# So how does this free Wi-Fi on a bus or train work then?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-does-this-free-wi-fi-on-a-bus-or-train-work-then/756329>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 2, 2016, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-does-this-free-wi-fi-on-a-bus-or-train-work-then/756329 "2016-06-02T17:52:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dunmurry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d2c977/32.png) [@Dunmurry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunmurry)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-does-this-free-wi-fi-on-a-bus-or-train-work-then/756329/1 "2016-06-02T17:52:09Z")

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Well now sometimes I travel on a bus and you can use this free Wi-Fi on it and also on trains and the trains sometimes go at about 90 mph or so about and yes sometimes it is intermittent and sometimes you can’t get it at all but it does seem to work and even at about 90 mph although it might well work by aerial or satellite but there is no obvious aerial or satellite dish or anything. [Here is a photograph of the bus](http://www.showbus.com/p2013/Ulsterbus%20Scania%20Irizar%201024.JPG)

[KJ And here’s another one](http://s385.photobucket.com/user/y1642004/media/Belfast%20Buses/3182367776_63a666af7d_o.jpg.html)

[Here is a photograph of the train](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Helen's_Bay_station_(6)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1503708.jpg/300px-Helen's_Bay_station_(6)_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1503708.jpg)

[And here’s another one](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Castlerock_station,_Northern_Ireland_Railways_-_geograph.org.uk_-_213382.jpg)

So is anyone here able to tell me about this? Or more about how all this works then?

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**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-does-this-free-wi-fi-on-a-bus-or-train-work-then/756329/2 "2016-06-02T18:01:01Z")

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Usually it’s connected to the cell phone network. Cell phones work at 90mph without much problem.

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**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-does-this-free-wi-fi-on-a-bus-or-train-work-then/756329/3 "2016-06-02T18:02:03Z")

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It’s usually just a simple cell network connection. The bus has no obvious antenna in the same way your phone has no obvious antenna.