tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22183958.post7938279016068942630..comments2023-12-24T15:36:16.969-05:00Comments on Chuck for ...: "Chuck for" on the Road - Democratic Platform ConventionChuck Butcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13656874242638324636noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22183958.post-26615649702690065002008-04-12T10:13:00.000-04:002008-04-12T10:13:00.000-04:00Most places I've stayed at in California offer wir...Most places I've stayed at in California offer wireless or hard line DSL for free, assuming they offer it at all. <BR/><BR/>One place, the Cathedral Hill Hotel in San Francisco, had an unusual set up: They didn't really own the network. It was SBCglobal's (ATT). They own it and maintain the wifi there, as I understand it. When we first started staying there, you had to pay extra for wifi. Not sure if the hard line is free (they have that in each room too).<BR/><BR/>You'd hook up to wifi and be taken immediately to the AT&T page where you'd have to use your credit card to sign up for any number of deals.<BR/><BR/>One was like $10 a day and one was $25 for three days. I'd usually take the three day plan since we'd usually be there at least a couple days.<BR/><BR/>I got to thinking, though, wondering why I'm paying extra there when we're existing AT&T customers anyway. Our phone service and long distance is with them.<BR/><BR/>One day at home I remembered the issue and went to their web page and started looking around. Sure enough, if you're an existing AT&T/ SBCglobal customer, you can add their wifi networks to your phone plan.<BR/><BR/>For an extra $2 a month on my phone bill I get unlimited time on their wifi networks and they have a number of them all around, including McDonald's restaurants.<BR/><BR/>Now, when we stay at Cathedral Hill, all I do is log in and I'm good to go. No charges. Only problem is, I pay the $2.00 each month whether or not we stay at the Cathedral Hill Hotel and the other places we normally stay offer free wifi.Fred Mangelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15746646487480850444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22183958.post-28956914051434467192008-04-11T14:31:00.000-04:002008-04-11T14:31:00.000-04:00I've got good strong Wireless Broadband from Hilto...I've got good strong Wireless Broadband from Hilton, at $10/day. That struck me as piling on, considering room cost. It's a nice room and all, but not that special and I've stayed cheaper places with WiFi included.<BR/><BR/>I've got the adapter (I've got a car adapter as well) but a plug in may be difficult to find.Chuck Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13656874242638324636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22183958.post-38878492349424026372008-04-11T09:44:00.000-04:002008-04-11T09:44:00.000-04:00Suggestions for travelers with laptops (assuming t...Suggestions for travelers with laptops (assuming they never thought of them):<BR/><BR/>Always bring along an AC adapter (duh!), but also bring along a two- prong adapter for the plug. That allows the newer three prong male end of you power cable to be plugged into older two prong outlets and, yes, I run into the older two prong outlets all the time.<BR/><BR/>Bring along at least a 10 foot data cable to use if you end up someplace without wireless. Some motels have data cables in their rooms- Travelodge was one I found- but some don't.<BR/><BR/>Bring along a standard phone line- length up to you. Even today, some lodgings don't provide wireless or hard line DSL but you can still use dial- up. This assumes your ISP is nearby. I use SBCGlobal which has dial- up numbers for nearly every town in my state.<BR/><BR/>Caution though: Check with the motel about phone rates. Some allow unlimited local phone calls, others charge through the nose. Luckily, the one time I had no choice but to use dial- up on the road, the motel allowed unlimited local calling and SBC had a dial- up number for that city.<BR/><BR/>I also keep a list of the local dial- up numbers in the area I'm traveling in with my laptop bag. Same with everything else I mention above. I can connect nearly anywhere, if need be.<BR/><BR/>Other things I keep in my laptop case: a usb mouse (hate using the built- in mouse on laptops) and a mouse pad.<BR/><BR/>I also take a standard keyboard with me nearly all the time although, despite being smaller than many other keyboards I have, this one won't fit it my laptop case. I hate using laptop keyboards and only do so when I absolutely have to.Fred Mangelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15746646487480850444noreply@blogger.com