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Hotel Internet Access – Staying Connected When You Travel

Hotel Internet Access – Types of Connections

Nowadays, most people want to have the ability to check their e-mail accounts wherever they are, even when they are on vacation. Hotels have realized this and most have started to get onto the broadband Internet bandwagon to stay competitive.

Many hotels now offer Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) access in their hotel lobbies. Even better, some of these hotels provide this service free of charge for guests. Wi-Fi access allows guests to bring their laptops into the hotel lobby and instantly have access to a wireless connection. In other words, the hotel has made their lobby a hotel “hotspot.” Other hotels have computers set up in the lobby that allow guests to check e-mail and surf the Internet; in many cases this is free, but some hotels do charge by the minute.

Some of the better hotel chains also offer free Wi-Fi access in the actual hotel rooms. This is an extremely convenient setup for guests because they can check their e-mail and do work on the Internet in the privacy of their own hotel room. Other hotels provide the necessary hookups for broadband Internet connections, and will usually provide the required cables so that guests can hook their laptops up to access the Internet. If all else fails, the Internet can be accessed (albeit slowly) in all hotel rooms that have a phone jack – all you need to bring with you is a phone cable.

What to Look for in Hotel Internet Access

If you know that you are going to be checking your e-mail while you’re on vacation, it’s worth the time and effort it takes to do your homework and select a hotel with good, reliable (and hopefully free!) Internet access. If you’re taking a laptop with you, then you’ll want to make sure the hotels you are staying at, provide some kind of Internet access. It’s not too difficult to find hotels that provide this access for free, so don’t be afraid to scout around a little bit before choosing where you stay. If you don’t have a laptop, then make sure that the hotel provides computers somewhere on the premises that have broadband (high-speed) Internet connections so you won’t have to take half an hour out of your valuable vacation time to e-mail Aunt Mary.

Again, if you have a laptop with you, then you’ll also want to make sure that there is Wi-Fi access in all the hotel rooms (or at least ask for a room that provides the service). A broadband connection is obviously best, as it is much faster than a dial-up connection and will allow you to check your e-mail and surf the Web with ease.

Finally, look into how good the customer service is regarding Internet access issues. Check to see if there’s a 24/7 helpline at your hotel and ask if there’s a technician on the grounds who has been specifically trained to deal with Internet connectivity issues.

Types of Hotel Internet Access (Wi-Fi)

Some hotels are Internet-savvy enough to set up a number of ways their guests can access high-speed Internet connections in their rooms. Usually, these rooms will come with a panel that allows you to connect to the Internet via your laptop’s Ethernet card, or, if you don’t have one, then through a USB interface. An Ethernet LAN connection is the most convenient option, but using the USB interface works just as well – you simply have to download the driver, hook up the cable and you’re good to go!

Cost of Hotel Internet Access

If you’re lucky, or you’ve carefully selected your hotel, then your hotel Internet access will be provided free-of-charge. If not, prices vary widely from one hotel to the next, but it should not cost you any more than $10 per day, and in most cases quite a bit less. Hotels that only have desktop computers available usually charge by the minute for Internet use, and this can be extremely expensive (some charging to the tune of $12 per hour!).