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Princess wifi and boosting signal

donna5

By donna5,
in Princess Cruises

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donna5

donna5

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Have any of you that have laptops found a product that will boost the Princess wifi signal. I have been doing a search and there are some but wouldn't want to get any of them unless I knew they would actually work on Princess. So if you have one or even tried one and it didn't work on Princess I would love to get your experience with it on the Princess ships. Will be going on the Royal and if you had an experience there, would love to hear about it.

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Loonbeam

Loonbeam

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You can buy plug in devices that will extend the range of a wifi signal, but they won't boost the speed of the connection at all, since that is limited by first the access point and then the broadband connection, in this case satellite...

 

Have any of you that have laptops found a product that will boost the Princess wifi signal. I have been doing a search and there are some but wouldn't want to get any of them unless I knew they would actually work on Princess. So if you have one or even tried one and it didn't work on Princess I would love to get your experience with it on the Princess ships. Will be going on the Royal and if you had an experience there, would love to hear about it.
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donna5

donna5

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Yeah, if your room is near one of the wifi repeaters then you get pretty good reception when the internet is up. So I was hoping someone had experience on Princess with a booster device. The last time we knew where one was on the ship and picked a room near it and had good reception. This next time we will be at the end of a ship and was hoping I could boost reception since sometimes the repeaters aren't at the end of the hallways.

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WineCountryCruiser

WineCountryCruiser

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Yeah, if your room is near one of the wifi repeaters then you get pretty good reception when the internet is up. So I was hoping someone had experience on Princess with a booster device. The last time we knew where one was on the ship and picked a room near it and had good reception. This next time we will be at the end of a ship and was hoping I could boost reception since sometimes the repeaters aren't at the end of the hallways.

 

There are "universal" WiFi range expanders out there but using one on the ship could be problematic. Ideally, the range expander would be placed at a point near the limit of the coverage area of the nearest ship's WiFi repeater and, at the same time, where the range expander's coverage area would include your cabin. If you knew someone in a cabin that met the location requirements, it might work if the range expander were installed in that cabin. Configuration of the range expander requires a little expertise but is generally not that bad.

 

Craig

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caribill

caribill

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Staying with WiFi topic. How can I pre purchase WiFi time? I read somewhere that you can get bonus minutes if you buy before boarding. Thanks in advance.

 

Using WIFI is the same cost as using the ship's computers in their Internet Cafe.

 

First there is a $3.95 initial sign up charge (once per cruise per user; free for platinum/elite passengers). Then 75 cents/minute unless you purchase a package. No refund for package minutes not used.

 

Packages:

100 minutes $55.00

150 minutes $75.00

250 minutes $100.00

500 minutes $175.00

 

If you sign up for a package the first day, there is usually some free bonus minutes. You can also pre-pay for a package at http://www.princess.com/learn/onboard/gifts_services/communications/index.jsp and this will include more bonus minutes than you would get onboard. If you pre-pay, it will also include the 3.95 initial sign-on fee.

 

The package minutes can be used both on your own computer and on the ship's computers in the Internet Cafe.

 

The first time you use the Internet onboard, there will be instructions on how to set up your account and select a password.

 

Please note that on your own computer you must sign out with an address of 1.1.1.1 or your minutes may continue to be counted down.

 

If you sign up on board for a package, you do so either on your own laptop or one of the ship's computers in the Internet Cafe. Either way, you can do it without the need to interact with the Internet Cafe manager.

 

If you pre-cruise purchase a package to get those extra bonus minutes, you cannot sign onto the internet on the ship to use that package until you speak with the Internet Cafe manager, so it could delay you from getting online until the hours that the Internet Cafe manager comes on duty at a time you can meet with him/her.

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donna5

donna5

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How far ahead of departure can a person arrange a gift package, I am in Australia, and do not see any links or way of doing this. What is the procedure to send a gift package to ones self?

 

Kent did you go to the link I provided? It has the downloadable list in a PDF file and has the cost of pre ordering and how to order. That is why I gave you the link.

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Off2China

Off2China

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Sorry for taking this a little bit off topic, but I saw one of your earlier posts where you talked about having problems with your Asus netbook. Mine's just started acting up recently, too. Would you mind emailing me--I may have some info for you. TIA!

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donna5

donna5

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sorry for taking this a little bit off topic, but i saw one of your earlier posts where you talked about having problems with your asus netbook. Mine's just started acting up recently, too. Would you mind emailing me--i may have some info for you. Tia!

 

sent

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Coral "Live from...." Rare

Coral

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This next time we will be at the end of a ship and was hoping I could boost reception since sometimes the repeaters aren't at the end of the hallways.

 

I was in E731 on the sapphire recently and had a great signal. I have no idea where the wifi points are but there may be on at the end of the ship.

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donna5

donna5

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I was in E731 on the sapphire recently and had a great signal. I have no idea where the wifi points are but there may be on at the end of the ship.

 

If you look up on the ceiling you'll see a either bluish/green or greenish/blue light like a round button. We had no trouble on the Sapphire, but on one of the Golden cruise we did and so the next time we booked a cabin that was near one of the wifi repeaters and had great reception.

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Coral "Live from...." Rare

Coral

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If you look up on the ceiling you'll see a either bluish/green or greenish/blue light like a round button. We had no trouble on the Sapphire, but on one of the Golden cruise we did and so the next time we booked a cabin that was near one of the wifi repeaters and had great reception.

 

In the hallway? Is that where they are located?

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Coral "Live from...." Rare

Coral

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Yes

 

Next cruise go to the Internet Cafe and ask the internet mgr. what the repeater looks like. Unfortuneatley I don't have a picture of one to show you.

 

Thanks - I am in tech industry - so I know what many look like. I have just always had good signal so I have never looked for them or wondered where they were located.

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donna5

donna5

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Haven't received anything . . . debelm2 at yahoo dot com

 

(Maybe my email link is wrong :confused:)

 

that's where I sent it and it hasn't come back the subject title is

 

donna5 Cruise Critic Asus

 

just in case it is in your spam

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celem

celem

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Have any of you that have laptops found a product that will boost the Princess wifi signal.

 

I just saw an in-person demo of Wi-Fire and it really boosts the signal. It is under $50 - Amazon sells it. It plugs into a usb port.

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J&Jtravelcouple

J&Jtravelcouple

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You can boost the signal or go to a location on the ship with a stronger connection, but ship's connection (even with a strong signal) is painfully slow. Trying to upload photos, for example, just turns out to be too frustrating for words. For best results, write whatever you want offline, copy it, then sign on, paste it into an e-mail and sign off. Personal handhelds such as Blackberry or iPhone will give you a much better run at checking e-mail, etc. when in range, and when not in range, go get a beer!

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