Internet Choices When Travelling

[kedecker]

We are considering using our laptop and a phone line for internet access while traveling in Thailand for 2 months. I am not sure if it is cheaper to sign up with an internet provider (like cslox webnet, pay about 12 baht/hour) plus pay the hotel's charge for the phone call. Hotels are notorious for charging high fees for telephone calls from guest rooms. Or simply pay the high 60 - 120 baht/hour charged by internet cafes.

What has been your experience/opinions with these choices?

[sumrit]

If you use the internet cafes away from the main tourist areas most of them only charge about 20 baht per hour.

[King Dong]

and what are you going to do about laundry/food? Its kinda a daft question nowdays...

[cdnvic]

A wireless card and the default passwords to Linksys and Dlink routers will get you tons of free access in the major cities.

Ensure you run a firewall on your laptop as hotel LANs are notorious for being populated by worms and exploits. Disconnect before rebooting if it's just a software firewall like Windows Firewall or ZoneAlarm.

[rob:pee]

I'm using 1-2CALL GPRS when I'm travelling in Thailand. Decent speed, you can surf the web, send email use msn and stuff like that with no problem. If youre gonna use it don't forget to prebuy hours, dial *138 or *139 don't remember.

[astral]

A wireless card and the default passwords to Linksys and Dlink routers will get you tons of free access in the major cities.

I assume you mean in places like Starbucks?

Logging on to unprotected private networks is illegal and cannot be condoned in this forum.

Many hotels offer wireless access and you need to buy a card with an id and password.

Checkout what networks your computer can see, before buying the card.

Here in Mumbai, my hotel charges Rs170 for one hour, but the network of the hotel

across the road is only Rs113 for one hour. Guess which one I am using?

I went across to the other hotel and bought the card from them.

[tutsiwarrior]

man...this is pathetic...while recently in Vietnam FREE connection to the hotel LAN was included in the room rate, this both in HCMC and in the provinces...and we're talking a range of hotels, some <USD40 per night...

the Rembrandt and the Landmark in BKK useta have free internet available in the rooms, but they are both expensive hotels...

[astral]

Most hotels have realised that Internet connection in the room is a draw, but also needs to be a revenue earner.

[Hmmm]

My experience over the years trying to use dial-up in mid-range Thai hotels has not been good. Some don't have direct dialling (all calls go through the switchboard), some limit calls to 20 minutes, some have phones wired directly into the wall (ie no plugs !). And then the ISP's dialup can be crap ! On the plus side, most only charge a low, fixed, non-timed rate for locals calls.

Many coffee shops now have free wireless (but expensive coffee). Or the hotel may have wireless.

I have a Linksys USB wireless adaptor which also tells me which networks are open.

http://reviews.cnet.com/Linksys_WUSBF54G_W...7-31530150.html

Got mine at Phantip for 1800 baht.

Some room safes will just fit your laptop. Or bring a security cable and secure the laptop to the steel backbone of your suitcase and then lock the suitcase.

[Sunny Valentine]

A wireless card and the default passwords to Linksys and Dlink routers will get you tons of free access in the major cities.

Logging on to unprotected private networks is illegal and cannot be condoned in this forum.

Can you enlighten me on the grounds of that statement / assumption in Thai law?

Sunny

[cdnvic]

The problem is trying to tell the difference between an open wireless point and one that someone forgot to secure.

[Sunny Valentine]

The problem is trying to tell the difference between an open wireless point and one that someone forgot to secure.

I know. I am also not talking about morality here, just the legal situation. In Europe it seems to be accepted that it is not illegal to use unsecured Wifi. Of course doing something illegal while online is. And I have no clue about the legal situation here in Thailand, unless Astral posted it is illegal. Wonder wether the Thais have a law (or a high court decision) on this topic, or Astral just (wrongly?) assumes that?

Sunny

[RonRay]

I have used both Airplus CDMA Wirelss Modem (True) and 12Call GSM service with AIS.

The CDMA solution is quite a bit faster, mabe 1.5-2x faster.

My experience with service is that AIS reaches more places.

True was good from Bangkok to Pattaya to Rayong in my experience.

ymmv.

ps. My True CDMA wireless is FS in classifieds. Going back to states soon.