Fedex

Thanks for all the input.

I went to Best Buy yesterday and bought the Sling Box solo. $179. Sling box Pro was about $280 and the only advantage I saw was the HD option. Didn't need to buy the Slingbox link, because my tv and router are next to each other, but if I was going to set it up downstairs I would have had to purchase there router.

Set up only took about 30 min and it worked great.

Do you guys recommend buying a travel router so you don't have to have your laptop connected to the lan at the desk?

Now keep my finger crossed while I am in DEL on that 48 hr layover...

Doogs

Re: Netflix vs. Slingbox

These are complementary services, in my opinion. You may want both. Netflix is great, if they have what you want to watch in their streaming library. Slingbox is great for watching live or local events only available at your house, e.g. a local sporting event.

I also use Slingbox for remote control of the TiVo when I don't plan far enough ahead to use TiVo.com to schedule recordings.

One of the key infrastructure requirements for a good Slingbox connection is the *UPLOAD* speed of the internet connection at your house.

skipdragon

D-Link Pocket Router. $40 on Amazon. It is the size of a deck of cards. Works great and plenty of security options.

FlybyKnite

Good point! Because the box is uploading the signal for you to download. We have FIOS, so I worry more about my download speed on the other end.

Bingo. I really like it when I walk into my room overseas and my iPhone automatically connects and downloads my email. I don't have to boot the computer to make a skype call. And I'm not stuck sitting in that uncomfortable desk chair all the time. Well worth the $40-$60 investment.

Should also mention that it is also an additional layer of security for your computer. 'They' know the addresses of every wired connection in every hotel. With a [travel] router, when someone tries to probe/attack the computer on that wire they don't find a computer, they find a router wall instead. Haven't registered an inbound attack since I started using mine, YMMV.

Larry in TN

I carry an Apple Airport Express. You can get them fairly cheap on eBay. I like it for it's small size, no cords, and it just works. I have a second one as my wireless access point at the house, too. All of my computers are PCs but those Airport Expresses work great as WAPs.

JethroF15

After reading this thread I pulled the trigger on the D-Link Pocket Router for my next trip. After reading the instructions I'm a little unsure of exactly what mode to use on the router and the set-up in the hotel room. Any insight is much appreciated.

FlybyKnite

Yeah, D-Link isn't real great on the 'how-to-setup' part. I have to re-teach myself whenever mine gets accidentally reset. I've used the wizard and manual setups, it just depends on your preference and comfort level. I also downloaded the user manuals to keep on my computer to refresh my memory.

Don't worry about hurting/bricking it, there is a small hole on the back side that you can reset the thing to factory settings if you don't get it right the first time.

To use on the road, you want to run the thing in the ROUTER mode. That means do the ROUTER setup. If you use the Quick Install Guide it will direct you to do use the Wizard. You may want to do the wizard and then check the settings manually.

Most important thing to do is to rename the SSID and setup an Authenication/Encryption key so that you are the only one that can use your private network.

I found two resources that may help a little bit (both manual setup): How to configure the wireless settings on D-Link DWL-G730AP? | D-Link Blog Home and http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...r_0J4Q&cad=rja . On the first one, remember Router mode. On the second one, just read the D-Link stuff the explorer thing is the equivalent of the hotel internet cable.

To test at home, take a wire from your home router and plug it into your spiffy new router look for your new network on your laptop. Connect to the your new network and put in the password you choose. Save the network settings and you should be able to surf and do all the normal things. If it works at home, it should work everywhere you plug it in.

Side-note: I frequently use hibernate on my computer, and find that I need to shut-down/restart it sometimes when moving from hotel to hotel as 'things' get confused (I blame VISTA).

hyperone

Except for the encryption, none of the above is needed with a Macbook/Airport Express combo. Once you go Mac, you never go back. The stuff just works, AUTOMATICALLY.

FlybyKnite

That's what the extra $40 ($60 dlink vs $100 airport express) is for- ease of use. Just remember-- most of us are still cheap airline pilots and a little work never hurt anyone .

JethroF15

Thanks for the great info. I have it up and running at my house now with very little effort. Still too cheap to buy the Apple thing-a-ma-jig. It was worth the extra 3 minutes it took to set up the D-link vice spending another 70 bucks on the Apple. And in the end they both do the same thing!