Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
options? Thanks for any info.

jtees4 wrote:
> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I
> bought
> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
> options? Thanks for any info.

About as reasonable as you can get!!
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

Tom J

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 22:15:11 GMT, "Tom J" <tomnews@earthlink.net>
wrote:

>jtees4 wrote:
>> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I
>> bought
>> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
>> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
>> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
>> options? Thanks for any info.
>
>About as reasonable as you can get!!
>http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search
>
>Tom J
>
Thank you, exactly what I was looking for!

jtees4 wrote:
> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
> options? Thanks for any info.

Starbucks and Panera Bread often have WiFi.

Personally I suspect the cell networks' Internet access will be cheap
and ubiquitous enough that WiFi becomes less important to travelers.
Some laptops have built-in connectivity for these, otherwise you use a
PCMCIA card or a bluetooth connection to your cellphone.

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:30:29 -0700, timeOday
<timeOday-UNSPAM@theknack.net> wrote:

>jtees4 wrote:
>> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
>> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
>> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
>> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
>> options? Thanks for any info.
>
>Starbucks and Panera Bread often have WiFi.
>
>Personally I suspect the cell networks' Internet access will be cheap
>and ubiquitous enough that WiFi becomes less important to travelers.
>Some laptops have built-in connectivity for these, otherwise you use a
>PCMCIA card or a bluetooth connection to your cellphone.

My son studies at Starbucks and he was there last night. They have
WiFi but it is not free, it is something like $6 per hour I think thru
T-Mobile..it least in my area. NY. Thanks.

"timeOday" <timeOday-UNSPAM@theknack.net> wrote in message
news:itadna4v4shU-hXYnZ2dnUVZ_vTinZ2d@comcast.com...
> jtees4 wrote:
>> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
>> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
>> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
>> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
>> options? Thanks for any info.
>
> Starbucks and Panera Bread often have WiFi.
>
> Personally I suspect the cell networks' Internet access will be cheap and
> ubiquitous enough that WiFi becomes less important to travelers. Some
> laptops have built-in connectivity for these, otherwise you use a PCMCIA
> card or a bluetooth connection to your cellphone.

I disagree. The current cell phone internet access by Cingular, Sprint
and Verizon must first come down a lot in price, and loosen their service
terms for them to ever become successful in comparison with WiFi access, and
there's a lot of money at stake to ensure that those things probably won't
happen. In addition to the price ($60-80 per month), the software all three
companies use doesn't, from what I've read, display web page pictures
properly. What's worse, Sprint is the only one that currently lets a user
use their connection as they wish. Cingular and Verizon's service terms ban
a user from streaming audio, video or games, renting a video from Amazon's
unibox service, listening to a web radio station, placing an internet phone
call, using Slingbox, or even playing a hand of online poker. Verizon also
limits users to 5 GB of data transfer per month. Of course a user is free to
violate the service terms and take their chances, but if they catch you,
your access is gone immediately. With those draconian service terms, I don't
see many people that would be willing to sign up and just take the chance
they won't be caught when WiFi and landline DSL connections from hotels have
much less draconian terms.

As one reviewer said of these services, "Unlike Sprint, they're both run
by companies--AT&T and Verizon--that provide DSL over traditional phone
lines, which might be threatened by wireless broadband if it got too
popular." For this reason, I really don't see wireless broadband via a cell
phone carrier becoming popular. It's in the long term financial interest of
AT&T and Verizon for it not to.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...121600034.html

Tom J wrote:
> jtees4 wrote:
>> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I
>> bought
>> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
>> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
>> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
>> options? Thanks for any info.
>
> About as reasonable as you can get!!
> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search
>

I should have also cautioned you to make sure your son has a firewall
set up on his computer and has it password protected whether at home
or at one of the public hot spots. There are people just waiting to
look at his computer contents. I receive 4 wifi connections at my home
and only 1 is password protected. I have DSL so I don't need a fast
service, but if I did, all I would have to do is just log on. I have
my laptop cabled to my desktop as an added precaution.

Tom J

On Tue, 19 Dec 2006 23:35:25 GMT, "Tom J" <tomnews@earthlink.net>
wrote:

>Tom J wrote:
>> jtees4 wrote:
>>> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I
>>> bought
>>> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
>>> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
>>> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
>>> options? Thanks for any info.
>>
>> About as reasonable as you can get!!
>> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search
>>
>
>I should have also cautioned you to make sure your son has a firewall
>set up on his computer and has it password protected whether at home
>or at one of the public hot spots. There are people just waiting to
>look at his computer contents. I receive 4 wifi connections at my home
>and only 1 is password protected. I have DSL so I don't need a fast
>service, but if I did, all I would have to do is just log on. I have
>my laptop cabled to my desktop as an added precaution.
>
>Tom J
>
Yes, I made sure he has a firewall and virus protection. At my house I
can usually get one unprotected wireless from a neighbor I guess.
Thanks.

All the time anywhere doesn't truly exist.

But you can come close with Wireless cards (not WiFi cards) from some of
the cellular providers. These will give you wireless high speed access
in any of their service areas which support this (which is most large
cities). Be prepared, however, to spend a total of about $100 per month
(including an associated voice cellphone that is usually a requirement).

You can use WiFi at various "hotspots", a few are free but most are not.


jtees4 wrote:
> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
> options? Thanks for any info.

Barry Watzman wrote:
> All the time anywhere doesn't truly exist.

> You can use WiFi at various "hotspots", a few are free but most are
> not.

Both of the above statements are true, BUT, I travel all over North
America and there has not been a village or town with over 500
population that I have not been able to connect for free the past 4
years when I needed to connect. Many entire communities, especially
in Canada are free hot spots. Many coffee shops, fast food places,
auto dealerships, many hotels & motels, many interstate rest areas,
libraries and on and on have free hot spots. From where I live, I can
drive a mile in any direction an connect on several free hot spots and
I'm not talking about residential areas either where careless people
are using wireless cards without password protection that can also be
accessed from the street if desperate for a connection.

Tom J

CJ wrote:
> "timeOday" <timeOday-UNSPAM@theknack.net> wrote in message
> news:itadna4v4shU-hXYnZ2dnUVZ_vTinZ2d@comcast.com...
>
>>jtees4 wrote:
>>
>>>Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
>>>my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
>>>are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
>>>time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
>>>options? Thanks for any info.
>>
>>Starbucks and Panera Bread often have WiFi.
>>
>>Personally I suspect the cell networks' Internet access will be cheap and
>>ubiquitous enough that WiFi becomes less important to travelers. Some
>>laptops have built-in connectivity for these, otherwise you use a PCMCIA
>>card or a bluetooth connection to your cellphone.
>
>
> I disagree. The current cell phone internet access by Cingular, Sprint
> and Verizon must first come down a lot in price, and loosen their service
> terms for them to ever become successful in comparison with WiFi access, and
> there's a lot of money at stake to ensure that those things probably won't
> happen.

I'm afraid you have a point. To be honest, I don't even have a
cellphone anymore. I did 10 years ago, but it hasn't come down any in
price since then and I just don't like the companies, their prices, or
their contracts. But everybody else has one, and many of them are happy
to pay ten cents for every little SMS that hardly uses any bandwidth,
and $4 for a ringtone. Based on which, I was assuming the cellphone
networks will become cheap enough for others, if not for myself.

WiFi is a fine technology for the home, but it sure is limited in trying
to cover a larger area so you can have it where/when you need it.
*Something* better has to come along. Maybe Wi-Max?

Re: "I don't even have a cellphone anymore. I did 10 years ago, but it
hasn't come down any in price since then and I just don't like the
companies, their prices, or their contracts.

We have 4 cell phones and zero contracts.

With Tracfone or Virgin Mobile, you can have a cell phone for about $80
per YEAR. No contract. Our philosophy is to use them for emergency use
only, so we use less than an hour per year per phone. But you do get
some minutes for that price, and they do accumulate: One of the phones
has over 1,000 minutes in it's account, the other 3 have over 400
minutes each. If we need to use the phone beyond the minutes in the
account, virgin mobile is 25 cents a minute for the first 10 minutes in
any given calendar day, and then 10 cents a minute for any minutes
beyond that; Tracfone varies depending on how much time you buy.

According to my calculations, such pay-as-you-go plans are cheaper
(often a LOT cheaper) than a conventional contract up to about 150
minutes per month of usage. Beyond that, you are better off with a
conventional contract.

PS - if anyone wants to go this route, contact me and I can setup a
"referral" ... we will both get 100 additional free minutes.


timeOday wrote:
> CJ wrote:
>> "timeOday" <timeOday-UNSPAM@theknack.net> wrote in message
>> news:itadna4v4shU-hXYnZ2dnUVZ_vTinZ2d@comcast.com...
>>
>>> jtees4 wrote:
>>>
>>>> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
>>>> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
>>>> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
>>>> time everywhere you go? Also what are the most reasonable cost
>>>> options? Thanks for any info.
>>>
>>> Starbucks and Panera Bread often have WiFi.
>>>
>>> Personally I suspect the cell networks' Internet access will be cheap
>>> and ubiquitous enough that WiFi becomes less important to travelers.
>>> Some laptops have built-in connectivity for these, otherwise you use
>>> a PCMCIA card or a bluetooth connection to your cellphone.
>>
>>
>> I disagree. The current cell phone internet access by Cingular,
>> Sprint and Verizon must first come down a lot in price, and loosen
>> their service terms for them to ever become successful in comparison
>> with WiFi access, and there's a lot of money at stake to ensure that
>> those things probably won't happen.
>
> I'm afraid you have a point. To be honest, I don't even have a
> cellphone anymore. I did 10 years ago, but it hasn't come down any in
> price since then and I just don't like the companies, their prices, or
> their contracts. But everybody else has one, and many of them are happy
> to pay ten cents for every little SMS that hardly uses any bandwidth,
> and $4 for a ringtone. Based on which, I was assuming the cellphone
> networks will become cheap enough for others, if not for myself.
>
> WiFi is a fine technology for the home, but it sure is limited in trying
> to cover a larger area so you can have it where/when you need it.
> *Something* better has to come along. Maybe Wi-Max?

"timeOday" <timeOday-UNSPAM@theknack.net> wrote in message
news:itadna4v4shU-hXYnZ2dnUVZ_vTinZ2d@comcast.com...
> Personally I suspect the cell networks' Internet access will be cheap and
> ubiquitous enough that WiFi becomes less important to travelers.

I would wager that could be the case... in about a decade. Right now I'd
wager that for everyone who has high-speed data from a cell carrier to their
laptop, there are about 100 people who just use WiFi.

jtees4 wrote:
> Just curoious as to what options there are outside the home. I bought
> my son a laptop whiuch he uses at home and at school where networks
> are available. What other options are there to be connected all the
> time everywhere you go?

*** It depends on where you go. Here in Nova Scotia, libraries and
universities offer it and it's free. Some restaurants/cafes offer it as
well, and at no cost.

There is a project being initiated by my ISP, Chebucto, to offer free
wireless Internet within the metro Halifax area. It will allow one to
connect to any local website at no charge. So one could get Halifax
information, connect to any Chebucto site along with hotels, restaurants,
airports, newspapers, etc. However, trying to connect to non-Halifax
websites will bring up a message saying one must have a Chebucto account.


> Also what are the most reasonable cost options?

*** Chebucto offers accounts from $20 - $100 per year. Wifi is expected
to be included in the $100 package. However, it will do you little good if
you are not in Halifax. You could telnet into a Chebucto account for mail
and news services, though.

http://www.chebucto.ca/

Richard Bonner
http://www.chebucto.ca/~ak621/DOS/

Tom J wrote:
> I travel all over North
> America and there has not been a village or town with over 500
> population that I have not been able to connect for free the past 4
> years when I needed to connect. Many entire communities, especially
> in Canada are free hot spots.
>
> Tom J

*** This is true. Back at the dawn of commercial Internet in the early
1990s, Canada was one of the first countries to become "connected". The
government mandated that all Canadians have access to The Internet and
for free, if necessary. To that end, all libraries and universities were
made Internet zones. Any citizen or visitor may enter any library or
university and get free Internet access.

This was akin to the dawn of television over a half-century ago when
the Canadian government mandated that every citizen have access to
television. It set up microwave relays to beam the CBC into all homes. In
the 1960s and 1970s, Canada used satellites to beam television to all
citizens, especially those in the far north.

Both projects have brought Canadians closer together. This is
especially inportant when one considers Canada's size versus its
population. At 3 persons per square kilometre, it has one of the lowest
densisies of any country on the planet.

Richard Bonner
http://www.chebucto.ca/~ak621/DOS/