Internet access, traveling and a notebook
 

Anyone know of a cheap way to get internet access on a notebook while traveling?

Other than parking out front of a hotel or coffee shop to borrow the wifi - or - paying the outrageous fees for a service like Sprint Wireless, are there any other options?

I am taking the family to the beach for a couple of weeks and the condo I rented doesn't have access.

Sprint wants a 2 yr agreement and $60/month.

I am looking for something temporary - I don't need it at home or work.

Assuming you are staying here in the US, by far your best option will be a cup of coffee at Starbucks and use their WiFi. Or check out NetZero. They used to have a free dial-up access. Slow but free.

Pick up one of those America Online CDs from a local Staples, Office Depot, etc., and use their complimentary hours.

One thing to beware of is when you return from your vacation, cancel the account (You'll have to give them a credit card number when you first sign up). their reps are trained/required/forced to keep you as a subscribing customer. You just have to be firm from the start of your conversation with them...don't listen to the BS line of questions and challenges they'll give you.

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Randy

You are on vacation with the family. Leave the computer at home ... interface with the family.

yep, one of the best decisions you could make.

Does your PDA work with your laptop? My Treo is supposed to give wireless access to a laptop, albeit at Treo dial up style speeds. Once I got my Treo I stopped needing to lug my laptop around for the most part.

With a 4yr old and a barely 1yr old - the day goes from 5:30am to 9pm with children. Plenty of time for family time and relaxing with some net surfing while having a cocktail and some quiet time out on the veranda.

I can get slow access thru dial-up and cell phone modem but I was interested in some speed.

I've stayed in a condo with no Wi-Fi.....Can usually just sit out on the deck and find a signal....If not, you won't have to go far to get on.....I just download my email to Outlook and go over it later when I'm back at the condo w/o a signal...

IF you cannot do without (see important posts above re FAMILY!!) then have the laptop search for Wifi networks - almost always some free ones all over the place.

Or you can connect via a cellular net - might cost tho.

Sprint has a 29.99 plan with a bandwidth cap as well.

Otherwise you could just use your cell phone.

I saw the $40 / month plan - its also a 2yr contract to get the hardware at a decent price. It is capped at 40mb/month. What does that translate into? 40 mb of downloads? How does that affect time spent browsing?

Seems like most hotels that I've stayed in recently advertise free wireless. In your situation, it seems like that would be the convenient way to do it -- just get connected right there in the hotel.