee shop and from Kia Motors, both unrestricted. Also, no fee for charging ur battery. Same arrangement in Coffee Dream at the ACT building/school (opposite E-Mall), but the space is much bigger and very few customers, plus they have a big screen inside connected to cable tv.
I get 3 strong signals (80-100%) when I go to the registrar/accounting area of the University of San Carlos South Campus. All 3 are unrestricted.
Rae // Aug 15, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Guys, is Banilad Town Center a Free Wi-FI Zone?
Hans // Sep 18, 2008 at 1:25 pm
try starbucks i.t. park CEBU:
THE BEST WIFI STATION
futch // Mar 29, 2009 at 7:32 am
For me Offroads Panagdait is the best. cheap coffee, no minimum charge to use wifi and unlimited charging plus my office is just at the back. hehe
coffeecrumble85 // May 4, 2009 at 12:30 am
i went to Bo’s Coffee i a monthe ago. Am not going back. I’ve been a good customer to them, but i was shocked when the last time i went their to work on a homework, the attendant informed me that they don’t have WIFI connection… I don’t know what the heck they were up to… c”,)
ranma // Jun 4, 2009 at 9:20 pm
modirit so na ka connect? o kailan pana permissionor code?
ranma // Jun 4, 2009 at 9:23 pm
kung naay moy code sa bo’s cafe panghatag mo bi.
hanz // Aug 2, 2009 at 12:19 pm
is anybody knows wifi -hotspot in lapu-lapu city?thanks for the answer guys…god bless!
bern't // Aug 4, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Free Wi-Fi @
1. The Walk – IT park
2. Figaro – SM Cebu Northwing
3. Bo’s Coffee – Ayala Terraces
Paul // Aug 28, 2009 at 4:36 pm
This is a great map! Keep it up!
I was wondering though, could you also add information about electricity (for charging) in each of those places?
Anyway, add these up:
1. Brown Cup (Skyrise Bldg, I.T. Park) – free wi-fi, electricity P10/hour
2. Brown Cup (behind STC, near Redemptorist church) – free wi-fi, electricity P10/hour
3. Cakewalkers Cafe (The Strip, Capitol Site) – free wi-fi, free electricity
4. O2 Cafe and Spa (The Strip, Capitol Site) – free wifi, free electricity
Paul // Aug 28, 2009 at 4:46 pm
5. McDonald’s (The Walk, I.T Park) – free wi-fi, charging not allowed
UNKNOWNED // Oct 7, 2009 at 8:30 pm
In Punta Prinsesa, Cebu City, Near Rizwill Bldg. Gets Three Wifi Signal:
Domain Names are:
NETGEAR(fast up to 250Kbps max)
linksys(slow)
anthon(security enabled)
Bee // Oct 20, 2009 at 11:54 pm
i think the whole of SM is covered by their wifi…even the parking area…real great!
anyway, anyone know of a free wifi spot around jones?
thankz
ladyjana // Nov 21, 2009 at 5:35 am
can anyone tell me access codes to wi-fi zones near jy square? thank you very much.i love to surf and chat through my notebook and ashame to ask access codes sometimes. thanks for your help guys
ALVIN // Jan 10, 2010 at 10:02 am
Nice Wifi in SM very fast connection
stanley // Jan 11, 2010 at 7:16 pm
cosmopolitan lahug.. add it up
Nick Nichelle Dael // Feb 5, 2010 at 1:09 am
Thanks for this Max.
Btw, McDo IT Park have a very good free wifi.
pating // Jun 11, 2010 at 9:18 pm
ive read there is a society of warwalkers and wardrivers in the US that would mark a establishment using symbols so that members would know if it has a wifi signals. we could create one in cebu. stanley, mcdo jone has one unsecured network. I cant remember the network name though and sometime its not active. you can try it.
pating // Jun 11, 2010 at 9:27 pm
sorry for the typos, company keyboard sucks bigtime!!!
David // Aug 11, 2010 at 11:34 am
Anyone know if any of these hotspots can be reached from near Mustang and ML Quezon Hwy? Also curious about near Gorordo and Escario.
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