In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel

JimN · 01-16-2008, 11:21 PM

I don't stay in many hotels but haven't found one with a strong wi-fi signal in the room. My USB adapter works fine in the lobby. This occurs in Days Inn, Quality Inn, Innkeeper, and The Brant(?) (the old Adams Mark in Charlotte, NC). Is it my cheap-o eHome device or is this a common experience?

TheForce · 01-16-2008, 11:31 PM

I find that the USB adapters are not that great because they use a very small antenna and they are usually under powered. I would only use a USB wifi stick if you could actually see the wifi router. My 802.11b Orinoco Gold card can pick up signals very well. It does even better when I hook up an external antenna to it. I would say if you want to always get the best signal get a good PCMCIA card. They cost a little more but they are worth it. I just picked up a new Orinoco 802.11b/g card for $65 to replace my old Orinoco 802.11b card. I also picked up the Linksys WRT54GL to do some hacking with.

hobbit · 01-16-2008, 11:32 PM

If you've got a way to continuously watch signal strength as
you walk around with the laptop, watch it as you walk away
from the lobby [where at least one of the APs likely is]. Then
get a friend with a different setup to do the same... not
all the interfaces have reasonable antennas, i.e. geared for the
home market where it doesn't have to punch very far..
.
_H*

JimboK · 01-17-2008, 07:23 AM

I've had varying degrees of success with hotel/motel wi-fi. I don't need to worry about it anymore, though. I got mobile broadband about a year ago. You can't beat the portability, and I'm no longer dependent on someone else's network (other than Sprint's) when I'm traveling.

Boo · 01-17-2008, 09:57 AM

I'm not sure Wi-Fi is generally available in individual hotel/motel rooms, so I don't think your usb receiver is a problem. I don't travel often in the US, but my international experience has been that public areas like a lobby, bar or meeting room of a hotel might have free Wi-Fi, but internet service in the individual rooms is wired and cost money.

Tempus · 01-17-2008, 09:59 AM

Most hotels/motels I stay at now have in-room wireless.

I've never had good luck with USB adapters.

If you really want range try something like this:

Ultimate Range Notebook Kit || Notebook Wifi

I also ask specifically for a room with a good signal when I make the reservation. They genrally know which ones are better

**TonyPSchaefer** · 01-17-2008, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheForce

I find that the USB adapters are not that great because they use a very small antenna and they are usually under powered. I would only use a USB wifi stick if you could actually see the wifi router.

My wife's older laptop doesn't have built-in wireless so I bought a USB WiFi stick. Shame on me for going cheap! We live in a small condo and she can't receive a steady signal in the living room from the den where the wireless router is. My work computer with the built-in always has a very strong signal.

Rae Vynn · 01-17-2008, 01:00 PM

When we stay in hotels, we always travel with a cable so we can just directly plug in. Sometimes the WiFi works, sometimes it doesn't, but hotels are supposed to have connectors available in the rooms.
It's just one less source of frustration.

JimN · 01-20-2008, 12:10 AM

Thanks all for the advice.

Clubford00 · 01-20-2008, 12:21 AM

Im actually in a Holiday inn epress in Kenosha wis right now and the wi fi is really good. 3rd floor in the room. Only downside is my slingbox is connecting much slower than at home it works and i can see and hear everything, but its a little grainy.

01-16-2008, 11:21 PM	#1
JimN P719 of ??? Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Jersey Posts: 2,702 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: N/A Package: #3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 30 Times in 28 Posts Friends: 2	In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel I don't stay in many hotels but haven't found one with a strong wi-fi signal in the room. My USB adapter works fine in the lobby. This occurs in Days Inn, Quality Inn, Innkeeper, and The Brant(?) (the old Adams Mark in Charlotte, NC). Is it my cheap-o eHome device or is this a common experience?

01-16-2008, 11:31 PM	#2
TheForce I Plug-In My Prius Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wheelersburg, Ohio Posts: 2,748 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 6 Thanked 170 Times in 124 Posts Friends: 22	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel I find that the USB adapters are not that great because they use a very small antenna and they are usually under powered. I would only use a USB wifi stick if you could actually see the wifi router. My 802.11b Orinoco Gold card can pick up signals very well. It does even better when I hook up an external antenna to it. I would say if you want to always get the best signal get a good PCMCIA card. They cost a little more but they are worth it. I just picked up a new Orinoco 802.11b/g card for $65 to replace my old Orinoco 802.11b card. I also picked up the Linksys WRT54GL to do some hacking with. __________________ 2006 Prius Barcelona Red Package #7. Picked up 2006/01/02 Converted to Plug-In on 2008/08/12 with Hymotion L5 *Hybridfest 2007 & 2008 Peoples Choice Award * *Hybridfest 2009 Peoples Choice Best of Show Award * For a list of my mods visit http://www.jaygroh.com

01-16-2008, 11:32 PM	#3
hobbit Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bahstahn Posts: 3,630 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 216 Times in 118 Posts Friends: 0	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel If you've got a way to continuously watch signal strength as you walk around with the laptop, watch it as you walk away from the lobby [where at least one of the APs likely is]. Then get a friend with a different setup to do the same... not all the interfaces have reasonable antennas, i.e. geared for the home market where it doesn't have to punch very far.. . _H*

01-17-2008, 07:23 AM	#4
JimboK One owner, low mileage Join Date: May 2006 Location: Chesterfield, VA Posts: 2,553 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 4 Thanked 104 Times in 72 Posts Friends: 6	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel I've had varying degrees of success with hotel/motel wi-fi. I don't need to worry about it anymore, though. I got mobile broadband about a year ago. You can't beat the portability, and I'm no longer dependent on someone else's network (other than Sprint's) when I'm traveling. Last edited by JimboK; 01-17-2008 at 07:39 AM.

01-17-2008, 09:57 AM	#5
Boo Boola Boola Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New York, NY Posts: 4,297 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 167 Thanked 304 Times in 155 Posts Friends: 22	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel I'm not sure Wi-Fi is generally available in individual hotel/motel rooms, so I don't think your usb receiver is a problem. I don't travel often in the US, but my international experience has been that public areas like a lobby, bar or meeting room of a hotel might have free Wi-Fi, but internet service in the individual rooms is wired and cost money.

01-17-2008, 09:59 AM	#6
Tempus Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Washington DC Posts: 1,693 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel Most hotels/motels I stay at now have in-room wireless. I've never had good luck with USB adapters. If you really want range try something like this: Ultimate Range Notebook Kit \|\| Notebook Wifi I also ask specifically for a room with a good signal when I make the reservation. They genrally know which ones are better Last edited by Tempus; 01-17-2008 at 10:01 AM.

01-17-2008, 01:00 PM	#8
Rae Vynn Tree-hugging Vegan Witch Join Date: May 2007 Location: Grays Harbor, WA, USA Posts: 4,158 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: N/A Package: Base Thanks: 258 Thanked 62 Times in 52 Posts Friends: 66	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel When we stay in hotels, we always travel with a cable so we can just directly plug in. Sometimes the WiFi works, sometimes it doesn't, but hotels are supposed to have connectors available in the rooms. It's just one less source of frustration.

01-20-2008, 12:10 AM	#9
JimN P719 of ??? Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: South Jersey Posts: 2,702 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: N/A Package: #3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 30 Times in 28 Posts Friends: 2	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel Thanks all for the advice.

01-20-2008, 12:21 AM	#10
Clubford00 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Buffalo Grove, Ill. Posts: 91 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #4 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: In Room Wi-Fi at the Hotel Im actually in a Holiday inn epress in Kenosha wis right now and the wi fi is really good. 3rd floor in the room. Only downside is my slingbox is connecting much slower than at home it works and i can see and hear everything, but its a little grainy.