I am always on the Internet and have been known to go through withdrawal when my e-mail and messengers are taken away for too long but usually the actual work I am doing does not necessarily require it, and today was no exception. My calendar for the day reads 'Install Windows Vista RTM at Java U' and you really do not need the Internet to format a computer. However when it comes time to installing the applications post-install what you do require is the license key. When I downloaded Vista RTM I jotted the key on the corner of a newspaper, then tore that off and put it with the DVD. This was not what I did with Office 2007 Pro, which I put into a note on my Exchange Server; ergo in absence of an Internet connection not only could I not check my e-mail, I could not even install the client (and my other productivity apps).
This is not the first time I have been there absolutely needing the Internet while their connection was down, and over the last little while I have learned two ways of circumventing the problem. The first I would only use in a pinch, as it is probably pricey, but the second is free and I have started to use quite liberally:
- Couple my Bluetooth adapter on the computer with my Bluetooth cell phone, and in times of dire need I can connect my computer to the Internet through my wireless provider. I am sure there is a cost to this (either/both per minute and by bandwidth) so I would not go overboard, but in a pinch - such as looking up a code - it is quick and effective.
- If the problem with the wifi is that the router drops its DSL connection the router will still act as a switch. If you have a PPPoE account your computer can dial that account into the DSL modem and voila, you are on-line! There are two details to note with this setup though:
- As soon as the router wakes up and tries to reconnect you will lose your connection until you disconnect from the DSL network and are connected solely to the wifi; and
- Other frustrated off-line patrons will start asking you why you are connected, and can you help them too.
Both of these sub-points of 2 stem from the same issue: standard DSL modems are not capable of having multiple connections, so:
- When the router dials your connection will be terminated; and
- Don't let your secret out because if you help someone to connect you will have to duel them for the connection. Solution: Tell them you are connected to the Internet through your cell phone.
Just so you know I have learned from experience that some cafe owners may be just as glad to see their Internet go down... it can thin out the patrons who buy one or two cups of coffee and take up an entire table for hours on end. If you are in an unfamiliar cafe keep a lookout for someone who is overly interested in what you are doing. I suggest you turn off your speakers, and if challenged remember that you are effectively hacking their system. If I am ever challenged in an unfamiliar cafe I would probably come clean but proclaim innocence. In my cafe I am up front about it with the staff, who are sympathetic to my cause and just wish that I could fix the system for all!