Friday, August 31, 2007
Special Wi-Fi Offer for Escapees RVers
Escapees and TengoInternet are pleased to offer a great Wi-Fi deal: Escapees members can now purchase Tengo's 90-day prepaid Wi-Fi roaming card at a special low price.
This 90-day prepaid wireless card can be used at ANY park in Tengo's rapidly growing network. There are currently more than 300 parks to choose from, and more are being added every month.
The prepaid cards are available at a special Escapees-only discount price: only $79.99! What a great value – WiFi for 89¢ a day!
You can purchase these prepaid cards at participating Escapees Rainbow parks or online at
www.escapees.com/store. Drop by the park manager's office and pick up your card today!
Offer available to Escapees members only. Cards are valid for 90 days from the date of first use. Cards can be used at any TengoZone or Wi-Fi-equipped Escapees Rainbow park. See card information sheet for complete program rules and restrictions.
---
RV Education 101 has bundled it's instructional DVDs into cost saving Value Packs. Each of the three packs includes four training DVDs (3 hours of information) that help RVers understand how an RV works, and how to maintain and use their RV. There are DVD sets for motorized or towable units.
# posted by Steven Fletcher @ 6:04 PM
Monday, August 20, 2007
HughesNet Readies Next Gen Satellite Internet
(PRLEAP.COM) August 19, 2007-
HughesNet®, a provider of high-speed satellite Internet services, is taking satellite Internet to a whole new level of speed, access, and quality with the revolutionary SPACEWAY satellite system, which features the newly-launched SPACEWAY 3 satellite. SPACEWAY 3, the world's first commercial satellite with on-board switching, was successfully launched and placed into geostationary transfer orbit on August 14, 2007 and commercial service in North America is expected to begin in early 2008.
SPACEWAY was designed and developed by Hughes Networking System, LLC (HUGHES) as a next-generation, Ka-band broadband satellite system. SPACEWAY employs onboard digital processing, packet switching, and spot-beam technology to offer direct site-to-site connectivity with upload speeds as high as 16Mmps and downloads as fast as 30Mpbs. For HughesNet satellite Internet users, this will translate into very fast Internet surfing and file downloading, an expanded reach of the HughesNet satellite broadband service, and access to groundbreaking applications and value-added HughesNet services, all at a cost-effective price.
HughesNet is the high-speed Internet solution that is available to everyone in the contiguous US with a clear view of the southern sky. Because HughesNet uses state-of-the art satellite technology rather than a phone line or cable, it provides super-fast, secure, always-on Internet connectivity, making it an ideal alternative to the slowness of dial-up and the limited availability of DSL or cable Internet. More information on HughesNet satellite Internet can be obtained from your local HughesNet dealer, or at
www.UsSatellite.com.
---
Get Mark Polk's Class A Motorhome 101 RV DVD All of Mark's DVD's offer practical information and he has one for every RV type.
Find all the RV Education 101 DVDs here.
# posted by Steven Fletcher @ 1:06 PM
Monday, August 13, 2007
Eastern Iowa Campsites Install Wireless Internet
Something is in the air at the Walnut Acres campground.
When new owners bought Walnut Acres back in April, they installed wireless internet almost immediately.
Right now, the wireless service only works in the campground office but by the end of the year, the owner hopes to have wireless internet available through the entire campground...that means you wouldn't even need to leave your RV to go online.
Full Story & Video... ---
Bob Randall's RV Buyer's Survival Guide The #1 Rated Guide For RV Buyers - Over 10,000 Copies Sold Since 2001. Before you take that critical first step in buying any RV, you must read this guide. Written by a "RV Industry Insider", you'll learn the secrets to making the perfect selection while saving more money than you ever dreamed possible.
# posted by Steven Fletcher @ 1:48 PM
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Despite Stronger Wi-Fi Security Eavesdropping Persists
By MARK JEWELL AP BOSTON
Computer security experts don't appear to be gaining ground on electronic eavesdroppers in the battle to safeguard wireless Internet connections, the head of Harvard University's network operations told a nationwide legislative conference Tuesday.
That means investment in public Wi-Fi projects could end up putting masses of sensitive data such as credit card numbers in the wrong hands if public users aren't educated about the risks of using such networks.
"It's extremely convenient, but it's inherently insecure," Harvard's Jay Tumas told state government information technology specialists at a National Conference of State Legislatures session on Wi-Fi risks. "If you don't protect your network, then public Wi-Fi is just one big security risk."
"Be scared ... Don't do your banking from Starbucks," David LaPorte, another Harvard computer security expert, told the group, referring to the wireless connections available at the coffee shop chain.
Full Story... ---
# posted by Steven Fletcher @ 5:06 PM
Monday, August 06, 2007
Don't Let Your Computer Become a "Zombie"
We're talking about the explosion of botnets, or robot computer networks controlled by a remote master. They're designed to make money through spam, extortion and identity theft. The Crime Prevention Division of two Colorado counties is now issuing a warning.
Up to 25 percent of the world's 600 million computers may have been infected by malware and be participating in a botnet and their users may not even know it, division says.
Botnet is a jargon term for a collection of software robots which run autonomously. It refers generally to a network of compromised computers that can be controlled remotely (not by you) and is used to create and send spam or viruses, "phishing" attacks for personal information theft, to hide pornography or to flood a network with messages, ultimately disabling it. Tens of thousands of computer systems can be linked together and run under a common command and control system.
Full Story... ---
# posted by Steven Fletcher @ 9:15 PM
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Wireless Internet Access a Top Amenity for Today’s Modern Campers
Date Released: 07/31/2007
Michigan Campgrounds Get Connected
This isn’t your grandfather’s campground. Today’s modern campers are placing wireless internet access as a top amenity when searching for a place to park their RVs and pitch their tents.
“We have had several campers that wireless internet was critical to their decision to use our campground,” say Dave and Reva Basinger of Hidden Hill Family Campground in Harrison. “Reasons have varied between being business oriented to being the lifeline to family members.”
From checking email to accessing online mapping systems and checking weather reports and local visitor bureau websites for event listings, staying online while camping is becoming more commonplace.
“A lot of people use it to pay bills while they are on the road or just check email,” says Georganne Hornacek of the Gaylord KOA. “I also have campers who take online classes and they are able to access it right from their site.”
Campgrounds looking to add wireless internet should fully research all options, including talking to other nearby campgrounds who’ve successfully navigated the system. Because campgrounds are often located in wooded, remote areas, technology needs are different than they are in metropolitan areas.
“Our campground is in a heavily wooded pine forest and terraced sites on a hill – both tough factors to overcome,” says Joan Holz at Holiday Camping Resort in New Era. “As leaves grew this spring, there was another challenge to address. We’ve added more routers this year for better access throughout the park.”
Frank Rogala from Mackinaw Mill Creek Camping in Mackinaw City agrees that researching options is of utmost importance when adding wireless internet to a campground facility. After trial and error and more error, he was finally able to get his system running efficiently.
“I finally convinced my partners that giving our customers a strong dependable signal that they can access in their camper would make them happy as well as making them feel more secure and confident about purchasing time,” Rogala says. “I just had a note form the office manager that we recently had a camper pass on a 30-amp hookup and drop down to a 20-amp site just to be in the wifi area.”
Once the technological issues have been taken care of, campground owners would benefit by providing a list of local websites to their campers upon check-in. That list would include websites for the chamber, convention & visitor bureau, local newspaper, museums, attractions and bike trails, as well as regional and statewide associations such as West Michigan Tourist Association, Upper Peninsula Tourism & Recreation Association and Travel Michigan.
“The free wifi at the campground is a great benefit,” says camper Chad Bowers from Benton Harbor, who recently camped at Clementz Northcountry Campground in Newberry in the Upper Peninsula. Full-time RVers Al and Sharon Florida from San Antonio, Texas agree. “The Northcountry Campground is the nicest campground we have seen in the UP,” they say. “Very nice open grass sites with cable TV and the free wifi near the office is a real plus.”
The wireless internet access is getting considerable use at Clementz’s, according to Cathy Clementz. “It has gotten to the point that we had to create a set of ‘WiFi Etiquette Guidelines’ so people wouldn’t be blocking the road using other people’s campsites or using too much time in the lobby,” Cathy says. “Our wifi has about a 200-300 foot radius from the office and is password protected.”
Campgrounds unable to handle wireless internet may opt to add a desktop station in the recreation room that campers can use to check email and access websites. Or, if nothing else, provide directions to the local library, coffee shop or other locations where internet access is available.
“We have found the addition of a wifi hotspot to assist in store sales, as they usually grab a pop or ice cream while their computer boots up,” says Jon Lawrence, CPO and Camp Director of Myers Lake United Methodist Campground in Byron. “It has made the deck in front of the office a more festive and social place among campers and staff.”
Campers looking for more information on how to access the internet from the road may be interested in the “
RVer’s Guide to Internet Access on the Road” by long-time RVer Steven Fletcher. The PDF e-book is available for $10.95 and is available for download in a matter of minutes. In this well-researched e-book, Fletcher offers a comprehensive look at all the methods available to get online from the RV road, many of which he has personally used.
# posted by Steven Fletcher @ 7:46 PM