Free internet for DVC members

[BWV Dreamin]

I'm going to try to simplify it down to make it make some sense.

Think of the ESN like a license plate on your car, and the router like a gate guard to a gated community (or WDW resort, if you'd prefer).

The gate guard will let pretty much anyone LEAVE (ie: sends all traffic out to the larger network) but watches the traffic and will only let IN the traffic with the right license plate numbers (ESN's) that are on it's "list". Oh, and every time a car leaves, the gate guard plunks a big old sticker on your windshield. That helps the old guy to make sure he can flag you down when you whiz by him, so you don't take a wrong turn.

Now, to make it more complex, there is ANOTHER gate guard (probably more than one) that controls traffic into and out of Dinsney's overall "neighborhood" (ie network). THAT gateguard is watching both your license plate AND the sticker on your windshield. That way it knows exactly where you belong so it can better route traffic to the right place. By looking at those license plates and stickers, it can tell just how many licesnse plates belong to any stickers. It's POSSIBLE that it could be configured to only allow ONE license plate per sticker OR that if it sees stickers of the wrong color, shape, or size at all (in other words, routers not specifically allowed to access it's network), it could not let you leave/return.

That's vastly oversimplified, but it's a relatively clear picture on how Disney can monitor router traffic coming through it's network.

Thank you for that visualization! Lets hope Disney will allow more more "cars" in and out of its "neighborhood" so that we will become a happy "community" ! Thanks again, this makes more sense.

 

[salmoneous]

Hooray!!!!! I'm so excited. We used to pay the connection fee for the day before check-out so we could check-in to SouthWest. Now it'll be free!!!

Just in case you have a cash stay in your future - the lobby concierge folks will check you in and print out your boarding passes for free.

 

[kapeman]

Suppose you used a wireless router that has the ability to clone a MAC address, wouldn't this get by the ESN issue?

It would definitely fix the issue of multiple PCs connected via wire.

 

[pilferk]

Suppose you used a wireless router that has the ability to clone a MAC address, wouldn't this get by the ESN issue?

It would definitely fix the issue of multiple PCs connected via wire.

I think it should, and it's pretty much what I plan to try in early January, if my router doesn't work "plug and play".

I'm not sure most of the posters on the forum, though, have the technical know how to get their router to do it. I'd expect MOST people want "plug and play"....and don't want to have to login to the admin module of the router and go mucking around with settings.

 

[kapeman]

I think it should, and it's pretty much what I plan to try in early January, if my router doesn't work "plug and play".

I'm not sure most of the posters on the forum, though, have the technical know how to get their router to do it. I'd expect MOST people want "plug and play"....and don't want to have to login to the admin module of the router and go mucking around with settings.

True, but it is usually a check-box or a button to push.

It's not much harder than going in and changing the default password, which is easy, but, admittedly, many people don't even do that!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I think it should, and it's pretty much what I plan to try in early January, if my router doesn't work "plug and play".

I'm not sure most of the posters on the forum, though, have the technical know how to get their router to do it. I'd expect MOST people want "plug and play"....and don't want to have to login to the admin module of the router and go mucking around with settings.

Since I plan on buying the posted travel router, could you post the directions if you do make changes for cloning the MAC address? I will only be using this router for DIS trips, so once I make the changes, I will leave them. Post your experience in January if you would!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

The Linksys Wireless G-Travel Router Model #WTR54GS is both a wired and wireless router which will allow you to have a single wired connection while having multiple wireless connections simultaneously. It is secure and is virtually transparent while in use. With the router pre-configures, which is quite simple via the instructions, any computer logged into the router can establish the connection to the internet. Then multiple computers logged into the router can have simultaneous internet access for brousing and e-mail.

It is truly quite slick, quite secure and quite simple to set up. I highly recommend this particular router for this use.

Just looked this up, this is the same router I have at home! Why is this called a "travel" router? You would have to set this up at home with a SSID and a password first.

 

[WolfpackFan]

I hadn't seen this posted yet. This came from the Annual DVC Meeting -

Starting in 2008, all Disney Vacation Club members staying at DVC resorts on points will receive free internet access.

 

[Caskbill]

WebmasterDoc reported this on 12/4. Take a look at the full report of the annual meeting in This Thread.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

This is really great and definitely a perk that I will use. On my next trip, it will save me 100 dollars. I am quite pleased with DVC at the moment. Now, if Disney would just fix the dining plan.

 

[Kurby]

does this mean that we have to bring our own laptops or will there be a computer available in a common area?

 

[Charlesaway]

I think this is great news as well. Honestly, when the $40 a night Knight's Inn room has complimentary internet access, you come to expect it from higher level establishments.

 

[Caskbill]

We had three different threads about the OKW internet on this board, and one on the DVC-operations board.

The three threads on this board have been merged into a single thread. Please keep your comments to this thread. There is no need to start additional threads concerning the internet access at OKW.

Thanks.

 

[pilferk]

True, but it is usually a check-box or a button to push.

It's not much harder than going in and changing the default password, which is easy, but, admittedly, many people don't even do that!

Exactly my point.

 

[pilferk]

Since I plan on buying the posted travel router, could you post the directions if you do make changes for cloning the MAC address? I will only be using this router for DIS trips, so once I make the changes, I will leave them. Post your experience in January if you would!

Sure.

One caveat: I'm waffling between buying the travel router mentioned, and using my existing Netgear router...just unplugging it and taking it along for the ride as we're driving down.

If I buy the travel router, I'll post instruction if I need to make any changes to the settings. If I go the other route, I'll let you know, as well.

 

[DebbieB]

I think this is great news as well. Honestly, when the $40 a night Knight's Inn room has complimentary internet access, you come to expect it from higher level establishments.

I travel frequently for work, the high end hotels do charge for it (Hilton, Marriott), while the cheaper ones don't (Hampton Inn, Courtyard Marriott).

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Here is the travel router recommended on this post...looks alot different than my home router. Hope it works!! Can't wait to try it!
http://www.buy.com/prod/linksys-wir...speedbooster-wtr54gs/q/loc/101/201684913.html

 

[SamSam]

Here is the travel router recommended on this post...looks alot different than my home router. Hope it works!! Can't wait to try it!
http://www.buy.com/prod/linksys-wir...speedbooster-wtr54gs/q/loc/101/201684913.html

My Dh posted about this router. While I don't have any technical knowledge of it, I do know it works. We've used it twice while at WDW, and it worked perfectly. Very handy, when we're both on our laptops (yes, we have to take work with us).

 

[BroganMc]

I think it should, and it's pretty much what I plan to try in early January, if my router doesn't work "plug and play".

I'm not sure most of the posters on the forum, though, have the technical know how to get their router to do it. I'd expect MOST people want "plug and play"....and don't want to have to login to the admin module of the router and go mucking around with settings.

Hold on guys. This doesn't make sense to me. Granted I'm a web design geek and not a network engineer but I always understood that tracking a computer on the net ends and begins with the IP. (ESNs are for cell phones.) The broadband connection assigns a unique IP to the first user computer it sees. A wireless router is actually a computer and so becomes the first it sees. The wireless router then uses NAT to assign internal IPs to any connected wireless computers (on Linksys that would be 192.168.1.xxx). As far as the internet world sees you only have one attached computer to the network = the router itself. No matter what computer you use to check your IP address on the network it will report only the one assigned to your router.

I haven't tried connecting a router to any hotel broadband so I'm not certain how the Terms of Service agreement is handled. However, I've been told by others that they can and do use wireless routers routinely at Disney and Marriott.

(Oh ok, a little research tells me once you plug in the router, the challenge questions will just be asked of the first laptop bringing up its browser. Accept the Terms and your router is all ready to share.)

On a sidenote, HURRAH FOR DISNEY! They finally listened to members on this. Or rather they bowed to peer pressure. It was just nuts going from my free wireless at Marriott to a paid Disney the next week. Given that Disney actually gives you wired connections, I think it may actually work out better in Florida. The Marriott's use wireless networks. IMHO wireless and hotels can be hit & miss. All that steel and concrete leads to many dead spots. Horizons by Marriott never worked outside the Front Desk area.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Hold on guys. This doesn't make sense to me. Granted I'm a web design geek and not a network engineer but I always understood that tracking a computer on the net ends and begins with the IP. (ESNs are for cell phones.) The broadband connection assigns a unique IP to the first user computer it sees. A wireless router is actually a computer and so becomes the first it sees. The wireless router then uses NAT to assign internal IPs to any connected wireless computers (on Linksys that would be 192.168.1.xxx). As far as the internet world sees you only have one attached computer to the network = the router itself. No matter what computer you use to check your IP address on the network it will report only the one assigned to your router.

This was my original thought also, however I couldn't have put it so eloquently as you! Unless there is some special set up with the resorts, I don't know why this shouldn't work.