[denalipop]

We'll be taking a tour of the South Island shortly after we arrive. I'll probably bring my laptop, and am wondering where we are likely to find wifi hotspots. I've never taken my laptop traveling before, so I'm a newbie when it comes to getting connected on the road!

Questions:

1) Is there a list or map of wifi hotspots on the South Island somewhere?

2) Are there general strategies for finding (and using) hotspots?

Thanks!

[Duncan74]

We found that most top 10 sites had them, but in the end it was easier to just use the computers they provided, or internet cafes. They are plentiful, and cheap as chips (compared to the UK). Never really had any problems with the laptop in the UK, but found I often struggled with the login validation in NZ for some reason. Still handy to have the laptop for storing photos, but as I'd also got a battery powered card reader / HDD then in future I'd seriously think about leaving the laptop at home and jsut relying on the computers in the camp sites and cafes.

(of course in future NZ will be home, but you know what I mean)

[denalipop]

I see. I'd love to leave the laptop somewhere safe, but was worried that internet cafes, libraries, etc. would be too rare or expensive.

Do most shared PCs have a couple USB slots, so that we can transfer photos from our camera onto our USB drives? (That was our other motivation for bringing the laptop)

[Duncan74]

We had no problems with that (uploading photos to flickr). Only aqdvantage of the laptop was that I could burn a DVD half way round our trip and post that back to the UK. But then I'd got the RAW fidles on the pocket HDD and the Laptop, and uploaded most of the JPEGs to Flickr so it really was belt and braces. In fact I'm sure that some of the cafes would have had DVD burners available if we'd asked.

Best we found was on the Coromandel in Thames - video shop. Used it for a about 1h15 minutes and he tried charging 50cents. We ended up getting him some sweeties as well as it seemed criminally cheap to us.

[denalipop]

Ahh... I like the DVD backup idea. I was planning to do something similar, except with USB keys. 8GB keys are pretty cheap these days, and I could mail copies back to my PO Box in Nelson (and keep one or two copies with myself, of course).

So, it sounds like no laptop for our South Island tour. That's one less valuable to worry about!

[cappuccino]

Many coffee shops have wifi - some free (with purchase) and some I believe you can just pay for usage.

All libraries have internet for a small fee using their computers and many have wifi that you can bring your laptop (again, a small fee)

Most hotels have some kind of internet connection available in the rooms (quite expensive option though).

[Kiwi Mac]

You think that they have wi-fi here?!

Ha ha ha ha!

It is rarer than hen's teeth - and darned expensive when you can find it.

My brother lives in the US and was horrified when he visited recently to find that it actually costs money to use broadband in hotel rooms here! In the US it is almost universally free of charge in hotels, apparently.

[denalipop]

Thanks for the warning! We'll try to get all our internet business taken care of in Nelson before we leave for our road trip.

[petri]

My brother lives in the US and was horrified when he visited recently to find that it actually costs money to use broadband in hotel rooms here! In the US it is almost universally free of charge in hotels, apparently.

Not my experience of US hotels, but perhaps it's part of the design at those design hotels to charge for the internet ;-)

On our travels over the last two years it seems to be very country-specific how internet is charged. In Vietnam a decent $40/night hotel not only includes the internet access but a PC as well. In NZ internet is usually free at upper scale B&B's and serviced apartments but costs money at hotels. In some countries it's free to use the PC's at the business centre but costs money to use the network from your room or lobby.

NZ is somewhere in the middle of the scale.

[Kiwi Mac]

In even up market Motels being charged is common I find.

Last week in central Chch I was charged $6 for 10 minutes use in a $220/night motel!

[IanW99]

Here is the latest Telecom - Wireless hotspots (pdf) (http://www.telecom.co.nz/binarys/telecom_wireless_hotspots_20070822.pdf) list.

There hotspots were free for a while to Telecom customers but current charges are $9.95 per hour or 120MB.

Ian

[KatieBen]

We used our laptop when we were on the South Island recce tour in 2007 - every motel we stayed at had wifi (including some of the smaller places) but we were charged for it. It wasn't an extortionate amount - something like $10 for a voucher that had a download usage limit or time limit, but I don't recall exactly how much.

There are MacCafe's most places now - the coffee is drinkable and the internet is cheap :) Nelson has at least 2 internet cafes that I am aware of - or you're welcome to come over here and use the wifi free! (the coffee too, but I warn you now it's instant... ;) )

[Jacqi B]

How about Wellington? How likely are we to find wifi in cafes or libraries? We're arriving on 5th January (currently onour 'Big Stopover' in the US) and looking for a place to stay while we look for a more permanent home. Have noticed that the cost of wifi in hotels/motels is expensive - quite a shock as we are enjoying free wifi here in the state - even in burger bars! The need for temp accom to have wifi will disappear if we can connect elsewhere.

[IanW99]

How about Wellington? How likely are we to find wifi in cafes or libraries? We're arriving on 5th January (currently onour 'Big Stopover' in the US) and looking for a place to stay while we look for a more permanent home. Have noticed that the cost of wifi in hotels/motels is expensive - quite a shock as we are enjoying free wifi here in the state - even in burger bars! The need for temp accom to have wifi will disappear if we can connect elsewhere.

Most obvious choice would be CafeNet (http://www.cafenet.co.nz/) as it has widespread access around Wellington.

If that is too expensive then finding an Esquires may be a good choice as you get free internet for 1 hour when you buy a coffee.

Sure there are other options also :)

Ian

[Jacqi B]

Thanks Ian, that's useful. I tried to 'add to your reputation' but it says I must spread it arond a bit more first!