Accessing the internet via laptop abroad

[Tez]

I've just been told by the school that A's laptop will be available for me to pick up tonight - (hurrah only taken 3 years of fighting). We fly out to Washington tomorrow and A will be taking the laptop with him. All the motels we are staying at have free high speed internet in the room.

 

Whilst I can usually work out how to configure things, being a little brain dead at the moment and not knowing until I pick it up if it's wifi, ethernet enabled or what, I was wondering what I am likely to have to do to connect to the internet in the rooms.

 

Is anyone able to advise.

[mossgrove]

Tez

 

Have you used wireless before? I can give you some pointers if need be.

 

If the laptop is not pre-configured for wiress access you can add it via a card (called a PCPMIA Wireless card) for around �20, I am sure they will be readily available at and computer store over there if you don't get a chance to buy one before you go. It will come with a CD, usually you will need to install the software before you insert the card.

 

When the laptop is configured for wireless access it may well connect automatically, especially if you have configured it to connect to the first available access point. You may well find that your browser redirects to a login screen where you supply details given to you by your hotel and (if the hotel charge fior access) buy access using your credit card.

 

American hotels are usually pretty good for customer service, so I am sure you will be able to find someone to explain the local arrangements.

 

Simon

[Tez]

Thanks Simon,

 

We've got a wireless network at home but I must admit I did seem to mess around with it for ages before I got it working and as I'm only going to have a couple of hours before we go any pointers will be helpful.

 

Do you know if the dataports in the bedrooms are likely to be accessible via a USB connection or whether I'm likely to need an ethernet connection?

[mossgrove]

Tez

 

Do you mean wired dataports? I have never come across them in a hotel but if they are there you will need probably need an ethernet cable as USB isn't often used to connect to wired networks and you would probably need some kind of adaptor to make USB networking happen, if you can lay your hands on one taking a short eternet cable with you might be a good idea. Almost all modern laptops have an ethernet port built in, but if it hasn't you will need a PCPMIA ethernet adaptor which you would get from the same plcace as the wiress card. In theory it should be cheaper than the wireless adaptor but because you don't see them much these days (most computers already have them) you may end up paying over the odds if time is short.

 

Depending on how techie you are this next bit will appear to be in english or in double dutch.

 

Whether you go wired or wireless you should configure your browser to automatically detect proxy settings. You should configure your wireless connection to connect to the first available access point. Depending on how you home wireless network is set up, you may also need to configure/reconfigure the wired/wireless network adapter to automatically obtain an IP address.

 

Both the wired and unwired connections will have a little icon in the system tray in the bottom right hand corner of the XP screen. You will probably need to disable the connection you are not using by right-clicking on it and choosing disable.

 

If that was double dutch, feel free to give me a shout!

 

Simon

Edited September 9, 2005 by mossgrove

[Tez]

Thanks Simon,

 

I understood what you said perfectly and it's a big help, wouldn't consider myself at all techie though.

 

Might be cheeky and ask the school Business Manager if he could configure it all for me when I pick it up, but then again maybe not.... I can imagine the response I'm likely to get.

Edited September 9, 2005 by Tez

[Tez]

Simon just a quick thank you. I got A's laptop tonight and I've got it accessing the internet and sending emails on our hime network thanks to your help. Hopefully we'll have no problems on holiday.

 

Thank you

[Canopus]

Wireless networks are short range devices, so unless the hotel is small then they will probably only be accessible in certain areas such as conference rooms. Some hotels have ethernet sockets in the rooms.

[lisa]

Does anyone know what "DNS Server" error message means? I've just bought an AOL wireless router and it's been a real pain in the backside trying to get it working. I've spent hours on the phone to AOL but I still keep getting this message come up when I try to connect. I have to turn the router off completely at the moment so that I can at least get on the internet to check my emails through a wired connection (which luckily is still working when the router is switched off).

 

Lisa

[mossgrove]

Canopus

 

Wireless networks operate over a longer range these days, I can connect to the network in the hotel a few yards awaywhen I am in my office, with the right kit extending the wreless network in an entire hotel is perfectly feasible. Bluetooth is short-range only, but the technology is different.

 

Lisa

 

A Domain Name Server (DNS) is the name for a computer that translate a web address like www.krism.org.uk into its Internet Network Address (IP Address for short), krism.org.uk is at 213.152.250.40, so a DNS server works like a gargantuan telephone directory translating names to numbers.

 

What I suspect you message means is that you web browser has tried to translate a name like krism.org.uk into it's IP address so you can go there and can't it connect to DNS server to look it up. The most likely cause is that the computer does not have an internet connection.

 

I'll happily help you track it down if i can, the first question is:

 

Is your broadband modem connected directly to your router or is it connected to your PC?

 

Simon

[smallworld]

Hi Simon,

that's the message I'm getting with my difficulty getting into krism sometimes, I couldn't work out with whom/what ! the error lie.

I just stick to blaming cable for everything (inflation, global warming, the price of peas....)

makes me feel better

wac