Wifi With Aircon

[afx]

Does anyone know a hotel that allows use of the business centre wifi for reasonable rates ? The Karon hilton is 250 bht an hour which is a bit dear.

I have decent adsl at home and decent aircon (bedrooms only) but my living area in my rented house is ceiling fans only. It would be nice to go somewhere when I need a few hours on the computer out of the house if such a thing exists. I doubt there's a Regus equivalent in Phuket but wonder if there any hotels that allow you to pay monthly for such a service. I don't want to use their computers or faxes / printers, just somewhere with aircon and wifi I can use my laptop.

[ScubaBuddha]

Ibis it should be free in the lobby. I would think that if you were on the 1st floor you could catch it too.

[keestha]

Big hotels tend to (over)charge for wifi, but often in small hotels/guesthouses it is free. If you don't stay there, they are likely to let you use it for a small charge, or possibly for free if you order something in the restaurant.

[69690jay]

Ibis it should be free in the lobby. I would think that if you were on the 1st floor you could catch it too.

woody has a place on the way to phuket town called the The Sandwich Shoppe has free PC use and wifi, nice place next door to the Wine Connection.

[ScubaBuddha]

woody has a place on the way to phuket town called the The Sandwich Shoppe has free PC use and wifi, nice place next door to the Wine Connection.

I believe there are 2 or 3 sandwich shops on the island.

[NamKangMan]

The Yorkshire Inn, on Soi Sansabai in Patong has very fast, secure, and reliable internet in their air conditioned cafe/restaurant/sports bar. Just buy a beer, or coffee etc and ask for the password. Friendly staff and a pleasant environment.

[Ping]

Why don't you just buy a wifi card at the mini mart? 200 baht gets you 500 minutes and you can use it just about anywhere.

E: (Oversight) The Family Mart chain

Edited April 1, 2010 by Ping

[NamKangMan]

Why don't you just buy a wifi card at the mini mart? 200 baht gets you 500 minutes and you can use it just about anywhere.

E: (Oversight) The Family Mart chain

Don't you need the little USB thing that you put the SIM card into which cost about 2000 baht (2500 to 3500 baht for farang)????

[LivinginKata]

Why don't you just buy a wifi card at the mini mart? 200 baht gets you 500 minutes and you can use it just about anywhere.

E: (Oversight) The Family Mart chain

Don't you need the little USB thing that you put the SIM card into which cost about 2000 baht (2500 to 3500 baht for farang)????

Yes you need the USB card holder. Can buy in Big C basement, same price for Thai & Farang. Good deals at AIS shop for holder and SIM card with 6 month's time, when I last looked.

[NamKangMan]

Yes you need the USB card holder. Can buy in Big C basement, same price for Thai & Farang. Good deals at AIS shop for holder and SIM card with 6 month's time, when I last looked.

Do you know how much the USB card holder is and how long the credit lasts for? Eg: 500 baht credit - does it expire in 30 days?

[LivinginKata]

Do you know how much the USB card holder is and how long the credit lasts for? Eg: 500 baht credit - does it expire in 30 days?

Just the holder costs from about 1,500 baht and up depending on the make. The SIM card gives a set amount of hours, and not unlimited like the CAT supplied module (with fixed monthly charge). I looked at buying one a couple on months ago for a trip up to Bangkok as the CAT module does not work in Bangkok/Cha-am areas (another media company has the franchise there, at this time). You just top up the SIM card as required. Much like a one-2-call card. At least that was the way it was explained to me. I ended up not buying one, and just accepted hotels WiFi charges when traveling. I'm still thinking these card holders & SIM offer good value for money and portability.

[Ping]

No you don't need a dongle for the Family Mart cards - only a notebook with wifi. The cards give you a user name and password (both random gnerations) that only last for the time on the card (you can buy cheaper ones, but they are less economical) and give you wide area wifi access. You just click on 'Family Mart' in your 'Connect to Network' list. When you open your browser, it automatically fires up the Family Mart wifi logon and you enter the user and password particulars on the card. Time only counts while you are logged in, of course, so a five hundred minute card could last you quite a while if used sparingly. Ask at your local Family Mart to ensure that they have a wide area wifi network servicing your particular area. (If they scratch their heads and say, 'No hab', you're probably out of luck, although I've had that response from some [probably new] staff at various Patong Family Marts and I've told them to show me their phone cards and have shown them the Wifi ones amongst them.) Alternatively, just try your notebook network access at various locations you'd like to use and see if 'Family Mart' comes up in the list of available wireless networks. The credit is good for at least a year - longer if they have recent card stock in.

[NamKangMan]

Do you know how much the USB card holder is and how long the credit lasts for? Eg: 500 baht credit - does it expire in 30 days?

Just the holder costs from about 1,500 baht and up depending on the make. The SIM card gives a set amount of hours, and not unlimited like the CAT supplied module (with fixed monthly charge). I looked at buying one a couple on months ago for a trip up to Bangkok as the CAT module does not work in Bangkok/Cha-am areas (another media company has the franchise there, at this time). You just top up the SIM card as required. Much like a one-2-call card. At least that was the way it was explained to me. I ended up not buying one, and just accepted hotels WiFi charges when traveling. I'm still thinking these card holders & SIM offer good value for money and portability.

My question is about the top-up card. Once you first log on with it, does the credit then have an expiry date? Eg: 30 days from first log on. Or, is it based on when you use your hours, then the credit is finished, so, if you only use the card whilst away from your own WiFi, it will last for ages.

[NamKangMan]

No you don't need a dongle for the Family Mart cards - only a notebook with wifi. The cards give you a user name and password (both random gnerations) that only last for the time on the card (you can buy cheaper ones, but they are less economical) and give you wide area wifi access. You just click on 'Family Mart' in your 'Connect to Network' list. When you open your browser, it automatically fires up the Family Mart wifi logon and you enter the user and password particulars on the card. Time only counts while you are logged in, of course, so a five hundred minute card could last you quite a while if used sparingly. Ask at your local Family Mart to ensure that they have a wide area wifi network servicing your particular area. (If they scratch their heads and say, 'No hab', you're probably out of luck, although I've had that response from some [probably new] staff at various Patong Family Marts and I've told them to show me their phone cards and have shown them the Wifi ones amongst them.) Alternatively, just try your notebook network access at various locations you'd like to use and see if 'Family Mart' comes up in the list of available wireless networks. The credit is good for at least a year - longer if they have recent card stock in.

This sounds great, but, does the card work off a particular mobile phone network, or, off a WiFi aerial attached to the roof of each Family Mart, therefore, you have to physically be in WiFi range of the Family Mart building? The fact that it goes on "log on" minutes and not an expiry time is the service I am after. I currently have WiFi, but, when I leave my place, something like this would be handy, or, even just in the case of an emergency.

[Ping]

^Yes, you have to be in range of the place from which the Family Mart is transmitting the signal. As I suggested, just take your notebook to the location where you want to use it, look on your notebook for the available networks and see if Family Mart is amongst them.

[afx]

^Yes, you have to be in range of the place from which the Family Mart is transmitting the signal. As I suggested, just take your notebook to the location where you want to use it, look on your notebook for the available networks and see if Family Mart is amongst them.

I already have a data sim for when I'm away from home but for holding a decent connection I'd prefer wifi. The main thing is though a chair and a desk / table with decent aircon. I dont mind paying but by the hour is a rip at the Hilton.

Thanks Namkangman, will check it out if I'm down that way but dont get over to Patong much.