Lap top computers

[Rain]

Has anyone ever taken a laptop computer to Orlando. The hotel we are staying in says it has high speed internet connection. We use cable broadband at home and we are very usure what we need to connect. Any help appreciated.

 

[Sue F UK]

Hi Rain,

You can take a laptop with you to the US quite easily. You take it as additional hand luggage and they have separate procedures for computers at the security checks so that they don't go through the Xray machines (Which can wipe the hard drive) You will need to take your laptop and modem cable.

A word of warning though - if you use the laptop via the hotel's phone and connect to a UK server number you will probably be charged the equivalent of third world debt in phone charges. You need to either find the local number of your internet company (such as AOL) or I believe you can buy AT&T phone cards for internet.

Another way to 'stay in touch' without the hassle is to use the internet booths which are located in many restaurants. These work out cheaper and easier if you want to just check emails etc.

 

[Lakul]

We always take our laptop to the US and they do go through the same x-ray machines as your other hand luggage. We have never had any problems with this and the hard drive is not wiped.

The modem cable in the US has a different connection at the phone end. You can pick these up at PC World, Dixons etc.

 

[BiGGy]

hmmmm
makes me wonder if its worth taking my laptop too as last year i lost all my holiday photos including my brother wedding photos when the camera memory card died.

the hotels have dataports in the rooms, are these dial up ports or cable modem ports. what cables would i need to use them and also would i need a dial up account??

rgds

BiGGy

 

[Lobey]

Data ports are just sockets in the sides of in-room telephones into which you plug your modem cable. These sockets are smaller than the standard BT wall sockets and so you'll need an adapter as someone has already mentioned.

Once you have plugged your modem in to the dataport you then make a dial up connection as normal. However, as you will be dialling up your ISP in the UK you will have to pay international call charges and this can work out very expensive.

There are 2 ways round this:

1) Sign up with an ISP that allows global roaming. The ISP will then give you a local telephone number you can use for dial-up. This method works out fairly cheap as many Orlando hotels provide free local calls. One ISP that provides this service is Pipex

2) Use a pre-paid calling card e.g. from AT&T.

I've tried both methods during my trips and I can advise you that method 1 is MUCH easier. Setting up the laptop to use the calling card is very awkward and I certainly won't be using that method again.

Paul

 

[bengunn]

The last thing that I would want to take on holiday would be a PC, laptop or otherwise. I work with one all day and my holidays are just that.

 

[Penny12]

A popular FREE provider with many of the American's is Netzero - it gives 10 free hours a month (should be more than enough time for checking email etc) and has access numbers local to WDW.

It's regular dial-up, so your hotel needs to have a data-port in your phone, you'll need a cable to connect from your laptop to the data-port which you probably already have, but like lakul says you need a little adapter to convert to an american phone socket - it looks exactly the same as our little rectangle plug, but is a bit smaller.

And last of all, double check the call charges from your hotel - many have free local calls included, and Disney charge a flat 75cents per call, but it's not inconceivable that some places might try to sting you.

 

[BiGGy]

thanks for all the advice netzero looks like the best option imo

rgds

BiGGy