an english man's home is his insecure WiFi network

Apologies for the overly long and gender specific title. I was coming back to Edinburgh on the GNER Mallard from Kings Cross recently, only to discover that the WiFi availability advertised on the state-of-the-art departure board was not in fact available on the train. The on-board staff were very helpful though suggesting that I try plugging my laptop into another network port.

A handy hint from the GNER WiFi support desk, which I now pass on. Disbelieve any source other than the "Where are the Mallards/WiFi trains today?" link at the very bottom-right of the GNER home page. I can't help thinking that GNER ought to change that title though; they really ought to know where their trains are. But I digress.

Leaving my laptop free to discover available wireless networks I was pleasantly surprised at the almost continuous supply of unsecured WiFi networks along much of the route. Approaching any urban area you really are spoilt for choice. Added to that, most folk obligingly leave their networks with the default SSID of their wireless router model.

Now it seems to me that given a bit more time and imagination GNER's investment in WiFi enabling their trains and then charging "standard class" plebs - sorry passengers - a hefty premium for the privelege for using it will be entirely unecessary. C'mon Tony how about an initiative to suspend a WiFi cloud over the entire nation based on peer-to-peer integration of personal and small business WiFi networks? Now there's a vote winner. Feel free to give me a ring if you'd like to discuss it further. Premium rates may apply.

BTW travellers might like to know that the unsecured WiFi broadband access in the GNER Executive lounge at Kings Cross is exellent. So good in fact that it extends right across the passenger concourse and all platforms/trains. The SSID to look out for or is "train". Though again, you'll really be spoilt for choice. For your own protection practice safe computing and always use a VPN with networks you've never met before.

And as a parting shot. Observant readers of the GNER April-May edition of the on-train magazine "Livewire" will notice that the article on their York operations centre includes a full page of photographs one of which includes a whiteboard on which a number of usernames and passwords for various systems are clearly visible.

Happy trails.