Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails

Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails

Pls note I am not a Techie and this might appear to be a stupid
question.
But I need help.

I have
1. Comcast for my wireless internet - laptop and
2. T mobile ( motorola razor) for my cell service.

For temporary traveling purposes with my family on vacation, how can I
access my emails via my laptop.

Where do I start ?

What equpiment do I need ? What service ? Which company ?

Since I need this service for less than a week.... what suggestions can
anyone give me ?
Of course I would like to be economical too.


I have heard of hotspots...

Since I am traveling with my family on vacation, I do not want to have
to drive them every 2 hours to the nearest Starbucks etc. to check
emails.

It would be nice to be able to do this while we are driving.

Any suggestions ?

Thanks
Rita

>(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

>Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails
>
>Pls note I am not a Techie and this might appear to be a stupid
>question.
>But I need help.
>
>I have
>1. Comcast for my wireless internet - laptop and
>2. T mobile ( motorola razor) for my cell service.
>
>For temporary traveling purposes with my family on vacation, how can I
>access my emails via my laptop.
>
>Where do I start ?
>
>What equpiment do I need ? What service ? Which company ?
>
>Since I need this service for less than a week.... what suggestions can
>anyone give me ?
>Of course I would like to be economical too.
>
>
>I have heard of hotspots...
>
>Since I am traveling with my family on vacation, I do not want to have
>to drive them every 2 hours to the nearest Starbucks etc. to check
>emails.
>
>It would be nice to be able to do this while we are driving.
>
>Any suggestions ?
>
>Thanks
>Rita


There are several options for Internet access on the road.

1. Park phone lines. Almost every RV park, and some campgrounds, have a
phone jack in the office, lounge, laundromat, etc. where you can plug in
your laptop and dial in to your ISP. I think that is one reason that
AOL is so popular with full-timers--the availability of a local phone
number everywhere. Earthlink and the other big ISPs are good for that,
too. I use a 3 cent/minute calling card when all else fails.

2. Cell phone. We have been using our Verizon cell phone for Internet
access for over three years now. In most of the country, we can connect
to their "high speed" network that tops out at 144 kbps, which is much
faster than dialup. There are a lot of details to review before deciding
to do this. The best source of concise information on the topic is the
Yahoo Internet By Cell Phone forum:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByCellPhone Join that forum and
download the tutorials in the Files section. There is a fair amount of
opinion masquerading as fact in that forum, but the tutorials will tell
you what you need to know. There is one for Verizon, Sprint, and
AT&T/Cingular. If you decide to go that route, make sure you look at
the coverage maps for each carrier so you don't end up with a plan that
has no data coverage in your planned travels.

3. WiFi. In any town, you can drive around and find an unsecured WiFi
hotspot and get on the Internet. I recommend Network Stumbler
(http://stumbler.net) for finding hotspots. There are also public free
hotspots and fee-based locations (Flying J, Starbucks, etc.). The
advantage to free WiFi is speed and cost. The disadvantage is that you
can't usually access the Internet from the comfort of your RV. The
minority of parks that currently offer WiFi at your site often charge a
stiff fee for anything short of monthly use, although free WiFi is
becoming more common.

4. Public libraries. They all have Internet access nowadays. Usually,
you must use their PCs, though, so you can't upload/download mail or
anything else to your laptop.

5. Satellite dish. A roof-top mounted automatic dish costs around $5,000
plus $1,000 for installation, plus $99/month. A big tripod-mount dish
that you set up yourself runs around $1,500 plus $59/month. Download
speeds are typically 500-1,000 kbps, essentially DSL speed. Upload speed
is very slow-- 20-40 kbps -- but most people don't care about upload
speed. You get Internet access at your RV anywhere in the Lower 48 that
has a clear shot at the southern sky.

Hope that helps.

--
Dave

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails
>
> Pls note I am not a Techie and this might appear to be a stupid
> question.
> But I need help.
>
> I have
> 1. Comcast for my wireless internet - laptop and
> 2. T mobile ( motorola razor) for my cell service.
>
> For temporary traveling purposes with my family on vacation, how can I
> access my emails via my laptop?

Simply put, you've got to connect it to the Internet some way, some how,
just as you do at home.
>
> Where do I start ?
> What equpiment do I need ? What service ? Which company ?

Sounds like you've already got all the equipment you need. As for which
service through what company, I think the answer is pretty much dictated
by your next question.

> Since I need this service for less than a week.... what suggestions can
> anyone give me ?
> Of course I would like to be economical too.

Seriously, if I were only going to be gone a week I'd try to get by with
using free Wi-Fi, either in the hotel or motel I'd be staying in or
somewhere else along the way. You might try checking at
www.wififreespot.com to see what they show as being available wherever
you're going. Also check out the website of the hotel or motel chain
you're planning to patronize, to see if they offer free Wi-Fi among
their amenities. If they don't, I'd consider going with someone else
who does.
> I have heard of hotspots...
>
> Since I am traveling with my family on vacation, I do not want to have
> to drive them every 2 hours to the nearest Starbucks etc. to check
> emails.

Can't blame you for that. Again, if wherever you're going to be lodging
has Wi-Fi, you won't need to.

By the way, do you really get enough legitimate e-mail that you have to
check it every couple of hours?

> It would be nice to be able to do this while we are driving.

I think it will be nicer while only one of you is driving...but I
digress. Okay, I'll admit it-bad joke. If you're serious about surfing
on the roll, however, your only option would be using your Razr as a
modem if it has this capability, or picking up a cellular card for your
laptop if T-Mobile still offers this service. Check with them to see.
Be forewarned, though, that this will be neither fast nor cheap, and may
not even be available along your entire route. Frankly, for only a
one-week trip, I don't believe I'd bother with it.
>
> Any suggestions ?

Book a room in a hotel or motel that offers free Wi-FI, then kick back
and enjoy.

Oh, one more thing while I'm thinking about it. Check with Comcast
about how to access your e-mail remotely. You should be able to
download incoming messages like you do normally, but I'm betting you'll
have to go to a web-based interface to send mail. Make sure you know
how before you leave.

Good luck and have a nice time--JLP

In article <(E-Mail Removed). com>, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails
>
>Pls note I am not a Techie and this might appear to be a stupid
>question.
>But I need help.
>
>I have
>1. Comcast for my wireless internet - laptop and
>2. T mobile ( motorola razor) for my cell service.
>
>For temporary traveling purposes with my family on vacation, how can I
>access my emails via my laptop.
>
>Where do I start ?
>
>What equpiment do I need ? What service ? Which company ?
>
>Since I need this service for less than a week.... what suggestions can
>anyone give me ?
>Of course I would like to be economical too.
>
>
>I have heard of hotspots...
>
>Since I am traveling with my family on vacation, I do not want to have
>to drive them every 2 hours to the nearest Starbucks etc. to check
>emails.
>
>It would be nice to be able to do this while we are driving.
>
>Any suggestions ?
>
>Thanks
>Rita
>

Forget signing up for one of the cell services unless you live in New York
and are traveling to Chicago or LA (well a few other large cities) and even
then unless you can charge it to the company, too expensive for just
checking email and maybe a little web surfing like checking weather.com
before you hit the beach or ski slopes or whatever.
Use the wifi card in your laptop. You can find hotpsots in most hotels
anymore and failing that they are fairly widespread in McDonalds (though I
think they charge a small fee $2ish??). Likely and before you pay McDonalds
make sure your hotel isn't offering it free. Also many resort towns have
hotspots in the sort of public gathering areas (shopping district,
resturant row etc) for example the main strip in Sedona or the main strip
near the beach on Miami beach. The rule of thumb frankly is coffee shops,
book stores, donut shops. Places where you might sit for half an hour or
so, spend a couple dollars on coffee or something to eat. These types of
places are by no means all going ot have hotspots, but are good places to
stick your head in the door and ask.
Where you are unlikely to find wireless access is remote areas (Grand
Canyon north and south rim), but even then if it is a resort / time share
type arrangement, ask when you check in where you might find Internet
access. The locals will know.

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

>(E-Mail Removed) (Rico) wrote:

>In article <(E-Mail Removed). com>, (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>>Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails
>>
>>Pls note I am not a Techie and this might appear to be a stupid
>>question.
>>But I need help.
>>
>>I have
>>1. Comcast for my wireless internet - laptop and
>>2. T mobile ( motorola razor) for my cell service.
>>
>>For temporary traveling purposes with my family on vacation, how can I
>>access my emails via my laptop.
>>
>>Where do I start ?
>>
>>What equpiment do I need ? What service ? Which company ?
>>
>>Since I need this service for less than a week.... what suggestions can
>>anyone give me ?
>>Of course I would like to be economical too.
>>
>>
>>I have heard of hotspots...
>>
>>Since I am traveling with my family on vacation, I do not want to have
>>to drive them every 2 hours to the nearest Starbucks etc. to check
>>emails.
>>
>>It would be nice to be able to do this while we are driving.
>>
>>Any suggestions ?
>>
>>Thanks
>>Rita
>>
>>
>Forget signing up for one of the cell services unless you live in New York
>and are traveling to Chicago or LA (well a few other large cities)

We have been using our cell phone for Internet access while traveling
around the country full time for over three years. In the Lower 48, we
have had a usable data connection in virtually every location. The only
big dead spots have been in Texas and Oklahoma.

Currently, we are at a county campground outside Apache Junction, AZ,
with a good EVDO signal--around 500-600 kbps.

> and even
>then unless you can charge it to the company, too expensive for just
>checking email and maybe a little web surfing like checking weather.com
>before you hit the beach or ski slopes or whatever.

The only additional cost for using your cell phone for Internet access
is the cost of the cable (around $10), at least with Verizon. The two
slower networks (14.4 and 144 kbps) just use minutes. Sprint is
$10/month and uses no minutes.

Now, if you had said "signing up with T-Mobile" rather than "signing up
for one of the cell services", I would have no quibble. Sprint, Verizon,
and AT&T all have pretty robust low cost cellular Internet services.

--
Dave

In article <(E-Mail Removed)>, Dave Rudisill <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>(E-Mail Removed) (Rico) wrote:
>
>>In article <(E-Mail Removed). com>,
> (E-Mail Removed) wrote:
>>>Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails
>>>
>>>Pls note I am not a Techie and this might appear to be a stupid
>>>question.
>>>But I need help.
>>>
>>>I have
>>>1. Comcast for my wireless internet - laptop and
>>>2. T mobile ( motorola razor) for my cell service.
>>>
>>>For temporary traveling purposes with my family on vacation, how can I
>>>access my emails via my laptop.
>>>
>>>Where do I start ?
>>>
>>>What equpiment do I need ? What service ? Which company ?
>>>
>>>Since I need this service for less than a week.... what suggestions can
>>>anyone give me ?
>>>Of course I would like to be economical too.
>>>
>>>
>>>I have heard of hotspots...
>>>
>>>Since I am traveling with my family on vacation, I do not want to have
>>>to drive them every 2 hours to the nearest Starbucks etc. to check
>>>emails.
>>>
>>>It would be nice to be able to do this while we are driving.
>>>
>>>Any suggestions ?
>>>
>>>Thanks
>>>Rita
>>>
>>>
>>Forget signing up for one of the cell services unless you live in New York
>>and are traveling to Chicago or LA (well a few other large cities)
>
>We have been using our cell phone for Internet access while traveling
>around the country full time for over three years. In the Lower 48, we
>have had a usable data connection in virtually every location. The only
>big dead spots have been in Texas and Oklahoma.
>
>Currently, we are at a county campground outside Apache Junction, AZ,
>with a good EVDO signal--around 500-600 kbps.

Well I'm glad to see Verizon is finally getting it more widely deployed.
When I was about half way between Phoenix and Sedona about a year ago,
nada.

>
>> and even
>>then unless you can charge it to the company, too expensive for just
>>checking email and maybe a little web surfing like checking weather.com
>>before you hit the beach or ski slopes or whatever.
>
>The only additional cost for using your cell phone for Internet access
>is the cost of the cable (around $10), at least with Verizon.

You must be on a great plan, the rate they quote where I live is a bit more
the $10 closer to $80 and my local area (not in the middle of no
where) is still not on the coverage map. But I'm delighted to see it is
working well and cheaply for some folks. Since you are in Arizona right
now, have you tried it at the South Rim (with the draught ought to be
relatively snow free up there this year)? I was able to make conventional
cell phone calls from there (no luck at all on the north rim) last year
which surprised me.

>The two
>slower networks (14.4 and 144 kbps) just use minutes. Sprint is
>$10/month and uses no minutes.
>
>Now, if you had said "signing up with T-Mobile" rather than "signing up
>for one of the cell services", I would have no quibble. Sprint, Verizon,
>and AT&T all have pretty robust low cost cellular Internet services.
>

Still for most people traveling, why go to the expense when it is free in
so many places?

fundamentalism, fundamentally wrong.

>(E-Mail Removed) (Rico) wrote:

>>
>>The only additional cost for using your cell phone for Internet access
>>is the cost of the cable (around $10), at least with Verizon.
>
>You must be on a great plan, the rate they quote where I live is a bit more
>the $10 closer to $80 and my local area (not in the middle of no
>where) is still not on the coverage map. But I'm delighted to see it is
>working well and cheaply for some folks.

As I posted earlier, access to two of the Verizon data networks (14.4
and 144 kbps) is billed just like voice calls. Many folks using these
networks restrict their Internet use to nights and weekends, when calls
are free.

You are absolutely correct, however, that Verizon reps will not tell you
about free Internet access. They will try to sell you a data plan.

>Since you are in Arizona right
>now, have you tried it at the South Rim (with the draught ought to be
>relatively snow free up there this year)? I was able to make conventional
>cell phone calls from there (no luck at all on the north rim) last year
>which surprised me.

A map showing the 144 kbps network national coverage:
http://tinyurl.com/28b43

Coverage on their 14.4 kbps network is more universal, but there are
still big holes.

How was you WiFi service on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon? <g>

>
>Still for most people traveling, why go to the expense when it is free in
>so many places?

I, too, use free WiFi when it is available. We recently spent three
weeks on the beach in Mexico, where there was no Verizon service. I was
able to connect to an unsecured WiFi network 2.2 miles across the bay
from the comfort of my RV.

--
Dave

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:

> Pls help - want to travel wirelessly and ckeck emails

This is just a general article that might be of interest to some people:

http://techrepublic.com.com/5138-108...ml?tag=nl.e138

10 ways to stay connected on the road

Whether you need to catch up on a little work while you're on vacation
or you routinely require mobile connectivity for your job, it's a good
idea to know what technologies are available to help you stay in touch.
Here's a look at some of your best choices.

These days, it's possible to stay connected from practically anywhere
you happen to be. The trick is to determine the best technology for your
needs and your situation. IT pro Deb Shinder offers this overview of 10
of your connectivity options, including:

* Wi-Fi enabled laptops or handhelds
* Pocket PC and smart phones with high speed Internet connectivity
* Mobile satellite Internet
* Cellular WAN service for laptops