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-   -   Laptop connection advice for a Brit. (http://www.travelbanter.com/showthread.php?t=7469)

Dave November 16th, 2003 04:15 PM

Laptop connection advice for a Brit.
 
Hi There


I live in the UK and will be visiting Australia in
December and was wondering if anyone could help me with some
information regarding the use of my Toshiba laptop in Melbourne.

..The laptop has an inbuilt modem,but I mainly use it with broadband at
home via a 10/100 network card plugged into the PCMCIA slot,I think
the connection I am looking for is RJ45.

I'll be staying at a new Ramada hotel which says the rooms have data
ports with high speed internet access.

Can anyone who reads this group give me any info that would let me
make this connection .


Thanks in Advance


Dave Rowberry




Freda November 17th, 2003 02:19 AM

Laptop connection advice for a Brit.
 
More than likely will be either RJ11 or maybe RJ45
so perhaps an adapter to RJ11 wouldnt go astray
If when you get there it isd the Australian older 610 socket
then just go down to local electronics store like Dick Smith's
and buy an adapter from either RJ45 or RJ11 to 610 socket.
In Aust the line is across the middle pair of a RJ xx connector,
so if your country uses different pins then this will need converting.
Is cost a consideration, as most Hotels charge "like wounded bulls"
for telephone calls and data ports are worse.
Also any call made to a number other than an Melbourne local call number
will be charged at there STD rate which will be so much per minute.
It is often easier , especially if you dont really need your laptop for
anything else ,
to go to a local internet cafe and downoad your mail via your ISP website
and their webmail facility (if they have one, most in Aust. do!! )
OR get your self a Hotmail or yahoo email account and use that whilst in
Aust.
Freda
--
Please reply to the list as my email address is a fake
"Dave" wrote in message
...
Hi There


I live in the UK and will be visiting Australia in
December and was wondering if anyone could help me with some
information regarding the use of my Toshiba laptop in Melbourne.

.The laptop has an inbuilt modem,but I mainly use it with broadband at
home via a 10/100 network card plugged into the PCMCIA slot,I think
the connection I am looking for is RJ45.

I'll be staying at a new Ramada hotel which says the rooms have data
ports with high speed internet access.

Can anyone who reads this group give me any info that would let me
make this connection .


Thanks in Advance


Dave Rowberry






Peter Webb November 17th, 2003 06:14 AM

Laptop connection advice for a Brit.
 
Firstly, I think that Freda in the previous post is under the belief that
the internet access you are talking about (and Ramada provides) is dial up.
The connectors she is talking about are for telephones, not direct data
services.

Secondly, the fact that the hotel is in Oz is irrelevant. The same software
and hardware standards are used world wide for computer cabling and access
(unlike telephones, TV, radio, electricity, and beer quality, which all have
regional differences).

I assume that "data ports with high speed access" means there is an RJ45
socket in each room (ie for blue UTP cable). In a hardware sense, all you
may need is straight RJ45 to RJ45 cable long enough to reach from the hole
in the wall to the desk - probably only need a metre, get a couple of metres
to be sure. You can buy these cables for a few bucks in any
electrical/computer store. They will ask if you want a "straight through" or
"cross-over" - you want a "straight through".

The software side may involve slightly more screwing about. Your PC will
need to be set up to have a dynamically assigned IP address, but that's
probably how it is set up now. There is a very good chance that you will
just plug it in and it magically works. (Make sure you plug it in and then
boot your PC - the laptop probably looks for an IP address on boot, so
connecting it after you turn it on may not work). If there is any aggro, I
am sure the Ramada will provide instructions on how to use their service ...


"Dave" wrote in message
...
Hi There


I live in the UK and will be visiting Australia in
December and was wondering if anyone could help me with some
information regarding the use of my Toshiba laptop in Melbourne.

.The laptop has an inbuilt modem,but I mainly use it with broadband at
home via a 10/100 network card plugged into the PCMCIA slot,I think
the connection I am looking for is RJ45.

I'll be staying at a new Ramada hotel which says the rooms have data
ports with high speed internet access.

Can anyone who reads this group give me any info that would let me
make this connection .


Thanks in Advance


Dave Rowberry






4000 psi November 17th, 2003 02:26 PM

Laptop connection advice for a Brit.
 
you primary concern should NOT be there RJ45 connection as those are
universal across the world ... you need to worry about electrical outlet
adopter which i am sure is different in AUS ... the laptop has a universal
power supply that will work in AUS, but the actual plug needs an adopter.

"Dave" wrote in message
...
Hi There


I live in the UK and will be visiting Australia in
December and was wondering if anyone could help me with some
information regarding the use of my Toshiba laptop in Melbourne.

.The laptop has an inbuilt modem,but I mainly use it with broadband at
home via a 10/100 network card plugged into the PCMCIA slot,I think
the connection I am looking for is RJ45.

I'll be staying at a new Ramada hotel which says the rooms have data
ports with high speed internet access.

Can anyone who reads this group give me any info that would let me
make this connection .


Thanks in Advance


Dave Rowberry






Dean Chapman November 17th, 2003 03:16 PM

Laptop connection advice for a Brit.
 
.....mutli power adapter available from most branches of Argos, Dixons, PC
World etc.
Dean.

"4000 psi" wrote in message
news:QU4ub.19575$Ro5.4460@fed1read07...
you primary concern should NOT be there RJ45 connection as those are
universal across the world ... you need to worry about electrical outlet
adopter which i am sure is different in AUS ... the laptop has a universal
power supply that will work in AUS, but the actual plug needs an adopter.

"Dave" wrote in message
...
Hi There


I live in the UK and will be visiting Australia in
December and was wondering if anyone could help me with some
information regarding the use of my Toshiba laptop in Melbourne.

.The laptop has an inbuilt modem,but I mainly use it with broadband at
home via a 10/100 network card plugged into the PCMCIA slot,I think
the connection I am looking for is RJ45.

I'll be staying at a new Ramada hotel which says the rooms have data
ports with high speed internet access.

Can anyone who reads this group give me any info that would let me
make this connection .


Thanks in Advance


Dave Rowberry








Brian November 17th, 2003 10:17 PM

Laptop connection advice for a Brit.
 
On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:15:44 +0000, Dave wrote:

Hi There


I live in the UK and will be visiting Australia in
December and was wondering if anyone could help me with some
information regarding the use of my Toshiba laptop in Melbourne.

Dave

Looking at the more pragmatic rather than techie answers, is the cost
a problem? I haven't stayed in an Oz hotel with high speed
connections but do know US hotels charge about US$10 a day for the
facility. When I've been in Oz I've bought a prepaid CD rom from
Optus or Telstra (Au$10 - 30 depending on the hours you want) that
gives local call rate access in most big towns and cities. Large
hotels charge 70 - 80 c for an untimed local call so this could be
the cheaper option.

Brian

Peter Webb November 18th, 2003 01:53 AM

Laptop connection advice for a Brit.
 
Just be a little careful with this.

Many big hotels now use digital phones, as these can provide additional
services (billing, message banks etc) quite easily. This is particularly
likely for a hotel with RJ45 plugs in every room - they must have re-wired
within the last few years, and may well have implemented digital phones at
the same time. Plug your modem into a digital phone outlet and bye bye
modem.


"Brian" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 16 Nov 2003 16:15:44 +0000, Dave wrote:

Hi There


I live in the UK and will be visiting Australia in
December and was wondering if anyone could help me with some
information regarding the use of my Toshiba laptop in Melbourne.

Dave

Looking at the more pragmatic rather than techie answers, is the cost
a problem? I haven't stayed in an Oz hotel with high speed
connections but do know US hotels charge about US$10 a day for the
facility. When I've been in Oz I've bought a prepaid CD rom from
Optus or Telstra (Au$10 - 30 depending on the hours you want) that
gives local call rate access in most big towns and cities. Large
hotels charge 70 - 80 c for an untimed local call so this could be
the cheaper option.

Brian





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