Dedicated Internet Connections In Hotels?

[rexall]

Mon 13 Oct 08, 4:37 pm

Hi All,

I know that WiFi is pretty reliable and common everywhere in Thailand now. However, I am working for a project using Adobe Connect meeting software. The engineers and management who run the project insist that we DO NOT use a wireless internet connection for reasons of robust performance, stability and audio quality. I am pretty sure I could get away with WiFi and no one would know the difference . . . On the other hand, I don't what to yank on anyone's beard and would prefer to play by the rules.

So, here's the deal. My internet connection at home is acceptable. But as I have to start meetings at specific times around an inflexible schedule, there is no way I can escape from Casa Rex for very long unless I can figure out a way to work from other locations on occasion . . . and internet cafés are not allowed either. If I need time off, I have to find someone to substitute for me, which is one big pain in the ass, and then . . . of course, I lose the income, which is even more of a pain! However, if I can get the technology and the logistics right, I don't mind at all working during a business trip or holiday.

QUESTION : Anyway, as I am pretty ignorant about this stuff, are there hotels in Bangers and Pattaya and elsewhere that provide dedicated broadband access in the rooms that I can use by plugging in a LAN cable from a laptop?

Thanks, as always, for your insightful insights!

Aloha,

Rex

[phaethon]

By dedicated do you mean you are the only user on that connection? Expensive and unlikely in a hotel unless you are talking the presidential suite in the Oriental or the like.

The Dynasty Inn Grande on Suk. Soi 11 has wired internet in the rooms (no login, just plug in a cat 5 and go) and wifi in the reception/bar all included in room price. Fast enough for me to operate over remote access on a server in Germany.

Landmark had wired Internet in many rooms, but at extra charge. Free wifi in lobby but very flakey last few times I tried.

[monty]

Mon 13 Oct 08, 4:37 pm

Hi All,

I know that WiFi is pretty reliable and common everywhere in Thailand now. However, I am working for a project using Adobe Connect meeting software. The engineers and management who run the project insist that we DO NOT use a wireless internet connection for reasons of robust performance, stability and audio quality. I am pretty sure I could get away with WiFi and no one would know the difference . . . On the other hand, I don't what to yank on anyone's beard and would prefer to play by the rules.

So, here's the deal. My internet connection at home is acceptable. But as I have to start meetings at specific times around an inflexible schedule, there is no way I can escape from Casa Rex for very long unless I can figure out a way to work from other locations on occasion . . . and internet cafés are not allowed either. If I need time off, I have to find someone to substitute for me, which is one big pain in the ass, and then . . . of course, I lose the income, which is even more of a pain! However, if I can get the technology and the logistics right, I don't mind at all working during a business trip or holiday.

QUESTION : Anyway, as I am pretty ignorant about this stuff, are there hotels in Bangers and Pattaya and elsewhere that provide dedicated broadband access in the rooms that I can use by plugging in a LAN cable from a laptop?

Thanks, as always, for your insightful insights!

Aloha,

Rex

Not much chance I would think!

Most hotels have just one single ADSL connection shared throughout the whole hotel!

Meaning that speed and stability can vary wildly.

I doubt the local IT guru's at the hotels even know much about QOS, seeing that in many places I stayed VOIP doesn't even work properly!

It will of course depend heavily on the needs of your adobe software, but my guess is that even only one inconsiderate hotel guest can mess up speeds.

[whooliggen]

Just stayed at the Sofitel Lat Phrao and the broadband/wifi in the room (on the posh "executive" floor) was "shared by the whole hotel sir". Thats why I was getting dial-up speeds then. Headed to the executive meeting/drinking/business area on the 22nd floor I think it was and the internet was a different kettle of fish...Didn't ask if it was a dedicated line but download speed was around 5 Mb. As previous poster said, you may well have to be in the Suite rooms of a good hotel to get what you need...Good luck.

W.

[torrenova]

Above my pay grade technologically wise but places like the Marriott have (expensive) LAN hard wired connections. I suspect they still share bandwidth though.

A small guest house with one connection may allow you to monopolise it though for a fee and for a limited period of time ? Just a thought.

Or a condo rental with a private telephone line ?

[nikster]

First of all, ignore the IT dept. and use WiFi connections as needed. It's fine. They'll never know. And it doesn't make a difference, unless you are likely to be spied on. So yeah, if the FSB or NSA is after you or your company, WiFi might be a risk. Otherwise - nah, who's going to bother sniffing your packets? If you are using a VPN then it's encrypted anyway. Performance and blah blah of WiFi are fine, and orders of magnitude better than any DSL connection you can get in Thailand. A pretty weak WiFi connection will still maintain 5Mbps (out of a theoretical max of 54Mbps), and good luck finding a real 5Mbps connection in Thailand. The weakest link is always the DSL, so WiFi vs Ethernet doesn't matter one bit.

Internet in hotels sucks in general unless you can find one which specifically advertises good internet connectivity. I once stayed in Pattaya in the Metro Hotel , and remember they had an in-room connection with decent speed. Free, too. However you won't have an actual dedicated connection just for yourself.

Natural Ville in BKK had ethernet-based internet included, it had pretty bad performance. There is really now way of knowing until you try yourself.

I used to always search for internet connected hotels, and mostly it's bad. Especially those that charge a lot. The big hotels often have a 3rd party running the show and invariably those services are extremely overpriced and have very bad performance. Crawling along at snail's pace for Bht 150/h.

My tip is to look for small places where the owner really loves the internet. I know one such place in Chiang Mai - there are 14 rooms and a 3Mbps connection. Because there are so few rooms, and none of them are occupied by download addicts, you pretty much have the 3Mbps to yourself most times. That's the best I know as far as connections are concerned.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Mon 13 Oct 08, 4:37 pm

Hi All,

I know that WiFi is pretty reliable and common everywhere in Thailand now. However, I am working for a project using Adobe Connect meeting software. The engineers and management who run the project insist that we DO NOT use a wireless internet connection for reasons of robust performance, stability and audio quality. I am pretty sure I could get away with WiFi and no one would know the difference . . . On the other hand, I don't what to yank on anyone's beard and would prefer to play by the rules.

So, here's the deal. My internet connection at home is acceptable. But as I have to start meetings at specific times around an inflexible schedule, there is no way I can escape from Casa Rex for very long unless I can figure out a way to work from other locations on occasion . . . and internet cafés are not allowed either. If I need time off, I have to find someone to substitute for me, which is one big pain in the ass, and then . . . of course, I lose the income, which is even more of a pain! However, if I can get the technology and the logistics right, I don't mind at all working during a business trip or holiday.

QUESTION : Anyway, as I am pretty ignorant about this stuff, are there hotels in Bangers and Pattaya and elsewhere that provide dedicated broadband access in the rooms that I can use by plugging in a LAN cable from a laptop?

Thanks, as always, for your insightful insights!

Aloha,

Rex

Budget and requirements outside of a LAN connection?