Wireless Internet Access

[iceman5]

[TheUnknownPlayer]

[Nortonesque]

Lots of places like coffee shops have hot spots -- these are essentially just places with wireless routers like yours. Some places provide it for free, some places charge (Starbucks charges, for instance). I'm sure someone has listed the free places in your area somewhere on the web.

One thing you should know is that most of these places don't use encryption (WEP), so any internet stuff you do that isn't encrypted is essentially being broadcast for whoever wants to listen. Web browsing is encrypted for https URLs, but not http URLs, and most POP email servers don't use encryption.

Some cell phone providers have a wireless card & service that uses the cell network. I know Verizon does in the San Diego area. It's probably somewhere in the $40-80/month range.

[low dough]

The main problem with sattelite internet access, what TUP was referring to, is the long delay between your mouse click and when the server recieves it and send back the acknowledgement packet.

This is know as ping times.

You are sending a string of information, at the speed of light, up to a satt. in geosynchronous orbit(62 miles?), the signal then goes to a receiver on earth, into a backbone, then to your server. And then the server has to bounce the signal back off of the same satt..

If you are playing at a site that has small response windows(time to react) to start with, the extra 8/10ths of a second required for the signal to go there and come back may make the site unplayable.

The same reason that online gamers using satt. internet access or dialup have a distinct disadvantage. They are waiting to recieve the update on their enemies postition, while their enemy has already snuck up behind and shot them.

Back to icemans question, some bigger cities are implementing large-scale hotspots, but this will be slow in coming. The demand is there, but the technology has not caught up yet.

You could also google for "pringles-can Wi-Fi antenna", and see what some enterprising geeks have done to get wifi to increase in distance.

[tetsuo]

Do you not have mobile phone companies offering GPRS datacards over in the US?

This means you have internet access wherever you have cell network coverage.

If you go around with a briefcase and a sat dish, people are going to think you're a feebie or something But maybe you might like that

[iceman5]

What the hell is a feebie?

[tetsuo]

Fart, Barf and Itch?

FBI