Creating wireless access in your villa

[Iggipolka]

I've heard of people bringing a wireless router & plugging it into the land line to create wireless access in your DVC villa.
Can someone give me step-by-step instructions on how to do this? Any specific router you'd recommend?

I'm reasonably comfortable with computers, but I want to be able to do this quickly and not spend a lot of time fussing with setting up wireless when I'd rather be enjoying WDW!
We need the wireless since we both bring our laptops and iTouchs. Fighting over the one wired connection gets way old.

Thanks!

 

[drusba]

1. If you have a wireless router at home, you can just disconnect from there, bring it with, plug it into the electric socket near the ehternet connection in the wall, connect the router to the wall ethernet connection via an ethernet cord, turn it on, turn on your computer, you're done.

2. If you want to buy a different wireless router for traveling, e.g., the small D-Link pocket router, then what you need to do is set that router up at home like you did your original one, including any security and passwords, so that it is working and communicating with your lap-top computers and iTouch, then bring that one and do the same as above.

 

[Tara]

I've heard of people bringing a wireless router & plugging it into the land line to create wireless access in your DVC villa.
Can someone give me step-by-step instructions on how to do this? Any specific router you'd recommend?

I'm reasonably comfortable with computers, but I want to be able to do this quickly and not spend a lot of time fussing with setting up wireless when I'd rather be enjoying WDW!
We need the wireless since we both bring our laptops and iTouchs. Fighting over the one wired connection gets way old.

Thanks!

My Apple Airport Express works like a charm. It's pricier than other portable wireless modems, but there are no cords involved, which makes it golden in my book. I have one I bought reconditioned and it lives in an Owner's Locker.

 

[DebbieB]

1. If you have a wireless router at home, you can just disconnect from there, bring it with, plug it into the electric socket near the ehternet connection in the wall, connect the router to the wall ethernet connection via an ethernet cord, turn it on, turn on your computer, you're done.

I brought my linksys from home to BWV last December, did the above and it worked like a charm. It was already setup for my laptop. My friend brought hers also, all she had to do was search for a signal, find the name of mine, I gave her the password and she was in.

 

[Iggipolka]

We have Cat 6 wired throughout the house, so we don't have a wired connection at home. I will be getting a D-Link pocket router and I guess I'll set it up at home and be all set. Sounds easy enough!

Thanks!

 

[On the Lake]

Not an IT expert but why do you have to set up the router at home? Can you not purchase one on the trip and set it up when you get there?

 

[Iggipolka]

Not an IT expert but why do you have to set up the router at home? Can you not purchase one on the trip and set it up when you get there?

Thanks for asking this. I was kinda wondering that myself!

 

[drusba]

You can but normally you will setting it up with your computer, putting in any security and password, and then making sure it works with all devices you want it to work with and if anything goes wrong and you need to communicate with the maker of the router on-line to solve an issue, you won't be able to do that at WDW except via the wired access until you fix that problem. Also, the set-up can take a while to do and thus better to spend that time at home.

 

[cogero]

I bought the same make and model of router I use at home and it worked like a charm

 

[ssawka]

I won't be at the world for a while, but this seems like a good opportunity for a "router swap", similar to how some of the other boards have a "frig swap".

 

[kapeman]

For what it's worth, I would avoid any D-Link product like the plague.

They are garbage. Ask anyone with any real networking experience and they will tell you the same.

Anything else would be fine. Linksys or Netgear make good products. I also haven't heard many bad things about Belkin gear.

The Apple products, while really nice, are a bit over priced if you are just using them for a travel router.

You can any of the above mentioned items for less than $50 on Newegg.com or a local big box store.

 

[Iggipolka]

I won't be at the world for a while, but this seems like a good opportunity for a "router swap", similar to how some of the other boards have a "frig swap".

Ooo..I love this idea!

 

[Shmee4]

Does anyone know if this would work with a router brought over from the UK??

 

[Chuck S]

I won't be at the world for a while, but this seems like a good opportunity for a "router swap", similar to how some of the other boards have a "frig swap".

Routers are pretty inexpensive items to purchase and small enough to pack easily. Imagine if someone were on the swap, were using all Disney transportation with no rental car, and for some reason the router being swapped were to disappear (lost by bell services, or simply worn out) those folks would then then be stuck without a router or a way to go purchase one without additional expense.

Does anyone know if this would work with a router brought over from the UK??

Since there are routers made specifically for travel, I would think they would be fine going country to country, assuming you have a multi-national power supply/adapter for the router.

 

[kapeman]

Does anyone know if this would work with a router brought over from the UK??

Ethernet is an International standard, so it should work. Luckily, the same mistake in mobile (cellphone for us Yanks) technology wasn't made in this arena!

 

[BroganMc]

You can but normally you will setting it up with your computer, putting in any security and password, and then making sure it works with all devices you want it to work with and if anything goes wrong and you need to communicate with the maker of the router on-line to solve an issue, you won't be able to do that at WDW except via the wired access until you fix that problem. Also, the set-up can take a while to do and thus better to spend that time at home.

Routers aren't that hard to setup. Especially the newer Linksys routers.

We picked one up at Walmart 2 yrs ago. Set it up with my home networking security scheme (I carry a cheat sheet of codes). Since I use the same scheme at home and travel, there's nothing to setup.

When we travel we just bring the Linksys along. It remembers all our settings. Plug it into the wall and ethernet jack then start the laptop. Takes all of 5 minutes (the longest unpacking all my cables).

 

[Shmee4]

Since there are routers made specifically for travel, I would think they would be fine going country to country, assuming you have a multi-national power supply/adapter for the router.[/QUOTE]

Sorry to sound a bit dumb but does this mean the little travel adapters that you plug other electrical appliances into?

 

[McCrae]

Not sure why you would want to do this....do not all the DVC properties have free wireless access?

VGC & BLT do.

 

[Chuck S]

Not sure why you would want to do this....do not all the DVC properties have free wireless access?

VGC & BLT do.

Nope. It is free WIRED access at most resorts, BLT is not supposed to have free wireless, only wired.

 

[Chuck S]

Sorry to sound a bit dumb but does this mean the little travel adapters that you plug other electrical appliances into?

Yes, if you buy the router in the UK, wouldn't you need an adapter for the power supply to use it in the US?