Travel Technology - Possible to buy splitter for wired internet?

We travel with 2 laptops. 7 or 8 out of the last 14 hotel stays have had wired only. Wireless in the lobby. Can I get a splitter or will it weaken the signal too much? or any other suggestions? Range extender? And if so, brands you recommend?
Thanks,
Mscoachung
NW SE tomorrow! (Not that I expect much) Too many CO 50% flights and trips within a six hour drive.

I'd say you need a 4-port ethernet hub. (3 would be enough, but 4 is cheaper.)

or a wireless router if you want wifi.

Are you trying to just get an extra port to use, or trying to only pay for one connection while using more than one machine? It makes a difference!

The easiest way to do both (get an extra port and only pay for one connection) is connect one laptop to the wired connection and pay for the connection as necessary. Then setup that laptop for internet sharing using wifi in ad-hoc mode. Then connect the second laptop to the first's ad-hoc wifi connection. This requires no additional equipment and can be used to share a single paid connection.

Get an airport express.

You have two laptops with wifi, you already have everything you need... you just have to set the one connected to the wired connection as an ad-hoc wifi server that the second laptop can connect to. No need for any extra hardware and no need to pay for the connection twice.

I believe that the computer wired to the wall will need some form of Network Address Translation (NAT), or the other one won't be recognized as a separate IP address by the hotel server.

On a Windows computer, this can be accomplished most simply by running Internet Connection Sharing on the wired computer. Then the IP address of the wired one is "multiplexed" onto the other machine.

The problem isn't weakening the signal, the problem is traffic jams. Modern ethernet has no splitters, what it has are switches that serve the same purpose but they do so in an orderly fashion.

As others have pointed out you likely will have address issues. I have never tried to deal with this in a hotel, I don't know the proper fix.

The problem isn't weakening the signal, the problem is traffic jams. Modern ethernet has no splitters, what it has are switches that serve the same purpose but they do so in an orderly fashion.

As others have pointed out you likely will have address issues. I have never tried to deal with this in a hotel, I don't know the proper fix.

Strictly speaking, Ethernet does have splitters - you can have more than one Ethernet interface on the same wire - this is what a hub does. The interfaces arbitrate among themselves who gets to talk at any given time (the "collision" light on a hub lights up when multiple devices talk at the same time).

A switch, by contrast, dedicates one segment to each interface. Switches have generally been more expensive because of the added circuitry required, but the cost of garden-variety Ethernet gear has dropped so much that there is little reason not to use a switch these days.

I'd say you need a 4-port ethernet hub. (3 would be enough, but 4 is cheaper.)

I think a router would be needed instead, not a hub. His wired connection (cable modem) will provide only 1 IP address, which would be connected to the WAN port on a router. The router will then then create NAT addresses on hte local side so that multiple computers can be used.

It's then up to you if you want to used wired connections to your local computers, or wireless.

Jeff

Strictly speaking, Ethernet does have splitters - you can have more than one Ethernet interface on the same wire - this is what a hub does. The interfaces arbitrate among themselves who gets to talk at any given time (the "collision" light on a hub lights up when multiple devices talk at the same time).

A switch, by contrast, dedicates one segment to each interface. Switches have generally been more expensive because of the added circuitry required, but the cost of garden-variety Ethernet gear has dropped so much that there is little reason not to use a switch these days.

Yeah, I omitted hubs because I haven't seen them for sale in recent years.

I think a router would be needed instead, not a hub. His wired connection (cable modem) will provide only 1 IP address, which would be connected to the WAN port on a router. The router will then then create NAT addresses on hte local side so that multiple computers can be used.

I'm assuming that the hotel offers a DHCP server, which means it will assign unique IP addresses (probably 192..) to the different MAC addresses jacked into it. If this is the case, only a hub is required. A router wouldn't do anything different, and a switch will actually slow things down, because it wouldn't allow packets to be interleaved to the two machines.

If one computer is to piggy-back via WiFi off the one plugged in the wall, then the wired computer needs to do the NAT.

Yeah, I omitted hubs because I haven't seen them for sale in recent years.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=234660&CatId=596

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=234660&CatId=596

That is a switch, not a hub.

If you get a hub make sure that it has a uplink port. You plug the hotel Ethernet into the uplink port then plug your computers into the other ports.

We travel with 2 laptops.
Purchase this router (http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WTR54GS-Wireless-Travel-Speedbooster/dp/B000A1AQOO). It's small, the power plug retracts into the body, you can plug it into a wired port and create a nice wireless LAN so that you and your companion can be anywhere in the room, typing away. Plug the "internet" port into the wall, plug the PC into the "ethernet" side. Purchase / sign into the connection, and disconnect the PC. Everybody gets wireless.

I'm assuming that the hotel offers a DHCP server, which means it will assign unique IP addresses (probably 192..) to the different MAC addresses jacked into it. If this is the case, only a hub is required. A router wouldn't do anything different, and a switch will actually slow things down, because it wouldn't allow packets to be interleaved to the two machines.

But that would require paying for two connections.

I would do the wifi internet connection sharing thing. I think that using a router would require that the router log into the connection. That isn't easy given that most of those logins are through html interfaces, not standard ways that routers log into connections.

Purchase this router (http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WTR54GS-Wireless-Travel-Speedbooster/dp/B000A1AQOO). It's small, the power plug retracts into the body, you can plug it into a wired port and create a nice wireless LAN so that you and your companion can be anywhere in the room, typing away. Plug the "internet" port into the wall, plug the PC into the "ethernet" side. Purchase / sign into the connection, and disconnect the PC. Everybody gets wireless.



COOL!
I can see with this router it will solve all the problems. The hotel will only see one connection and if you don't password protect it you can supply internet for half the floor.:D

I didn't see where mscoachung said it was a paid connection. If it is, either piggybacking or routing would be cheaper than hubbing. Teaching the travel router to log into the hotel server might be problematical, however.

11 CNet users give it a 5.7 (out of 10).

What will and won't work depends on the type of connection. If it's a connection where you need to log in at a log in screen and it's one machine only based on your mac address, then a router may not work, there's no way for it to log on and get connected, you may need to connect one computer and share the connection from that.

If it's a connection that allows multiple machines and doesn't require a login and a pay screen, then a router will work fine.

the good thing is switching between methods is very easy to do on the fly, so set up connection sharing when you need it, and it's available if you do.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=234660&CatId=596

The label on that page:

Netgear - GS108 - 8-Port 10/100/1000 Copper Gigabit Network Switch

Purchase this router (http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WTR54GS-Wireless-Travel-Speedbooster/dp/B000A1AQOO). It's small, the power plug retracts into the body, you can plug it into a wired port and create a nice wireless LAN so that you and your companion can be anywhere in the room, typing away. Plug the "internet" port into the wall, plug the PC into the "ethernet" side. Purchase / sign into the connection, and disconnect the PC. Everybody gets wireless.

I have one of those.
It's fantastic.
It works on 2 levels. If you have a wired connection, it provides you with a wireless and a wired connection .
If you only have a wireless connection it can act as a relay station, boosting the signal in the processes. I have used it in hotels where the signal is too weak in the room but is ok in the bathroom for instance, plug it in the shaver socket and use it as a booster did the trick :)

It also has a universal voltage adapter, makes it truely global travel device, just make sure you don't forget the socket adapter :).

Lots of interesting suggestions here! What you need a portable travel router like the one boberonicus suggests. There are many different models available (google "travel router), but they all allow you to share one hotel Internet connection among several computers.

The key is to set them up for NAT (network address translation) mode. That way, you pay for only 1 wired connection for the router, and all the computers connected wirelessly to the router can share it. There is no problem connecting to most hotel systems. After one laptop logs into the hotel's system, all the other laptops will have access with no additional charge.

I have been using a travel router (Netgear WGR101) for 3-4 years now, and it works like a charm everywhere, including on vacation here in Waikiki! Yesterday I was using my laptop out on the lanai in my hotel room. I was surfing the Web while watching other people surfing the ocean! :D

Thanks for the quick response. I never ran into this until a few months ago.
I would have no problem paying for 2 connections but the desk tells me it is not possible. It's wired, one per room, go to the lobby to access wireless. Guess I need to change hotel chains?
Bober, thanks for the link. That's what I'll get after I try the ad-hoc thing.
Safe travels!
Mscoachung

The key is to set them up for NAT (network address translation) mode. That way, I've never seen a home/travel router that isn't setup for NAT/PAT by default.

And much as I adore the Linksys box, I won't guarantee 100% success with a travel router. As alluded to by cordelli, some of the setup/gateway techniques used by hotels are pretty tricky. So ICS is a more reliable connection sharing technique. But using your Microsoft PC as an Internet gateway is not secure, and far less convenient. Gotta love sitting on the bed reading email!

Purchase this router (http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WTR54GS-Wireless-Travel-Speedbooster/dp/B000A1AQOO). It's small, the power plug retracts into the body, you can plug it into a wired port and create a nice wireless LAN so that you and your companion can be anywhere in the room, typing away. Plug the "internet" port into the wall, plug the PC into the "ethernet" side. Purchase / sign into the connection, and disconnect the PC. Everybody gets wireless.

That one has bad reviews by users on Amazon but if you do a search on Amazon for travel routers, you come up with some better ones (based on user reviews).

That one has bad reviews by users on Amazon but if you do a search on Amazon for travel routers, you come up with some better ones (based on user reviews).

Well I've used the Linksys Travel Router in more than two dozen hotels in China plus another two dozen hotels in the rest of Asia and in Europe with nothing but success. Actaully the only problem I ever had was in North America where I had to visit the local Starbucks to get a T-Mobile HotSpot connection.

That one has bad reviews by users on Amazon.I think routers are one of those products that are better reviewed professionally. Check cnet, jiwire, pcmagazine, etc. They like it. On a related note, here's an interesting video (http://www.pcworld.com/video/id,495-page,1-bid,0/video.html) about a variety of travel routers, including an updated version of the one I mentioned, and an SMC with a built-in analog to SIP adapter. If hotels still used analog phones, I'd buy one of these in a minute!

I have a D-link travel router. Works great, Never had a problem with it in hotels, even ones that you had to "log in"

I still don't see the point of buying a travel router when you can do what you need for free using Windows ICS (which automatically handles NAT) and an ad-hoc wifi connection. The only possible disadvantage I can see is you couldn't BOTH be wireless... seems like a pretty small sacrifice.

For me, I bought the travel router for using one computer. The quality of desk chairs is very variable. I like being able to have flexibility of where I work in the room. I think my travel router was like 10 dollars on sale. I would definitely recommend this over using ICS which in my experience can be buggy at times.

Purchase this router (http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-WTR54GS-Wireless-Travel-Speedbooster/dp/B000A1AQOO). It's small, the power plug retracts into the body, you can plug it into a wired port and create a nice wireless LAN so that you and your companion can be anywhere in the room, typing away. Plug the "internet" port into the wall, plug the PC into the "ethernet" side. Purchase / sign into the connection, and disconnect the PC. Everybody gets wireless.

I have one (after tossing the cheaper dlinks and belkins) and its worked fine in at least 20+ hotels. Right now 6 of us are sharing the same wi-fi signal in Prague as it works flawlessly on either 240v or 120v. We gotta share as the hotel wi-fi is an outrageous 36 euros/day.

MisterNice

I still don't see the point of buying a travel router when you can do what you need for free using Windows ICS (which automatically handles NAT) and an ad-hoc wifi connection. The only possible disadvantage I can see is you couldn't BOTH be wireless... seems like a pretty small sacrifice.
Lots of points: The router maintains the Internet connection, preventing you from having to log into the hotel network each time; your laptop(s) stay safely in the safe when not in use. You don't have the dependency of having to set up one laptop to use the Internet with the other; each can use it independently. Wireless, not sharing, is the primary reason that I use the router when travelling. Also, despite numerous attempts, I have never successfully gotten Windows ICS to work (although large numbers of people have, so it's surely just something I'm doing wrong).

YMMV, but that little travel rounter is a standard travel accessory for me now.

If you can find a travel router for $10 like one poster mentioned then it definitely seems worth it. If in the $50+ range I wouldn't buy it just for the rare occasion (to me) that I would be sharing a single paid hotel connection with another user. I also wouldn't pay the $50+ to use wireless in rooms with wired connections. I find it MUCH more comfortable to work/surf from a desk than a bed or couch, regardless of how comfortable the desk chair is. This probably stems from the fact that I loathe most laptop pointing deviced and need a sturdy flat surface to mouse on.

That said... if someone can link to the $10 travel router they found I might pick one up to keep in my bag just in case I'm in a sittuation in which it might come handy.

Almost every week BB, CC, CompUSA etc has low end belkin, dlink etc wireless for $20 or less after rebates (I know I have bought mucho). Check the websites or the Sunday newspapers.

MisterNice

I've never once seen a TRAVEL router in the weekly BB/CC/CompUSA adds. I see plenty of cheap routers advertised, but never travel routers.

I've never once seen a TRAVEL router in the weekly BB/CC/CompUSA adds. I see plenty of cheap routers advertised, but never travel routers.

I haven't paid attention lately, but I bought mine at Compusa around Christmas time. It was 10 after rebate.

It was this one:

http://www.dlink.com/products/?model=DWL-G730AP

It does not do multiple voltages like one of the others described here.