Is it really that easy?

sparrer

I'm going to a holiday site in Morecambe but they don't have internet connection/wifi. I'm told I can buy a dongle (?), buy some time like you do with a payg mobile,, plug it into my laptop and I'll be connected.

Knowing how complex comps are I can't believe it's really that easy. What's missing - in simple terms for a simple person, please?

jamespir

it is there software on the dongle that installs and once it ahs you click connect and away you go

notjustanyone

Is it really worth buying a dongle to forgo the use of the internet for a week or two?

Enjoy your holiday and give the web a break

sparrer

notjustanyone wrote: »

Is it really worth buying a dongle to forgo the use of the internet for a week or two?

Enjoy your holiday and give the web a break

Thank you, I appreciate your advice and would do so if it were just me but I'm a Grandma taking 4 grandchildren away for a week and we want the laptop for the week's itinerary which is on the comp as are the children's holiday diaries and activity lists. They can keep in touch with Mums and Dads inexpensively if they feel they want to, and of course at least one of them will whine 'I'm bored' at one time or another so it's a good standby. I think we need it!

notjustanyone

I see

Looks like you and your grandchildren are already set up for a really great time with all the planning of activities etc. :T:T

Hope you all have a fabulous time together, well done you :A

KingL

Yes, it's that's easy. The dongle will almost certainly have the installation software included in it, but you could double check just to be sure. There will be some minimum system spec requirements but unless your 'pooter is 15+ years ago you should meet those fine. Obviously, you'll need to be within range of your chosen carriers mobile masts to get a decent signal. Buying "time" will be buying an amount (GB) of data, so watching streaming TV will use up your allowance in no time, but ordinary surfing will be fine. Other than that it's pretty simple and the guidebook that you get with the dongle will tell you what to do.

Donnie

sparrer wrote: »

I'm going to a holiday site in Morecambe but they don't have internet connection/wifi. I'm told I can buy a dongle (?), buy some time like you do with a payg mobile,, plug it into my laptop and I'll be connected.

Knowing how complex comps are I can't believe it's really that easy. What's missing - in simple terms for a simple person, please?

What is missing is that you need to find out who will have the best signal in the area in which you will reside.

Once you know that you can purchase the USB modem.

Your Pay As You Go choices are:

T-Mobile
Three
Vodafone
O2

1984ReturnsForReal_2

How old is your laptop?

sparrer

Donnie I've just checked and the second two give a good signal in that area. Thank you, wouldn't have thought of that so your info was a great help

1984RFR it's an HP 6735s, just under 2 years old.

bob_man_uk

it is really simple, they started out being very flaky and unreliable but now they are a ssimple as plug it in, install software, reboot, connect and off you go (assuming you topped up at the till)

I personally (and its what im using now) is the T-mobile payg dongle, i think it cost less than £40 and for your first top up you pay for a day (£2) and get 30 days usage...

the good point about tmobiles setup is that if you hit your limit, you dont pay extra like most other providers, it just limits your download speeds between certain hours win win imho

Aiadi

Or if you get a MiFi from Three then you won't even need to install or connect anything to your laptop.