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accessing internet at resort?

Personally, I never take my laptop with me on vacation. I use the computer(s) at the hotel or resort. On this last trip I took to Utah and Las Vegas 3 weeks ago, we stayed at 7 different properties. They all had computers for the guests to use and they were all free.

One thing, I always do when using a public computer is clear out all the files before exiting. For Internet Explorer, I clear all cookies, history, and files. For Mozilla, I clear private data.
 
Thanks John

What they have is both High Speed and Wi-fi but say that the Wi-fi is not very dependable. Both are free. So I need an ethernet cable. I'll check to see if I have one hanging around.
 
Update:

Received a "bridge" at the front desk to hook up my ancient laptop to the internet. Basically plugged the "bridge" into the electrical outlet in the room, and then plugged the ethernet cable into the back of laptop. There were no directions on this in the room, but was instructed by the front desk to call them if I needed assistance. The WAYPORT directions I had printed off a few days earlier made set up easy. 100Mbps! Guess I'll be returning that USB wireless adapter to Walmart.
 
hahaha, I think your numbers are a bit optimistic, for example what I consider a decent netbook costs in the $350 - $400 range.

But you can get a decent low end notebook for under $500.

http://hothardware.com/Articles/Lenovo-G530-Notebook-Review/

-David
Wow that hahaha is annoying...

You can get dozens of new laptops for around $250 that will be light years ahead of the OP's current machine.

Anyway, Fry's has an ACER netbook for $239 and an HP netbook for $249. And even an ASUS netbook with Built-in 802.11b/g for only $110 more than the usb wifi dongle the OP bought ($179).
 
I just HAD to have the new Toshiba NB205 mini that was just released. I think it is going to be great. I always take the laptop and heavy charger along on vacation. This is way lighter.

I had to laugh about our last vacation. We spent a week in Orlando and traveled with only one carry on each. And most of the space was filled with electronics and their chargers. :p
 
Anyway, Fry's has an ACER netbook for $239 and an HP netbook for $249. And even an ASUS netbook with Built-in 802.11b/g for only $110 more than the usb wifi dongle the OP bought ($179).

Who spent $179 on a USB wifi adaptor? You can get them for $20 or less. I posted a link to one earlier in the thread, and that wasn't the cheapest one.

We can agree to disagree about the rest of what you said. I did say what I would consider to be something decent and usable. Your bar may well be lower than mine, and that's fine for you, but it's not something I would recommend. I assume the really cheap ones are the older 7"/8" versions, or otherwise have crippled configurations, or don't ship with Windows XP. I haven't seen any that I would buy that are less than around $350.

-David
 
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Who spent $179 on a USB wifi adaptor? You can get them for $20 or less. I posted a link to one earlier in the thread, and that wasn't the cheapest one.

We can agree to disagree about the rest of what you said. I did say what I would consider to be something decent and usable. Your bar may well be lower than mine, and that's fine for you, but it's not something I would recommend. I assume the really cheap ones are the older 7"/8" versions, or otherwise have crippled configurations, or don't ship with Windows XP. I haven't seen any that I would buy that are less than around $350.
-David

No one spent $179 on an adapter that I know if. The OP bought one at WM for $61:
I bought a Linksys Compact Wireless-G USB Network Adapter with Speedbooster at Walmart....will this do the trick?
View attachment 674

I said the ASUS net book was "$110 more than the usb wifi dongle the OP bought" to upgrade her 7 year old laptop. My post was comparing a new low cost net book to her existing machine which didn't have wifi, for use accessing the internet when traveling. I was not recommending a laptop for you. The point being that for what she uses it for it would be light years ahead of what she has, and spending almost half as much for an adapter when she will propaly need a new laptop in a year or so is a waste.

BTW, the $179 machine has a 9" screen and is now sold out.
 
ok, I misread that $179, but if you look at your post, you might see why. I also didn't see any links to any of the machines you were recommending.

Let's just agree to have our own, possibly differing opinions. I think the OP solved what they needed to, so this is really all moot at this point anyway.

I laugh at a lot of posts. There's really no reason it should annoy you unless you are taking this personally.

-David
 
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ok, I misread that $179, but if you look at your post, you might see why. I also didn't see any links to any of the machines you were recommending.

Let's just agree to have our own, possibly differing opinions. I think the OP solved what they needed to, so this is really all moot at this point anyway.

I laugh at a lot of posts. There's really no reason it should annoy you unless you are taking this personally.

-David
Sorry I confused you with parenthesis. I use them a lot.
 
Sorry I confused you with parenthesis. I use them a lot.

hahahaha. Now, that was condescending. And not very nice.

And even an ASUS netbook with Built-in 802.11b/g for only $110 more than the usb wifi dongle the OP bought ($179).

You know what I meant. And if you didn't, well ... (you can fill this in yourself.)

-David
 
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Davidvel is correct about the prices of the laptops he mentioned. I also saw them in the Fry's ad in the LA Times. Fry's is a chain of mega electronic stores in California and Nevada. I don't know what other states they are in, if any, but I don't believe that they are outside of the west.

I have often shopped at Fry's.
 
Thank you for asking this question as I also learned from our wonderful TUG experts here. I have a 5 yr old HP 4400 that I am typing on right now at The Whaler in Maui.

Is it normal at timeshares to take a REAL long time to get all the programs logged on before you can get your email or sign on to TUG? It is much longer than my desktop at home.
 
Thank you for asking this question as I also learned from our wonderful TUG experts here. I have a 5 yr old HP 4400 that I am typing on right now at The Whaler in Maui.

Is it normal at timeshares to take a REAL long time to get all the programs logged on before you can get your email or sign on to TUG? It is much longer than my desktop at home.

I am not sure what you mean. If you mean, does it take longer, or more steps to access TUG, e-mail etc. then generally the answer is no. However, it depends on the individual property just like at hotels. Sometimes they do have a logon layer you have to through to get to the browser. This will be true if you have to pay. Sometimes you can click directly on the browser. Once at the browser it will be the same as at home except for the speed which is determined by the connection which may be slower or faster than at home.
 
Thanks John. It just seems when I turn on the laptop in our timeshares, it seems to take 4-6 minutes before I can get the Internet or email; whereas at home on the 'big' computer it takes only a minute.
 
1st Time For Everything -- Even Wi-Fi.

The Chief Of Staff recently acquired a nice little MacBook portable computer, which she thoughtfully brought along on our timeshare vacation this week in Cape Canaveral FL.

Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort has wired up the place for (free) wi-fi in all the units, in the lobby, & all over. So I unfolded the little computer, turned it on -- & got nowhere in connecting to EthoStream.

Instructions in the timeshare orientation binder were no help because they were written for Windows computers, not Macs.

A phone call our son back home got us going in a jiffy, & now -- for the 1st time -- we're doing wi-fi at a timeshare.

Who'd a-thunk ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​
 
Next - PS/3's for all?


A phone call our son back home got us going in a jiffy, & now -- for the 1st time -- we're doing wi-fi at a timeshare.

Who'd a-thunk ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

Thats it. You're addicted. Next it will be like us where 1 laptop isn't enough and we have, when other family members also join us, 3 or even 4 in use in one timeshare! Times have really changed as they scoffed when CPR put in high speed Internet in 2001, one of if not the first timeshare to offer it in every unit, saying "Who wants Internet on vacation?". Now we know. Almost everyone.
 
I can forsee a time when having in-unit wi-fi will be like having indoor plumbing. Just expected.

We just don't book hotels or return to timeshares that don't offer it. There's more than one kind of surfing to do on vacation.

Jim Ricks
 
We couldn't vacation without some kind of access because it's simply a fact of Don's life that he has to check in with the office. Sure it's an intrusion sometimes but his job is what allows us to travel the way we do, so the trade-off is worth it. Every morning he has his first cup of coffee and spends a couple of minutes online while I read the paper with my first cup of tea. He also carries a Crackberry just in case something blows up while he's not at the computer, but that's only happened once during all of our trips.

The best thing about internet access on vacation, though, is being able to search around for local activities, restaurants, etc... It's like having your own private Chamber of Commerce everywhere you go. :)
 
I think internet is something a must for everyone. Resorts and hotels should have the internet or wifi services to access for business and to personal use.

[Commercial link to your hotel removed. Advertising is not permitted here. Please review the Posting Rules - Makai Guy, BBS Administrator]
 
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I think internet is something a must for everyone. Resorts and hotels should have the internet or wifi services to access for business and to personal use.

Accessing the Internet is definitely not a must for me while on vacation. I am glad to be away from it.
 
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When will all resorts offer free internet service like Marriott and Sheraton ?
 
I always take my laptop with me on vacation. I prefer that to using the resorts' computers. Our son lives in South Korea, and we keep in touch using Skype. Many resort computers will not let you access Facebook, and I do like to keep up with the comings and goings of family and friends.

And, of course, I do need my daily TUG fix! ;)

Dori
 
Internet is a necessity, not a luxury. Having access is what makes going on vacation possible. As Susan (SueDonJ above) says, the ability to check in with the office and contact clients, frees DW to be able to conduct her practice from anywhere. We've tried using phone cards from foreign locations, but to be able to use Skype or Magic Jack for a few minutes in the morning to retreive messages over coffee, then return a few calls at the end of the business day makes life soooo much better.

For those who are retired or who's businesses have matured to the point that trusted personnel can run things in your absence, a tip o' the hat. We're not there yet. We'll continue to muddle along with laptops and internet access.

Jim Ricks
 
Ok, so I'm not the most computer savvy person around. How the heck does one access the internet when at their resort? I don't even know what WiFi means! LOL.


if you don't know what WiFi mean then you might want to leave the computer home..

oh you are on vacation as well.. more reason to leave it home.. most resorts have a computer you can use to check email etc if you need to..
 
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