Strange Internet Setup

AMO

Hi all,

I went to China last year to visit the inlaws and they seem to have a strange internet setup. There is a network cable that comes into the flat that can be plugged into a single computer.

When you switch the computer on, you can go to a specific website which allows you to then enter a username and password to get access to the internet.

This seems similar to the internet available in hotels where you launch IE and then only go to a specific page until you pay by credit/debit card.

What I want to know is what options do I have to splitting that internet connection so that my laptop can use it also.

It seems to me like if I use some kind of router or something, it won't work because you need to go to a proprietory page to get access to the internet.

Any ideas?

Thanx

AMO

davester

You might find it will only work on 1 machine at a time. The username is usally set for 1 computer at a time. You could try a wireless router, but I seriously doubt you can have both working at the same time. Apartments in Asia usually are dogged by internet hoggers that work all day leaving it downloading then on all night playing Ragnarok or other online game. What these apartments do is limit the apartments to 1 computer access and sometimes disconnecting every few minutes to stop online gamers and general internet hogs.

The only way to avoid it was to live in a condominium where you had your own direct line to your condo paying the telecommunication company direct for the service. However that wouldn't help your in your case as its apartment regulated, which usually means huge price difference than direct.

AirCooledHeaven

I'm sure an expert will come along shortly, but if the cable coming into the flat plugs directly into the computer then I would imagine you can share the connection using a router (wired or wireless). I can't think of how the ISP could try to prevent this unless they are somehow checking the PC mac address.

davester

The apartment office pays for the ISP and its linked to their computer which then allocated a username and password to each apartment. They are set up so you can only use one machine per account to stop hoggers, trying to login will either fail or boot the other user off first. The apartment then charge some elevated fee for haveing 24 hr monthly access to the internet via their system. Only way to circumvent it would be a wireless modem on a cellphone line or mobile broadband. But that you will pay for at what ever the network charges.

GunJack

the other thing to remember is that the internet is highly state-regulated in china....they block access to many many sites that are considered "unsuitable" for whatever reason. They physicaly restrict the accessthis way in order to make it easier to channel internet traffic through thier gateway to the wider www. Yoou may not like it, but that is how the chinese govenment operate

it's the 'net, Jim, but not as we know it......

LeeSouthEast

Isn't wifi banned in China?

davester

might be but I just mean that was an option of how you could do it in the UK

kwikbreaks

If the PC is running Windows then internet connection sharing may work (wifi or wired to an additional ethernet connector in the PC connecting to the web).

Of course there is a chance that you'd just get the portal page on it and the user/pass used on the first one wouldn't allow a duplicate connection.

There is yet a third possibility that trying this out will see you banged up in a Chinese jail and aquaint you with such pleasures as a full body search.

davester

Must not mock Leopard ........must not ........ lol

kwikbreaks

> (PS. Why on earth is the word "p a e d o phile" censored on here

Probably because it could be used as an insult.

There are some really strange anomolies though - I posted up a link the other day and it objected to some series of letters in it. Try as I may I couldn't figure out why - maybe I've led a sheltered life???

Now I wonder how folks recommending stuff from S!!!!horpe fare?

davester

I don't think anyone would find anything worth recommending from Scumthorpe