| For many of us, it is time to start thinking about | | | | up in this way is very convenient, it can be |
| packing our suitcases and jetting off on our summer | | | | expensive (hotels are notorious for making huge |
| holidays/vacation. When I had a 'normal' job, this was | | | | profit on phone calls) and it is likely the connection will |
| a time to get out of the office and completely | | | | be very slow.4. Take your laptop and find a wireless |
| forget about work for a couple of weeks. Things are | | | | 'hotspot'. Wireless networks are becoming more and |
| somewhat different now though as an Internet | | | | more popular and you will find them in many airports, |
| business never sleeps or takes time off so how do | | | | hotels and resorts. As long as you have a wireless |
| you handle your online business when you are | | | | network card or a wireless-ready laptop, you can |
| supposed to be soaking up the sun on a far away | | | | simply turn your laptop on and access the network |
| beach?Obviously if your business is large enough to | | | | at super-fast Broadband speeds. You will normally |
| have employees, you shouldn't have too many | | | | have to pay for access but you can usually buy |
| problems and can, hopefully, leave things in the | | | | unlimited access for the period of your visit. If you |
| capable hands of your staff for a week or two. But | | | | really don't want to pay and have time on your |
| in the event that you run a 'one man band' and don't | | | | hands, try turning on your laptop close to offices, an |
| have anyone to reply to emails and deal with orders | | | | Internet cafe or some coffee shops - you never |
| while you are away then I am afraid it is down to | | | | know, they may have a wireless network set up |
| you to look after things.So with this in mind, here are | | | | with no security meaning you can logon for free! This |
| a few ideas that may help to ensure that your | | | | is my favourite way of accessing the Internet |
| vacation remains exactly that :-)1. Close your website | | | | abroad - it is fast, affordable and I can use my own |
| down for the duration of your holiday. For me this | | | | computer with all of my own software which makes |
| goes completely against the grain - one of the | | | | it very convenient.5. Use your laptop with a mobile |
| advantages of an online business is the fact that it | | | | cell phone. Not an ideal option but if you are |
| can earn you money whilst you sleep (and whilst you | | | | somewhere really remote it might be your only |
| sunbathe). However some business owners do simply | | | | option! Remember that different countries use |
| decide to shut up shop when they go away and | | | | different cell phone frequencies so you need to |
| write off a couple of weeks income against a | | | | make sure that your phone will work in the country |
| stress-free break.2. Find a local Internet cafe. For | | | | that you are visiting. In order to keep costs down, |
| many people this is probably the easiest and most | | | | sign up with a local phone service provider and a local |
| affordable option. Most tourist destinations have | | | | ISP - this means that you will pay the lowest call |
| some level of public Internet access available at a | | | | charges possible (though they will probably still be |
| reasonable price. Last year I even managed to get a | | | | pretty expensive). Connection speed is likely to be |
| half decent Internet connection on a tiny island in the | | | | appalling but this might work for you if you are only |
| middle of the Indian Ocean! The main downside in | | | | expecting a few emails..... Personally, this option |
| using Internet cafes is security. I have never been | | | | became unworkable for me several years ago - too |
| completely comfortable entering important passwords | | | | slow and far too expensive.6. Use a laptop/PDA |
| into public computers and have often ended up using | | | | Blackberry or similar with a GPRS connection. GPRS is |
| two or three Internet cafes in the same resort and | | | | a wireless technology which allows PDAs and similar |
| changing passwords on a daily basis! Slightly paranoid | | | | to have an 'always on' connection in a similar way to |
| perhaps but it only takes one dishonest cafe owner | | | | Broadband. GPRS is provided via the local mobile/cell |
| to really put the spanner in the works.....3. Take your | | | | phone network. With GPRS, you pay not for the |
| laptop and connect via the hotel landline. Most hotels | | | | time that you are online but for the amount of data |
| have an IDD (International Direct Dial) telephone in | | | | that you transfer. This means that if you set things |
| their rooms. This means you can dial straight out of | | | | up correctly you can just download your email |
| the hotel without having to go via the switchboard. | | | | headers, delete the ones that you don't need to read |
| This being the case, you can hook your laptop up | | | | and then only download and reply to the important |
| and dial up just as you would at home. The cheapest | | | | ones. Therefore costs will be kept to a minimum and |
| way of doing this is to do some research first and | | | | it doesn't matter if the connection is slow (from a |
| find a local Internet company that can offer 'pay as | | | | cost point of view at least) since you are only paying |
| you go' dial up - don't dial into your home ISP as this | | | | for the amount of data you transfer. Speeds should |
| will cost you dearly in international call charges. Be | | | | be quicker than a normal mobile/cell phone |
| aware that not all countries use the common RJ11 | | | | connection. Ensure you check that GPRS is available in |
| phone socket and you may need to purchase an | | | | the country that you are visiting - most common |
| adapter socket. These are readily available on the | | | | destinations can offer the service but you may find |
| Internet - just search Google for 'modem adaptor | | | | that some more remote countries are not yet GPRS |
| socket for (your destination)'. You should also check | | | | enabled.Most important of all - enjoy yourself! |
| that the phone line you are about to plug into isn't | | | | :-)Copyright 2005 Richard GradyRichard Grady has |
| digital - if it is, you could fry your modem. Ask the | | | | been helping ordinary people earn online since 1998. |
| hotel reception or better still, get a tester unit that | | | | He writes a free newsletter which is published every |
| plugs in and checks the line for you - these are cheap | | | | two weeks. |
| and could save you a lot of problems. Whilst using dial | | | | |