Free wireless now available at Overton Park

Visitors to Overton Park can now get free WiFi on mobile phones and laptops.

The new service went live on July 24.

The City plans to add similar wireless service to Crestline Village, English Village, Mountain Brook Village, Overton Village and Cahaba River Park over the next 12-15 months.

“Overton is smallest park and was easiest for a test run,” City IT Director Steve O’Dell said.

He noted that Crestline Village will be the next in line for the service and that each area will take a couple of months to set up.

Several months ago City Council member Jesse Vogtle asked the City to explore wireless options, and a committee made up of City employees and resident Bill Whitaker has been working to bring it live since then.

Wireless devises should now detect a “City WiFi” network in Overton Park, O’Dell said. Once selected, users will see a Mountain Brook splash page come up and be able to accept terms and conditions. Any time the network is accessed after that, no log in will be necessary.

The City installed a router and firewall for limited control of site access and viruses.

“We are excited to offer wireless for the community,” O’Dell said. “We can already see people using it at Overton.”