OT: internet access while traveling Options

[Qarl]

Since I live by broadband at home and the office, I have no need for a dialup account here locally.

However, when I travel and take the laptop, sometimes I need to be able to connect to the net via dialup. My broadband is through my local cable company and through my business phone company, so my current accounts to offer dialup.

For those that travel, what do you do to connect while on the road?

I've kept an AOL account for a couple of years because I can pretty much get a dialup number in any city/state, but it's not worth it for the price. Plus it's slow.

Many hotels now have high-speed in the rooms or in the lobby, but for those that don't... what's the best (least expensive) way?

Thanks!

[vortrex]

my GF uses netzero. it's $9.95 a month for unlimited dialup. never has any problems with it. you get a small control bar on the screen, but not a big deal if you use it only on travel.

[SirAndy]

uunet

[Qarl]

How do you get the local dialup numbers when on the road?

[Pnambic]

My Broadband provider (SBC-Yahoo) offers free dial-up with numbers all over the country. No charge.

Otherwise, and I tend to do this anyway, make sure the hotel has in-room broadband connections. Most times, you can find a hotel that offers it in the same price range as any other decent hotel. (I was very pleasantly surprised with a visit to a Comfort Inn Suites in Aurora, IL a few months ago.)

Also, get a wireless-G network card and download NetStumbler. It helps you find wireless networks where-ever you may be (airport, hotel, office complex, friend's house).

[Qarl]

Yep... my friend went on an RV trip in Arizona and the RV park had wireless broadband.

Talk about roughing it and getting away from it all.

We had daily e-mails with videos to see of their trip. Sheez!

[vortrex]

for netzero there is a dial up login app that lets you select numbers.

[GWN7]

Want free access?...Most city/town librarys have free access. I used one on the way home from Ohio. I checked my email, posted here and the boy got caught up on his online game. Cost...Free

[campbellcj]

I usually just dial-in to the RAS modem hanging off an 800 number at my office. That way I can access Internet stuff and also work files w/o having to deal with a VPN connection thru a dial-up ISP.

On my last biz trip, my hotel as well as the airport had broadband/wifi. That was pretty cool...it was the first time I have had high-speed access from the airport bar (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

I also have a bluetooth PC card in the laptop, and an iPaq, which can both connect to the AT&T GPRS data network thru my cell phone. That is very expensive bandwidth but also comes in handy in a pinch. Like when you're at an airport bar that doesn't have 802.11 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif)

[dakotaewing]

Netzero for dailup and Voicestream wireless at ALMOST every Starbucks in the country
for $20 bucks a month, if you already have a Cell phone with them....

Thom

[Qarl]

Woohoo! I bought a $6 cable off e-bay to connect my cellphone to my laptop's USB port. As I type it is connected at 115kbps! No more AOL or Netzero.

My Sprint phone has $10 unlimited internet/vision/e-mail so I don't use all of my minutes.

This is a great solution for surfing the net while abroad. Heck I can check my e-mail anywhere I get cellphone coverage (as long as I have the laptop, the cable, and a signal!)

This beats the snot out of the 14Kbps connection I had off of the hospital phone lines!

[redshift]

Roughing it New Skool!

Speaking of roughing it, I just installed hidden 23" HDLCDs, Tivo, HDsat, twin pan-til-zoom network cameras, and a network (tracking sat/hardwire/G/wifi) on a motorcoach.... I mean bus/camper/house/car/mobile communications device...

I used to go camping as a kid, had a tent... used our legs to walk around, uphill, both ways.


M

[d914]

all wingates have broad band in the room free, hilton gardens also. Otherwise its hit or miss. Through my travels its now what I look for.

Holiday Inn Clearwater on 60 on the water by the airport also.

[Eric Taylor]

yeah, I'm at a holiday in as i type this on wireless broadband. It's really cool!
Eric

[Qarl]

Yes, I am finding more and more hotels to have wireless broadband or in-room networks, but I always manage to find the one place that doesn't have it.

AOL was always my backup, but this is better!

[r_towle]

at one point several years back, I travelled all over the world for my job. I got to the point of not wanting to carry my laptop because it was just another piece of luggage and if you plan ahead, you dont need it.

I carried a USB hard drive with everything I needed presentations etc.

I mooched seat time at whatever office I was working at that day.

I got broadband hotels, a must for catching up at night.

In Europe at every major train station is an internet cafe, great coffee and a seat at a T! connected system.

Libraries in the US.
Kinkos are in every major city.

It eliminated a very awkward bag full of electronic crap that post 911 became more of a hassle to carry....

Got a palm for email, wireless email is avaialbe on your cell, or a blackberry for international travel.

Rich

[rick 918-S]

I have used a long distance calling card to dial up to my local dial up. Very expensive. My wife did it once and fell asleep while checking her email. woke up several hours later. That cost about $ 80.00 bucks. I've had bills over & 100.00.

[campbellcj]

Wow, that Sprint plan w/ data sounds great. AT&T Wireless charges an arm and two legs for their data network. It is literally by the KB. But it has saved my butt a few times being able to get to emails/files/servers from "wherever" so in that regard it is still pretty miraculous stuff.