Wifi hotspot on holiday

[curious81]

I am going on holiday later this year and have noticed that they have Wifi access on the campsite that I am staying on. I would like to be able to connect to the internet whilst on holiday, using my own laptop.

At home I use a wireless router and Tiscali as my broadband provider. I have a laptop with bluetooth so don't have to use the USB adapter that is provided with the router.

I haven't any experience of using wifi hotspots and am wondering whether I need to buy any additional software/hardware before I go away?? And would I be able to use my present internet service provider??

Thanks

[barry1010]

Your laptop is already wireless enabled. There is nothing you need to do before you go on holiday.
When you are there, you will be able to connect to the open hotspot, probably using a code the site gives you.
Bluetooth is nothing to do with it. You don't use that to connect to your router at home, you use the wifi.
You won't use your present provider, you will use the one the camp site has - you will be using their wifi.

[curious81]

Thank you!!

Is this a fairly safe method of accessing the net or to be avoided?? I have heard of problems with computer hacking whilst using these areas

How larger area will the wifi hotspot be?? Will I be able to use the internet in our caravan or will it be a case of sitting within their offices or wherever the hotspot is located?

[barry1010]

It depends how close to the router your caravan is. The signal can be far more far reaching than you'd expect.
Usually at these sites the wifi area is the bar and you can usually log on outside the bar area, and if your caravan is close to the bar you may be lucky enough to be able to log on in your caravan. I certainly could on a short holiday to a holiday park last year.
You should have a wifi icon in the system tray by the clock, it looks like a pc monitor. Right click on that, and click 'search available wireless networks'. You will get a list of all the networks in the area. Just click on the one you want to connect to. When you are on holiday it will probably be the name of the holiday park. A box will pop up asking for the code, which you will be given. Enter the code and you will connect.
As for safety, I wouldn't use it for online banking or buying online but I would use it for everything else and change the passwords regularly.

[curious81]

Thank you very much for all of your advice, it is much appreciated!!! If I have used online banking before going on holiday would this cause a threat?? Would people be able to access this information from my computer?? I use online banking on a regular basis!!

[barry1010]

You will be fine using your on line banking before you go on holiday. No problems at all. It's not what is on your laptop, it is what you send out over the wifi that may have a risk.
Of course you have a firewall to protect your laptop from unwanted intrusions., don't you?
Just be watchful of sites you use from public wifi networks.