WIFI Internet help Please

Stewart G

New member
Apr 28, 2009
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Hi,

I am hoping you guys be able to help me answer a wireless broadband question, which I have been unable to get a confirmed answer to.

I live in the UK and will be visiting the Dominican Republic on holiday in May, and would like to use my laptop for internet connection while there. In the UK we have 2 main providers of wireless broadband access, a company called 3 and Vodafone, but unfortunately neither seem to be able to confirm that I would be able to access the internet in the Dominican Republic.

I do know that the hotel we will be staying at has WIFI access at a charge of $15.00 per day! ?Bit expensive as not planning on spending all day, each day on the net?.
Any help or advice you would be able to give would be much appreciated, as I am getting no were fast in the UK.

Many thanks
Stewart.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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There are wi fi places in every destination, usually a restaurant that offers the service. The problem may be, though, in getting to those places. For example, if you are staying in Punta Cana, taxis are expensive, and public transportation is time-consuming. Always best to choose a hotel that has wi fi included in the fee. You may also consider the plus of taking a vacation from the Internet.
 

Stewart G

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Apr 28, 2009
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Thanks Dolores

Hi

Thanks for your reply, and I can defiantly say I would not be spending very much time on the internet. It will be our forth visit to the DR which my wife and I love very much. We wanted to have access to the internet to keep in touch with the kids while we are away.
The hotel we are staying at is on Cayo Lavantado which dose have wifi in the lobby area (which I think is called a hotspot?), what I was hoping someone would know is if I have my own prepaid wireless broadband access would I be able to pick up a signal so to speak.
 

krwilson

Member
Apr 18, 2008
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You can pick up the signal as long as you have built in wireless/wifi on your laptop, pretty much any newer laptop has this feature. Now, the wifi/hotspot connection has nothing at all to do with your at home internet connection.

So I believe your original question is can you use your at home internet to connect to the net here in the DR, the answer is NO. You will need to connect through a wifi/hotspot wirelessly and there may or may not be a charge for this. You say the hotel charges so you would need to pay, but perhaps the hotspot at the lobby area is free???
 

Stewart G

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Apr 28, 2009
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Hi krwilson

Thank you very much for the info. my laptop does have wireless wifi, and I can pay for a service in the UK which should give me world wide access as long as I have means of receiving a signal (I think!), but no one here seems to be able to advise me for sure!

Thanks again
Stewart.
 

krwilson

Member
Apr 18, 2008
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It would have to be a signal that was from this worldwide access company. Which I do not think you would find here. And why the company selling this service cannot advise you would bother me.

Because, otherwise you must connect through an existing wireless connection, that may or may not be free.
 

Stewart G

New member
Apr 28, 2009
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Hi krwilson,

As i am sure you can see my technical knowledge is ?very limited?! But from what I understand the service I purchase here will give me access in the UK, and aboard at an additional charge per mb. I therefore think the service would be linked through a local net work in the DR? But unfortunately some over here say yes it works in the DR and others say not sure, which does not help which is why I thought the best people to ask are the guys that live there.

Again I am grateful for your time and help.
 
Feb 7, 2007
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Many hotels say "24 hours" but they give you 24 hours use-as-you-wish, instead of 24 hours uninterrupted. Your best bet is to call the hotel - guest services - and ask. Many times the hotel has Internet contracted to a third party and you can talk to them.
 

Stewart G

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Apr 28, 2009
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Hi rubio,
Thank you, I have asked the hotel guest services but they tell me I have to purchase a code each day and could not give me any other advice when I tryed to explain I would bring my own laptop.
 

krwilson

Member
Apr 18, 2008
136
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The problem you seem to be facing is this; to get on the internet you need an available connection, which at this point seems to be what the hotel offers at a price. Without paying you will not be able to access the internet and thus not be able to access this other network you speak about.

So, the choice is to take your laptop and maybe there is a hotspot at a cafe/restaurant/interent cafe nearby with better pricing, or pay the hotel. Perhaps they offer an hourly rate.

At any rate, I would not pay for an additional service that cannot supply you with information as to the operation of their service! IMHO.
 

blkronin

New member
Sep 30, 2008
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If you have a broadband access device, usually a usb device, you can access the internet through a 3G phone network. If you cellular provider has international roaming on their data network, you should be able to connect. The only problem is that data roaming is very expensive.
 

TheHun

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May 4, 2008
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So far non of the hotels that I have stayed charged me for WIFI when I used my laptop. If someone wants to use their PCs for internet than there is a charge.
The problem with the WIFI is, that you might not have a signal in your room and have to get down to the lobby.
There are many different hotels with many different services so I'm not saying that your hotel won't charge for it, I'm just saying that I have never had to pay so far.

Have a good trip and enjoy your stay!

The Hun
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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It varies. I've paid in hotels in Barbados and Jamaica, but it has been free in places I've stayed at in Spain and the DR.

OP, although I agree that $15 is steep, the odds are that the service your provider is trying to flog you will be more expensive than the hotel's wi-fi charge, and may not even work anyway.
 

Stewart G

New member
Apr 28, 2009
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Thank you all very much for your kind replies. I have been on the DR1 site many times over the past 4 years; genuinely because I think it is a great site and has provided me with a lot of useful information from the guy and gals that take the time to contribute

The DR is a place my wife and I love, and will continue to visit for a long time to come (God willing!), it’s becoming like a second home!

Thanks to all for the help and advice I have received.

Stewart.

.
 

Reidy620

Bronze
Mar 30, 2008
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www.casaellie.com
Hi,

I am hoping you guys be able to help me answer a wireless broadband question, which I have been unable to get a confirmed answer to.

I live in the UK and will be visiting the Dominican Republic on holiday in May, and would like to use my laptop for internet connection while there. In the UK we have 2 main providers of wireless broadband access, a company called 3 and Vodafone, but unfortunately neither seem to be able to confirm that I would be able to access the internet in the Dominican Republic.

I do know that the hotel we will be staying at has WIFI access at a charge of $15.00 per day! ?Bit expensive as not planning on spending all day, each day on the net?.
Any help or advice you would be able to give would be much appreciated, as I am getting no were fast in the UK.

Many thanks
Stewart.

Stewart,

Try the links below:-

Can I get 3G broadband abroad? - Help - Vodafone

Top 10 Broadband ? Top 10's Guide to Broadband Abroad

Your best Idea is to take your laptop into town with you, find a bar that has a wireless hot-spot (a lot, in fact most, are free), have a couple of beers and surf or keep up with your friends to your hearts content.

If you use your 3G dongle, you're gonna pay a lot for roaming charges in the Dominican Republic.

Tropical Regards
Reidy
anpalmisl.gif
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
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He is staying at Bahia Principe Cayo Levantado. Doubt there are any internet cafes on that out island. He would have only the option of taking an excursion or boat taxi to Samana city, where there are several. But that could cost him more than the US$15 for the day.
 

RD-Info

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Mar 19, 2009
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www.rd-negocios.com
I am technician of Gold Strand Group company that sell internet services in hotels. In all hotels in Samana (Cayacoa,Cayo Levantado and from tomorrow in El Portillo) internet access cost 15 US$ / day, but in Cayo Levantado you can use 2 laptop's free of charge,in the lobby, 20 minutes per session ,if nobody waiting you can use internet how much you want.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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Do not data roam with your service from your home country, even if its available. It would be hard to control the costs.