Laurie Edwards | Laker Weekly

Kevin Wager of Moneta uses the Wi-Fi at Smith Mountain Coffee & Cafe almost every day as he studies for his GREs.

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• Making the connection

Internet providers

Looking to go live at home? Here's a partial listing of service providers in the lake area.

• B2X Online: 389-7924. b2xonline.com
• Comcast: (888) 683-1000. comcast.net
• Embarq: (888) 723-8010. embarq.com
• JetBroadband: (800) 972-5757. jetbroadband.com

Being on the go doesn't always mean being without wireless Internet service. Depending on the errand or the leisure trip, there are a few businesses around the lake that offer free Wi-Fi to customers.

Liquid Lube & Wash

While the exterior of the oil change station is retro in style, the interior offers modern wireless luxuries to patrons who are waiting to get their cars serviced.

"We really wanted to do Wi-Fi since our whole image and the way we want to set ourselves different from our competition in the rest of the area is that we wanted to give our customers the best possible service," said Todd Dehli, co-owner.

"The other reason we wanted to do Wi-Fi was we wanted to be on the cutting edge of all the new technologies, whether it's through car care ... as well as our computer interface."

In addition to offering wireless Internet access in the waiting area, the oil change station also has a "Mac bar," an iMac computer with Internet access for those without laptops.

Speed: wireless G broadband

Location: 13624 Booker T. Washington Highway, Moneta. 719-0964.

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Moneta/SML Library

"We have a lot of visitors who come in and bring their laptops and check their e-mail," said Melissa Davis, who works at the library.

There is ample seating for visitors and patrons to set up their laptops. And while the library operates on a shared T1 line, Davis said there's never a problem with user overload.

"It's set up so that each user has a certain percentage of the available bandwith," she said. "We've never run into the problem of running out, partly because I think there's nothing someone can do to use up all the bandwith."

Speed: shared T1 line

Location: 13641 Moneta Road, Moneta. 297-6474.

Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Pointe Restaurant

"We purchased the equipment for the wireless Internet to enable our employees and guests to travel at the speed of business," said Jeff Craghead, chief financial officer for M&J Developers. "We live in a world that demands fast answers; mobility, access and the Internet help meet that need."

At The Pointe Restaurant, patrons can check their e-mail between golf outings or meetings in the conference center, or when they're just out for dinner.

"Based on appearances (people lounging around with laptops) and discussions with guests and employees, the wireless service has been a great help to both," said Craghead. "For guests, getting away from it all doesn't mean that you are apart from it all."

Speed: 802.11 G

Location: 1217 Graves Harbor Trail, Huddleston. 296-1215.

Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 5:30 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Smith Mountain Coffee & Cafe

Laptops are becoming a standard feature inside coffee shops and the local coffee shop is no exception. Whether it be to check e-mail or to conduct business online, there are at least a dozen people each day at Smith Mountain Coffee & Cafe utilizing the Wi-Fi.

"We have a couple of people who are sales guys and they spend all day from opening to closing," said Craig Amo, co-owner. "They have breakfast, fire up the computer and work all morning."

Because the cafe at Westlake offers breakfast and lunch options in addition to coffee and tea, patrons are able to conduct online business without leaving their seats. Amo said he also sees parents working online while their children play games on their own laptops.

"We've had people come in and ask how long they can stay," said Amo. "As long as there's an open seat, they're welcome to sit."

Speed: 54 MB per second

Location: Inside Westlake Towne Center, 96 Builders Pride Drive, Moneta. 721-3737.

Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Westlake County Club

If a golf outing is on the menu, enthusiasts can check e-mails before or after hitting the 18-hole course inside the clubhouse. It's also available to those taking in lunch or conducting a business function.

"The Westlake Golf and Country club caters a large amount of functions such as meetings and banquets year round, so we felt it valuable to offer wireless high-speed Internet access," said Christopher Finley, director of marketing for The Willard Companies.

At the clubhouse, people conducting meetings can access the Internet for additional features beyond PowerPoint presentations and flip charts.

"In addition, management felt it important to offer standard Wi-Fi access as a benefit to both our club membership and customers."

Speed: standard wireless

Location: 360 Chestnut Creek Drive, Hardy. 721-3845.

Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Kitchen: daily, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; cold sandwiches available after 3 p.m.