Do Any Of You Use Wi-Fi Internationally?

[bealine]

Bealine is acquiring a lap-top. He already has wireless networking at home and he knows that the Gatwick Departure Lounge has Wi-Fi access, and as more and wore airports worldwide are joining the Wi-Fi revolution, Bealine thinks this may become very useful to him!

I have some questions that I'd like to ask:

If you're already using this technology, do you need to sign up with a "Roaming" service provider or anything? ...or does your Wireless LAN adaptor just find the Wi-Fi network and connect into it free of charge? Does this work internationally, or do you need different connections for different countries?

Sorry - but when I've looked at internet web-sites on the subject, they seem very clear on what hardware you need to buy, but vague on how it will work for the "man in the street".

Thanks for your help.

[Pax Vobiscum]

You might want to try this question on the "Computer/Internet issues" forum. Though I've no personal experience of playing with Wi-Fi outside the home, here's an interesting link about the difficulties of roaming Wi-Fi in the "real world" (wherevr that is ...):
The Register (http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/69/35461.html)

As you'll see there's a variety of ways it works at the moment. You may be able to find areas where it's free (eg executive lounge, from a Club seat in flight), but the business model is based on charging for access. The market at present is highly fragmented so, although you can buy roaming access rights, it's not always easy to find an access point that's available to you (a bit like the early days of GSM phones).

Hope that helps!

[bealine]

Thanks for that, Pax Vobiscum. Looks like I might enjoy free access around a few places, but the costs seem quite extortionate where it's charged for!!!

Reminds me of the early days of the Internet before unmetered access! I'll have to be careful!

[ChrisVJ]

In our little resort town of 10,000 inhabitants we have no less than 3 Wi-fi suppliers frenetically installing 'nodes' in every conceivable nook and cranny. The campground has two already and I think its public toilets may actually have three.

Now you can have internet while you are in any hotel or cafe in town, waiting in the liftline, checking your messages on your PDA on a gondola or chairlift and of course while balancing your laptop on your knees and wiping you bum.

My wife, a new convert to the online world with a new laptop all to herself (I wanted a GPS so she went out and bought a laptop in retaliation and I haven't even got the GPS yet) has even threatend to go online in bed on Saturday nights after Arsenal win. Beats reading a book, she says.

[Wot No Engines]

Not used it at an airport yet, but have in other places - bars, etc.

All systems seem to be based on you either having a roaming account with a provider (or group of providers), usually tied to your mobile phone account. If not, just try and select a web page, and you will get directed to a "bill me now via my credit card" page - fill in the details and off you go.

Similar to the wired setup in many hotels now.

Word of warning - make sure you have an adequate firewall installed before using any high speed internet connection from your own PC - whether this is at home, in a hotel, or one of these wireless hot spots. I have regularly detected other computers trying to "break in".

[Flight_Cru]

Currently in USA, Dallas this week, Scottsdale AZ, last and Wichita the week before.

Best Western Hotels have free Wi-Fi, as do some Amerisuites, also free in Hyatt. Main line Marriots charge, but low budget Marriots dont'.

No certain about Hooters, but will check again tonight.....everytime I tried to extract my PC yesterday I was advised not to get too excited.....

However I suspect this will all change to free WiFi as american hotels are becoming desperate for business....so shop arround...remember the free breakfasts...usually in the low budget Marriots, and the Suite Hotels.

My fave is Embassy Suites, two sets of airline miles, Hilton, plus your fave airline, free wi-fi, (at this time), free breakfasts, and a happy hout that lasts 2-3 hrs, with food and drink.....free newspapers (USA today...not a news paper but you know what I mean)...

I am wtriting this at 08h00 in Dallas in Amerisuites, in suite, eating breakfast, on balcony, with wifi, and looking out at a great view....watching local news heli out of window and his OP on TV......snowed two days ago...yesteday 18C, today 22C.....

Diet restarts when I return....

RE firewalls.....inhibit file share as a matter of procedure, ensure good firewall, (XP is OK but get better if possible).

Checking out other users on the network is good fun....try it....watched a good video a few weeks ago on a wifi network in Europe....

[Flight_Cru]

Spent several hours in Dallas and Raleigh Durham.

Both airports require a roaming WiFi access for T Mobile.

9.00US, I assume plus tax per day.....Hope not to spend a day in either airport, but the day does cover, (I believe), Starbucks, and several other retailers.

It is paid on a day basis, I believe, by scratch card.

Back in UK, and hope to find the free hot spot in LTN....

[Daysleeper]

and hope to find the free hot spot in LTN....

Smoking section of Burger King. Honest, had 4hours stop in LTN one night and there is about 6 seats in the smoking section where I got online for nothing. Its the ones nearest to the arrivals door.
Couldn't get access anywhere else in the terminal , very weird.