Travel technology forum

Internet access whilst traveling?

sofiainswe

newbie
Posts: 2

I'm planing to spend about 4 months next year traveling through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, but I am a college student. I will be taking all my classes online so all I need is my small laptop and internet access to get by, I'm just wondering if there is any type of wifi i can purchase that I could use all over. Or just in general how to go about accessing the internet in south east Asia.

#1 Posted: 13/6/2011 - 08:32
Mjsmith1982

newbie
Posts: 1

I've used a device called a Wi-Fire when traveling. If you think you'll be in reach of hotspots/in more urban areas, the Wi-Fire just increases the range that you can connect to a router at. You just plug it in and it's like a little antenna that boosts the range/speed. Again, this will only help improve the range for hotspots so if you won't be in a location where you can access any, it's not for you.

The company is www.hfield.com Good luck with your travels!

#2 Posted: 1/7/2011 - 22:40
stevejames00

tourist
Posts: 53
bpg_plc

You get wi-fi everywhere

#3 Posted: 2/7/2011 - 01:54

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SBE

mahout
Posts: 1735
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Not quite everywhere, and not every guesthouse has it. Many guesthouses that do have it only have a signal in the lobby or restaurant area, not in the rooms. And presumably you'll want to work in your room so you can concentrate.

As a backup, if there's a phone signal you get your own access to the internet on your laptop by using a USB modem or dongle. It uses a sim card which are generally very cheap in SE Asia, and you just top it up using a mobile phone.

Many different brands of this small gadget are available (in Bangkok anyway) and the price depends on the speed. I bought mine in an IT mall and it cost about 1,200B. I think I've seen them sold in 7/11s too...they aren't hard to find anyway.

I'm not exactly sure how much an hour's internet costs ... sometimes the card got used up much more quickly than other times so maybe there's a charge every time you connect... 60B or less an hour (ish). Free wifi is better of course but sometimes guesthouses charge for using their wifi too.

It's not as fast as ADSL but fine for stuff like emails. I haven't used it in Laos or Cambodia but it works in places like Sri Lanka where nobody seemed to have heard of wifi a couple of years ago. That's where I found out about USB modems because everyone uses them there.

#4 Posted: 2/7/2011 - 06:09
inspiredbyk-
rissi

tout
Posts: 68
inspiredbykriss

Wi-fi and internet cafes are nearly as common as rice and noodles out here! haha! you shall be fine my friend.

Happy travels

#5 Posted: 23/12/2011 - 08:44

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altmtl

adventurer
Posts: 460
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I agree with SBE, once you are off the beaten track or on a remote island somewhere you may not have internet access 24/7 and internet cafes aren't open at 2am when you can't sleep - [img]smileys/smile.gif[/img]

By the way, there aren't ATM's everywhere in Laos either.

#6 Posted: 23/12/2011 - 08:58

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nerja

flashpacker
Posts: 35

I don't understand why people who travel to Asia are so concern about wifi and internet, you should enjoy rural places and islands like paradises as locals do, don't waste your time in front of a computer. I rather watch life pass by, enjoy a sunset, speak to locals and monks about culture and religion,play with children....what's the point of travelling to Asia if one does same thing like back at home? If you can't sleep at 2 am there are many things one can do( listen to the sound of waves, party with the locals...)...It's not that I am against internet while travelling, but I get pissed off when I travel and I see people at the hostels with the computers for hours. I wonder how people managed to travel in the past!!!! Send postcards to the loved ones, they will love it!!!!!!

#7 Posted: 23/12/2011 - 14:43