From the KnowledgeBase

Title:
Remote access: What Internet services are available to me while traveling?

Synopsis:
Remote access: What Internet services are available to me while traveling?

Solution:
A wide variety of Internet access options are offered for the business traveler. Most hotels provide Internet access in your room for your laptop for a minimal fee. Many restaurants, Internet cafes (including Starbucks), and other nationwide and international gathering spaces offer WiFi high-speed access for your laptop, often at no charge. These days, you should never be far from the Internet if you need it. If you would like to experiment with WiFi technology using your laptop, Panera Bread Bakery and Starbucks in Princeton offer these services.

For the vacation traveler, there are Internet Service Providers (ISPs) solutions that you can purchase enabling you to connect to the Internet from almost anywhere. These providers offer a range of services including high-speed wireless broadband technology, as well as slower dial-up connections.

Wireless broadband is a technology that makes high-speed Internet access possible over a wireless network, which is equivalent to your cellular phone. For business travelers that require Internet connectivity in airports, trains, and hotels, this option eliminates the need for cables and wires as it uses a wireless network card for your laptop. Contact your cellular wireless supplier to see if this is an option for you.

The following service providers advertise low-cost dial-up service, enabling your computer to dial a local number from almost anywhere in the country, no matter where you are and no matter how often you travel. Most provide you with a tool to change the number your computer is dialing based upon your location; you choose a new local dial-up number from an extensive list built into the software. For example, if you live in Wilmington, Delaware, and annually vacation in Vail, Colorado as well as Palm Springs, California, you can purchase any one of the following dial-up services and still dial-in to a local number based upon the vendor's extensive network of local access numbers. You will not incur a long distance charge on your phone line, and only pay a low monthly fee to the Internet service provider. Dial-up services are still the most inexpensive option.

To assist faculty and staff traveling on University business, OIT has established a loaner service for a wireless broadband access card or a BlackBerry device. For complete information and links to a reservation request form, please see:

http://www.princeton.edu/telecom/DataCard.html
or
http://www.princeton.edu/telecom/blackberryloan.html.

Last Updated:
March 3, 2008

Solution ID:
9857