Traveling with Verizon DSL
 

We have Verizon DSL at home on our desktop...my husband also has an Apple laptop...can we load our Verizon DSL disc onto it and use Verizon on the road? Is the Verizon disc even Apple compatible?

Thanks.

using the powerbook (or windows laptop for that matter) on the road, means you probably will be connecting via dialup 56k modem. verizon offers a dialup option with its dsl plans for (i think) $10 more a month. then you just plug into any phone and dial up, just like in the old days.

there is no need to install any verizon software. all you need is the phone number, login id and password, and have the computer set up to do ppp via modem (network system preference panel).

another option are the verizion wifi hotspots. these are publically accessible 802.11b wifi (apple airport) hotspots, that let you log in with your verizon id and password. as far as i know, they are only available in new york city, but hopefully they'll add more elsewhere.

of course, there are the usual commercial wifi services found in coffeeshops, airport lounges, etc. most of the time they are not free, but sometimes they are. and as mentioned in your other thread, some hotels offer wired ethernet access. both the wifi and ethernet are substantially faster than using the modem, but not as readily available as a phone jack.

More likely you'll want to use the hotel access you mentioned in the other thread. It can be pricey, but dialup is, well, dialup: painfully slow. My experience with dialup on the road for some reason has been that I get slower connect speeds than I would get in other places. If you know you'll be in places with high-speed in the room, I wouldn't bother adding the dialup option to your Verizon account.

PS It's funny you should talk about those separately. The Apple laptop can certainly also connect to your home DSL should you desire it to.


[This message has been edited by CrazyOne (edited Dec 01, 2003).]

To make a short story short. You can't use your DSL line anywhere other than through your DSL line.

Thanks for the clarifications. As much as I do know about desktops and DSL...I know NOTHING of travel and laptops.

I appreciate the help.

Looks like we'll pay for the access at the hotel or hope for wifi in the lobby.