Tech ? about uploading while in port

[cajun-crazy]

This isn't really a photo question - but I know there is someone here that knows the answer to my question!

 

I bring my laptop to upload pictures and free up memory. Sometimes I have an ongoing Word document that sort of acts as a journal. I've even inserted a few pictures into the document. Once I have this document on my laptop, can I save it to a portable drive and upload it into an email at a internet cafe in port?

 

I'd like to provide detailed e-mails to family back home without having to type it out while at the internet cafe.

 

Does anyone else have another idea that might work?

[gazingm42]

If you have a laptop. You can bring your laptop to the cafe or wireless

area and connect. This is true with Carnival ships that I am aware.

 

You will not need to transfer the file. Just email the doc from your

laptop when connecting wireless. Your internet charges will still

apply with laptops.

[chipmaster]

This isn't really a photo question - but I know there is someone here that knows the answer to my question!

 

I bring my laptop to upload pictures and free up memory. Sometimes I have an ongoing Word document that sort of acts as a journal. I've even inserted a few pictures into the document. Once I have this document on my laptop, can I save it to a portable drive and upload it into an email at a internet cafe in port?

 

I'd like to provide detailed e-mails to family back home without having to type it out while at the internet cafe.

 

Does anyone else have another idea that might work?

 

If your question is can you send your word document and the pictures as an attachement, the answer is yes!

 

I would suggest getting a cheap 1GB USB drive and save it to that and use that at the internet cafe. Internet cafe PCs are not the safest and expect lots of nasty virus and other material on the HD and spyware to be running. I would use the USB to send the files then reformat it again before you use it in anyway on your laptop or personal computer again. I would NOT recommend attaching your valuable portable drive to a foreign computer of which you have no clue what is running on it.

 

The other alternative is to use the ship internet, but they are slow and if you are sending pictures that could be a few bytes even with resized pictures.

 

Cheers

[cajun-crazy]

Thank you for the replys.

 

My laptop is very old (7-8 yrs). It does have a wireless internet card inserted in the side. The only time I have used the wireless internet is while at home. Then I have to enter some type of key code. (I don't use the wireless often). Anytime I have tried to use the wireless at a hotel, airport, etc I don't know how to do it. What code to I put in? The internet doesn't automatically pop up.

 

I do have a USB drive. I just wasn't sure how to connect this once I was in the internet cafe. Do you have access to the cpu's where you could just plug it in? I never thought of the viruses, etc. Wouldn't that also create a problem for the recipient of my file?

 

MAYBE I just need to buy a new laptop:D

[pierces]

I took the laptop on the last cruise specifically to keep a blog going while we were on the cruise. I did the writing in Word and then pasted it into the blog and added pictures when I connected to the ship's wireless network. Most of my posts were made 500 miles from land!

 

The blog is here if you're interested: http://pierce324.blogspot.com/

 

BlogSpot is a free service if you have Google GMail. Here's the startpoint: https://www.blogger.com/start

 

We sent invitations to the blog to the people we would have e-mailed docs to and they subscribed. The subscription notified them when content was added.

 

Worked out pretty well!

 

Dave

[cajun-crazy]

Thanks pierces - the blog sounds like it would work and be fun too.

 

BUT - do you have any clue about my wireless connection problem I mentioned in post #4

 

I just don't know how to connect wireless, and I thought it was easy. Maybe it is on newer computers.

[pierces]

Thanks pierces - the blog sounds like it would work and be fun too.

 

BUT - do you have any clue about my wireless connection problem I mentioned in post #4

 

I just don't know how to connect wireless, and I thought it was easy. Maybe it is on newer computers.

 

On the ships and in Hotels, I never have an issue...oh, wait..I'm an IT consultant with years of experience!:eek:

 

Lacking that, I have found that the ship's internet people are very helpful in getting you connected (financial incentive!) and most hotels give you a tech-support number on a card in the room.

 

Most hotel wi-fi is not secured, but you are re-directed to their website to agree to the terms. On the ship, you usually have to sign up for the service and create an account and password to be used when you connect.

 

You should go to the website for the brand of card you have and download the newest drivers and management utility. You should also be running the latest copy of Internet Explorer that your operating system will support. I have found that some older cards won't support newer connection protocols until updated.

 

Another thing to check is whether your card is set up with a fixed IP address for home. If it is, you will have to change it to "Obtain IP Address Automatically" in the network connection properties for it to automatically connect.

 

What is your tech level?

 

Dave

[cajun-crazy]

What is your tech level?

 

Dave

Thank you for taking the time respond. I work in an office with computers that someone else has set up. At home I upload pictures off my camera and can transfer files to the USB drive. My tech level is very low - however I do use the computer daily. Someone else set up the wireless card (possibly Net Gear) and maybe a router too at home.

 

I will connect the computer to the internet, download the latest drivers and IE and take it to a wireless spot to see what happens. Don't you think if I can have wireless access at home that I should be able to use it in others places also? Just because the computers old shouldn't stop me.

[pierces]

Thank you for taking the time respond. I work in an office with computers that someone else has set up. At home I upload pictures off my camera and can transfer files to the USB drive. My tech level is very low - however I do use the computer daily. Someone else set up the wireless card (possibly Net Gear) and maybe a router too at home.

 

I will connect the computer to the internet, download the latest drivers and IE and take it to a wireless spot to see what happens. Don't you think if I can have wireless access at home that I should be able to use it in others places also? Just because the computers old shouldn't stop me.

 

As I mentioned above, the wireless card has to be set up to automatically request an address from whatever router you are connecting to. This is the normal setting, but you should check to see if it has been changed for some reason. Also, depending on the wireless utility, you may have to open it and manually tell it to "connect" to a new access point.

 

If you have IT people at work, ask one of them to take a look at your setup and try connecting there, assuming there's wireless there. If not, take them to Starbucks and have them connect there. (IT people are easily bribed with caffeine!)

 

You are correct in assuming that the age of the computer (within reason) shouldn't keep you from connecting...especially if it works at home.

 

Dave

[cajun-crazy]

Thank you! I'll see how it goes.

 

I appreciate the help.