wireless on the road

I am planning on doing some traveling in the coming months. Western US. Maybe trade a little (maybe not...so far I am not set up to do it, but I am thinking about it).

Anyway, I see all these adds for wireless internet access at "hot spots" like some airports, starbucks, etc.

Can someone explain to me how easy it is to synchronize with the systems in these places? Do you need to reconfigure your wireless software to use these public places?


Are they safe to house?

I know that in my house, the range is supposed to be around 150 feet or so. Do these other places (especially big places like airports) have stronger signals? More of access points?

Also, what about other places? I have never traveled with a laptop before (never owned one). I know that some hotels have internet access in the rooms.. What does this mean? Should I bring a phone wire for the dial up modem? An ethernet cable? I know some have wireless, but that would seem to beg the same questions about set up as the airports and other "hot spots".

I see in the Centrino adds guys connecting from (what looks like) relatively remote spots. Is that technology different than my 802.11 WiFi stuff? Is it just "literary license"? (false advertising).?

Also , in Sept. I plan on a short trip to Thailand. Will I be able to connect from there as a visitor with my own equipment (I know I will probably need an AC adapter, but what else will be different?)

Which makes me think of one last question. If and when I can get connected to the internet form a remote "hot spot".....what service am I connected to? Is there a choice?

Thanks in advance for any guidance,

RS

 

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/wireless.asp

 

The choice is whatever service that the 802.11 wireless signal is connected to. It could be T-Mobile, a T3 pipe or a DSL/Cable modem. The service can be gratis or charge you by the minute, hour or other time unit. Starbucks charges and some places offer the Wi-Fi free to gain customers. Generally, when you tap into the signal, a home page of that WLAN opens up in your browser and you sign in, particularly in pay per use places.





West Palm Beach
John Bull English Pub 801 Village Boulevard
West Palm Beach, FL 33409 561.697.2855

Big City Tavern 224 Clematis Steet
West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561.659.1853

City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill 700 South Rosemary Street
City Place
West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561.366.0071

Picollo City 650 South Rosemary Street
City Place
West Palm Beach, FL 33401 561.721.1504

Lake Worth
* Lake Avenue Grill 1 Lake Ave.

Gulfstream Hotel
Lake Worth, Florida 33460
561-227-7230

Boca Raton
Big City Tavern 5250 Town Center Circle
Boca Center
Boca Raton, FL 33486 561.361.4551

Gigi's 346 Plaza Real, Mizner Park
Boca Raton, FL 33432 561.368.4488

The Grille on Congress 5101 Congress Avenue
Boca Raton, FL 33487 561.912.9800

Delary Beach
City Oyster 213 East Atlantic Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444 561.272.0220

Fort Lauderdale
Big City Tavern 609 E. Las Olas Boulevard
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301 954.727.0307
* Tarpon Bend 200 SW 2nd Street
Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33301 954-523-3233
* Himmarshee Bar & Grill 210 SW 2nd Street
Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33301 954-524-1818
* The River House 301 SW 3rd Ave
Fort Lauderdale, Fl 33301 954-525-7661
* Tarpon Bend 1630 Bell Tower Lane
Weston, Fl 33326 954-888-9118

* Coming very soon

 

centrino is just wi-fi.


Do you use IB? If you swing trade, you can use their mobile trading platform (WAP based, through your wap browser on your cellphone).

On IBs site they have picture of people trading on top of mountains thru their wap enabled phones.

 

Uh, RSX.X, that list isn't a secondary choice of places to eat, those are places local to you that offer a Wi-Fi service during patronage.

 

Thanks Max...I realized that. I was not thinking of using this locally. I will be in Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona most of the summer. Then in Thailand in Sept. (if they get this SARS thing under control). I was really more interested in those places. But interesting to know about Big City. I have worked off and on in the building the Boca Big City is in for the past 7 years. I didn't know I could have just gone down stairs and watched my positions.

Have no fear. I will be here June 3. Not going anywhere until my son leaves for Boot camp June 30.

See ya soon,
RS

 

Well, I can read ya know... just some places to practice your Wi-Fi sign on skills, didn't think you spoke Thai, although with your prior Asian experience...

 

Aloha, Error 404 I used to get your web site all the time.

If you have a web-based end-of-day system, there should be no real problem. I have been on the road for about five years so maybe I can help. Traders are starting to realize that if they have a consistent system they can travel anywhere and still bring in income.

Some times, I just drive by a wireless place and I am on line. But usually they want about $20.00 a month for an access code. You just enter the access code and the ThinkPad! configures itself. If you are passing through you may have to use the other options available. You should not care if it’s dial up, wide band, cellular or wireless. You just need to find out what happened today so you can make a decision about tomorrow.

I have not seen it. We have a place on Maui that has a four-mile range with a special modem. But usually range is very limited.

If you are going out of the country, forget about generic laptops. You are going to need an IBM ThinkPad! . New or used no matter. ThinkPad! ! My current one weighs less than three pounds. Weight makes a difference. Easier to carry, easier to hide.

As long as you are web-based, you can walk into any Internet café, Kinko's! , or public library and go to work. Some will rent you a machine and let you plug its wideband into yours. You do not need to know how to speak the local language to use the Internet.

You can access the Internet with cellular only along the sides of freeways and cities. Most of the country is a black hole. So, if you want to see real America forget about cell.

When we were partying up in Idaho. The phone lines were so bad that the public library had Internet by Satellite. We had to go eighty miles to the nearest cell phone signal. It was only another 20 to Kinko's! . So, that usually was the solution. The main thing about trading has to be your seeing charts and making decisions. It is safer if you set yourself up to be web based.

You must resist the bias to see it on only your own machine every day.

It means whatever they want it to mean. Some Hotels will let you plug into wide band for an additional fee. Very often, you can do just as well with dial up; using one of the many free ad based Internet services.

Yes, Yes. Most phone cords are long enough to reach the bed, but scurry on down to the nearest Radio Shack get a coupler and some extension wire so that you have more freedom. You will also need a way to plug into wide band. I also carry wireless and cellular hookups.

IBM has some kind of International Internet Access. But the way the phones were the last time I was in Thailand, I would rather depend on Internet Café’s most days. Check IBM’s web site for recommended accessories.

Your Broker may have International toll free numbers; do not leave the country without them. If you are going up north, get your shots before you leave the states.

Whichever one you call!

With Wireless: No, whatever is near.

Wideband: You will be using the Hotels service.

Dial Up: You can call anyone you want.

In conclusion, expect to use Internet Café’s as your office. Use your ThinkPad! for bookkeeping and backup. Bring all cords and accessories. Buy your ThinkPad! by the pound with the International warranty. Happy Traveling!

 

Huh? RSX.X just wants to hook up to the ET board while he's out of town... probably to harass me.

 

Thanks Goldtrade....I will see how it goes. Maybe I should just relax and forget about trading. I won't be in any real dead spots I odn't think. I will be in Boulder, Vail, Aspen, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. Maybe the Grand Canyon....I could see the Canyon being a remote enough place to not be able to connect, but that's ok...

Anyway, it was a lot of info, and I thank you for taking the time to respond. Unfortunately I do not own an IBM Think Pad....Just a Toshiba...so if it doesn't work, I will have to live with that. I will only be in Tailand for 10 days, maybe less. So it isn't worth the investment, and I doubt I will have time to really be thinking about US markets, time diffesernces, etc.

All I will miss would be Max.

Peace,
RS