Internet Onrail

[rail sale]

I just noticed a post that was sent from a sleeper, how many others of us are using the net on the train?

I've used sprint PCS with wireless web (not vision) it works fine (but slow) where the tracks are by the interstate or in town. what other systems work well?

Any good tails of things you could only do because you had net access

Thanks All,

-rail sale

 

[Anthony]

I use Sprint PCS Vision and have had a very good experience, but admittedly on long-distance trains, you are not going to get a signal in rural Kansas or Missouri or similar locales. Another forum member, Diana, had luck posting from the Coast Starlight using Verizon Wireless internet service. I believe she detailed the setup in the trip reports forum a few months ago.

 

[MrFSS]

Has anyone had any luck picking up a wirless connection when, say, stopped at a station for a while? I woiuld imagine sources would be too far away from the train cars, but you never know.

 

[rail sale]

It seems to me that stations are about the best place to get connected. Amtrak doesn't bother putting stations in really really small towns and your standing still so you dont have to worry about losing a good single between cells.

The sidings can be in the middle of nowhere however

-rs

 

[Anthony]

I think he meant 802.11b "wireless" :blink:

 

[MrFSS]

Yep - I did. I will have my wireless laptop with me this fall on an EB trip and wondered if I had any chance to connect along the way.

 

[Guest_Joe]

Just for fun I once ran netstumbler on the SW Chief and TX Eagle, you'll see a lot of hotspots along the route.

 

[kjkober]

I picked up quite a few on the Empire Builder as we were entering Seattle. I was never fast enough to get an IP address and check my email.

And I did get a few pings while passing some of the most desolate looking factories.