Wi Fi Connections when Travelling Abroad

[BeemerMal]

We are off on our travels to Spain in a couple of weeks and I will be taking my laptop for the first time. Can anyone advise me if I can use free Wi Fi connectivity in Spain?

I have used Wi Fi in the UK in many city and town centre Wi Fi zones as well as at some motorway service areas for free. I don't want to go to the expense of buying the bits needed to connect the laptop to the net via my mobile phone at the rates they charge (about 69p a minute)

thanks in advance, Mal

 

[cris_408518]

Yep, you can use your wifi anywhere in the world on a free open wifi network.

My daughter sat outside a French cafe last week talking via Skype to me on their free network.

I used mobile phone connection when working and you only need a

 

[JTS]

Hi Mal, whatever you do don't connect via your mobile phone, you will have to sell your house when you get back. I am a BT Broadband customer so I use BT Openzone when in Europe. Worked well in France, Spain in 2005 and Italy in 2006. I have found the easiest way to connect if I am not near a Hotspot is to take my Laptop to the nearest Internet Cafe and ask them to connect to The Internet. Your Laptop will need a ethernet socket. You will be surprised how litle this will cost you. If you are caravannig you will also be surprised how many have WiFi available, growing fast. Enjoy your trip. John.

 

[cris_408518]

I have to disagree with John a bit.

Using a mobile can cost a lot but if you use need to use the net a lot when traveling it's worth using something like Web To Go but its 29 euros for the license. - http://www.webtogo.de/uk/. and can be used with all mobile network suppliers.

The prog lets you degrade the images and set costs and block pop ups that use up mobile data,but if you are just sending basic emails it is not expensive.

If you use o2 like me you can download a similar prog free from them and that to lets you degrade the donwloads to reduce costs - http://www.o2.co.uk/business/corporate/mobiliseyouroffice/mobiliseyourlaptop/o2connectionmanager

But free wifi is the way to go if you are in the right place.

If you are on monthly contract for your mobile O2 and Vodafone etc do a flat monthly charge that you can opt to pay for, for a month or two whilst you are away so you get cheaper roaming calls and O2 are doing reducing call charhes in Europe and Spain was due to be the first.

ps. The students friend on your key ring might be an option ;-)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wi-Fi-Hotspot-Finder-IEEE802-11b-802-11g/dp/B0000A55F4

 

[BeemerMal]

Cris and John....many thanks for your advise.

I am on the o2 network pay as you go and I have signed up to their euro roaming. This is only

 

[cris_408518]

Beemer

If you need to make many or regular calls whilst away it might be worth you while having your phone unlocked if it is locked to o2 and buy a local apy as you go sim card, some have special deals for calling abroad so a call or text back to home using the local card can be cheaper.

A dual sim card holder fitted in your phone is another option then you can just swap between sims. Also check out http://www.globalsimcard.co.uk/save.htm

 

[colin(bridgend)]

An item on the 1:00 o'clock BBC news today highlighted the insecurity of WiFi - the reporter was walking down a street with a laptop and logged on to an internet site being used inside a house. He reckoned that it was very easy to do and also proved the system's main fault regarding security.

 

[cris_408518]

That's very common practice Colin, you have to find someone with pretty good knowlege to access your PC and valuable data.

My daughter is a an IT and technical software consultant and I run an open network so when she and other people visit home or office they have easy access. She can't access my data and one of her associates has also tried, most home users do not leave the PC switched on all the time so if the wireless router is on it does not mean instant access to even a simple system most of the time.

 

[BeemerMal]

I saw this report on the news as well....A couple of weeks ago we visited the inlaws in Leeds and I found 4 different Wi Fi routers I could connect to.

I agree with cris though, I never leave my computer, laptop or router switched on, when not in use, and my family and friends use the Wi Fi when they visit.

 

[JTS]

Yes like many others I saw the the man with a Laptop walking down the street saying he could log on to all the WiFI signals he detected. If you secure your WiFi he could not log on. The answer is to only use a secure network, it does not cost anymore and the installation instructions that comes with your router/hub tells you how. If it dosn't you tell you how or it can't be secured bin it and get another - you are in danger. I will say again though the most expensive (although it may be the most convenient) way to connect your laptop to the internet is via your mobile phone. John

 

[cris_408518]

Beemer.

You may or may not find this one useful

http://www.hotspot-locations.co.uk/modules.php?op=hotspot_query&name=HotSpots&hsl_countryhs=ES&hs_state=&hs_city=&hs_operator=&hsl_type=&hs_access_box=on&hs_roaming=&externalquery=&backFrom=15&moreFrom=45&more=>>
There are few free wifi Spanish spots on there and if you use Satnav dont forget you can download many free POI's (12 euro pa for pay POI) at www.poihandler.com.

 

[BeemerMal]

Cheers cris...looks a worthwhile site to save on my favorites. Found a marina hot spot about 3 miles from one of the sites we plan to visit.

 

[cris_408518]

Nice one Beemermal.

The address seemed OK on the post box and then blew the page wide open, one of my guys is on his way back from Seville and found the POI's on Poi Handler for his satnav good and somebody told him about this hotspot locations web site.

Cheers and have a great trip and time away.

 

[emmerson2]

Two questions -- why are these postings wider than the boxes, and what's WiFi?

 

[cris_408518]

My posting of the URL / web address for Beemer spooked the systems and made it go wide! It seemed ok as I've done before but went into free fall when I posted it.

Wifi = wireless connection as used with laptops connecting to wireless networks.

Centrino enabled is the same or you can buy a Wifi card that slots into a laptop with aerial to connect to your own wireless network free public wifi hotspsots in town centres, pubs or cafes or pay networks where you buy air time like BT Openzone that can be used at hotels and other venues.

http://www.btopenzone.com/

 

[emmerson2]

My posting of the URL / web address for Beemer spooked the systems and made it go wide! It seemed ok as I've done before but went into free fall when I posted it.

Wifi = wireless connection as used with laptops connecting to wireless networks.

Centrino enabled is the same or you can buy a Wifi card that slots into a laptop with aerial to connect to your own wireless network free public wifi hotspsots in town centres, pubs or cafes or pay networks where you buy air time like BT Openzone that can be used at hotels and other venues.

http://www.btopenzone.com/

Thanks cris. I think I got that, but dislocated my neck, going from side to side to read it!

 

[BeemerMal]

cris/emmerson....Only wide boys allowed on this thread now is it?

Can't wait - 9 days to go then we are off to Spain for nearly 3 months. Thanks for your good wishes cris. Mal

 

[cris_408518]

cris/emmerson....Only wide boys allowed on this thread now is it?

Can't wait - 9 days to go then we are off to Spain for nearly 3 months. Thanks for your good wishes cris. Mal

Fingers crossed, I'll be in France in June.

Have a great time and if you find free wifi send us a bit of

Spanish sunshine Beemer.

Just the thought will cheer my humble hovel ( have to play to the whingers ) and you can give us feed back on where to head next year as we fancy a Spain amd Portugal trip.