onboard internet access
 

well bieng the cheapskate that I am I dont want to pay twice for 2 people to access the internet,,, sooo,,,

The option is to link my pc with a crossover cable to my brothers pc and run a proxy server on my pc to allow my brother internet access.

Do you think this will work on the flight?

I was on an LH flight and witnessed someone using a router to get thier co-worker online.

Pax #1 was online, he then pulled out an Apple Airport Express and his co-worker began aquiring the Airport Express and went online. There is AC power in BizClass so plugging it in was not a problem.

I know how they did this because I asked. They didn't want to pay $60 when they could pay $30 to be online.

Of course I am sure the airlines heavily frown on using a wireless basestation in flight, but these two seem to have it down to a scienece for getting two online for the cost of one.

It's more than frowning. They specifically tell you to turn it off: "Laptop computers with wireless connections may be operated in flight only if the wireless connection is disabled."

I don't know if there's a real risk from Wi-Fi, but it's against the rules. If they really care, they can put a $20 Wi-Fi signal detector in every cockpit.

The laptops wireless would have to be turned on to be able to get on the internet. What he's referring to is that the airlines probably don't want ANOTHER wireless basestation running on the plane to protect "interference" , or some would say to protect their revenue.

I find all this talk of internet access on aircraft hilarious. On most flights with the seat pitch what it is I can barely open a paperback book on the tray table. My laptop? Forget it!! It stays in the overhead bin. :)

Cheers,
Geoff Glave
Vancouver, Canada

It will work fine - just use the Internet Connection Sharing option in XP to set it up.

FWIW I've been on numerous flights with a bunch of folks traveling together from one company or another and I see a adhoc network COMPANYNAMEHERE pop up with 5 bars more often than not.

The OP's idea was to use a crossover cable, NOT a wireless connection. This would seem to be acceptable under the airline rules.

BTW, PC wireless communications will not interfere with any onboard equipment. It uses the same frequencies as microwave ovens, just at a minute fraction of the power. My guess is that wireless communications are not allowed for security reasons.