Need advice on temporary internet access

[pinkytoe]

Since I will soon be between houses and temporarily "homeless", I would appreciate some suggestions from frugal ones on best way to access internet for bill paying, etc. We have always had a home desktop with dsl so I never gave it much thought. Nor have I ever had to travel for work to figure out. When we leave in three days, I will have only my smart phone. I know I can do all that on the phone but would really like something with a larger screen. Should I get a wi-fi tablet and go hang out at the library or coffee shop? Dongle? Our temporary house does not have wifi. I don't have time to research now so...Help!!

[ToomuchStuff]

My personal opinion is before you move, consider taking a bootable linux distro to the library and ask to try on a library computer (no installation). See if they allow internet access with it (by IP, verses some other blocking method). If they do, then I would use Firefox (or whatever browser is in it) to access your online account info, so they is no record of your passwords, etc. left on the computer.

[Tammy]

You could set up your smartphone as a hotspot for your computer.

[Meezer_Mom]

Never, EVER pay bills or use a credit card to order something from an open WiFi hotspot. That's an invitation for identity theft.

I use a MiFi at home for all my wireless needs. My JetPack can also travel if I need to hook up somewhere else. I've had one for about three years. I don't know if it's something you can do short-term but it may be worth asking. I got it through Best Buy. I pay Verizon.

[ToomuchStuff]

Never, EVER pay bills or use a credit card to order something from an open WiFi hotspot. That's an invitation for identity theft.



I would modify that to NEVER use a open wifi spot. If your going to some location that provides wifi, then you need to be using a VPN, and making SURE that you use EXACTLY what there wifi spot is. Too easy to set up a spoofing spot and capture the traffic going between.
(why I recommend the library)

[SteveinMN]

You could set up your smartphone as a hotspot for your computer.
An option, though the desktop computer would have to have Wi-Fi. One could buy an add-on card if it did not, though.


Never, EVER pay bills or use a credit card to order something from an open WiFi hotspot. That's an invitation for identity theft.
ToomuchStuff mentions the key qualification here: a VPN. With a VPN (ideally provided by a company that sells it as a service, not just the VPN built into whatever operating system/platform you're using) you can safely conduct your business from public access points.

Other thoughts:
- Though it can get kind of expensive depending on the duration of the rental, renting a laptop might get you the larger screen and Wi-Fi you want. The other benefit here would be that doing everything from a smartphone may require using apps rather than just your Web browser (learning curve, phone memory issues, etc.).
- Some smartphones can throw their screen display onto a bigger screen, either on a computer or even a TV. Sometimes this requires additional hardware, like an Apple TV or a smart TV; sometimes not.

[ToomuchStuff]

I think Krislyn posted in the wrong thread. I think this was meant to go http://www.simplelivingforum.net/showthread.php?13781-July-Frugals!

[Krislyn]

Sorry!

[jp1]

If your smartphone plan includes the ability to use it as a hotspot for free that's probably the best plan even if you need to buy a wifi usb thingee for your computer. Unless the computer is really really old it probably is already wofi enabled. One flaw to this plan would be if sprint is your wireless carrier. When i had them they charged $20/month to use my phone as a hotspot. And the hotspot data was not included in my unlimited data plan.

[pinkytoe]

As it turned house included wifi. DD lent me her old iPad so it has all worked out.

[printslicker]

Oh well, that would be great! I should say that for a desktop PC , a wifi is really needed. Personally, I'm using dsl.