Using Dataports In Hotels with Desktop Computers

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hello,

Apologies if this is a bit off topic, but I saw so many posts regarding
dataports in this ng that I felt this would be the best area to find an
answer. My question is: Do you have to use a laptop to take advantage
of the high speed (broadband) dataports found in hotels? I will be
staying in Long Beach at a hotel that offers dataports (I assume from
the side of the phones) and I don't own a laptop, but I do own a
desktop PC. Can I just bring my DSL cable and run it from my ethernet
card to the dataport?

Steven

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

pokemonn2@hotmail.com wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Apologies if this is a bit off topic, but I saw so many posts
> regarding dataports in this ng that I felt this would be the best
> area to find an answer. My question is: Do you have to use a laptop
> to take advantage of the high speed (broadband) dataports found in
> hotels? I will be staying in Long Beach at a hotel that offers
> dataports (I assume from the side of the phones) and I don't own a
> laptop, but I do own a desktop PC. Can I just bring my DSL cable and
> run it from my ethernet card to the dataport?
>
> Steven

The DSL cable is an ethernet cable, and that will work. OTOH, many
hotels open the data port via the television movie/services/game
interface with very substantial charges for the service.

Q

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Quaoar <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote:
: The DSL cable is an ethernet cable, and that will work.

My "DSL Cable" (the cable from my DSL modem to my wireless access
point and router) would not work because it is a "crossover cable." A
few of the wires are swapped in this cable. You can usually tell a
crossover cable from the color (yellow). Also, it will usually say
"crosover cable" on the cable itself, if you look carefully at the
printing. Even though it looks exactly like a regular ethernet cable
in all other respects, it won't work like one.

You need a "regular" ethernet cable for all hotel dataports that I'm
aware of. If you have a router at home, the ethernet cable used to
connect to the desktop computer is "regular" and will work in a
dataport. If not, you can buy such a cable pretty cheaply almost
anywhere nowadays.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

JHEM <James@esad.spammers.thinkpads.com> wrote:
: Andrew wrote:
: > Quaoar <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote:
: >> The DSL cable is an ethernet cable, and that will work.
: >
: > My "DSL Cable" (the cable from my DSL modem to my wireless access
: > point and router) would not work because it is a "crossover cable."

: Why??

Ask the designers of the Cisco 678 DSL modem. My guess would be that
the crossover cable avoids the need for an external router, if you are
just connecting directly from the DSL modem to your home computer.
Actually the 678 has a built-in router (not wireless) whereas some DSL
modems do not.

: The cable from my Westell DSL modem to my Linksys .11b WiFi router is a
: plain vanilla CAT5 cable, not a crossover cable.

Some DSL modems are designed to be able to connect to a
computer/router without a crossover cable, some not. Do a Google
search on "dsl modem crossover" and you'll see what I mean.

The average non-techie user has probably never heard of a crossover
cable and wouldn't know the difference between one of those and a
reguler ethernet patch cable. That's why I mentioned that the cable
connecting from my DSL modem (the crossover cable) would not work with
a hotel dataport. Undoubtedly some people reading this who have a DSL
modem would have the same issue. Seem like a good tip to you?

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
*******************************************************************

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

<pokemonn2@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1105952217.180479.100530@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Apologies if this is a bit off topic, but I saw so many posts regarding
> dataports in this ng that I felt this would be the best area to find an
> answer. My question is: Do you have to use a laptop to take advantage
> of the high speed (broadband) dataports found in hotels? I will be
> staying in Long Beach at a hotel that offers dataports (I assume from
> the side of the phones) and I don't own a laptop, but I do own a
> desktop PC. Can I just bring my DSL cable and run it from my Ethernet
> card to the dataport?

In most places the cable is just dangling from the wall so just plug it into your
'puter's Ethernet port and off you go. In my recent memory only one Hyatt (don't
exactly remember where, maybe in Wichita, KS) had a standard Ethernet port and
required a user-supplied cable. But to be on the safe side - call the hotel during
their day business hours (so the receptionist can ask the network guy...) and ask
about the particulars. Some places don't even have wired Ethernet nets anymore but
offer 802.11b wireless in-room access instead.

--
><eM eL><Washington, D.C.><
><There's no place like 127.0.0.1><

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Andrew wrote:

> JHEM <James@esad.spammers.thinkpads.com> wrote:
> : Andrew wrote:
> : > Quaoar <quaoar@tenthplanet.net> wrote:
> : >> The DSL cable is an ethernet cable, and that will work.
> : >
> : > My "DSL Cable" (the cable from my DSL modem to my wireless access
> : > point and router) would not work because it is a "crossover cable."
>
> : Why??
>
> Ask the designers of the Cisco 678 DSL modem. My guess would be that
> the crossover cable avoids the need for an external router, if you are
> just connecting directly from the DSL modem to your home computer.
> Actually the 678 has a built-in router (not wireless) whereas some DSL
> modems do not.
>
> : The cable from my Westell DSL modem to my Linksys .11b WiFi router is a
> : plain vanilla CAT5 cable, not a crossover cable.
>
> Some DSL modems are designed to be able to connect to a
> computer/router without a crossover cable, some not. Do a Google
> search on "dsl modem crossover" and you'll see what I mean.
>
> The average non-techie user has probably never heard of a crossover
> cable and wouldn't know the difference between one of those and a
> reguler ethernet patch cable. That's why I mentioned that the cable
> connecting from my DSL modem (the crossover cable) would not work with
> a hotel dataport. Undoubtedly some people reading this who have a DSL
> modem would have the same issue. Seem like a good tip to you?

Which really points out that any road warrior's medicine bag should contain
both a crossover and a straight through cable.
>
> Andrew
> --
> ----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
> *******************************************************************
> ----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
> ----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
> *******************************************************************

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Many thanks to all who have responded. I only have one other question,
after I do manage to hook up my ethernet card into the dataport, what
do I do?

Am I supposed to go into IE and type in: 192.168.0.1 in the address bar
and then set everything up from there?

Steven

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

pokemonn2@hotmail.com wrote:
: Many thanks to all who have responded. I only have one other question,
: after I do manage to hook up my ethernet card into the dataport, what
: do I do?

: Am I supposed to go into IE and type in: 192.168.0.1 in the address bar
: and then set everything up from there?

Probably much easier than that.

If your computer as many DSL/cable connected-computers are, is already
set to get its IP address assigned by the DHCP, you won't have to do
anything but plug in the cable and fire up a web browser. In many
cases, the first time you bring up the web browser, you have to login
with a roomname/password plus agree to the conditions of use, but once
you do that, you're on the net.

Andrew
--
----> Portland, Oregon, USA <----
*******************************************************************
----> http://www.bizave.com <---- Photo Albums and Portland Info
----> To Email me remove "MYSHOES" from email address
*******************************************************************