Comments | siobhra: Lap-tops and the Internet

siobhra

Lap-tops and the Internet

Oct 13, 2009 20:55

I have had the laptop since Saturday. Now at work I run out at lunch time and make a mad dash to the library to use their wifi. The Burger King wants to charge you. Starbucks makes you buy something. (and that's only fair but time consuming) Borders is far away with lots of traffic lights in between ( Read more... )

Comments 1

siriciryon October 14 2009, 02:16:29 UTC

The technologies are WiFi and WWAN cell modems. "cell tethering" is just a particular way of doing the latter.
Theoretically you could set up your own WiFi device at work, but most workplaces frown on things like that (since you use the business internet connection to feed the WiFi, and that means your WiFi device and anything connecting to it show up on their network and can potentially cause tech problems - alternately, lots of places Have Policies About These Things with intent to make sure workers, well, work.)
With WWAN, you pay for being able to access anywhere the carrier's network is. (and possibly a device).

This is actually a current 'problem' being investigated for solutions by the tech industry as a whole.