[wingrun]

I have planned a five day trip and really prefer to have internet connection on my laptop to search about locations and help me guide my trip (I have a gps but Google earth and other things I can use on my laptop could be great help).

I have thought of the at&t laptop connect card but I don't want to get in a contract just for the 5 day trip. Is there any other way I can connect to the internet that is affordable? I'm thinking about maybe a cellphone could help me connect to the internet but I'm not too sure of it. I don't want to use the browser of my cell phone because it's just too difficult to do so. My cellphone provider is verizon wireless and my phone is an LG VX8700. Is there any way to connect the laptop to the cellphone to use its connection to browse the internet?

[progunr]

I don't think laptop to phone to internet will work.

The most affordable way would be to search the area you are visiting, locate all the available wireless hot spots, and spend a few minutes at the ones closest to where you are searching for activities or locations.

I know most of the interstate rest stops in Nebraska and Iowa now have free wireless available.

[albear]

Although there are laptop-phone-internet capabilities I've heard that they can be quite expensive so id agree with progunr and suggest finding out where the local hotspots are on your route

[chuckhole]

although there are laptop-phone-internet capabilities iv heard that they can be quite expensive so id agree with progunr and suggest finding out where the local hotspots are on your route

As both posts above have stated, find the local hotspots along the way. Starbucks, McDonalds, hotel lobbies, UPS stores, Barnes and Noble, etc. all offer Internet cafes to some degree.

As for using cellular, it is entirely possible and it definitely can be expensive. This varies with each provider but usually, you pay for Internet connections on your phone on a per minute and/or a per kb basis. There are tiered plans where for a fixed monthly fee, you can get a certain amount of prepaid Internet access and lower additional rates thereafter, or for about an average of $80/month, you can get unlimited Internet access.

There are a couple of ways to do this with your phone. One way is phone to modem in which you install the software and drivers for your phone and it becomes a modem that you can use as a dialup service. You would have to still provide a dialup Internet plan to use. The other way is to use your cellular GSM or G3 network as your Internet connection. I get near dual channel ISDN speeds and a little more than 100Kbs. That is quite acceptable. I do not know how much it costs... the company pays :D .

The remaining part of the puzzle is how you connect your phone to your PC. Some phones are capable of using an infrared port, others can use the bluetooth connection and yet some require a USB data cable.

I have used all of the above methods and prefer to use the cellular highspeed network with a bluetooth connection to the phone. It is fantastic compared to what it used to be a few years ago.

[KISS]

Chuck:

I prefer the USB route, because USB charges the phone from the Laptop. The other methods don't.