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WPORV and WKORV-N

nalismom

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Heading to these 2 in late September/early October on an exchange. Can't find recent info but is there free wifi at these resorts in the rooms?
 

Dsauer1

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Wi-fi at WKORV

Yes there is wifi. Cash customers pay for it through resort fees. Owners do not. I am not sure whether those trading in have to pay, but I doubt it.
 

nalismom

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Thanks, I am an SVN owner at SVV and SVR but I traded via II for these 2 weeks....when you say cash through resort fees are you speaking of the room tax that we pay?
 

Ken555

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Thanks, I am an SVN owner at SVV and SVR but I traded via II for these 2 weeks....when you say cash through resort fees are you speaking of the room tax that we pay?

No, they also rent rooms like a hotel. Those customers, I believe, pay a resort fee. You won't pay for wireless (there is also wired, fwiw).
 

alwysonvac

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wifi is free but poor

When I was at WKORV-N last month, the wifi was basically useless because the bandwidth was very poor. I was simply trying to do a little work while I was on vacation like answering emails, reading attachments, etc.

Wired was somewhat better at 3.0 Mbps. It was very frustating especially since I was at the Hilton timeshare on Oahu the week before and had no bandwidth issues using their free wifi.
 

gregb

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When we were at WKORN two weeks ago, the WiFi in our room in Bldg 5 was very good and reasonably fast. The next week we were in Bldg 8 and for some of the time the WiFi worked fine, then the signal quality went down and so did the speed. I finally connected via the cable, and things were better.

Not sure why the signal quality and speed varied so much, but that is life.

Greg
 

Ken555

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When we were at WKORN two weeks ago, the WiFi in our room in Bldg 5 was very good and reasonably fast. The next week we were in Bldg 8 and for some of the time the WiFi worked fine, then the signal quality went down and so did the speed. I finally connected via the cable, and things were better.

Not sure why the signal quality and speed varied so much, but that is life.

Greg

Hi Greg,

No, it's not life, it's the poor infrastructure used at WKORV. I've posted before about this issue, but the last few times I've visited I've had conversations with the staff who work on the wireless network and they are clear that the tech used is not up to their requirements. Unless this changed since my last visit, I wouldn't expect it to be any better. The wired port will almost always work better, and I use it with an Airport Express whenever possible. Even that sometimes doesn't help because the actual equipment (which is a component on the main phone in the kitchen every two or three units) is often out of service or non-functional...which is why the wireless signal is sometimes good in one location and not another. This isn't a state of the art wireless system by any means, and definitely needs a complete replacement.
 

nalismom

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I appreciate all of the info........I am taking my iPad which is both 3G and wifi but I have never had a need to activate the 3G......so now I am thinking that for these 2 1/2 weeks it might be better to just do that then depend on wifi.

Has your experience been that 3G is consistent?
 

clsmit

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My kids, who are the wifi experts in our family, :) said our wifi in building 2 6th floor 2 weeks ago was excellent. The DD was able to Skype with her boyfriend on her iPhone with no problem. They felt it was much better than WLR, which isn't saying much.
 

BradC

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I traded to WPORV in February through II, and had no charge for internet access.

As for 3G, I use Sprint and had no service at all within WPORV. The signal was pretty good just outside the front gates, but didn't get down to building 6 where we stayed. My wife uses AT&T, and while she did get a signal, it was so weak it was barely usable.
 

gregb

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Nalismom,

I was able to connect my Kindle to the WiFi, but it took some time and frustration. When you first connect, you have to enter your room number and last name on the authorization screen. It seems that the Kindle Web Browser didn't handle that screen very well and it took several tries to finally get it to accept my room number and then my name. After that you have to click through a few acknowledgement screens before you can finally connect. The good news is that once you are authorized, it is supposed to last for a week, instead of the 24 hours it used to be.

Ken555,
I say that's life not because the problems cannot be fixed, but because there does not seem to be anything I can do to fix the WiFi problems. So I learn to live with it and use the wired connection.

Greg
 

tfalk

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We did points/cash into WKORV last July and did not have to pay for wireless.
 

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I usually bring along a cheap wifi router like this one and plug it into the wired internet port in my villa.

This ensures a good wifi signal in my villa, and I also encrypt the signal for improved security over the resort's generic, unsecured wifi.

But the best part of doing this is I can change the broadcast SSID (the name of that router that everyone in the area looking for a wifi signal sees) from its usual "Al Gore Invented Me" to read "Buy Resale Save Thousands www.tug2.net"

-nodge
 

C30NY

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Thanks for the router idea. I just ordered one. Ill be there for 10 nights beginning next week! :clap:
 

nodge

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Thanks for the router idea. I just ordered one. Ill be there for 10 nights beginning next week! :clap:

Have fun! Try to get your wifi router fully configured before you go. Once there, I'm about 50/50 will it being fully operational by just plugging it in and connecting it to the wired Internet connection in the room.

In cases where it doesn't work right off the bat, do these things:

First, make sure the wired connection is going directly from the jack on the wall to the router (i.e., some units run the wired connection through the phone first. If so, disconnect the phone connection and run the wired connection directly from the wall to your router); and,

Second, connect a laptop to one of the Internet/LAN ports in the back of the WiFi Router (so bring an extra LAN cable) and use that laptop to connect to the Internet through Westin's login page. This will make the WiFi router actually connect to the Internet.

Once the router is working properly, you can disconnect the laptop from the router and the router should keep working properly for your entire stay.

-nodge
 
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Ken555

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First, make sure the wired connection is going directly from the jack on the wall to the router (i.e., some units run the wired connection through the phone first. If so, disconnect the phone connection and run the wired connection directly from the wall to your router)

FYI, the reason some of the units have the cable go to the phone first is because that is the wireless access point. When guests disconnect this, the wireless signal throughout that area of the resort is diminished. It is an inherent flaw in the system that exists at these resorts. Roughly every three units have one of these devices, and you can imagine how poor the wireless may be when a number of people remove the connections (or, as is also common, the unit fails to work properly).

Frankly, I was astonished when I learned that the access points were located within the units and available for damage and/or modification by guests. If they need to locate the access point in the units, they should be physically secured from disruption by resort guests.
 

Westin5Star

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When I was at WKORV last month, I had great and fast internet access all of the time. Tether 4G through your wireless device to your wifi devices (root or otherwise) and you don't have to mess with Starwood on this. I agree that we shouldn't have to do this but I did not have internet problems on my visit.
 

nodge

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FYI, the reason some of the units have the cable go to the phone first is because that is the wireless access point. When guests disconnect this, the wireless signal throughout that area of the resort is diminished.

Really?!?

The phones broadcasting the wifi signal look like regular phones (but I always wondered why they were running the Internet cable through them . . . now I know).

Given the certainty that the only calls I'll ever receive on that phone will be from the "concierge" trying to get me to attend a timeshare pitch (er, to invite me down to pick up my "welcome gift"), I always disconnect all the phones in any timeshare unit I'm in first thing on arrival. I then connect it temporarily and only as needed to call the front desk, etc.

I'm sure a lot of folks have learned (the hard way) this trick, thereby unknowingly contributing to the weak and spotty wifi problem.

Given the fact that no matter how many times you ask the “concierge” to stop calling they just keep right on calling so the only way to ensure that stops is to disconnect the phones, maybe I’ll unencrypt MY wifi signal (and/or invest in a dual signal router and encrypt only one of them) in the future to do my part to help out.

-nodge

As for using my wireless device as a wifi router, Verizon charges $20/month to activate this feature on my iPhone, and that is certainly an option. Of course if one were to "jailbreak" their iPhone to allow bootleg apps to be installed, there is probably a bootleg app or two out there that does the same thing without triggering that $20/month fee that someone so inclined could Google (try searching the terms “redsnow” and “cydia” and “mywi5.0”) to find and install . . . . .. But, with both the $20/month and the bootleg versions the internet cuts out whenever a phone call is received on the phone making this option annoying at best.
 
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hypnotiq

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FYI, the reason some of the units have the cable go to the phone first is because that is the wireless access point. When guests disconnect this, the wireless signal throughout that area of the resort is diminished. It is an inherent flaw in the system that exists at these resorts. Roughly every three units have one of these devices, and you can imagine how poor the wireless may be when a number of people remove the connections (or, as is also common, the unit fails to work properly).

Frankly, I was astonished when I learned that the access points were located within the units and available for damage and/or modification by guests. If they need to locate the access point in the units, they should be physically secured from disruption by resort guests.

Are you serious!? Wow. Who the hell thought that was a good network architecture decision?!
 

Westin5Star

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WKORV Newsletter just came over this morning stating:

In our continued effort to keep you updated on the latest resort enhancements, we present the enhancements that are recently completed:
• High-Speed Wireless Internet Access has been upgraded throughout the resort

Can any recent visitors confirm that internet speeds are now acceptable?
 

gregb

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FYI, the reason some of the units have the cable go to the phone first is because that is the wireless access point. When guests disconnect this, the wireless signal throughout that area of the resort is diminished. It is an inherent flaw in the system that exists at these resorts. Roughly every three units have one of these devices, and you can imagine how poor the wireless may be when a number of people remove the connections (or, as is also common, the unit fails to work properly).

Frankly, I was astonished when I learned that the access points were located within the units and available for damage and/or modification by guests. If they need to locate the access point in the units, they should be physically secured from disruption by resort guests.

So that might explain why my WiFi signal dropped part way through my visit. Guess one of my neighbors disconnected their phone.

Greg
 

jarta

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WKORV Newsletter just came over this morning stating:

In our continued effort to keep you updated on the latest resort enhancements, we present the enhancements that are recently completed:
• High-Speed Wireless Internet Access has been upgraded throughout the resort

Can any recent visitors confirm that internet speeds are now acceptable?

Ken says the problem is the location of the wireless access points. Your email doesn't say what exactly has been upgraded.

I was at WRORV 3/3-3/17. Wireless worked just fine on my iPad in the room and at the pool. But, I didn't use the WKORV Internet connections for any "heavy lifting." Salty
 

jarta

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So that might explain why my WiFi signal dropped part way through my visit. Guess one of my neighbors disconnected their phone.

Greg

Greg, ... I guess that could happen if you didn't want the kids picking up the phone and dialing out. Or, you didn't want Starwood calling about an Owners Update while night games are in progress. lol! Salty
 

Ken555

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Really?!?

Yup.

As for using my wireless device as a wifi router, Verizon charges $20/month to activate this feature on my iPhone, and that is certainly an option. Of course if one were to "jailbreak" their iPhone to allow bootleg apps to be installed, there is probably a bootleg app or two out there that does the same thing without triggering that $20/month fee that someone so inclined could Google (try searching the terms “redsnow” and “cydia” and “mywi5.0”) to find and install . . . . .. But, with both the $20/month and the bootleg versions the internet cuts out whenever a phone call is received on the phone making this option annoying at best.

And this is one of the advantages of using AT&T, since you may use both Internet and phone services simultaneously.
 
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