System and method for public wireless network access subsidized by dynamic display advertising that includes a mobile device at a location, such as a commercial establishment, detecting the presence of a Local Area Network (LAN). The mobile device requests access to the LAN from node, e.g., a hub, on the LAN. The hub requests identification information from the mobile device. The mobile device sends user information that includes identification and demographic information about a user of the mobile device to the hub. The hub gives access to the LAN to the mobile device. The mobile device now has access to a global communication data network, such as the Internet, through the hub on the LAN. The hub sends the demographic information about the users of all mobile devices at the location to an advertising server. The hub receives commercial messages from the advertising server. The commercial messages are selected based on the demographic information of the users. The hub sends the commercial messages to a display where they are displayed at the location for viewing by the users.