OK, I need one of them there things you plug into your laptop, to be able to get online anywhere.

[MaureenMLove]

What's it called please and how much will it set me back?

An earthnet cable. They are quite cheap, try a computer shop. You are better off with a wireless thingy though, about £20 from Argos, then you can move around the house and still use the web.

I've got wireless indoors. I need to be able to internet when I'm away, like at a hotel on something. Lots of them offer free wifi? I think I need something to plug in?

That's it! I think! A wi-fi dongle!

What a lovely word dongle is ..always makes me smile [easily amused]

Is this what I need?

Hi M - your mobile phone provider might do a deal for a dongle. Lol at deal for a dongle. Tis an amusing word.

It is a rather lovely word, isn't it! Good plan. I've got contract on 2 phones from the same company, so I'll try them now. Thanks!

REALLY wish I hadn't looked on my Vodafone account! DD is so dead!!! She has so gone over her limit and now I have the hump!!!

Oh no! My dd is 16 she did this before. She's now on a contract where she can't go over. Tsk.

Did you bag a dongle tho!

Seriously get on to your provider and you might even get a better contract including a dongle.

Loooove that word. Can is say it again?

Dongle.

If you have can use your wireless network at home, you won't need anything else to connect to a free hotel wireless network.

Free wireless is free but you would need a dongle for where it's not. Some places have wireless but not free.

tesco £30 per month for ever call and text

just find a mac donalds, they have free wifi

or failing that get a pay as you go dongle, i have a vodaphone one, cost £39, comes with £15 free, costs £15 to top up and you get about 30 hours surf time

Hi M, decide what you need in terms of wifi.

Terry, wtf is your name about {sorry for hijack}? pmsl. You are giving me bad ideas.

Thanks for your help people!

Right, I have a wireless network at home. I am staying in a hotel next weekend which advertises free wi-fi connection, so therefore I don't need to buy anything right?

No, I don't think so. Take your charger though.

OH, good point! I'd have forgotten than and been really pissed off to only have a couple of hours surfin'!

They might have a docking base in the room but other than that you'll need it.

TWC - "30 hours surf time" might be a little misleading... it's surely down to what you surf - take a look at YouTube and it might cut the 30 hours down quite a bit.

Not sure what the 15 pounds buys, but if it is 3 GB it sounds reasonable.

Many of the top-ups last only 30 days on a "use it or lose it" basis (like some monthly contract for mobiles) which seems unfair if you don't need to use it more than for a couple of days.

On a separate thread, someone paid 79 (?) pounds for a dongle which included 12 GB of data and lasts 12 months so far less pressure than the 30 day system, and as you can monitor how much is left, can get a good idea of what you can do and how much data goes over the link.

Suggest you turn OFF any automatic Windows Updates, and certainly DO NOT watch things on iPlayer / 4oD / Five.tv as a single 30 minute TV programme might use 300-350 MB (and 3 of those will therefore wipe out 1 GB of traffic)