henrythenavigator

I am really sorry if this sounds a stupid question I have used computers for years at work and home, and have recently invested in a laptop.... yes I hear you saying welcome to the 21st century!

Anyway on to my question... I am renting a house next week for our trip which has accelerated dial up... what kind of lead if any will I need for my laptop?

Sorry again... and yes I am blonde, but do have a sense of humour so am prepared for all the flak that may come my way but would really like an answer so I can finish packing!!!!

Oakvillian

Accelerated dial-up is just a dial-up service that uses some fancy caching and image compression at the server to speed it up a little bit. You'll be plugging your laptop into a phone line, so will need a standard modem cable. Note - if you're buying this in the UK before you travel, it needs to be a North American modem cable, with an RJ-11 connector on both ends (not a BT connector at one end and an RJ-11 at the other).

I assume your laptop has a modem on board - almost all do, but it's probably worth checking that you have a port with a little picture of a phone handset and a wavy line.

henrythenavigator

thanks for the swift reply, its a new sony vaio so I am thinking it has a modem... plus the fact that I have hooked up to wifi so it must have? As for the cable, our agent has just got back to me and said that the phone has a cable and thats the one you use.... hope that makes sense?

dbd33

That does make sense but, if you're visiting a city, you'll likely do as well to take your computer to a pub or coffee shop and use their high speed wireless as to mess about with the dial up.

iananddave

Yes, just go to a coffee shop.

When we first got here we used Starbucks.

The trick to get the free wireless internet for 2 hours a day is load 5 bucks onto a Starbucks card then drain the card by buying a coffee. The card gives you a code at the back - press your wifi button on said laptop and it will automatically configure and all you need to do is enter the code from back of the card and hey presto... highspeed net.

I'm sure the Canadian chains Timothy and Second Cup offer wifi but don't know if it's free or not - does anyone know? I have all 3 major chains on my street (ain't I lucky).

henrythenavigator

Brill, brill, brill, I do like this website! thanks for all your advice..... unfortunately I am not too wise about Canada, but if you ever need advice on skiing in Italy (Livigno) then I am the person!! check out www.tripadvisor.co.uk and you will see that I usually answer, rather than ask questions there!!

Thanks everyone!

dbd33

When I'm in Guelph I go to an independent coffee shop, Coco Latte, they offer unlimited free internet. Before the place opens there are swarms of students interwebbing outside but, once it opens, they scatter rather than buy a coffee.

Novocastrian

Stoodents, innit?