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Old 06-04-2003, 10:54 AM   #1
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Laptop computers

Hi:

My husband and I are considering purchasing a laptop computer. We would like to be able to check our e-mail, our business e-mail, contact family and friends as to our whereabouts and he thinks he needs to play bridge online (he would also like to have ICQ and MSN messenger ). We both have no idea how this works.
If you go to a campground with internet connections, how does that work? When connected to that terminal how do we connect with all the info that is on our home computers (yes, we both have a computer). I guess what I am asking is for those who use laptops to give me a somewhat detailed explanation as to how this works when on the road.

All input will be appreciated.

Thank you.



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Old 06-04-2003, 11:08 AM   #2
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It is my understanding that Windows XP PRO (not HOME) will let you remotely access your home desktop. Your ISP should have a 1-800 number whereby you can access the internet from anywhere.


I've do not have a need for this - others will be able to clarify and explain how their situation works for them.



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Old 06-04-2003, 11:46 AM   #3
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This is in response to the whole thread on "What is camping?" :reye2 I, the ever-thoughtful husband, have decided if she wants to commune with nature and listen to the brook babble I want to flick on CNN and sit at my computer and play bridge. Now this dictates parking in a regular campground with Internet connections at least every couple of days or I'll go nuts. Unless of course we drive each day.:banana

Compromise!



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Old 06-04-2003, 12:16 PM   #4
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Internet access

Ken,

I looked into this a while ago and decided that it was more expensive than it was worth. And the only way to do it that was convenient for me, was on a cell telephone. I found this would have been very slow and expensive. My ISP (Roadrunner) doesn't have a 800 toll free access. I don't know of one that does.

E-mail can be done through a couple of different companies with pay telephones. So it isn't such a big problem.

The cheapest way to get by is to stop by libraries along the way to catch up on things.

We just decided to get cell telephones that have no roaming charges and free toll nation wide. We can get calls from the people that need to get in touch with us. And catch up on the computer when we can.



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Old 06-05-2003, 06:39 AM   #5
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Some info

If you can get a phone connection to your laptop, you can use the internet anywhere. Just take your laptop over to the phone jack and plug it in. If you can check your mail via the internet, regardless of your mail provider, then you should be able to access it from anywhere.

It is easy to set up a dial-up account with nationwide companies like Earthlink, or AT&T, AOL, etc. to get an internet account. A nationwide company may have lots of local phone numbers around the US - that way you can often dial in without long-distance charges. Even if there is not a local phone number, these larger companies provide a 1-800 number you can use and charge around 10c a minute for the hookup - $6 per hour. For checking email, etc., you can be very efficient to minimize your time online. Even web-surfing, you can download articles to read offline. If you are able to use a local number, then you can spend more time on-line (although if other people need access to the same phone connection, that wouldn't be neighborly).

This is what we do. We pay AT&T about $10 a month for a dial-up account that we only use when we are traveling. At home we have a high-speed DSL connection with a different provider, so the two accounts are not related. We happen to run our own mail server at home (not a typical setup) and can access it from anywhere via the internet.

Using a cell phone for internet access is possible, but either hopelessly slow, or fast but outrageously expensive and probably not worth the hassle. I look into this every year or so. I now have the computer technology (bluetooth) needed for a high speed cell phone computer connection, but the companies that provide the cell internet service charge way too much and don't have the area coverage I need. Maybe in a few years....

How to synchronize your laptop with your home computer - that's a little trickier and very OS and application dependent.

Audrey



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Old 06-05-2003, 07:12 AM   #6
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On rvnet, open roads forum, they have a whole lot of info and discussions on mobile internet connecting. every thing from a satalite set up to cell phone connections, to find a phone and plug in. Very well covered there. Look in "Tech" section and they also have a search function on that board.



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Old 06-05-2003, 07:38 AM   #7
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internet access

:wave Hi All:

Thank you everybody for your input, and Audrey, thank you so much for your valuable information. It really has helped and will help us in our decision making process. If anyone else has more information pass it along.........who knows, I may be able to get Ken to stay more than 6 hours in a campground !! (although I have to admit that I,too, prefer traveling during the day, seeing different sights and areas, and "camping" at night).



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Old 06-05-2003, 07:39 AM   #8
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Quote:
Orginally posted by Audrey Harvey
If you can get a phone connection to your laptop, you can use the internet anywhere. Audrey
I thought we had a person on here who did this, I'm just so bad at remembering who. thanks for that wonderful information, Audrey, all of it.



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Old 06-05-2003, 07:50 AM   #9
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Internet access

Here is a two way satellite access. TV can be added to the service. Only $99. a month for basic service after setup. About $7000. to get it installed, but everything is automatic.

Wish I could afford to waste money on things like this.


http://www.satcast.com/



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Old 06-05-2003, 08:08 AM   #10
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Quote:
Orginally posted by Ron and Bernice

Here is a two way satellite access. TV can be added to the service. Only $99. a month for basic service after setup. About $7000. to get it installed, but everything is automatic.

Wish I could afford to waste money on things like this.


http://www.satcast.com/
:lol so if I sold my Buttercup and then the Escape, I could get this, but then I wouldn't need it. :lol You just couldn't resist, could you. as soon as my ship comes in, I'm getting this. (in land locked Oklahoma?? right :thumb)



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Old 06-05-2003, 08:15 AM   #11
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Oh ye of little faith!

Jana, the reason you can't imagine your ship coming into landlocked OK is that you are assuming it is a water bourne boat. Open your imagination to other types of "boats" and you just might see it docked outside your house!

*Julie tries desperately to imagine ship docking near her trailer in the landlocked Uintah Rockies....*



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Old 06-05-2003, 12:10 PM   #12
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good point, JR. I looked outside, and there it was.
hole in the roof, half repaired holes in the side, but beautiful all the same.
<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3edf86cf5c833one.jpg/>
My own personal ship :lol



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Old 06-10-2003, 12:40 PM   #13
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Beautiful Indeed

I like your boat!

For those still seeking Internet access on the road I have solved my problem (I think, still untested!).

I considered the T-Mobile plan, but it requires you to be in a "hot spot" to receive access. So it works in most Borders and Starbucks, a few airports, and almost nowhere else.

I bought a new cell phone yesterday from Sprint. While I was there, I was looking at the new Sprint PCS cards that slide into a laptop. The cards start at $179 (with $30 rebate) and then you pay $80 (if you sign up online) or $100-120 (in the store) for unlimited access. But it runs 2 to 4 times faster than a landline modem, they say (I think it was 70-150 kbps but those numbers fly right by me). And it works anywhere in the Sprint network (mostly major highways and highly populated areas).

However, upon prodding the young salesman several times (did not resort to a cattle prod, but I thought I might have to...), I discovered that certain cell phones already contain this technology. So, if you sign up for a plan that contains the "PCS Vision" for an extra $15 a month, then you can use a cord to connect to your laptop and get unlimited Internet access. Inexplicably the cord was only available at Radio Shack, so I need to pick one up tonight!

So, if the young man was correct once I have this cord I can access the Internet from anyplace where there is Sprint phone service. Accessing the Internet does not cut into my phone minutes. That is not a total solution, but I think it will suffice. I can dry camp at Walmart/Kmart/Flying J and still have Internet access, phone access and my jumpit to power the printer.

I can always use dial-up from campgrounds if I am desperate. Or use my roaming minutes to call my mom and get her to look stuff up on the Internet for me! Anyplace that is too remote to get service is probably a place I need to be either observing nature or reading, right?

Incidentally, I got:
*two web enabled phones for $49
*plus two access lines (with different area codes so I can give one to my mom)
*unlimited phone to phone calling (so I can call her cell phone or my dad's Sprint phone free from anyplace in the network)
*2000 shared minutes plus unlimited nights and weekends, free long distance, and no roaming charges for calls made outside the network (theoretically allowing me phone service from almost anyplace in the country)
* and unlimited Internet access

So, almost total connectivity and umlimited long distance calls to both my parents and an extra emergency phone for my mother all for about what they were charging for just the laptop Internet access or for a little more than I was paying for a home phone, using a dial-up modem, and a cell phone. And, MUCH cheaper than the $7,000 satellite system.



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Old 06-10-2003, 08:24 PM   #14
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internet access

JR

Thank you for the information. We are going to look into Sprint and see what we can learn. We presently do not have a cell phone but have talked often about getting one to use in emergencies.
We do a lot of boondocking so it was interesting to read that you could still use the laptop when not at a campground.

Thanks again.



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Old 06-10-2003, 11:38 PM   #15
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Laptop

Hi Diann:

I use Telus as my Internet Service Provider. I have high-speed DSL at home, but also get 5 free hours of dial-up access. Telus has a listing of phone numbers for many small towns in BC, and I can dial in for no long distance charges. I am not sure if local dial-up will also work in Alberta, but you can call them for no charge at 310-4NET.

I am happy with the service and happy that I have yet to pay long distance.

Rick



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Old 06-11-2003, 07:36 AM   #16
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It works! Subject to laws of electronics

It took a while to install the software and such last night. I started out on the patio, just for the thrill of listening to the night sounds of the woods while on the Internet, but the mosquitoes were attracted by the glow of the laptop.

So, I went inside. My cell phone battery was dying by this point. (Shoulda thought to charge in the car on the way home with my new cable.) But I did manage to get the computer to recognize the cell phone as a modem. Then it told me it was not configured correctly.

I called "customer care" and sat on hold for a while. Then a cheerful person referred me to the web department and I sat on hold for several more minutes. A cheerful woman came on the phone and told me by bill was overdue and I was about to have my phone service disconnected. I assured her this was impossible, since I had purchased the phone only 25 hours ago. We went back and forth ("I can't see anything but that you are overdue and your phone service is about to be disconnected, you'll have to talk to customer service.") I was patched through to someone else. Then the system hung up on me. I called back and went back through the phone tree where the voice gave a different number for internet problems. I didn't have a pen handy and there was no option to repeat the number. I called back with pen in hand. Got lost in the phone tree. During my fourth call to customer service (still on hold) I was playing with the set-up and somehow stumbled on the right sequence of buttons.

I was surfing wireless!! At 230 kbps!!! I didn't even need an ISP as a go between. I immediately went to Fiberglass RV to report my success. And then the battery died.

Can't say much for their "customer care" service though! I did talk to someone who assured me that the Internet was free with my plan unless I downloaded something. I suggested that all web surfing is downloading. The woman explained that it only conted "if I really downloaded something." I asked if this meant downloading files. She said yes. She then said "it is like 1 cent each if you download things." Whatever. I think she meant 1 cent per piece of data, but I am not sure what size a "piece" is.

Oh well, at least it works! I'll just try again with a charged battery.



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Old 06-11-2003, 07:59 AM   #17
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laptops (oh, what fun)

JR:

I can hardly wait to hear your next adventure. I fully understand your experience with "customer care" as we just went thru a similar experience with a company for 4 days.
I sure hope you didn't download any "things" or you might just end up with a bill for $900.
Ya gotta love all this modern technology and the tech help they so willingly provide (NOT).

I'll be waiting for your next installment............hope you are charging that battery !!



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Old 06-11-2003, 07:59 AM   #18
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Very interesting, JR!

Be sure to let us know if there is any sticker shock when you get your bill for the service.

Thanks for the report!

:cblob



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Old 06-11-2003, 09:06 AM   #19
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JR:

Keep us informed on the Sprint Web. I have a Sprint phone and it is internet ready, but I was told I had to use their ISP and pay extra for that if I used it. So I never hooked it up . If it works the way you said it may solve my travel computer problems.
Thanks



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Old 06-11-2003, 09:59 AM   #20
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You do pay more...

You have to have a web-enabled phone ($9 for two right now) instead of the "free" Nokia phones. Then you have to have a Sprint PCS Vision plan, these run $15 more than a comparable plan without "Vision." If I am understanding them right though, I don't have to pay for anything else "extra" except downloads. And, it only works in the Sprint network, so I'll still be using the dial-up service from a lot of campgrounds.

I envision stopping at Walmart/Kmart/Flying J/Camping World within the network one night and using wireless Internet do any necesary research, update my web page, locate a campground with hook-ups and make reservations, find a local dial-up number for that area, and then using dial-up while at the campground the next night to check e-mail as necessary. Imperfect, but better than nothing.

Hey, why don't we have an egg shaped smiley with eye-balls at the window?



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