wifi access in France

[oldtimer]

I got the impression from replies last year when I asked about getting on line with my laptop in France that I was not the only one seeking a solution, so here is an up-date.

Well, I seem to have cracked it at last with a domino dongel and cle-wifi from Orange France. I bought the domino last year for 50 euros including 30 days usage and it didn't work very well, but this year I find I can get on-line easily and much more cheaply than the alternative of paying for full-time connection for part-time residence, with the advantage that it isn't tied to one location as it works like a mobile phone. The network seems to have been tweaked recently.

Costs are on a sliding scale depending on how much time you opt for and credit can be bought on line. At present I am paying 15 euros for 21 days use with the advantage that it is not tied to one location. It can be slow, but is OK for getting emails and surfing- and keeping in touch with what's going on at BushcraftUK!

 

[santaman2000]

Why couldn't you just got to the public library and get on for free? Or Starbucks, or McDonalds, or just about any other fast food joint? Don't they offer that service there?

 

[Biker]

Libraries charge an hourly rate to use the PC's, least they do in the local library in the nearest town to me. McDonalds etc would be a good option and I think they do have free wifi, but if you're out in the middle of the countryside driving to the nearest town just for wifi is a drag. The nearest McDonalds to me is 20 miles away. Yes, I call that heaven!

Nice one Oldtimer, glad you got it sorted. Since I'm here in Normandy pretty much permanently I opted for the Orange Livebox package with free calls to UK, France, and the rest of Europe, I think I can even call the USA for free too. pleased with the service but it does mean I have to have two phones. One for incoming calls and one for the free outgoing calls on a different number.

 

[oldtimer]

Yes- you see the point, Biker. I too thought about about the Orange Livebox and it would have been my choice had I been based in France all the time. The local Library may have been an option and my some French friends have patched me in to their own wifi connection, but this way I can be independent and sit and surf and catch up with Bushcraft Betty without leaving home.

Fortunately, we do not live near a MacDonald's, Starbucks or any other American commercial colonisation. The nearest is 15 miles away- not far enough!

 

[santaman2000]

....Fortunately, we do not live near a MacDonald's, Starbucks or any other American commercial colonisation. The nearest is 15 miles away- not far enough!

Ironic isn't it? You live that close to them there. And I've lived places here that were much, much farther from them. In fact I can remember when there were neither in the same state with me. Of course there was no such thing as "wifi" then either. Or personal computers for that matter. I miss those days.

 

[mrcharly]

domino dongel and cle-wifi

<pedant peeve> I wish companies wouldn't call such things 'Wi-Fi'. They aren't Wi-Fi, they are mobile broadband, a totally different technology. I've bought a ruddy dongle that was labelled as providing Wi-Fi on the packaging. Got home, discovered it was 3G only. Had a right argument with the shop when I took it back until the manager became involved and was very embarrassed to have to explain the difference between 3G and Wi-Fi to his employees.