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tugrikI had no idea how much I enjoyed remote internet access on trips until I had to do without it completely. Not only does Stovepipe wells not have internet access, they don't even have telephones in the rooms. Seriously. There's one payphone on site, and back in the far corner of one of the rooms is a very lonely looking 'internet terminal' -- one of those horribly broken, disabled 'dialup boxes' that suck major $$ from you for a few precious moments of online time, like it was liquid gold.
The internet terminal actually worked well enough... I was able to check my account balances, my work email, and even log on to FM a moment to check page#mail. It couldn't understand the ASP controls that make Terminal Services Client (web edition) work, though, so I couldn't log into my bedroom computer to check the email it had downloaded. Next time I need to remember to turn it off so I can use the pop-tools to check my accounts like normal people do.
Without the ability to upload pre-written text, I'll jot these entries on Notepad and then upload 'em when I get home. The idea has occurred to me for yet another gadget to build, but I doubt I could make it bike-size: A small satellite-internet terminal, on an RV-mount, with an 802.11g access point in it, 12v powered. One would put it on a vehicle (like my custom van) on an aux battery system (tech I already know well). When you get to where you're going, just aim it and get it going. As long as you park within 200m of your room, You've Got Data. It wouldn't work in motion, but if set up trick enough to make aiming simple, you could use it any time you stop. The per-minute costs would be cheap (starband isn't that expensive really) compared to celphone and inmarsat/globalstar systems, and the cost to build isn't totally insane. The main downside is of course the high latency -- it's 900ms or more RTT thanks to the satellite height on top of any normal internet latencies. This means realtime gaming (Tribes, There, etc) is right out... but websurfing, mucking, email -- A-OK.
Then again, I'm supposed to be CONSERVING my money. I can do without access during remote trip events and save a few grand in the process. I just hate having my 'net design' side itch so much and not be able to scratch it for simple monetary common sense.
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(Addendum: Obviously, now I'm home. Time to post these things.)
The internet terminal actually worked well enough... I was able to check my account balances, my work email, and even log on to FM a moment to check page#mail. It couldn't understand the ASP controls that make Terminal Services Client (web edition) work, though, so I couldn't log into my bedroom computer to check the email it had downloaded. Next time I need to remember to turn it off so I can use the pop-tools to check my accounts like normal people do.
Without the ability to upload pre-written text, I'll jot these entries on Notepad and then upload 'em when I get home. The idea has occurred to me for yet another gadget to build, but I doubt I could make it bike-size: A small satellite-internet terminal, on an RV-mount, with an 802.11g access point in it, 12v powered. One would put it on a vehicle (like my custom van) on an aux battery system (tech I already know well). When you get to where you're going, just aim it and get it going. As long as you park within 200m of your room, You've Got Data. It wouldn't work in motion, but if set up trick enough to make aiming simple, you could use it any time you stop. The per-minute costs would be cheap (starband isn't that expensive really) compared to celphone and inmarsat/globalstar systems, and the cost to build isn't totally insane. The main downside is of course the high latency -- it's 900ms or more RTT thanks to the satellite height on top of any normal internet latencies. This means realtime gaming (Tribes, There, etc) is right out... but websurfing, mucking, email -- A-OK.
Then again, I'm supposed to be CONSERVING my money. I can do without access during remote trip events and save a few grand in the process. I just hate having my 'net design' side itch so much and not be able to scratch it for simple monetary common sense.
----
(Addendum: Obviously, now I'm home. Time to post these things.)
