Wireless In San Diego
I’m staying at the San Diego Hilton this weekend. It’s a late summer getaway to see a baseball game, eat and drink too much, and generally just get away from it all.
I was assured that the Hilton offered wireless internet. Sure enough, as we unpacked in our room I noticed a card on the desk that read “Getting Connected to the Wireless Network”.
So I think to myself, I’ve connected to hundreds of wireless networks in my time, I don’t need the Hilton’s instructions. I’ll just boot up my laptop, click through the captive portal page, and check my email.
Except there’s no wireless signal available.
That’s when I decided that maybe I should read those instructions more closely. Here’s what they say:
Getting Connected to the Wireless Network:
Make sure you have the required equipment.
- A computer
- A 10/100 Ethernet network interface card (NIC) installed
- TCP/IP protocol properly installed on your computer
Strange, you need an ethernet card to connect to the Hilton’s wireless network. Also, it’s been about a decade since computers came without TCP/IP installed, but that’s beside the point.
The instructions continue:
Configure your laptop and NIC adapter:
Step 1: Make sure your computer is off. Insert the provided category 5 cable (located on the desk) into your computer’s network interface card. Turn on your computer.
Hmmm. Apparently I need to use a Cat 5 cable to connect to the “wireless” internet at the San Diego Hilton.
For the last time people BROADBAND IS NOT THE SAME AS WIRELESS.
I hope this helps someone.
Fortunately, I brought a Linksys access point for just such an occasion, so I really am using wireless right now.
Technorati Tags: Travel, WiFi, Broadband
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4 Comment(s) so far
1. Mark wrote on August 18th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
I think you need a “WTF” tag.
2. Jim wrote on August 18th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
Kirk brings an Linksys access point for these type of things, and after being burnt in the same way a few years ago, I don’t go anywhere without a 12′ ethernet cable.
Even if the hotel isn’t wireless and is explicitly ethernet, it’s still a great investment.
3. The (Bi-)Weekly ‘Loper - August 19, 2007 | Medialoper wrote on August 19th, 2007 at 8:02 am
[…] Wireless In San Diego — Kirk rails against the San Diego Hilton confusing Broadband with Wireless. I’d like to point out that this is the same braintrust that gave us Paris Hilton, and ask why he is funding her in the first place? digg_url=’http://www.medialoper.com/columns/the-weekly-loper/the-bi-weekly-loper-august-19-2007/’; digg_skin = ”; digg_bgcolor = ‘#FFFFFF’; digg_title = ‘The+%28Bi-%29Weekly+%27Loper+-+August+19%2C+2007′; digg_bodytext = ”; digg_topic = ”; Powered by Gregarious (21) […]
4. Anonymous wrote on August 20th, 2007 at 6:37 am
I recently stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton and they had both wireless and ethernet connectivity in the room. In defense of Paris’ family.