Laptops (Security issues & internet access)

[DVCinderella]

I am debating whether or not I should bring my laptop during an upcoming stay at VB and VWL. I'm adamant about locking up my valuables in the room safe, so I'm worried about leaving the laptop in the room.

For those of you who bring along valuable electronics (camera, videocamera, laptop, etc), how do you travel with all that equipment? With recent increases in airport security, can you get on a plane with all that stuff?

Also, if you do bring a laptop, how do you access the internet? We have cable service at home, so I guess I'd have to use a dial-up ISP. Can anyone recommend an ISP to download (for free, hopefully), which has local access numbers at VB and VWL?

 

[tkd lisa]

Did you mean to post this on the cruise board? It sounds like a theme park or resort question to me?

 

[Ashkins]

For us taking out laptop is not for internet access.... It has a dvd player so we will be watching movies on the drive to florida. As well we will use it for the pictures we take with our digital cam. We will also have a portable cd burner because we want to make copies and give them to our family that we are traveling with before we leave.

My hubby has traveled extensively since everything has happened. He has always been able to take his laptop with him on the plane. They only ask that you don't turn it on untill the electronics have been ok'd.

I have never worried about people breaking in and stealing the laptop .. but I don't keep it in plain sight usually in a drawer or in the closet in the empty suit cases.

At night because this helps me feel safe we take the alarms you can hang or attach a laptop to a desk with. Once set if it moves or the line is broken the alarm will go off.... We just hang it on the door knob. If someone opens the door or shakes it like they are trying to get in it goes off. (you could do this to a laptop when you leave the room to the bed frame or dresser ect) This will be our first cruise so I am not sure how the waves and rocking will affect the motion alarm on the door knob. (works GREAT for hotels)

There are certain things you might have to fill out though when taking high dollar electronics to other coutnries.. hubby had to fill out a form declaring his laptop before he took it to Aruba.


wooohoooooo 24 days!!!!!!!

 

[DVCinderella]

Sorry...I meant to post this in the DVC forum. Can a moderator relocate this thread to whichever forum is appropriate?

 

[RobDoc]

I have taken my laptop and digital camera to all DVC resorts and am quite comfortable leaving them in the room when we're gone. The laptop sits on the end table in the living room connected to the dataport. I've always felt very safe leaving those in the room. If you are uncomfortable, the front desk can make arrangements for them to be secured, but there is certainly some inconvenience.

As for a dialup connection, I've been able to use netzero at all WDW resorts- there are some good local connection numbers. At HH, I've used netzero in the past, but understand there is no longer a local access number. I have purchased a prepaid internet dialup from slingshot.com, which has local access in some places and a 1-800 number where local access is unavailable.

Good Luck!

 

[WDWguru]

DH and I always take copious amounts of electronic equipment and have had no problems. Most airports will make you take the computer out of your bag and run it through the xray seperately. They may also have you turn it, and other equipment, on to ensure they are actually what they appear to be.

We've never had trouble leaving anything in the room. I typically do put my digital camcorder in the safe at night, however.

Regarding the internet access, you may want to check with your cable access provider. I'm on AT&T at home and know they have a dial-up number you can use when you're away. It's limited to a certain number of hours per month, but it might work for e-mail checking.

 

[ducklite]

I either lock it into the safe, or into an empty suitcase in the closet.

I used to have an old P-75 with a whopping 16 mg of RAM, good for checking mail and typing a letter, and not much else. That one I always left out, it had nothing personal of any value on it, and was insured for more than it was worth Regretfully any would be theif also knew that it wasn't worth stealing... I finally gave it to a friend who needed a "disposable" that he could run Excel spread sheets on from a very unsecure job ste.

Anne

 

[DebbieB]

I bring my laptop and use a cable lock to attach it to the end table in the living room. The table has a bar in the middle between the legs, so I loop the cable around the leg above the bar, so it cannot be slid off. It then connects into the slot on the side of the laptop and has a combination barrel lock. I got it at Best Buy.

I have AOL, they have several Orlando local #'s for dialup.

 

[Bennet]

I just leave it all out. Well once I checked out w/ new laptop in the room. I realized it and called form Atlanta airport. They found it and fedex-ed it back.

 

[Peggy Sue]

We travel with PC, camera, camcorder. PC remains out, on days when we know housekeeping is coming in, we close up the lap top and put in in a drawer or cupboard. Camera is in the safe. camcorder is locked in an empty suitcase. Now, if someone really wanted the equipment, the suitcase lock really wouldn't keep them out! ;-)

We have ATT broadband at home, so when we travel we look for deals. Lately, we have been using earthlink. Lots of $1. coupons for 2 months of service, can cancel with no fees etc. Local numbers for Orlando area.

airport is no problem with electronic equipment. We bring a small rolling suitcase for the camcorder and camera. laptop is in a briefcase. we have to take it out of the brief case and open it up..never been asked to turn it on. We often travel with a PDA too, and they ask us to take it out of the case too.

 

[maepartner]

I too have accessed the internet from various hotels in an around Orlando. You can get those "1000 free hours of AOL" discs at Walmart and various office supply and electronic stores. Theyre good for 45 days, and then you can canel. No pressure. The disc will walk you through, and keep in mind when you put in the local (407) area code, that most hotels you have to dial 8 or 9 for an outside line.

Recently, while at the BW, I would put my laptop in the clothes dryer with some towels on top of it everytime I left the room (Of course I knew Mousekeeping wasnt coming, but then I always hang the DO NOT DISTURB sign on my door when I leave the room, though Ive not heard of anyone having a problem with theft. Its great to have your laptop along,,,and one bit of advice,,,,if you're intending to watch DVD's, you may want to bring a small set of external speakers so that everyone can hear it, as many laptops dont have very good audio output from what Ive seen (heard)

Mae

 

[Tinker Bell]

You might want to check the customer service web site for your cable internet provider. Most services offer dial-up access for their members that are on the road. ATT Broadband, for example, has offered this service. However, at the moment they are switching to a new provider and it isn't currently available.

 

[Peter Johnson]

You can add us to the list of guests who just leave the laptop out on the counter or table the whole trip. I use it for digital photo storage and checking email, but not for browsing (DW would kill me! ).

We're on cable, and our provider has a local access phone number. I use my cell phone as a modem to connect without paying any toll charges. It's very slow -- only 14.4 -- but for email it's fine.

BTW, if you go the "cheap ISP for vacation only" route, you can check your regular email account via the internet. Log on to http://www.mail2web.com/ and enter your email address and password. You can do all the usual email functions. (I do this at work to check my home email.)

 

[Richyams]

We both need to surf the internet, I bring two laptops, a crossover cable and use WinProxy to share out the connection. We leave two laptops out, plugged in and networked all day every day. We leave them right on the living room table.

I have a Covad DSL account at home, they have a local dial up number in Kissimee. They have a silly per hour charge for every hour over ten hours. I was charged like $100 one month for dial up access. I called and they worked out a deal with me. I can now call them before I leave and pay for one month's unlimited access, $19.99. I thought that was pretty good of them, they changed the $100 charge to $19.99 for me also.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by Peter Johnson
.........BTW, if you go the "cheap ISP for vacation only" route, you can check your regular email account via the internet. Log on to http://www.mail2web.com/ and enter your email address and password. You can do all the usual email functions. (I do this at work to check my home email.)

That's really a neat feature. You can set up yahoo mail to do the same thing, but the yahoo feature doesn't work for MSN mail. I tried the above (ever hopeful), but it won't work with MSN mail either. . Thanks for posting!

 

[Peter Johnson]

Originally posted by CarolMN


That's really a neat feature. You can set up yahoo mail to do the same thing, but the yahoo feature doesn't work for MSN mail. I tried the above (ever hopeful), but it won't work with MSN mail either. . Thanks for posting!

I'm grapsing at straws here, but did you try the Advanced Login? You may need to put in the server name or IP address directly. More likely, MSN may work like Hotmail (which is also Microsoft)... see http://www.mail2web.com/cgi-bin/help.asp#LoginProblems

 

[Lesley]

Others have addressed the security issues...we do much the same and sometimes conceal the laptop in the room, but don't really worry if we leave it out.

Our experience with free isp's has not been good. We used Juno (or Netzero, I forget) last time and we couldn't get a connection easily and kept losing it when we did get on. Next time we'll probably subscribe to a service like Earthlink just for the month. My dh is an admin guy and refuses to allow any AOL software on our computers...in his experience it has caused problems with other programs.

Also I've seen many folks saying that Orlando phone #'s are not local but Kissimmee #'s are....that was not the case for us at BWV. We checked the phone book, which indicated that all the access #'s we had that were local were Orlando, and the Kissimmee #'s were not. ALWAYS check the phone book! We only had local phone call charges on our bill.

 

[DebbieB]

I checked out the AOL numbers in the phone book and also called the hotel operator at both OKW & BWV. The Orlando #'s are local, Kissimmee are toll. I used Orlando #'s and was charged 35 cents each (local charge).

 

[DVCinderella]

Originally posted by WebmasterDoc
I have purchased a prepaid internet dialup from slingshot.com, which has local access in some places and a 1-800 number where local access is unavailable.

Doc,

How much does Slingshot charge? I can't seem to find pricing on their web site. Were you happy with their service? I'm wondering if I should sign up for 1000 free hours with AOL.

 

[LARRY DORMAN]

WE HAVE STAYED AT ALL DVC LOCATIONS AND HAVE NOT LOST ANY THING BUT BAD NEWS ON THE MAGIC LEFT MY WATCH ON THE NIGHT STAND AND IT'S GONE.. HAD RUSHED OUT TO DINNER RES. AND CAME BACK BEFORE THE SHOW AND IT WAS GONE $3700.00 GOLD AND SILVER MICKEY WATCH.. SO SAD IT WAS A COOL WATCH I LOVE THE CRUSES BUT IF I FIND IT ON SOME ONE BAD NEWS. ONLY 25 MADE..