Connecting via Wi-Fi

Connecting to a hotel's wireless network is very similar to connecting to the one at your local Starbucks, except you have the option to add the connection charges to your room's bill.

Make sure your computer's preferences are set to use wireless networking. The wireless connection procedure is nearly identical to connecting with the Ethernet port (see preceding section). Launch your browser and attempt to access any Web page. As with Ethernet, the hotel's server will intercept your request and present you with a payment options page.

Some hotels haven't made the leap to offering wireless Internet access in all of their rooms. Instead, the usual "toe-in-the-water" step is to offer access in the main common areas such as the lobby. For example, on a recent business trip to New York I stayed at the W Tuscany Hotel in Manhattan, which offered Ethernet access in the rooms and Wi-Fi in the common areas.