Does anyone know if the cost for wireless internet access is still $90/week? If so, that's awfully steep and we're trying to decide whether to bring a netbook or not.

It was $90 per seven days at the beginning of the this month. Steep? Yup! But a necessary evil when you need to stay in touch.

Check with your cell phone provider to see what they want to add a data plan to your phone and then see if it works in Jamaica. I worked with a guy that used his cell phone with a data plan, and a data cord to connect his laptop to the internet. It was only $29 more a month and you can get it on a month to month plan.

That's called "tethering" and it works great when you're on the road. However - not all cell carriers will allow it (it greatly increases your data consumption), and even if they do, the cost of "data roaming" (accessing the internet while abroad) can be quite high. It's also unbearably slow if you have less than full 3G coverage.

We always use the computers at the resort. Sometimes they are "down", but not most of the time, and they get them fixed pretty quickly. You just pay for an hour or a half an hour at a time, and it's not that expensive. (Can't recall exact price). Often, there will be a PC where someone has left with minutes left over that you can use, or for some reason they are just "free". Unless it's business-related where you need constant access for long periods of time, I would go that route. We have a laptop, but I sure don't want to haul it to Jamaica.

We did take our laptop for storing photos while there, in case we ran out of memory on our cameras. Next trip, maybe not.

However, we did use the computers in the reception area three times, over our 6 day trip this past June. It's 5 bucks for 5 minutes. I only needed to send a couple of messages to my daughter in Florida, and my husband wanted to check his bank account once, so it was worth the five bucks to reconnect with home. The biggest issue is that there are only 2 or 3 computers there, and one was always down.

The heat is also UNBEARABLE. There is no AC, and no crosswind whatsoever, in this tiny, little room, so you will sweat your ba@@s off.

On our third trip, we could not get connected, and the lovely lady at the front desk allowed us to use a computer in a back (air conditioned) office, and we were online for about 10 minutes, instead of the alloted 5. We really appreciated her effort on our part.

For what we need, we would much rather spend $15 or $20 for 3 or 4 quick internet "check-ins" than pay $90 for a week, when 15 minutes will do for us. This is, of course, IMHO.

Peace.

We were there in May, and didn't pay anywhere NEAR $1 a minute!!! More like $7 for half an hour, and $15 for an hour. Are you sure about those rates? If so, they sure went up alot in a few weeks time? Yes, it's hot in there, but I get the job done faster and don't hang out.

OK, Wow.
Please people, do NOT use the computer kiosk for anything that requires an important password (bank accounts, stock trading, etc). These machines are definitely Not secure, they are monitored remotely and possibly a recording is kept. And that is just by the company that does the Admin.

At least twice in the last 7 trips I've found a virus on those boxes, and it is too easy for someone to plant a key-logger to steal everything you type in. Please don't take that risk.
If you really need to, ask to borrow a guests laptop for a few minutes. Much more likely to be safe.

Ok, I'm with Parrot here: this is NOT a shout at you though sexymanswife for being wrong; just some advice regarding the fact that there are a lot of criminally minded folks who do not share your approach to things!

Never, ever attempt on-line banking on a public computer.
Never, ever attempt on-line banking on a connection you are not convinced is secure.

I use a different - disposable - email account when on holiday and do not undertake any activity which could reveal any life crucial passwords, when utilising an insecure connection. Try this & create a Hotmail - or something else - account just for when you are away; it's easy, safe and your regular passwords are not compromised.

Paranoid? Despite being careful, Sarah & I have both had our credit cards compromised in the past. Whatever you do cybercrime may get you - just don't make it easy for them!!!

Truck

I'm no tech expert (far from it!) but aren't you just about as vulnerable on your own laptop when using a WiFi server? I have heard that it is nowhere near as secure as using your own server at home? Personally, I would never DREAM of doing any banking on line, or even putting my social security number out there. Will use a credit card, but only at home. Unsecured debt not such a problem. I use the PC's at Hedo just to check my email, and there are no big secrets in there!

I will be there for a week between classes and missing my last weekend of classes. I will hopefully have all my assignments completed by then, but if not the $90.oo for the week for internet access if a BARGAIN for me if it means I can still go the week I want to AND send assignments in if need be that week. Cost of internet: $90...Cost of NOT missing Hedo on the week I want to go: PRICELESS....

well, we sent a few messages home via Facebook (Cos I KNEW my daughter would check that), and the bank account check in was via the air conditioned back office behind check-in, so maybe we lucked out on that one. Thanks though, Truck and Parracky Parrot for the tip. We will be more careful next time.

Peace, always.

If you check your back account, then immediately change your password (this is imperative). And change your password on your facebook account.

H2's WiFi cannot be comfortable related to password and account numbers.

If you plan to use WiFi to 'connect' then use gmail or hotmail and change the password when your get home or delete your account.

DO not access your bank account, your securities account, your business account, your safari account. Nothing except an email to a new email account.

Recall the various posts about credit card fraud and the WiFi fraud is just around the corner.

Assume there is no security to your WiFi connections.

Well, just my advice, Chuck

WiFi is fine as long as the machines on each end are "clean", and the connection is properly encrypted before being sent over the air, i.e. data sent over the WiFi won't be readable.
If you are using a good browser the address bar will turn yellow (or better yet green, the new standard), to show the connection is fully encrypted. With that working it takes serious effort (as in government types) to crack the link.
Still, there are a few risks. It's possible to infect a machine from a dirty WiFi, and only a few places (Banks and such) use encryption. So be careful.