Disaster! No tinterweb!

dreamdaisy

As some of you might be aware, I'm off on Saturday for a couple of weeks, together with VVP. I have just ascertained that there is no interweb access in our temporary home, so I am looking at dongles (is it me, or does that sound ever-so-slightly suggestive?) Does anyone out there have experience of these odd-sounding things, and if so, what is the best option? We will be in Westward Ho in North Devon, so I presume there will be some reception there. DD

frogmorton

Let me know what you find out eh DD??

I want one too for la belle france in august

Dongles is very rude :oops:

Be wraned though youy are going very near my ex :shock: :shock: :shock:

dreamdaisy

Thanks del, yes, I have established that they are amongst the best, and I think they have some of the best coverage too. I'll be in town on Thursday so I might venture into their shop so that a twelve year old boy (laughingly called an assisstant) can tell me all I need to know. DD

tillytop

No dongle experience I'm afraid :oops: but really hope you can get sorted. Otherwise what will we do without you for two whole weeks?
Tillyx

bertyboy

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh it sounds fun we all going on holiday with DD and a dongle

patriciamary

Hi Dreamdaisy, a dongle will help you connect through your mobile phone to the internet but if you buy a wireless stick (Belkin Wireless - Argos £20) then you plug it into the back of your laptop and you can hang onto any wireless connection within the area. Got a friend who plugs his laptop in every morning when he opens his shop (8am) and picks up the signal from a nearby McDonalds and stays on the internet till closing time (6pm). This does not cost him a penny. The wirless stick cost £20 but Im sure it would cost more on your mobile and you have the stick for every time you are away from home. OH also uses his laptop in the car by parking on industrial estates or a McD's so he can connect to his office etc. Hope you get sorted because internet withdrawal symptoms are akin to cold turkey or so I have been told.
Regards
Trisha

ninakang

Trisha's idea's a good one and also maybe Vodafone for a dongle (you're not the only one who thinks that sounds rude - I can't say it without smiling).

What I would say is that if you're going for a dongle, you go for a well established company like Vodafone or Orange. The newer companies don't have as many masts and so they don't cover as many areas, although they will tell you that they do. Case in point - I'm very disappointed with my 3 contract.

Nx

ninakang

Oh and check with your current mobile phone provider if they'll send you a dongle for free and then give you a contract at a discounted rate. 3 offered me a dongle for £5 a month, unlimited internet (which I didn't take because we have wireless broadband at home, I use the computers at work and because 3 are cr@p)

Nx

dreamdaisy

Much food for thought, thank you everyone! My mobile has been behaving strangely lately - I suspect it's gone wrong in its innards, so I'm reluctant to employ it. I will stick to a 'traditional' supplier, vodaphone are winning at the mo! I've always thought 3 a little dodgy - I have no idea why tho.

For those amongst you who want to see the back of me for a fortnight - hard luck. Even if I have to drive around and latch onto someone's unprotected wi-fi (more fool them) than that's what I'll do. I need you lot far more than you need me, that's for sure! DD

ninakang

DD

We would expect nothing less than you driving round to latch onto someone else's wi-fi and would very disappointed if you didn't!

Have a good holiday as well, though, in between telling us all about it

Nx

oneday

as said above, orange has more reception wherever youre going...and so nice to get a holiday fix!! have nice time.

psyart

dreamdaisy wrote:

Much food for thought, thank you everyone! My mobile has been behaving strangely lately - I suspect it's gone wrong in its innards, so I'm reluctant to employ it. I will stick to a 'traditional' supplier, vodaphone are winning at the mo! I've always thought 3 a little dodgy - I have no idea why tho.

For those amongst you who want to see the back of me for a fortnight - hard luck. Even if I have to drive around and latch onto someone's unprotected wi-fi (more fool them) than that's what I'll do. I need you lot far more than you need me, that's for sure! DD

i dont want to see the back of you as dont even know what the front looks like!!!!!!!! :P :P
also you keep me on my toes - painful as it may be sometimes!!!!!
hope 'pain' doesnt upset you while you are away!!!


lousie xx

dreamdaisy

Right: moronic question (livinglegend and robertls, I apologise). My laptop is wi-fi enabled. Do I need a dongle, or can I just go and sit in a Maccyd's car park? (I can feel the multiple, sharp exhales of breath - a scirocco of 'Yup, she's blonde!)

There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. I am claiming the first condition! DD

ninakang

DD

The dongle is to get you internet access wherever you are, hence paying monthly for it.

If your laptop is wifi enabled, you should just be able to sit in Maccy's carpark and access their connection.

Nx

speedalong

DD - you will just need to search for networks available and click on connect ...

Speedy

dreamdaisy

Thank you my angels. DD

loopylou

hi DD if ur laptop is wi-fi enabled then you don't need anything but a good unsecure signal nearby to pick up on. make sure the wi-fi is enabled though.

if you do decide to go for a dongle, which yes as everyone else is saying does sound wrong, the i've found orange is good. I'm on orange and have no problems with it.

hope you get it organised soon

lou
-x-

dreamdaisy

Thankn you loupy, all advice welcome here! I am in very uncharted waters with this computer malarkey. I do love my Dell tho. It's opened up a whole new world. DD

loopylou

No problem DD

Yeah I know what you mean, I love my lappy too, its nice being able to sit on a lovely comfy sofa or in bed and being able to browse the web.

My housemate got so jealous of me being able to do that that she got rid of her static computer and got herself a laptop, she does however still defeat the object of her having a laptop by still only going on it sat at her desk. :?

oh well each to their own!

dreamdaisy

Yep, with you all the way alanmancunian. We have a router at home, so no problems there, but away - apparently there's no wi-fi anywhere in the block so I think it's going to be a vodaphone dongle - if no-one else cancels their lessons this week . . . . DD

ninakang

wi-fis, dongles, connections, this is all beginning to sound a bit like one of Rehab's threads!

Would we have known what we're talking about 15 years ago?! Funny how fast things are changing, isn't it?

Nx

ichabod6

If you are going on holiday why would you want to www?

skezier

Hi DD,

If you have the post code of where your staying check the coverage cus here 3 has better coverage than vodafone.... though not with mobile phones but they use different signals so just make sure which gives the best coverage there.

I use a dongle and its 3 cus they are he only ones with coverage here... be it intermittent at times.... xx

dreamdaisy

ichabod, the answer to that is obvious! I am on crutches, I cannot walk far without needing a nice sit down, I cannot swim and I cannot ride a bike. My husband will be off doing all sorts of lovely things like that but, unlike an admiring parent with a showing-off six year old, I won't be sitting watching and applauding and saying 'Well done darling!'. I will have some things with which to occupy myself, but there is a limit to telly, reading and puzzle books. DD

ichabod6

To each his/her own.

dreamdaisy

So true.