Any luck with WIFI in AK ports?

[Hikini]

I'm specifically asking about staying on your ship, probably on an outside deck, and being able to find a wireless network to access the internet. Has anyone had any luck with that this season?

 

I tried last September and at that time there was nothing available. Plenty of hotspots in town, but not while on the ship. (In Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.)

 

I'm not talking about the ships internet access - I'm only talking about unsecured wireless networks from someplace near the ship.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Hikini

[fti]

I have been accumulating a list of free WiFi locations for a while in light of my upcoming cruise next month. The only way to latch onto a land-based WiFi system while at the port is to be close enough to someone's network. Possible, but unlikely.

 

You can go to places like wififreespot.com or alaskatravelgram.com often lists them too.

 

John

[CanCanCase]

Seaport Cyber runs a WiFi net that's accessible all over downtown, including in the Library on top of the Parking Garage, so I'd imagine it should ping okay from a deck on the "town-side" of the ship. It's a pay service, however, not public, so Google ahead of time and get their details before you count on it.

 

Plenty of hotspots in town, but I know I've had to tone down my signal so it's not visible outside of my home. I've seen an AirPort (apple) base station in the Red Dog Saloon too, but I doubt it's public.

 

-Case

[Mooguy]

I too am interested in knowing if there is any WIFI available on the ship while in port other then the onboard service. Even if it's pay it's gotta be less then the ship offers internet service for and maybe even faster.

[cruisin_doodles]

For me, I would be happy to pay for it if it was faster than the ship! From what I have heard, it is pretty slow on the ship and those minutes add up fast.

[Hikini]

Thanks for your help and ideas. I am hoping to not have to lug my laptop off the ship in port, and just access the internet from the deck, if that's possible.

 

Last September I tried and was not successful at finding a free network. I wouldn't mind paying if I knew more about it ahead of time instead of just trying to figure it out on the spot.

 

I have used the internet on the ship every time and while it is expensive, I haven't had problems with it being too slow. I know several have, so I don't doubt that those are true reports - I guess I've just been lucky.

 

Just over 3 weeks now until we're on our cruise, so I'll be finding out about the wifi myself.

 

Thanks again!

Hikini:D

[CanCanCase]

I'm specifically asking about staying on your ship, probably on an outside deck, and being able to find a wireless network to access the internet. Has anyone had any luck with that this season?

 

I tried last September and at that time there was nothing available. Plenty of hotspots in town, but not while on the ship. (In Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.)

 

I'm not talking about the ships internet access - I'm only talking about unsecured wireless networks from someplace near the ship.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Hikini

 

I'm curious: why the need? If you're working and cruising at the same time, you'd likely be dragging a laptop with you, and I could see wanting to work from the balcony for an hour or so, I guess... There are several nice coffee shops, waffle houses, bars, etc. that have free WiFi if you're lugging a 'puter with you. Also, there are TONS of free public internet terminals in Juneau if you didn't want to drag a laptop with you.

 

Personally, I try as hard as I can to leave the work/laptop at home when I'm on vacation. Even managing 3 or 4 small corporate IT systems, I've never found anything I couldn't do from a phone or public 'net terminal...

 

-Case

[Hikini]

I'm curious: why the need? If you're working and cruising at the same time, you'd likely be dragging a laptop with you, and I could see wanting to work from the balcony for an hour or so, I guess... There are several nice coffee shops, waffle houses, bars, etc. that have free WiFi if you're lugging a 'puter with you. Also, there are TONS of free public internet terminals in Juneau if you didn't want to drag a laptop with you.

 

Personally, I try as hard as I can to leave the work/laptop at home when I'm on vacation. Even managing 3 or 4 small corporate IT systems, I've never found anything I couldn't do from a phone or public 'net terminal...

 

-Case

 

Oh heavens no! Not for work - it's for play!:D

[Mooguy]

Yes it's fun to send a few pictures home to friends and family and maybe even pop in on the home netcam to see what the pets are up too.

[CanCanCase]

http://www.seaportel.com/wireless.htm lists Seaport's hotspots (pay) one of which is listed as the "Cruise Ship Dock"... Knowing what I do about the range of their network, I think it may depend on which dock your particular ship is at. I get about a 40% signal near the Red Dog Saloon, a 60% signal at the Library on the parking garage, and I've not played with things farther down the street.

 

It looks like they charge $5 per hour... I've played with their gateway (stopped at the payment screens) and it's pretty straightforward... all web-based when you try to join the network.

 

The other idea I've been tinkering with is a cellular (CDMA or GSM) connection. All the major ports have good CDMA and GSM coverage, most with "high speed" data services.

 

My wife is reading over my shoulder and saying what a geek I am... I guess I'll go back to something lower-tech like catching fish!

 

-Case

[CanCanCase]

Yes it's fun to send a few pictures home to friends and family and maybe even pop in on the home netcam to see what the pets are up too.

 

That makes sense. Seems all of that could be done from a free library terminal or the coffee house in Juneau.

 

I used to have a picture gallery on my website where I could upload pics taken from my camera (cell) phone over the air while we were still on the water. Most folks didn't seem too interested in having their pictures taken, so it's down for now (at least until a few folks request it...)

 

-Case

[Hikini]

Case, thanks for your help. I've gone to Seaport Cyber's website to find some info there. It seems that I do remember their name as a pay service last year but without knowing anything about it, I didn't get into it. Their rate of $5.00 per hour is reasonable. Especially considering that on the ship the internet is between 40 cents and 75 cents per minute!!!!

 

Hikini

[Mooguy]

That makes sense. Seems all of that could be done from a free library terminal or the coffee house in Juneau.

 

I used to have a picture gallery on my website where I could upload pics taken from my camera (cell) phone over the air while we were still on the water. Most folks didn't seem too interested in having their pictures taken, so it's down for now (at least until a few folks request it...)

 

-Case

 

I also would use the laptop to save photos taken each day as a backup and also maybe watch a DVD on the plane ride.

[noj]

We just got off the Dawn Princess last week. I don't like to walk much, so while my wife finished shopping in Ketchican, I went back to the room and for curiosity fired up the laptop, and got good signal from a restaurant across from where the ship was moored. There were three businesses there and I think the net I was using was “the Breakers” if I remember correctly...

[Hikini]

We just got off the Dawn Princess last week. I don't like to walk much, so while my wife finished shopping in Ketchican, I went back to the room and for curiosity fired up the laptop, and got good signal from a restaurant across from where the ship was moored. There were three businesses there and I think the net I was using was “the Breakers” if I remember correctly...

 

Hey, that's good information. At which end were you docked? I'm surprised you could actually get the signal in your room.

 

Just as a coincidence, some friends of mine were on the same Dawn Princess sailing you were on.

 

Hikini:D

[CanCanCase]

Case, thanks for your help. I've gone to Seaport Cyber's website to find some info there. It seems that I do remember their name as a pay service last year but without knowing anything about it, I didn't get into it. Their rate of $5.00 per hour is reasonable. Especially considering that on the ship the internet is between 40 cents and 75 cents per minute!!!!

 

Hikini

 

If anyone uses them, let me know what you felt your experience was like. I've never needed pay access in Juneau, but I'm curious enough that I just may pay for an hour or two one of these days just to check it out...

 

-Case

[CanCanCase]

We just got off the Dawn Princess last week. I don't like to walk much, so while my wife finished shopping in Ketchican, I went back to the room and for curiosity fired up the laptop, and got good signal from a restaurant across from where the ship was moored. There were three businesses there and I think the net I was using was “the Breakers” if I remember correctly...

 

Great info! I was just looking at my new Linksys USB WiFi adapter and realized it has a WiFi network locator built in. I think I'll charge it up and wander around downtown tomorrow and see what pops up.

 

-Case

[noj]

Hikini, we were almost down to the visitor center bldg in Ketchican. If you can see "the Breakers" (I think) and their wifi is still open it should work! On one of our last days I was sitting in the Internet lounge and exchanged emails with the guy next to me who had been laughing at a joke. He turned out to be half of a couple who were the cruises "most traveled"! This cruise we were taking in Alaska this time through the eyes of our almost five year old grand daughter.

[Hikini]

If anyone uses them, let me know what you felt your experience was like. I've never needed pay access in Juneau, but I'm curious enough that I just may pay for an hour or two one of these days just to check it out...

 

-Case

 

If I do try them out, I will definitely post back here to let you know. Thanks for all of your help.

 

Hikini:D

[smarterman64]

i would think that if you look up some local hotels to the port, you may find some free wifi signals...

[ladysheri]

DH used a Directional Antenna and was able to pick up Many unsecured sites last week in Juneau from our balcony. (We were on the Diamond).

S

[Mooguy]

DH used a Directional Antenna and was able to pick up Many unsecured sites last week in Juneau from our balcony. (We were on the Diamond).

S

 

 

Where do you get the antenna from and how is it connected to a laptop?

Thanks

[ladysheri]

Directional antenna was purchased at Computer Stop (I believe Radio Shack has them as well) and is connected via USB cable.

[Mooguy]

Anyone had any luck getting a open WIFI signal in port while out on their balcony other then the ships signal.

[noj]

Originally Posted by noj

We just got off the Dawn Princess last week. I don't like to walk much, so while my wife finished shopping in Ketchican, I went back to the room and for curiosity fired up the laptop, and got good signal from a restaurant across from where the ship was moored. There were three businesses there and I think the net I was using was “the Breakers” if I remember correctly...

This was posted close to your original post or are we bumping up this thread????