We just returned from BWV & found that the High Speed Internet access appears to be very much a work in progress.
1. For some reason, and I was never given an explanation, I was unable to gain normal access to the service. Typical of fee-based high speed access at hotels, after you hook your computer to the BWV network connection and launch your browser, you are taken to a sign-up page. The sign-up page tells you the cost, gives their disclaimers, and requires you to accept or reject the service. After clicking the accept button, you are normally all set and can browse away. Unfortunately, things didn't work as planned, and I was repeatedly denied access. After talking to customer support about the problem, I was given a back-door route to gain access. The back-door route worked, but I had to go the back-door route each time I connected, and was randomly kicked off the system. Certainly not the most user friendly or stable system.
2. After talking to customer service (far too many times) I got the distinct impression that denial of access is a fairly common problem ... even the first level support people had the back-door route on the tip of their tongues.
3. I was unable to access my company's secure website through the Disney service. If you, like me, have to do some work on vacation and count on access to your company's system, you may be out of luck. It appears as though Disney has so tightly locked down its system that certain secure authentication methods won't work. I ended up having to resort to a good old fashioned 56K modem to get my work done.
4. There is only 1 connection in a 1-bedroom, and it is by the table in the living room. So, if you have to work in the bedroom (or risk punishment by death for waking your infant who is sleeping in the living area), make sure you bring a long ethernet cable (or see 5 below). I brought 14 feet, which just made it to the bench in the bedroom. My guess is 25 feet would make it to the bed.
5. If you recall my earlier post about creating your own wireless network, I can report it is possible. I brought a cheap wireless Access Point ($30). For security purposes I configured it to only communicate with my laptop, plugged it in and away I went. Had I been able to get to my company's secure website, it would have been great.
When it is all done and said, I suppose the moral of the story is ... Don't Work On Vacation!
1. For some reason, and I was never given an explanation, I was unable to gain normal access to the service. Typical of fee-based high speed access at hotels, after you hook your computer to the BWV network connection and launch your browser, you are taken to a sign-up page. The sign-up page tells you the cost, gives their disclaimers, and requires you to accept or reject the service. After clicking the accept button, you are normally all set and can browse away. Unfortunately, things didn't work as planned, and I was repeatedly denied access. After talking to customer support about the problem, I was given a back-door route to gain access. The back-door route worked, but I had to go the back-door route each time I connected, and was randomly kicked off the system. Certainly not the most user friendly or stable system.
2. After talking to customer service (far too many times) I got the distinct impression that denial of access is a fairly common problem ... even the first level support people had the back-door route on the tip of their tongues.
3. I was unable to access my company's secure website through the Disney service. If you, like me, have to do some work on vacation and count on access to your company's system, you may be out of luck. It appears as though Disney has so tightly locked down its system that certain secure authentication methods won't work. I ended up having to resort to a good old fashioned 56K modem to get my work done.
4. There is only 1 connection in a 1-bedroom, and it is by the table in the living room. So, if you have to work in the bedroom (or risk punishment by death for waking your infant who is sleeping in the living area), make sure you bring a long ethernet cable (or see 5 below). I brought 14 feet, which just made it to the bench in the bedroom. My guess is 25 feet would make it to the bed.
5. If you recall my earlier post about creating your own wireless network, I can report it is possible. I brought a cheap wireless Access Point ($30). For security purposes I configured it to only communicate with my laptop, plugged it in and away I went. Had I been able to get to my company's secure website, it would have been great.
When it is all done and said, I suppose the moral of the story is ... Don't Work On Vacation!
from my wife once I brought out the WAP. Of course, that wouldn't mean that she would be above "borrowing" my laptop later that evening to do a little email/surfing of her own... 
eeeeeeeeeeeee
