Leon Kilat: The Tech Experiments

Mapping Cebu’s Wi-Fi hotspots

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.

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37 responses

  1. Ralph Bacolod Avatar
    Ralph Bacolod

    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..

    Reply
  2. Max Limpag Avatar
    Max Limpag

    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.

    Reply
  3. Tim W. Avatar
    Tim W.

    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)?

    Reply
  4. Bryan Avatar
    Bryan

    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

    Reply
  5. Max Limpag Avatar
    Max Limpag

    Bryan,
    That’s one cool shirt 🙂

    Reply
  6. Ian Avatar
    Ian

    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.)

    Reply
  7. Max Limpag Avatar
    Max Limpag

    Ian,
    I’ve added more places. I’ll be continually updating the map and I’m set to go warbiking 🙂 . Thanks for dropping by.

    Reply
  8. CLiffordx Avatar
    CLiffordx

    I live in General Maxilom Avenue, do anybody know wi-fi near this area?

    Reply
  9. Max Limpag Avatar
    Max Limpag

    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.

    Reply
  10. Arnold Avatar
    Arnold

    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)

    Reply
  11. Max Limpag Avatar
    Max Limpag

    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.

    Reply
  12. cheyenne Avatar
    cheyenne

    hey, the new coffee shop in labangon cebu city beside Mcdo Mambaling also offers wifi… The Kafaye…

    Reply
  13. Muffinboy21 Avatar
    Muffinboy21

    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….

    Reply
  14. lito Avatar
    lito

    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.

    Reply
  15. Rae Avatar
    Rae

    Guys, is Banilad Town Center a Free Wi-FI Zone?

    Reply
  16. Hans Avatar
    Hans

    try starbucks i.t. park CEBU:
    THE BEST WIFI STATION

    Reply
  17. futch Avatar
    futch

    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

    Reply
  18. coffeecrumble85 Avatar
    coffeecrumble85

    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”,)

    Reply
  19. ranma Avatar
    ranma

    modirit so na ka connect? o kailan pana permissionor code?

    Reply
  20. ranma Avatar
    ranma

    kung naay moy code sa bo’s cafe panghatag mo bi.

    Reply
  21. hanz Avatar
    hanz

    is anybody knows wifi -hotspot in lapu-lapu city?thanks for the answer guys…god bless!

    Reply
  22. bern't Avatar
    bern’t

    Free Wi-Fi @
    1. The Walk – IT park
    2. Figaro – SM Cebu Northwing
    3. Bo’s Coffee – Ayala Terraces

    Reply
  23. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    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

    Reply
  24. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    5. McDonald’s (The Walk, I.T Park) – free wi-fi, charging not allowed

    Reply
  25. UNKNOWNED Avatar
    UNKNOWNED

    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)

    Reply
  26. Bee Avatar
    Bee

    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

    Reply
  27. ladyjana Avatar
    ladyjana

    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

    Reply
  28. ALVIN Avatar
    ALVIN

    Nice Wifi in SM very fast connection

    Reply
  29. stanley Avatar
    stanley

    cosmopolitan lahug.. add it up

    Reply
  30. Nick Nichelle Dael Avatar
    Nick Nichelle Dael

    Thanks for this Max.

    Btw, McDo IT Park have a very good free wifi.

    Reply
  31. pating Avatar
    pating

    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.

    Reply
  32. pating Avatar
    pating

    sorry for the typos, company keyboard sucks bigtime!!!

    Reply
  33. David Avatar
    David

    Anyone know if any of these hotspots can be reached from near Mustang and ML Quezon Hwy? Also curious about near Gorordo and Escario.

    Reply
  34. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    For those who have had problems monitoring Wifi access points, we now have a solution! Yup It’s Up is

    network monitoring device ideal for individuals that need a hotspot monitor. Perfect for those who work in the dining and hospitality industry.

    Reply
  35. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    I just want to ask, if what broadband stick have good connection performance in Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu!

    Regards,

    Reply
  36. mciti suites cebu Avatar
    mciti suites cebu

    Great article!… thanks for sharing this. However, I think almost restaurant, coffee shop, malls and cafe around Cebu already has wifi. However, the problem in some is that they only have the wifi but no internet connection… just kidding…

    Reply
  37. peht Avatar
    peht

    The last time ive been on Bo’s across cebu doc, the wifi ia only limited to 2 hrs :/

    Reply

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