connecting a wireless router to your hotel ethernet connection
 

I would love to get your experiences and recommendations.

I have decided thanks to your help to keep my USB EVDO modem. But I also want to be able to set up my own wifi, using the hotel ethernet connection as input to my router, when that is available instead of the EVDO card.

What do you do? What do you suggest?

I carry a travel router & do it all the time. I set it up with the same (non-broadcasting) SSID & WPA2 password as my home system so I don't even have to add it to my list of wireless networks on the laptop.

One thing I've found at a few hotels is that they check if the manufacturer part of the MAC address (first three bytes) is assigned to: Linksys, D-Link, Netgear, or one of the major router companies they won't allow you on. Just spoof the MAC addy in the router with the first three bytes of your laptop MAC & make up entries for the last three bytes and all will work fine.

Happy networking!

what model do you use? This is awesome.

Apple's Airport Express is what I travel with.

You can establish a travelling profile so you can use it for Airtunes or networking extension when you're not on the road and then revert to the travelling profile. It also now ships as wireless N as standard.

It has the advantage that you can use the standard apple travel power supply kit which has various global adaptors to clip on the the AE.

That's interesting. I've never had a problem connecting my Dlink unit. I can't remember if I cloned the MAC or not, but maybe that's why there's been no problem....

I use the D-link travel router (click here), a superb unit (unlike my experience with other D-link products). In fact I have three of them.

Can be used as a router, access point, or client (I use it as a client on my home desktop).

IF you can find them on sale, buy all of them!

I carry the same D-Link router and like it. When I check into a hotel that only has wifi, I've sometimes connected this router to my laptop's ethernet port in AP mode and enabled internet sharing on my notebook. This allows me to have wifi access on my Sirius Stilleto and my wifi/voip enabled cell phone.

If you've got an EVDO modem, you might also want to look at a Cradlepoint router. It can rebroadcast both Ethernet and EVDO obtained internet signals.

I have a Linksys WTR54GS & WRT54GC. Unfortunately both are discontinued models but do show up on ebay. I know some folks who travel with the DWL-G730 mentioned above & love it -- I just wish it had an integrated power supply.

In the past I'd take an Airport Express but have since retired it. It works great if you have an Apple laptop, but it's dicey to configure on a PC since you have to use Apple's configuration software. Using the web browser interface to a wired port is just so much more bulletproof.

One other advantage of a travel router - if the hotel's charging you a daily rate for the internet read the brochure and make sure they don't have language like "$xx per day PER COMPUTER". I've had one hotel charge me twice for the same day because I plugged my MacBook Pro & PC into the wired broadband at different times during the day. Some serious whining got them to remove one of the charges. Obviously they were tracking MAC addys. If I was using a travel router at that time it wouldn't have been an issue.

Funny, as I read this thread, I started to look at the Cradlepoint to see if it would handle both- carrying two modems would not be idea. I don't see anything on their site that mentions the rebroadcast of Wifi...without much looking so far. But it seems that you've gotten it to work :)

Doesn't look like one could hardwire an ethernet cable and make a hotspot that way, though.

Cheers.

What router do you use? Pls tell us more

I just started traveling with AE (mac user) and sometimes get signal but can't log on. Not password related so maybe this is the reason.

Btw, I'm also with TMO and use their H@H on my BB 8820 - with wifi set up, UMA pops up and all calls when I'm overseas to stateside numbers are free.

I've got one of the D-Link travel routers as well. Smartest travel gadget of the year in my book. I got it for hotel use, but I discovered that when I flip it over to AP mode, I can use it to serve as a wireless splitter when I use conference rooms at the office that lack WiFi. Everyone can get on, no need to use a wired hub and have Ethernet cables everywhere. My team all has my SSID and WPA key.

Seems kind of fishy that hotels would try and block you based on the MAC address you present - what if you have a laptop that has a Linksys or D-Link PC Card Ethernet adapter?

Interesting thread but I have a question. If a hotel room has Ethernet access typically at the desk, what is the need to create your own wireless set up? Aren't you still sitting at the desk 99.9% of time?

I like to watch tv and work at the same time. Too often the TV is set up in such a way that you can't see it from the desk. :(

When I am outside the US, I use VOIP on my cell phone via wifi. Additionally, I have Psiloc Connect on my PDA. It uses wifi first and then HSPA if there isn't wifi. It helps me nurse my 20 megs of non-US data.

Airport express also, this has saved me alot over past year when travelling with Mrs Stickskier and 2 laptops - and 99.9% at the desk? - I like to lounge!:D