Internet connection while traveling?

[lmessajumper]

My company provides cable and usually phone service. I am new to computers and want to know if I have any other options for connecting to the internet without a cable or phone line. I would like to use a desktop computer in my home. I don't want to have to go somewhere to connect. Please help asap as I am moving again soon.

[kathykaye]

wi-fi

[nightingale, RN]

Rather then a desk top, I use lap tops. I can often connect at various coffee shops or book stores for free. Friends tell me they can hook up in a lot of places just running off of someones elses wireless.

If you are willing to pay the fee, Verizon has a wireless card. It fits in your system rather easily (even for desk tops with an adapter). The card runs about $ 60 a month, rather steep I think. It can run off of high speed internet if in the area but uses dial up if not.

I am not familiar with using the actual cell telephones. Perhaps someone will see this and provide that info.

[Lenap]

If you use laptop when traveling you'll need a wireless notebook card ( the one we use is from Linksys). You can use it for wireless connections in pretty much all internet cafe and now a lot of hotels are catching up and starting to use routers to allow wireless connections. Few weeks ago my husband and I went away on vacation and took our laptop with us...not really hoping to use it for internet, but my husband ended up receiving signal from a nearby hotel that provided free wireless connection so we had free internet all our vacation :)

Here is a link for some info how to find the spots with wireless connection:

http://www.intel.com/personal/howto/dhg_hotspots.htm

[nightingale, RN]

If you have a newer lap top, it should have a built in wireless card.

I have had friends who go into their local library to use their Internet Service that is for free.