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WIFI internet from wall outlet – via router without USB connection?

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Hello !

I am a frequent traveler facing with the problem that many hotels offer wired internet service only. I have an IPAD and IPHONE for keeping convenient WIFI contact where available – but momently I also have to carry a heavy big laptop for any case if I have wired connnection only :O((

I want to eliminate carrying laptop. I found some small portable routers to convert wired internet to WIFI for all my device which would be great – but those I know need USB connection (and a laptop, too!) to configure the wired service :O(

I would welcome a portable router where the configuration can be solved via WIFI (or Bluetooth) from an IPAD/IPHONE, instead of a laptop via USB. This would be a really up-to-date solution! Do you know this type of router?

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Clarifications

In reply to WIFI internet from wall outlet – via router without USB connection?

Clarifications

The problem with that idea is that in many Hotels it Breaches

In reply to WIFI internet from wall outlet – via router without USB connection?

Their User Agreement with you setting up a WiFi Access Point. It could result in you being thrown out of the Hotel at very short notice.

What you need is called a Access Point that makes a CAT Cable Connection into a WiFi Access Point

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_access_point

But as I said above you need to check with your Hotel to see if they will allow you to use one and you also need to understand that these things while having a limited Range of up to 500 Metres under ideal conditions may interfere with other WiFi Networks already in the Hotel that are used in the running of the Hotel and could conceivably result in the Authorities having a long talk to you about Cracking the Hotels Billing System/Guest Lists.

Col

Reponse To Answer

In reply to The problem with that idea is that in many Hotels it Breaches

Hi!
-Legally, the hotel can be angry if I share their service with others than myself in my room – but this is not the case, I would like to use it exclusively.
– Technically, it really can cause an interference – but the original problem was that there was no WIFI in the hotel rooms, so there is nothing interfere with… Or if they have an own wifi (for office only, not for guests) the chance is not much bigger than interfering with a technically poor wifi system from the next building.

Reponse To Answer

In reply to The problem with that idea is that in many Hotels it Breaches

That may very well be your interpretation of things,

However I can Guarantee it will not be most Hotels Interpretation and when it is all said and done they are the ones who have the power at the time not you. While you may win a fight through the courts it will be years after the event occurs you need to remember that. 😉

Col

In general

In reply to WIFI internet from wall outlet – via router without USB connection?

Hotels tend to use a ‘captive portal’ application to restrict access to their network, such that access is not granted until you login via a webpage that it forces your web browser to go to.

There are two types of WLAN devices, WiFi routers and Access Points (AP).

A router, in theory, would work the best, since it appears as only one device to the ethernet port, while an AP is a mac-layer bridge.

In the real world, I would suspect that the captive portal solution would only allow one IP address/mac address per port, therefore an AP would not work for multiple devices.

However, even for multiple devices, I am not sure a WLAN router would work, as the authentication might get tripped up in the NAT/firewall part of the router.

You do need to do all this WITH the approval of the hotel. For example, if the captive portal is Cisco, and there is a Cisco WLAN as part of the solution (for lobbby or pool area), plugging in a rogue WLAN router or AP will trigger network alerts, and these alerts will go to a network guy somewhere, and he (or she) will login and disable your lan port.

You are better off buying a dongle for your devices

In reply to WIFI internet from wall outlet – via router without USB connection?

Or use a netbook….

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