Wi-fi on the Continent

[Derek_374481061]

l currently use a wire-less laptop in the U.K. with a monthy account, but will shortly be going to France & Spain for several months in my touring caravan.

l believe it is possible to buy a `pay-as-you-go` modem in those countries from an ISP; does anybody know how to go about it, i.e. any mobile broadband companies recommended, the terminology used, and the cost?

l know it is possible to use Site wi-fi connections but the charges for this are exhorbitant in many cases.

 

[AndrewWimborne]

Hi.

We take our Laptop to France during our summer holidays and we used the local tourist office which was free, you could also use your laptop in the car outside if you wanted to day or night.

Andrew

 

[DavidKlyne]

Derek

We have spent about 3 months in Europe this year over two visits. The price of Wifi does vary but can't say its was that expensive. When I could not get WiFi on sites I used my Vodafone dongle which costs

 

[Lutz]

I normally do what Andrew does and make enquiries locally where I can access the internet at little or no cost. Most places also have internet caf

 

[Merlin53]

Hi,

I spend over 3 months in France in the summer using my laptop and the WiFi system for 'free'.

Use Google to find out your wifi hotspots, where you are travelling to, and then ascertain if it's practical.

The web also gives hundreds of free wifi hotspots, e.g some McDonalds sites is a good example of free sites and also cafes and hotels. You just have to sit outside and access the sites.

Beware though, all wifi sites are liable to internet scamming, it's a risk, but if you are not using the wifi site for long (15 to 20 mins) you should be safe.

regards,

jayme

 

[DavidKlyne]

I just wonder how much you lot that will do anything to avoid paying for internet access waste of fuel getting to a free WiFi spot! I also assume you never go into a bar and pay 2/3 euros for a beer!

David

 

[DianneT]

I agree with David if I cannot get free or small charge wifi on site I use my mobile phone plugged into the laptop. To receive an email only takes a few seconds as does sending one.

We go mostly to Germany and Austria where most wifi is free or can be bought as in the Black Forest where we stay it is 4 euros for 24 hours.

 

[Derek_374481061]

Many thanks for all your replies, much appreciated. Each will be investigated.

However, no info on the possibilities of a `pay-as-you-go` modem with a Continental ISP. P.C.World salesmen assure me this is a real possibility - or should l rely on that old saying "never trust a salesman"!

 

[DavidKlyne]

Derek

I thought I had answered you question about Continental dongles! Whether you are sucessful in getting one of these might depend on your ability to speak French and also to arrange top ups. Their contract dongles are not as good a value as in the UK where the market is much more mature so one does imagine that PAYG might be in a similar situation?

David

 

[KeithJ]

Derek

I'm generalising here, but site wi-fi charges can be high in France but are generally cheap or free in Spain. So it depends how long you plan to stay in either country.

Apologies to PC World salesmen (and generalising again!) but they are not usually experienced travellers.

Keith

 

[Coops]

As one of the 'you lot' that David refers to above, my own experience has been that in most countries, free internet access is available at public libraries - certainly in Spain and Portugal - and in Portugal when the library is open there are usually plug-ins for your laptop, with wi/fi available in the car park when the library is closed.

 

[DavidKlyne]

Leslie

My comment was meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek! I have tried a McD's in Germany once but to my mind searching out free WiFi is not what being on holiday is about for me, others obviously take a different view. If a campsite I am staying on has a WiFi facility then I will use it and I have never paid (and I visit lots of sites) more that 5 euros an hour and usually much less. There is also a security issue with using public accessable WiFi in towns as the risk is greater of your computer security being breached unless you taken steps to make sure you have robust anti intrusion software on your computer.

David

 

[Coops]

David.

I do agree that people's requirements are very different. Someone on a week or fortnights holiday is probably very pleased to get away from the internet for a short while, whereas for most others on extended periods away (few regard it as 'holiday', more a question of living somewhere warm for our drab winter months) it is a lifeline. In my own case, I do all my banking, letter writing, medication ordering, family contact/news/events, in fact every thing that makes our lives function. So therein lies the need to establish where - and for how much - one can connect with their lifeline.

Sorry if I gave the wrong impression when I referred to 'you lot'. Nothing intended.

Les C.

 

[DavidKlyne]

David.

I do agree that people's requirements are very different. Someone on a week or fortnights holiday is probably very pleased to get away from the internet for a short while, whereas for most others on extended periods away (few regard it as 'holiday', more a question of living somewhere warm for our drab winter months) it is a lifeline. In my own case, I do all my banking, letter writing, medication ordering, family contact/news/events, in fact every thing that makes our lives function. So therein lies the need to establish where - and for how much - one can connect with their lifeline.

Sorry if I gave the wrong impression when I referred to 'you lot'. Nothing intended.

Les C.

Leslie

All part of the fun of debate!

David

 

[Guest]

On a slight digression there is an article in the newspaper today suggesting that the Internet may take over our lives totally in about 10 years time. The most frightening organistaion is Google, not because of what it is, but because of what it could be to anyone who takes it over, voluntary or not. Because our data is available to so many organisations, both possibly good and bad, our every thought will be pre-programmed by Companies wanting to sell us 'exactly what we are wanting', possibly even before we have even thought of it. They will even know where we have the money to pay for it, and probably have already debited our account before we have even requested it. Let us not even consider what the State organisations will be doing with every e mail, mobile call etc we make. It does not take a genius to figure out a computer that will look for words and associations, and make possibly the wrong conclusion. Personally I am away out to find a goosen to get a feather from, to make a quill pen. I will then get some wax and a seal. That is as secure as you can get.

Horrifying isn't it? Welcome to '1984', it just came a bit late.

 

[KeithJ]

On the subject of security I receive regular foreign junk mail and spam now (particularly Italian). I put this down to having used wi-fi in a large number of countries. It is noticable that the advertising on the browser relates to the country you are in at the time. I think this proves there is a risk and we all need to be careful about what information we are divulging, and where, but it doesn't put me off because, as Leslie says, there are so many advantages.

Keith

 

[RayS]

Recently back from France where I found the McDonalds all have free wifi connections. If you've got the nerve, you can actually sit inside and use it without buying anything, but a coffee seems to help the concentration as bit. The log on is a bit lengthy and you have to put up with and exit from some mcD and other advertising.

The snag is that there are no power sockets if you laptop battery does not last very long. I tried mine from the car parked as close as possible to the buildings, but the signal was barely useable (I have an inverter in the car for powering the laptop).

Whether this free service is universal to McD's in other countries I don't know - perhaps others will tell us.

 

[Derek_374481061]

Recently back from France where I found the McDonalds all have free wifi connections. If you've got the nerve, you can actually sit inside and use it without buying anything, but a coffee seems to help the concentration as bit. The log on is a bit lengthy and you have to put up with and exit from some mcD and other advertising.

The snag is that there are no power sockets if you laptop battery does not last very long. I tried mine from the car parked as close as possible to the buildings, but the signal was barely useable (I have an inverter in the car for powering the laptop).

Whether this free service is universal to McD's in other countries I don't know - perhaps others will tell us.

l seem to have stirred up a hornets` nest with my query. l really did`nt expect to get involved in a philosophical discussion about the rights and wrongs of the internet, Google, McDonalds, w.h.y.!

This morning l contacted my own Broadband Provider. lt seems l can use my modem in both France & Spain, but the cost is