Do U Wi-Fi - Tell us how

[Steve Bildermann]

I wonder who accesses the regular internet via wireless (not via Keitai) If you do please tell us how, where and with which device.

I was thinking that the time I spend at the hospital W-A-I-T-I-N-G could be better used if I had a notebook and wi-fi access.

Here's the article that sparked my interest from the Japan Times.

Nowhere is the growth of the wireless Internet more apparent than right here in Japan. Ubiquitous cell phone networks, the fastest-growing broadband subscriber base in the world and an insatiable appetite for the latest gadgets have put Japan at the forefront of Internet technology development and diffusion.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nc20030501mr.htm

[GuyJean]

I wonder who accesses the regular internet via wireless (not via Keitai) If you do please tell us how, where and with which device.

I set up wireless LAN systems in the two gaijin houses I do support for. Three or four Airports daisy chained around the 3 story building seem to do the trick]Ubiquitous cell phone networks, the fastest-growing broadband subscriber base in the world..[/quote]
Actually, the name for the broadband wireless bubble they're setting up in the Tokyo area is code named 'Ubiquitous'.. Or Ubikutasu.. (something like that) I think on the Yamanote, it's possible to access the Net wirelessly.. Anyone with experience?

GJ

[Steve Bildermann]

Thanks for the information so far.

For clarification. I was meaning wide area roaming WI-Fi not local LAN. That is out-and-about town access.

[vvx]

I've hookd my laptop up to my cell phone.. er, wait.. not keitai.. Well, I wasn't using the cell phone's display to view pages, it was just like having a modem connection. Speeds were around 40kbps and this was with a Sprint PCS vision phone (in the states.)

[cstaylor]

Thanks for the information so far.

For clarification. I was meaning wide area roaming WI-Fi not local LAN. That is out-and-about town access.

Steve, there isn't any difference. Wi-Fi is the "catch phrase" name of the official 802.11b (and now g) standards for wireless ethernet.

A public wi-fi network just means an 802.11b(g) access point (possibly running a DHCP server behind a NAT) hooked up to the Internet. What GJ has done is the same thing, but (hopefully) he hooked it up with WEP for security.

[GuyJean]

[quote="cstaylor"]What GJ has done is the same thing, but (hopefully) he hooked it up with WEP for security. ]
It's WEPed..

GJ

[Steve Bildermann]

Ok - For double dog, super duper clarification

Yep I understand that there is no difference. I may not have been as clear as I should have - morning meds just clearing

I was looking to hear if anyone has a portable system (PC / mac / PDA )that they use to connect to internet while away from their home. Say downtown or in my case sitting at hospital. If so I wondered what their experience was. How they did it, if it was worth doing etc.

[cstaylor]

Ok - For double dog, super duper clarification

Yep I understand that there is no difference. I may not have been as clear as I should have - morning meds just clearing

I was looking to hear if anyone has a portable system (PC / mac / PDA )that they use to connect to internet while away from their home. Say downtown or in my case sitting at hospital. If so I wondered what their experience was. How they did it, if it was worth doing etc.

I use Air-H when I'm not within someone's Wi-Fi network... it sucks (128kbps... but it feels slower). That might be your best bet if Nagoya doesn't have any Internet cafes.

[American Oyaji]

What is WEP?

[cstaylor]

Wired Equivalent Privacy

[Big Booger]

I'd check with the hospital and see if they offer any internet services. I know stateside they do, especially for in-patient.

As for WIFI, you need an access point, and the user info. Need a wireless network card, installed in a laptop. After that, just configure it to use the new access point and you're surfing.



The only other way, that I know of, is to connect your laptop to a ketai and surf from there, but that proves rather expensive. And you need a special adapter for that as well. And then you need to pay for the service as well.

[groovewonder]

The only other way, that I know of, is to connect your laptop to a ketai and surf from there, but that proves rather expensive. And you need a special adapter for that as well. And then you need to pay for the service as well.

Are you serious? This works on AU? Where can I find one of these? Are they at most of the popular electronic shops? This would definitely come in handy! Compared to Air-H or whatever, which is more expensive in the long run?

[vvx]

$10 unlimited for me! Neener neener.. er.. I'm not in Japan.. hrm.. Why do I feel like such an outsider?

[Big Booger]

I do mine with J-phone. I don't know about AU all that much. The adapter is cheap and hooks into the data port of your phone, and into the USB port of your laptop.

Then you just need an access point (usually a dialup connection) provided from your ketai company.
;D

Below is an example of the cable with a motorola phone:
http://www.baber.com/laptops/modems/motorola_usb_cable_98193GU.htm

[GomiGirl]

A PHS phone will also do the trick. Hook up with a $3,000 cable/driver pack from Bic Camera and unlimited air-time for a small monthly fee. Bit slower than a PC card but has the benefit of a mobile phone as well as your link to the outside world. Big Bro uses one when he wants to get into the office server from home when it spits the dummy in the middle of the night.

BTW I am back from a wonderful holiday in inaka.. miss me?

[gpvillamil]

Here is a comparison I did of various access methods using the cellphone networks, it is the cost to send 1 megabyte of data using the different services, expressed in US $.

Max Min
FOMA (3G) 384kbps packet $51.20 $5.12 (yes, a 10x difference)
FOMA (3G) 64kbps circuit $1.48 $0.62 (similar to HSCSD)
PHS 64kbps circuit $0.046 $0.028 (not an error - it is
that much cheaper)
DoPa 9.6kbps - 28kbps packet $23.30 $13.30 (the i-mode carrier
network)

AirH is even cheaper than PHS, and supports 128kbps. You can now get an AirH phone that plugs into a laptop using USB.

WiFi in Tokyo is being rolled out by a number of companies, including NTT East. You want to make sure your ISP supports iPass roaming (http://www.ipass.com) and then you're good to go. I have used the service at Narita airport, and it works fine. Coverage elsewhere in Tokyo is highly variable, a lot of Tully's coffeeshops are equipped.

I think your best bet is probably AirH. Cheap, decent speed (128kbps) and coverage.

[GuyJean]

FOMA (3G) 384kbps packet $51.20 $5.12 (yes, a 10x difference)
FOMA (3G) 64kbps circuit $1.48 $0.62 (similar to HSCSD)
PHS 64kbps circuit $0.046 $0.028 (not an error - it is
that much cheaper)
DoPa 9.6kbps - 28kbps packet $23.30 $13.30 (the i-mode carrier
network)

cool! Thanks for the info!!

GJ