How Do I Keep In Touch Up North

[yorkieb]

Dear Forum

I need some help from the more IT informed members here regarding conection to the internet when travelling in North Thialand. I have a laptop with wireless facility here in the UK which I will be travelling with in December in and around Chiang Rai. I dont really understand how the whole broardband conection thing works in Thailand. I am guessing now but can I buy a broardband pay as you go card and connect in a broardband hotspot area. Or do I need to do something with my mobile to get on line. I am wanting to keep in touch with my friends in th UK by MSN and Messanger web cam.

Can any here advise me which is the best way and what I should be doing.

Many thanks in advance

Yorkieb

[Cuban]

If you are staying in a hotel does it offer internet access via the room (cable or more likely wireless)? It's worth sniffing for open (unsecured) wireless networks, some buisnesses are lax in computer security .

You could get a local wireless SIM etc. about 7,000 Baht if you think you will get enough use from it.

You could compose emails in your hotel then bounce via a USB stick in an internet cafe, 30 Baht an hour. (Consider the risk from virus infection using this route - write protect your USB stick.)

Many net cafe's do offer webcams and have MSN, ICQ installed etc.

You could ask the cafe to connect your laptop to their network, most that I have asked agreed one even didn't charge me because I wasn't using 'his' computers - but offering a suitable tip is good manners.

You could buy a dial up ISP access - enough for checking email etc. Getting 'free' use of someone's phone line might be less easy.

HTH

[GungaDin]

You could get a local wireless SIM etc. about 7,000 Baht if you think you will get enough use from it.

HTH

Hi Cuban,

this is new to me.

Please explain the deal.

cheers

gd

[Cuban]

this is new to me.Please explain the deal.

This thing ?

Covered on TV before.

Seen on sale in the papers small ads and in various computer shops. GRPS data link via 12call (etc.) SIM card. Link to the laptop with PCMCIA card, USB cable and small phone looking thing or via bluetooth to a GPRS enabled cell phone.

Data rate not fantastic but useable (~115 kbps).

I have a friend that uses EDGE cards, gets about 220 kbps - mostly reliable upcountry.

Link with pictures.

[GungaDin]

Cuban,

thanks very much, just what I need to learn the changes in Thailand in the last few years!

I'm used to being screwed by Optus for download & uploads, not by the hour.

[yorkieb]

If you are staying in a hotel does it offer internet access via the room (cable or more likely wireless)? It's worth sniffing for open (unsecured) wireless networks, some buisnesses are lax in computer security .

You could get a local wireless SIM etc. about 7,000 Baht if you think you will get enough use from it.

You could compose emails in your hotel then bounce via a USB stick in an internet cafe, 30 Baht an hour. (Consider the risk from virus infection using this route - write protect your USB stick.)

Many net cafe's do offer webcams and have MSN, ICQ installed etc.

You could ask the cafe to connect your laptop to their network, most that I have asked agreed one even didn't charge me because I wasn't using 'his' computers - but offering a suitable tip is good manners.

You could buy a dial up ISP access - enough for checking email etc. Getting 'free' use of someone's phone line might be less easy.

HTH

Hi Cuban

Your seem to be quite knowledgeable about this stuff, but please be patient with my level of understanding

I will be staying in a village location. No land line, or internet cafe. There is a neighbour somewhere near that has a landline connection but I cant use that too often. So is my only option to use the USB thing with my mobile. And if so is it fast enough to web cam in messenger? (laptop has a built in cam).

Yorkieb

[Cuban]

Your seem to be quite knowledgeable about this stuff, but please be patient with my level of understanding...

In a previous life I used to work with laptops and remote offices, connectivity has always been an issue. However apart from playing with other people's Edge enabled computers, I have not installed such a system before. I understand there are threads both on Thai Visa and other places, however from the experiances related to me it does seem straight forward. Typical example with prices.

I will be staying in a village location. No land line, or internet cafe. There is a neighbour somewhere near that has a landline connection but I cant use that too often. So is my only option to use the USB thing with my mobile. And if so is it fast enough to web cam in messenger? (laptop has a built in cam).

Speed/bandwidth is dependant on your line of sight to the local cell phone network aerial - do you know if the area in question has good cell phone reception? Ability to maintain a useage video link back to the UK will depend on the latency (Thailand - UK round trip time), you could experiment with someone already in Thailand - the various social networking sites, ICQ, Yahoo etc. will provide test subjects. When I have encountered problems with voice only links it has been traced to poor uplink connections with computers using the GRPS/Edge link, they receive voice OK but give broken transmissions. Being able to switch between webcam & audio only with emailed images might be a useful fall back. Also check out the cheap phone call options.

DTAC & AIS offer EDGE coverage throughout Thailand, out in the wilds one provider might offer better coverage than the other.

While you have time to experiment before coming over to Thailand - it would be wise to patch your laptop so you will not be needing to download and apply any updates in the field, also disable any auto update features as your computer might 'choose' to start a 100meg update when you are on the end of a slow remote connection. Also - review your browser's ability to block adverts, many sites' adverts avoid caching so your limited bandwidth may be taken by adverts for holidays in Thailand while you are busy trying to enjoy your holiday in Thailand !

Internet speed (improving) is a common theme here, use of Open DNS is a popular solution, I have some manual entries in my local hosts files for sites that I use on a daily basis that have proved troublesome before.

You mention another person with a computer nearby - I assume an expat - it would be worth establishing contact before your trip - you might be better able to 'use' their connection if you were to barter bringing some data over with you? I often take orders for downloaded programs from my fast connection here in the city (Pattaya) when I travel up to the country house, burn off a few DVDs of applications and updates that would otherwise take hours to download, minimum hassle to do but very welcomed where connections are slow.