Accessing Wireless hotspots

[journeyman Mick]

Just wondering how one accesses wireless hotspots. I've googled and found that Maccas seem to have them, I believe I've read around here, that you can pay for access at the counter, is this right? Probably explains the lady I saw sitting in Macca's outdoor area on the esplanade the other day with her laptop.

I also found a couple of sites that list access points and there's a couple of payphones listed in the Cairns city area. How does that work? :? Do you use one of those phoneaway cards for credit for x many minutes?

Mick

[Groggy]

Maccas have the Telstra hotspot scheme. I have found that a very expensive option and you never get the bandwidth Telstra offers (at least I haven't on a large number of PCs and laptops).

I use dialup as part of my broadband option or occasionally use someone's open and unsecured wireless (not destructively) if there is one available. Parking near hotels can usually get you a link if you're desperate.

[bitingmidge]

Mick,

I went through the whole research thing before we went away, then the 'puter did a big poo in it's nappy the night before we went away so it was wasted research, UNTIL NOW!!

Maccas and telstra's hotspots are expensive, if you have a Bigpond account they are $5.00 to log on which includes the first 15 minutes or so I think (someone please correct me if I'm wrong).

If you have a Telstra mobile, it costs about 25c to log on, and in both cases about 20c per minute after that.

I do believe you can also pay by credit card, but all the details are hidden in the bowels of the Telstra site. (I just tried to find it quickly again but couldn't).

Similar schemes exist in other locations, at similar rates.

There are a few places offering free wireless, which is much more competitive in my view (try Cafe Pacifica at the Pacific Hotel) or search "free wireless broadband Cairns".

I've found that the flash hotels all have Telstra's charges, but several caravan parks and camping grounds we stayed at had free connections, as do quite a few coffee shops and cafes which are not Starbucks!

Our decision: when we are next on the road for a lengthy period, we'll bite the bullet and go G3 roaming internet and rig a VOIP thing for outgoing calls, mobile for incoming.

Cheers,

P
:D

[mixin]

All the info is here on smellstra bigpong's site:
http://www.telstra.com.au/wirelesshotspots/pricing.htm#cuptions

[journeyman Mick]

How do you use your telstra mobile to get your laptop hooked up? I've got a GSM and a CDMA, I know, you're going to tell me I need a G3:doh: Laptop has WiFi but no bluetooth, GSM phone has bluetooth. The only reason I got the phone was for the bluetooth hands free, the bloody colour screen annoys me no end as it's very hard to see out in the sun. Of course I wouldn't need the phone if I wasn't out in the sun, there's phones in my house and workshop :rolleyes:

Mick

[bitingmidge]

From:http://www.telstra.com.au/wirelesshotspots/access.htm

How to connect

Access is simple, fast and convenient once you have the right equipment and have an eligible payment method described above.

1. Ensure that you are in a Telstra Wireless Hotspot location and your wireless device is enabled.
Look for the Telstra Wireless Hotspot logo, at one of the locations listed.
2. Select (or enter) "Telstra" as your network name (SSID)
Your computer hardware should detect the wireless signal. If your computer has not detected the network, you may need to launch the wireless LAN software on your computer.
3. LAUNCH your web browser.
You'll be directed to the Telstra login screen. If this does not happen, please click here for help and troubleshooting. Simply select your preferred payment method, and follow the prompts.

For Telstra Mobile Post-Paid customers (excluding pre-paid):
select the Telstra Post-Paid Mobile login option
enter your eligible Telstra mobile phone number
you will need to read and accept the terms and conditions shown as "Things you need to know"
you will be sent a one-time login password via SMS (to ensure a password cannot be reused, you'll receive a unique password for each session)
enter your Password, and you'll be connected - wirelessly, reliably, securely, until you choose to log off, or your session expires
when you log off, an SMS will be sent to your phone, which will contain session details such as time and approximate charging based on the charges that apply for one log-in session at a time.

Hope that helps!

You don't actually use your phone to connect (except to receive the SMS at each log in)

Cheers,

P:D

[ubeaut]

We were out at a restaurant recently with Jim Carroll and his eldest had what looked like a little transistor radio and was aiming it around the place, When I asked what the was doing he said checking for wireless hotspots. Seems it is the done thing with the putor nuts. Guess you can hook into anyones wireless net if you have the ability and ware-with-all.

Should have asked for more info. Jim may be able to shed a bit more light on the subject.

Cheers - Neil :)

[mixin]

A lot of the new phones/PDAs have wireless antennas & capability in them.

My phone is a touch screen organiser thingy, and it picks up hotspots, and if they are unsecured, I can use it to browse the net.

[journeyman Mick]

Thanks for all the information folks, might be using it sometime soonish. At first glance it appears that the mobile phone rates compare pretty favourably with the others. All pretty expensive though, but it may be handy when out on the road. I've noticed that some of the internet shops (they're not even cafes, all they do is sell 'puter time) have signs saying "laptops welcome" so I guess if one is in one of the traveller friendly areas options like this would exist as well, probably at rates a bit better than Telstra's.

Mick

[Poppa]

You can access the internet using a mobile phone as a data connection. This is relatively expensive as well, and on the GSM network the speeds aren't very good, but they are usable (slightly better than dialup). But it means that you can get access from where ever you are as long as you have GSM signal. This means that you can't use your mobile phone as a phone while you are connected of course. In order to connect your mobile to your laptop, since your mobile is bluetooth enabled, just get a USB bluetooth dongle (Dick Smiths, Hardly Normals etc, should stock such an item - but test it instore first as not all blue tooth devices are compatible with each other!) and plug it in to your laptop. Then the laptop and phone should be able to talk to each other.

Then you need to sort out accessing your internet provider via a dialup number from where you will be - using your mobile as the data connection. This sounds complicated but once you've done it the first time it is easy and you then don't have to rely on finding an internet cafe or such.

[Gumby]

You can access the internet using a mobile phone as a data connection. This is relatively expensive as well, and on the GSM network the speeds aren't very good, but they are usable (slightly better than dialup). .

Before going internet on your mobile, check this thread :(

http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=46474