114
votes
Accepted
How to cope with too slow Wi-Fi at hotel?
At first, I thought it would be sort of difficult to answer this. The only options are hotel WiFi and 4G/LTE, and it's not always easy to do much about the speed of those. (Except for the fact that ...
- 14.8k
78
votes
How is it possible for a hotel to have Wifi but no internet access?
I think that the websites are confusing terms. I have also seen this on AirBnb where places have separate checks for WiFi and Internet. I think that what they actually mean is:
WiFi - non-wired ...
- 15.1k
71
votes
Is there an "internet anywhere" device I can bring with me to visit the developing world?
I suspect you may be barking up the wrong tree here. In short, satellite Internet is likely vastly more expensive and limited than you expect, while regular old cellular networks are likely far more ...
- 99.8k
58
votes
How to safely use password-protected websites on internet cafe computers
If the security is password only, the answer is that you can't: if they're logging your keystrokes, your password will be compromised, period.
However, the best two-factor authentication system while ...
- 99.8k
46
votes
How is it possible for a hotel to have Wifi but no internet access?
I actually know of a hotel, which has free WiFi but charges for Internet access. Through the free WiFi, you can access the hotel's internal entertainment system, order room service, check out, "call" ...
- 1,802
39
votes
How to cope with too slow Wi-Fi at hotel?
There are few workarounds in this situation :
ask the front desk to allocate a room next to a WiFi hot spot. This will allow you to bypass coverage problems (from one room to another, the coverage ...
- 6,158
32
votes
Accepted
Can I use a personal satellite phone/Internet connection as a passenger in a plane?
Technical Aspects
The key part of the quote about pilots leaving the sat phone on the dash is the 'dash' part. The dash is under a glass surface, which is almost completely transparent to RF signals ...
- 13.2k
31
votes
Is there an "internet anywhere" device I can bring with me to visit the developing world?
You're overlooking the fact that mobile telephony is a far more efficient way of connecting people in remote areas than is wiring up everyone's home. Governments and telecommunications companies, at ...
- 131k
25
votes
Accepted
How fast is the Internet on board Iceland Air flights?
It will depend a lot on how many other passengers are using the service, not only in your aircraft, but also in other aircrafts within the same region. Icelandair is not throttling the speed ...
- 54.7k
24
votes
How to cope with too slow Wi-Fi at hotel?
A simple trick to use - especially if browsing the web is very slow, is to change the DNS settings on your laptop for that WiFi connection. I generally use Google's public DNS servers which are 8.8.8....
- 39.5k
21
votes
How fast is the Internet on board Iceland Air flights?
Below is a screenshot from the flight, flying above Europe:
Download: 7.55 Mbps, Upload: 0.47 Mbps, Ping: 688 ms
I was even able to make a Telegram call onboard without issues. However... once we'...
- 82k
19
votes
Can I read my Gmail while traveling in China?
Because this question appears as one of the first suggestions on Google, I thought I would give an updated answer as of July 2019. You cannot access any Google services in China without a VPN or a ...
- 476
19
votes
How is it possible for a hotel to have Wifi but no internet access?
I can only speak for hostelworld.com which I use a lot, the difference there is pretty clear to me:
Free WiFi
This means Wireless LAN is available in the facility, but not necessarily everywhere. ...
- 24.7k
16
votes
How to cope with too slow Wi-Fi at hotel?
I can only tell you what I do. First, pick a chain of hotels and stick with them. I always stay at a certain band of hotels and this gives me the ability to know going in that I am less likely to have ...
- 1,961
16
votes
Who is a good provider for mobile internet in Switzerland?
It is not correct that you cannot buy a SIM Card if you are not Swiss. You can, and many do every day.
The best coverage in Switzerland is offered by Swisscom (especially in more remote areas). ...
- 10.5k
15
votes
Accepted
Any free WiFi facility in Germany (Munich and Frankfurt Central Stations) or any closed place nearby?
Yes. DB, the German railway company, offers Wifi hotspot service at selected important stations which allow free surfing for 30 minutes. According to their page (in German; cannot find an English ...
- 16k
13
votes
How to do a web search in English in China without a VPN
I usually end up using Bing if it's something I have to search for in English, even though it's really primitive and low quality in every way compared to Google.
If it's something I think I might be ...
- 78.3k
13
votes
Accepted
What is currently the most reliable VPN for China?
The most reliable VPN would be the one you host yourself at your home router. You might not get a very good speed, but it will be the most resilient against getting blocked.
To start, a bit of info ...
- 21.9k
12
votes
How to cope with too slow Wi-Fi at hotel?
You can get a better Wi-Fi antenna. A lot of wireless issues are simply due to poor coverage and crappy access points (consumer-grade gear is garbage and OSes are way too optimistic about displaying ...
- 291
12
votes
If I go to Singapore, where can I get internet for my cellphone?
There is a free Wifi system, which is available at many locations around Singapore called Wireless@SG.
To connect to the network you need to be able to receive a SMS to a mobile phone (not ...
- 12.6k
12
votes
Is there an "internet anywhere" device I can bring with me to visit the developing world?
The other answers highlight why mobile networks might actually be your best bet for connectivity. LTE is available in all but the most remote places. I'd only consider satellite service as an ...
- 271
11
votes
How to do a web search in English in China without a VPN
From my personal experience (Jun 2016) Yahoo works better than Bing in China, although both indeed work and not blocked as stated by @hippietrail above.
Bing also has a nice online translator: http:/...
- 21.9k
11
votes
How available is Internet in Sierra Leone?
3G internet in Sierra Leone (which I'm currently using to write this answer :-)) is surprisingly good in Freetown, major cities like Bo and most spots on the peninsula. It's expensive by international ...
- 12.6k
11
votes
Accepted
Is there somewhere in Addis Ababa a visitor can get online during an internet shutdown?
This is an anecdotal answer but, because of what I state in my last paragraph, I believe my answer holds for more than just one occasion.
I have been living in Addis Ababa since February, and I was ...
- 1,555
10
votes
Accepted
Recommended VPN in China
A bit of advice to choose and use a good VPN in China:
Don't pick the most famous VPN services, since they get blocked more
often
Choose one that offers different protocols to switch between.
...
- 286
10
votes
How to safely use password-protected websites on internet cafe computers
The correct behaviour is NOT to trust the computer.
When I log in at one, if I can't insert a USB stick with my own copy of Firefox on it for browsing, I'll load theirs up, but will make sure it's ...
- 159k
10
votes
How to cope with too slow Wi-Fi at hotel?
A USB WiFi dongle on a long lead can allow you to maximise your WiFi signal without you having to sit on top of the wardrobe or in some other daft place. I've been known to hang it out of the window ...
- 7,556
10
votes
russian women asking for $2000.00 to show athorities she has enough money for her trip
Short answer: Stop sending her money and go to the authorities!
Long answer: This is a known scam to get money out of people who are looking for a loved one. There are a lot of other people who have ...
- 2,076
9
votes
Wi-fi at airports in Japan and South Korea
Yes, all three major airports (Haneda, Narita, and Kansai) in Japan provide free Wi-Fi. And in South Korea, Incheon International Airport also provides free Wi-Fi.
You can learn how to connect to it ...
- 14.8k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible