Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (August 2004, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Wed, 18 Aug 2004 12:53:46 -0400
Reply-To:     Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: LVC: Any direcway experiences?
In-Reply-To:  <BD48B32F.570EE%gnarlodious@earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Gnarlie (et alia),

Thanks for the wifi info, I shall follow up.

The 12-volt connector/charger for the laptop doesn't come totally cheap - around $100. But I wouldn't be on the road without it, it's great to have. I hardly ever get around to watching DVDs, but they're nice to have too. Most laptops come standard with a DVD player these days.

The cellphone connection method doesn't limit you to your cellphone provider's ISP, though. Using the system I have I can dial to my regular ISP, just as if I were dialing through my modem. It behaves exactly as if I were connected via a phone line. Sometimes it's actually quicker, for some reason. The costs and limited minutes of regular cellphone use apply, so I do much of my connected work at night or on weekends, which is a hassle. The cable and software combo, called a mobile office kit, retails from Verizon for around $70. I couldn't actually find one through Verizon that was compatible with my phone (Samsung), but I found one on ebay for $10.

For someone who only wants occasional internet access, it's perhaps not the best setup, but if you know you are going to spend a lot of time on line it seems to be the most readily accessible, if not the fastest.

Joy

**************************************************************** Joy Hecht and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon

For musings about life and the vanadventures: http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy

**************************************************************** :::-----Original Message----- :::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf :::Of Gnarlodious :::Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 9:18 AM :::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM :::Subject: Re: LVC: Any direcway experiences? ::: :::Entity Jim Felder spoke thus: ::: :::> The idea is internet access and maybe TV when we travel. Anybody have :::> any experience with this at home or traveling, or any warnings or :::> alternatives I should consider? :::You might as well forget about DirecPC/Direcway, the hardware is a bulky :::powerhog and the satellite is hard to find. It's not mobile technology. I :::know the Roadhaus had sat tv but that was just for ostentation. ::: :::Your best bet is a DVD laptop. You can use free public WiFi hotspots :::which :::are plentiful in the city, especially with an antenna you can do it in :::your :::driver's seat stealthily: :::http://quickertek.com/products.html#al1517whip ::: :::My TiBook rests nicely in the steering wheel for comfortable surfing. Run :::"Stumbler" software while bmoving to find AP's (Access Points). An :::external :::antenna like this will get you a lot more range with tight :::directionality: :::http://Gnarlodious.com/Vanagon/Electrical/Pages/Internet.html ::: :::A text-based cellphone can fill in the gaps while you don't have internet :::access although they are difficult to use and you are limited to sending :::from your cellphone's ISP so you can't send to mailing lists. ::: :::For visual entertainment, DVD's are great. They take up little room and :::you :::can rent/buy on the road. Your laptop can run from a DC-DC converter so :::you :::can save power by not even needing an inverter. ::: :::If you want realtime media anywhere the best deal is Sirius or XM. If you :::just want music an iPod can be the most efficient way, you can have :::thousands of songs on it and broadcast on your Van sound system. ::: :::-- Gnarlie


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.