A small problem

Do you have a spare WiFi router on you?

I was staying over at the Taal Vista Hotel, in Tagaytay City, which provides free internet access in the rooms. It is only after I checked in that I realized the Hotel provides connectivity via RJ-45 connector, or LAN cable. This is really not unusual, many Hotels still provide internet access in the room by a LAN cable. Unfortunately, neither my MacBook Air nor my Galaxy tablet have a RJ-45 port. 

Luckily, the Hotel has free WiFi at the lobby of the East Wing and we do get a HSDPA signal from Smart Communications here, so we are not out of connectivity options.

Apple does provide an accessory which allows you to connect MacBook Air to a RJ-45 connector. It is an adapter which allows you to plug RJ-45 cables to the USB port.

The adapter is a bit expensive at Php1,250, and that would only solve the problem for the MacBook. It would not allow my other devices, like tablets or smartphones to connect to the internet, and would keep me stuck to the desk. Given that you can buy a wireless broadband router these days for about the same price as the adapter, the wireless router makes more sense. Just plug it into the RJ-45 cable, and you can access internet via WiFi with all your devices. It would allow you to have your morning coffee, while checking the morning news, while sitting in the balcony looking at this...

Posted in: Odds and ends,Service providers and connectivity