I’m staying at the San Diego Hilton this weekend. It’s a late summer getaway to see a baseball game, eat and drink too much, and generally just get away from it all.
I was assured that the Hilton offered wireless internet. Sure enough, as we unpacked in our room I noticed a card on the desk that read “Getting Connected to the Wireless Network”.
So I think to myself, I’ve connected to hundreds of wireless networks in my time, I don’t need the Hilton’s instructions. I’ll just boot up my laptop, click through the captive portal page, and check my email.
Except there’s no wireless signal available.
That’s when I decided that maybe I should read those instructions more closely. Here’s what they say:
Getting Connected to the Wireless Network:
Make sure you have the required equipment.
– A computer
– A 10/100 Ethernet network interface card (NIC) installed
– TCP/IP protocol properly installed on your computer
Strange, you need an ethernet card to connect to the Hilton’s wireless network. Also, it’s been about a decade since computers came without TCP/IP installed, but that’s beside the point.
The instructions continue:
Configure your laptop and NIC adapter:
Step 1: Make sure your computer is off. Insert the provided category 5 cable (located on the desk) into your computer’s network interface card. Turn on your computer.
Hmmm. Apparently I need to use a Cat 5 cable to connect to the “wireless” internet at the San Diego Hilton.
For the last time people BROADBAND IS NOT THE SAME AS WIRELESS.
I hope this helps someone.
Fortunately, I brought a Linksys access point for just such an occasion, so I really am using wireless right now.
I think you need a “WTF” tag.
Kirk brings an Linksys access point for these type of things, and after being burnt in the same way a few years ago, I don’t go anywhere without a 12′ ethernet cable.
Even if the hotel isn’t wireless and is explicitly ethernet, it’s still a great investment.
I recently stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton and they had both wireless and ethernet connectivity in the room. In defense of Paris’ family.