KOA WiFi

bscbarns · 08-11-2008, 05:13 PM

Can anybody give me WiFi info? I will be staying in a KOA in Black Cayon, AZ long term and was wondering about this WiFi business. I just got a new HP laptop with all the latest & greatest but I have never used the WiFi stuff. Will I have any online issues with their system. They say they have FREE WIFI on their website.

Davydd · 08-11-2008, 10:36 PM

WiFi can be different wherever you go since campgrounds usually work with a third party service provider. Even if free they may require a password to sign on so when you register upon arriving ask about WiFi and procedures.

In the meantime you might want to seek out a free WiFi site nearby like a public library, Panera Bread or one of many coffee shops and sign on there to see if everything is A-OK. About all you need to do is open up a web browser.

renrut · 08-12-2008, 02:14 AM

The KOA camp grounds I've stayed at had open, free WiFi. All I had to do was turn my laptop on and it would connect. I have seen other sites require passwords like Dave said. Like he said, check with the office to find how it all works at their site.

One thing you should make sure you have is a good anti-virus and firewall on your computer. Open wireless is just that, it's open. Anyone else connected to the same WiFi can access your computer with very little effort.

Davydd · 08-15-2008, 04:29 AM

Viruses are easy to control. Don't download stuff especially executable files from any suspect or unknown source and don't open attachments in e-mail. The problem will be no different on the road than in your home for that matter. I say that with a bit of confidence being on a Macintosh.

As far as being WiFi connected I am connected that way at home and no one can access my computer without my password and permission. On the road that setup is the same.

The biggest problem is e-mail phishing for information. I NEVER click on an e-mail URL to go to a site including my bank, credit card company, etc. I will go to the URL I have bookmarked I know is good and then access the specific web page or information. Most of your banks, credit card companies, etc. will never send you e-mail with clickable URLs anyway for information.

Whiskyecho · 08-18-2008, 03:55 PM

(you might be there by now, but..)

Sounds as tho you're really new to WiFi - I'm not a guru but hopes this helps:

On my laptop (running Vista) when I click on the "Start" ball, at the lower left, a window opens that has a lot of choices that allow me to "click on". One of which is "Connect To". When I click on those words another window opens that shows all the "networks" that are within range of my laptop.

Some of those networks are "secured" (requiring a password to connect) - some are not. (you should be able to connect to an unsecured network simply by clicking on it).

The KOA should give you a password to connect but I suggest that you take your laptop to the Office and have them show you how to "get on".

I've found that ease of connection varies from KOA to KOA (depending on who it is that provides the network). Also, sometimes the password might be good for just 1 day (or some other time period) - ask about that.

Anyway - take it to the Office and have them walk you thru the process..

Mike · 08-19-2008, 04:40 PM

I'm also probably too late to help you on this trip, but the info others have added is all pretty good. One other thing I might suggest is, before leaving, back up any important or sensitive files/folders to a USB flash drive (I got an 8GB one recently from Best Buy, on sale for around $30). I plan to do this before the laptop goes on the road, and will delete the files I've backed up (on the laptop) and store the flash drive somewhere safe. That way, if you get hacked, or your pc is physically lost or damaged or stolen, the impact will be lessened. We all tend to keep stuff on our PCs that shouldn't be available to the world (banking info, passwords, other identity specific info, etc.). Then when I get back to the brick and mortar house, I can copy the info back to my laptop from the flash drive.

Just a thought.

Davydd · 08-19-2008, 09:00 PM

If you travel with a laptop you should also password protect it which requires you to type in a password every time you boot up. I also have it set up that way for guest users. So if someone wants to get on my computer at home they select "guest" as the user and type in a simple password "guest" in this case which I even have taped on the pad. They don't have access to any documents, cookies, files, directories, setups, bookmarks, some applications, etc., that I have created for myself under my user name. They don't see my normally cluttered Desktop and they see pretty much a bare bones new looking computer. About the only thing they may find are some other bookmarks in the browser that another guest had created.

Mike · 08-19-2008, 09:35 PM

Absolutely. And if you want to make it even harder to get at, add a power on password (hardware) in addition to the Windows passwords you suggest. All fine ideas to maximize the security of your computer while on the road.

Mike.

Whiskyecho · 08-20-2008, 01:00 PM

Different strokes..

The laptop with which I travel was purchased exclusively to run MS S&T '08 and to send occasional "location" e-mails. I'm personally not concerned about "protection".

Mike · 08-20-2008, 02:37 PM

Hi Whiskyecho,
Fair play to you. If you've got a "disposable" laptop that you're not keeping anything on which would compromise your or anyone else's personal identity, then security isn't as important if it were to be lost or stolen.
I just prefer to max out whatever security tools are available to me.

Each to his own,
Mike.

Whiskyecho · 08-20-2008, 09:51 PM

I don't consider my laptop as something "disposable"

Davydd · 08-21-2008, 12:10 AM

WhiskeyEcho, I don't think Mike picked up on your Microsoft Streets & Trips purpose for using a laptop on the road.

I have a backup laptop that I have considered at times to strip down of documents and critical data and use on the road. However, it seems I need, want, desire, to have all my computer information at my disposal. That's a quandary for me.

What probably could suffice for me is an iPhone. It would probably do everything I need on the road but I am with Verizon Wireless right now and not AT&T. I could get an iPod Touch since I rarely use a phone more than 15 minutes a month but then I would be limited to WiFi only access same as a laptop. The iPod iTouch and iPhone have the best handheld browsers on the market and would be the only ones that would still let me access my own created web sites.

Mike · 08-21-2008, 02:12 AM

Hi again,
Actually, I did pick up on the laptop/GPS mapping and the occasional location emails purpose. The "disposable" reference was metaphorical and not intended to offend.

If we had more service providers in Canada, and better voice/data rates, I'd probably consider some sort of smart-phone myself. They do look like the total package for everything you'd need for travelling.
However, up here, Rogers has the monopoly on I-Phone access (like AT&T for you?) and the price per month is just too high. Add cross border access and the bills would probably bust me. Although I'd have an immense amount of fun going broke, I'm sure.
I was going to back up my personal files to flash drive, and then wipe them before departure, as I like to have as much of my laptop with me as
possible too. It is a quandry, as you say, but there are enough things you can do to minimize the risk of hacks and identity theft. So I'm good with that, as is.
So I'll just have to use free wifi hotspots and Mapquest for my online road trip planning. Someone on here has a post closing of "always frugal, never cheap" I think, so I guess I'm a believer of that mantra as well.

Mike.

Davydd · 08-21-2008, 02:23 AM

An inexpensive GPS will give you more bang for your buck than hunting out WiFi hotspots and mapping with Mapquest on the road. Mapquest and Google Maps are fine for pre-planning but once on the road those GPSes do a remarkable job with a tremendous amount of information. I can't imagine traveling anymore without Dory. That's what we named her. She sometimes gets confused just like the fish in Finding Nemo.

Whiskyecho · 08-21-2008, 02:30 AM

"WhiskeyEcho, I don't think Mike picked up on your Microsoft Streets & Trips purpose for using a laptop on the road.."

I had an old Compaq laptop upon which I installed MS S&T '06 and DeLorme SA '05 - it was perfect for vehicular navigation - a 13' well matted display. Trouble was it was running Win 98 and didn't have a DVD drive - I wanted to upgrade the MS program to '08 - couldn't.

Looked a long time for a new laptop with matted display (hard to find) but finally found a Toshiba Satellite - 14" instead of 13" but that's "ok".

It's my dedicated navigation platform (that was the only purpose for it's purchase - tho I sometimes down load trip pics and do an occasional on-the-road e-mail). I could care less about "security" with that machine.

We've got 2 desktops and 3 other laptops for use at home - our at-home network is well secured.

Mike · 08-21-2008, 02:34 AM

I actually considered something like a GPS after looking into laptop versions (the Garmins seem to get good reviews as far as GPS systems go), but I can't justify another new toy, no matter how inexpensive.
I had to sell my soul just to buy the RT.
I think we'll try a couple of trips on the navigational cheap, then see if GPS would be worth a second look. Sometimes it's fun to be lost?

Thanks for the suggestion, though. What is DORY? Make/model? (just in case).

Mike

Mike · 08-21-2008, 02:53 AM

Sounds like a nice road and home setup. Too bad you had to upgrade to get the CD/DVD drive for S&T '08. The old Compaq sounded perfect for previous versions. Typical Microsoft marketing strategy.

Mike.

markopolo · 08-21-2008, 05:50 AM

We're getting off topic (KOA wifi)

Mike - I have pretty much the same Garmin as Davydd if I recall correctly. It is a great device to have. It's pre-loaded with restaurants, shopping, auto services, transportation points of interest. It shows them by distance and indicates whether they are ahead or behind you. Very handy. On sale for $150 - it was money well spent. I use it quite a bit as a speedometer - you can display MPH when you are in the U.S. and KPH in Canada.

Now - how to get this thread back on topic......

How's this:

from CNN

Seven online-security blunders to avoid

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/ptech/08/2 ... index.html

and some good info in this thread:

http://classbforum.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=762

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