# Travel router at HHV?



## ronburan (Dec 19, 2013)

Anyone try using a travel router (apple airport express, etc) at any of the HHV towers?  I will be there for the next couple of weeks and want to try, but don't want to lug it over there and find out its useless.  Thanks!


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## GregT (Dec 19, 2013)

I've not tried one of those at HHV (and I'm sorry, I don't even know what that is.  ).  I had wireless problems each time I have been there and I now just use the hotspot on my iPad.

If you get this thing to work, please let us know!

Thanks!

Greg


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## buzglyd (Dec 19, 2013)

It's not a whole lot to lug. 

You plan on plugging it in and creating your own wireless network?


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## ronburan (Dec 19, 2013)

We are traveling light so any little bit helps.  I would like to create my own network and maybe bring a chromecast to plug into the tv.


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## buzglyd (Dec 19, 2013)

If your computer is a MacBook and it's plugged into the wired network, the MacBook can create it's own wireless network.


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## Sandy VDH (Dec 19, 2013)

If you stay in a timeshare tower the internet is free.  My GW wireless access and speed was great, provided I was inside the building.  Sitting on the patio would not yield a good result. 

Are you staying at the timeshare or the hotel portion of HHV?


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## ronburan (Dec 19, 2013)

timeshare portion.  i dont have a macbook, going to use tablets and phones.


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## Blues (Dec 19, 2013)

Sandy, I'll be staying at the hotel in Feb for a business trip.  Will I be able to go somewhere, e.g. the Lagoon lobby, and use their wireless?  Or do I need to find some other arrangement for net access?  Does anybody know if the Hawaii Convention Center (where my convention is) has free wireless?  Thanks!

-Bob


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## linsj (Dec 19, 2013)

Blues said:


> Sandy, I'll be staying at the hotel in Feb for a business trip.  Will I be able to go somewhere, e.g. the Lagoon lobby, and use their wireless? -Bob



You can get a signal there but need the password.


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## HatTrick (Dec 19, 2013)

And although there are two Starbucks at HHV (Kalia and Ali'i) neither offers Wi-Fi.


"HCC is also fully WiFi enabled for the convenience of your attendees."

http://www.meethawaii.com/Hawaii-Convention-Center/Venues-Information/Internet-Data.aspx

I _guess_ that means free.


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## Blues (Dec 19, 2013)

HatTrick said:


> And although there are two Starbucks at HHV (Kalia and Ali'i) neither offers Wi-Fi.
> 
> "HCC is also fully WiFi enabled for the convenience of your attendees."
> 
> ...



Thanks for the information and the link.  The next sentence is

"For information on sponsorship opportunities of the wired or wireless network during your event, please contact PDC."

I take that to mean that it's only free if the conference sponsor pays for it.  Knowing the organization in question, I'd guess the answer is no.

-Bob


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## alwysonvac (Dec 19, 2013)

Blues said:


> Sandy, I'll be staying at the hotel in Feb for a business trip.  Will I be able to go somewhere, e.g. the Lagoon lobby, and use their wireless?  Or do I need to find some other arrangement for net access?  Does anybody know if the Hawaii Convention Center (where my convention is) has free wireless?  Thanks!
> 
> -Bob



For HHV hotel guests, wifi is covered under the hotel's daily resort fee ($30 per room per night)

_"Daily Resort Charge will be added to the room rate and includes: Wi-Fi, 800 and local calls, PlayStation 3 console games/movies, Cultural Activity Lessons, Resort Audio Tour, Outdoor Exercise classes, Personalized Postcard, Dive-in Movies."_


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## jestme (Dec 20, 2013)

HHV uses the old "browser based signon" process, where you have to open a browser and sign in to the HGVC web page to get Internet access. It is a real pain, because phones, for example, do not sign back in to the web page when your return to your room. However they do connect to the Wifi, so it thinks is has an Internet connection, but they don't until you open your phone's browser again and sign back in. If your travel router will accommodate the browser sign on process, it is a much better solution. You can isolate your own Lan, secure it with a password, probably get better signal strength in your room, your phones will all reconnect properly when you return,etc. It would be worth trying and let us all know if it works.


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## HatTrick (Dec 20, 2013)

jestme said:


> HHV uses the old "browser based signon" process, where you have to open a browser and sign in to the HGVC web page to get Internet access. It is a real pain, because phones, for example, do not sign back in to the web page when your return to your room. However they do connect to the Wifi, so it thinks is has an Internet connection, but they don't until you open your phone's browser again and sign back in. If your travel router will accommodate the browser sign on process, it is a much better solution. You can isolate your own Lan, secure it with a password, probably get better signal strength in your room, your phones will all reconnect properly when you return,etc. It would be worth trying and let us all know if it works.



Excellent point.


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## Ron98GT (Dec 22, 2013)

When we stayed in the HHV Kalia Tower the second week of December and the Westin WKORV on Maui the first week of December, I used one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/D-Link-System...=UTF8&qid=1387733086&sr=8-1&keywords=dir-505l

http://www.dlink.com/us/en/home-solutions/connect/routers/dir-505l-shareport-mobile-companion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwUSGem0UrE

The DIR-505l can be used as a Wi-Fi hotspot when Wi-Fi is provided and as a router when a CAT5 connection is available: Note that HHV & WKORV offer both

Although HHV does allow up to 10 Wi-Fi connections, we had problems with our iPhones and my iPad.  When NOT using the DIR-505l, every time we turned on one of our i devices the HHV password was required, which was a real pain with my iPad.  I use an external Zagg keyboard/case with my iPad, so I had to turn off the Bluetooth connection, sign-in using the iPad keyboard, and then reestablish the keyboard/Bluetooth connection.  Since I kept the DIR-505l plugged into the 110v wall socket 24/7, it kept a constant Wi-Fi connection to HHV (you use settings to enter the HHV user name and the HHV password), I/we didn't have any problems.  Our devices would always reconnect to the DIR-505l upon start-up.

The DIR-505l worked great at the Westin also.

The D-Link offers 24/7 phone support for the DIR-505l, which is good if you screw-up your configuration accidentally and can't reset it, like I did our 1st nite at the Westin.


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## ronburan (Dec 27, 2013)

Great tip!  I'm at the Lagoon tower right now. Brought my airport express and so far it's a no go. Tried plugging it into the existing router and extending the Hgvc network. Oh well, maybe I'll have better luck at the GW in a few days.


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## Ron98GT (Dec 27, 2013)

ronburan said:


> Great tip!  I'm at the Lagoon tower right now. Brought my airport express and so far it's a no go. Tried plugging it into the existing router and extending the Hgvc network. Oh well, maybe I'll have better luck at the GW in a few days.




If my router worked, seems like yours should too.  

First, make sure you use the same ID & PW that you use for your phone/laptop, when you connect to the HGVC Wi-Fi.  I know my DW would always select the wrong ID, which should be HGVC and the one with the strongest signal.  You'll have to get the PW from the font desk.  When we were there, they used the same PW for the Lagoon & Kalia Towers. 

Second, make sure you are talking to your router.  

I may be telling you what you all ready?

Enjoy one of those sugary Hawaii 50 drinks at the Tropics bar/restaurant and enjoy the view, I miss it.





Sent from my iPad Retina using Tapatalk


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## buzglyd (Dec 27, 2013)

ronburan said:


> Great tip!  I'm at the Lagoon tower right now. Brought my airport express and so far it's a no go. Tried plugging it into the existing router and extending the Hgvc network. Oh well, maybe I'll have better luck at the GW in a few days.




You don't want to extend Hilton's network. You want to create your own. Uncheck the extend box on the airport.


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## Ron98GT (Dec 27, 2013)

buzglyd said:


> You don't want to extend Hilton's network. You want to create your own. Uncheck the extend box on the airport.




With the DIR-505l, that isn't an option, if your using it as a Wi-Fi Hotspot.  You can use it as a Wi-Fi Hotspot (which I did), OR as a router (hardwired), OR as a repeater (your extender).

The OR options correspond to a physical switch on the side of the case, there is no SW check box option.  So we are talking about the same thing/result, just different ways to get there with different results.

The only time you would use the repeater/extender option, is at home, on your own network, when the network level signal is low in a portion of your house and you need to boost the signal.   I would't recommend it an a hotel, TS, or other public setting.



Sent from my iPad Retina using Tapatalk


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## dja1980 (Feb 25, 2014)

Here's another Chromecast tip I found on the Plex forums.  I'd link to it, but that forum is currently only available to paid PlexPass members (since Plex Chromecast useage currently requires the membership.

Anway, here's the trick (all credit goes to asagarra on that forum)...

Hi All,

I just wanted to share a trick I used during a business trip this week.

This is a typical problem. You go into a free WiFi service hotel but guess what.. WiFi isn't protected but you need to be able to enter login and password through a browser to gain internet access. Obviusly, a hard job for the CC dongle unless...

Step 1 - Run CC setup on your mobile, tablet,.. The only reason you're doing this at this point is to find out the dongle MAC address.. Write down the CC MAC address (if you keep it, you may skip this step nex time).

Step 2 - The "hard part". Open your laptop, disconnect it from the Wifi network if connected and edit your Wifi network adapter settings. Find the option where you can change the MAC address (you may read something like 'Clone MAC' or something similar). Enter the CC MAC here and save your edits.

Step 3 - Connect your laptop to the netwok and browse any page so get asked for login/pass on the brower. Once you receive the confirmation and browsing is possible, the hotel router is allowing your MAC and IP to browse out of the "walled garden".

Step 4 - Start your chromecast, and run it as if it were a regular Wifi network. Make sure you disconnect your laptop from the network, before the CC actually connects to the hotel network. That will make the hotel router continue its authorization for that MAC address to get access to the internet.

Step 5 - If you see on the screen that chromecast connected to the network but can't access the internet; you did something wrong. Otherwise, you got it!. 

Sep 6 - Launch Youtube on your phone/tablet and cast from youtube app first. For some reason, sometimes Plex can't find the chromecast at first. Stop youtube and switch to Plex. It should now find Plex as a player and work as fast as the network works.

Hope you can use and enjoy this!!


PS: Obviusly, there are more issues that may prevent you to use CC at the hotel. Most typical one is device isolation which makes not possible direct connectivity from your phone to the CC so your phone can't actually send the URL to start the streaming.


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## Southdown13 (Feb 25, 2014)

Don’t have Chromecast, but our Roku works well thanks to Ron98GT’s info about using a travel router.  We had trouble connecting to the internet with all of our devices when we were at Lagoon Tower last Christmas, but we have had no problems this stay at Kalia and LT using the Dlink.  Wifi signal seems very good, even on the balcony.


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## Ron98GT (Feb 26, 2014)

Southdown13 said:


> Don’t have Chromecast, but our Roku works well thanks to Ron98GT’s info about using a travel router.  We had trouble connecting to the internet with all of our devices when we were at Lagoon Tower last Christmas, but we have had no problems this stay at Kalia and LT using the Dlink.  Wifi signal seems very good, even on the balcony.


Glad to hear it.  In December,  we also used the travel router in the Kalia Tower. Hopefully, we'll get to use it again this December in the Lagoon Tower or GW Tower.

What travel router did you use? I take it you set the router up as a WiFi hot spot, like I did?


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## dja1980 (Feb 26, 2014)

I was looking to purchase the new Netgear Trek... just released this month.  Any thoughts...

http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/PR2000.aspx

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...p=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00HQ883T4


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## Ron98GT (Feb 26, 2014)

dja1980 said:


> I was looking to purchase the new Netgear Trek... just released this month.  Any thoughts...
> 
> http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/PR2000.aspx
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...p=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00HQ883T4



Not familiar with it, but it looks like you can create a WiFi hotspot, which is what you'll want for connecting multiple wireless users (iPhones, Ipads, etc).


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## oceanvps (Feb 26, 2014)

Southdown13 said:


> Don’t have Chromecast, but our Roku works well thanks to Ron98GT’s info about using a travel router.  We had trouble connecting to the internet with all of our devices when we were at Lagoon Tower last Christmas, but we have had no problems this stay at Kalia and LT using the Dlink.  Wifi signal seems very good, even on the balcony.




we're at the gw and am using ravpower to create our own network.

running a roku and i do believe i got the chromecast connected as well (although i don't use the chrome). also was able to stream my media from laptop to roku.


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## Southdown13 (Feb 26, 2014)

Ron98GT said:


> What travel router did you use? I take it you set the router up as a WiFi hot spot, like I did?



I got the D-Link DIR-505L, used it as a WiFi hot spot and it works great.  I also use it at home in the "Repeater" mode to extend the home wifi signal.  Thanks for the tip!


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## UWSurfer (Apr 10, 2014)

Likewise thank you for the tip on D-Link DIR-505L!  I've been on the road for the past three weeks at four different timeshare properties and utilized the 505 as a wifi-extender and "hid" our connections behind it. 

It made it easier for our devices to connect to the same Wifi provider name I setup every time we moved and eliminated in most cases the need to log into the network every time we'd close and re-open the lid on the laptops.

Very useful!!!


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## dja1980 (Apr 11, 2014)

dja1980 said:


> I was looking to purchase the new Netgear Trek... just released this month.  Any thoughts...
> 
> http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/PR2000.aspx
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...p=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00HQ883T4



I did end up purchasing the Netgear Trek, and it works great... exactly as you describe the D-Link to work.  I can use it to create a private network using a public Wi-Fi hotspot.  And when I'm not traveling, I use it to extend my home Wi-Fi.


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