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Each hotspot on the map displays information to help you assess it before you decide to use it. Here is how to read it.
The public map is a static New York City preview. Live status and measured reliability are on the roadmap — see Product status.

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Hotspot details

Tapping a hotspot opens its details:
  • Name and location
  • Network type: Wi-Fi, mobile data, or router
  • Signal: Weak, Moderate, Good, Strong, Very Strong, or Excellent
  • Security: WPA2, WPA3, Open, or WPA3-Enterprise
  • Speed: advertised Mbps
  • Rating and the contributor’s note

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Risk levels

Hotspots carry a risk level to help you judge them at a glance:
  • Low: well-secured, generally reliable
  • Medium: usable, but with caveats
  • High: use with caution — often an open, unsecured network
An Open security value means there is no encryption. Treat those networks carefully.

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Signal and speed

Signal indicates how strong the connection is likely to be. Speed (Mbps) is the advertised throughput. Together they give a rough sense of what to expect.

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Reading the note

The contributor’s note often carries the most practical information — where to find the password, when the hotspot is available, or quirks to expect. Read it before relying on a hotspot.

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Sparse areas

If an area has few or no hotspots, it means nothing has been contributed there yet. It does not mean connectivity is impossible. Sparse areas are opportunities to contribute.
Take a moment to read a hotspot’s details rather than using the first marker you see. A few seconds of reading can save frustration later.