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Hi -
There are a whole bunch of wireless providers. Basically, if you pick one, you will be unable to use wireless at a location that does not also use that provider. Think of it like a credit card...if you only carry AmEx, you won't be able to use it at someplace that only takes Visa.
At this time, there isn't a wireless provider that has a majority share of the market, or a majority share of the physical locations in the US. If it were me, I wouldn't even bother signing up with one...there's at least a 50/50 chance that when you go someplace like a coffee shop or whatever that your provider won't be the one offered at that location, so you will be out of luck.
If you want to use your wireless card at home or at work, you need a wireless access point, also called an "AP". This connects to your wired network and offers a radio signal via antenna that your wireless card can connect with. These access points can be typically found for about $40, some higher depending on what they do and the features available. They are very easy to setup. If you have a cable modem or other broadband access at home, you can either buy an access point and connect it to that, or you can even buy a combo device that is a combination of an access point and broadband router/hub.
In my opinion, your best bet is to stay away from subscribing with any sort of commercial provider at this time...you'll end up paying $40 a month or more for a wireless account you may hardly use...these types of accounts are treated just like cellular phone accounts. There are a whole bunch of providers, companies like T-Mobile, Boingo, and more. Most places you go in public, like a coffee shop or whatever, will either offer free access or allow you to subscribe temporarily for the day or even by the amount of traffic you send over the network. This could be expensive (like $5), but if you only do it once or twice a month, you save yourself a lot of money over the monthly commitment of an account.
Getting access to a free wireless network (like those found in public buildings, libraries, colleges, whatever) is just a matter of changing what is known as the "SSID" on your Axim...the SSID is a name, like "Starbucks" or "MSU" or "MyHomeNetwork" and is used as an identifier to tell your Axim which wireless network it should try and connect to. At that point, you will either have wireless access or you will be presented with a logon page that will ask you for a username and password (if you are a subscriber) or allow you to pay for an ad-hoc, one-time connection. The location will typically have signs, pamphlets, or some other way of explaining what the SSID is in that location so that people can connect without having to talk to support people or network administrators.
Access point providers for home and work: D-Link, SMC, Netgear, Linksys, and many more. Shop around for the deals, or watch this site for posts of good prices. Sometimes, with rebates, you can get an AP for as little as $5 or $10 or even free.
Monthly providers: T-Mobile, Boingo, probably most other cellular providers, and more.
Hope this helps.
JT$
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Thanks everybody for your great advice. I am new to this handheld wifi access and your tips helped alot.
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