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Don't worry - whether it's wired or wireless there will be instructions.
If the hotel uses wired: you will have a card in your room telling you how much it costs - most cost something, and can either be a one off charge to activate the line to your room, or a connection fee every time you connect, or sometimes it's charged by the minute.
You'll plug your laptop into the wall using the cable, and if your laptop is network enabled (99% are) you will be instantly online. You'll then open up Internet Explorer, which will go straight to your home page, and you'll surf as normal. Sometimes your homepage might be re-directed to the hotel page, but very rarely with wired access.
If the hotel uses wireless (or a cafe etc): sometimes they have it in the rooms, sometimes it's only available in cafe's and reception areas, and the bedrooms just use wired.
There will be an instruction card, and usually you will need to do a search for wireless connections (if you let me know what operating system you use, e.g. Windows XP Home, I can give you clear, precise instructions on how to do this). You will then see a list of available networks - if you do this in a hotel or Starbucks or McDonalds there will usually only be one in the list, and will be sometime like "Starbucks wireless hotsport". You then just click the connect button, open Internet Explorer and start surfing!
**** (If you're somewhere that charges, maybe your hotel room, normally you can pay via credit card when you try to connect - if you do this be VERY careful, a lot of internet fraud happens this way. Check with reception what the name of the hotel network will be when you do your wireless search - and I mean exactly. Lots of people just sit around in hotels, send out their own wireless network, give it a name similar to the hotel's one - you see it, connect and give your credit card details, and voila, someone has all your credit card details and can go crazy with it!  )*****
Sometimes you might pay in advance at reception and be given a password (more places are starting to do this to improve security for their guests) which you'll need to input when you hit connect. Either way, again you just open up Internet Explorer and start surfing.
Note - you will not be using your normal ISP, whatever it is, you will connect via the one the place where you are uses. Your normal homepage will appear when you open Internet Explorer in 99 times out of 100 - it is rarely overridden.
Hope that helps!!
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http://ibsblondie13.blogspot.com/
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Re: PS
#266628 - 05/31/06 09:25 AM
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Blondie13
Reged: 02/28/06
Posts: 641
Loc: Sheffield, England
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I did some digging, and a Japanese phone plug is different to those in the US. This pic shows a converter which converts a Japanese phone plug to an American RJ11 plug (the small one I showed you in my first post):
Japanese phone plug to U.S. RJ11 transformer
Most Japanese hotels though will expect American and British visitors, and so should offer the RJ11 type (small plug, the one you're used to) alongside the Japanese one in hotel rooms. HOWEVER - it'd be a really good idea to either call or email the hotel in advance and ask what kind of socket they will have in your room, and if they have wireless - that way if you need one of the adaptors you can get it before you go.
Jammy thing, it's one place I've never been Japan. Would love to go! My pop was there for 4 weeks with work and loved it! 
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I actually wanted to do that yesterday but hubby needed me to come home. Thankfully I can handle the occasional cup of coffee!
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Have a blessed day! Rachel
Formerly poochibelly...
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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Have a blessed day! Rachel
Formerly poochibelly...
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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Have a blessed day! Rachel
Formerly poochibelly...
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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...probably won't work over there? Very, very few American or British cellphones work in Japan - they use comletely different networks and technologies. A colleague told me all about this last year. He rented one from a stand at the airport for the duration of the visit - good idea.
He also told me about a great site to find out about going to Japan (because at one point I was supposed to be making a trip), it covers just about EVERYTHING - the power adaptors you'll need to take, essentials to take, transport over there, the airport, etc etc. Link below.
Japan Travel Guide website (scroll down the page that opens for full contents)
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http://ibsblondie13.blogspot.com/
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My dad lives there and he can get me one there...I am hoping that I don't have to go there but need to be prepared nonetheless. 
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Have a blessed day! Rachel
Formerly poochibelly...
I have IBS but it doesn't have me!
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If you go, where will you be going? I went to Japan when I was 16, for 3 weeks and absolutely looooved it!
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Flipada - IBS-C "It's a gas, gas, gas"
**Lauren**
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Blondie,
I guess I have the same question. I'm going to Spain this summer with my laptop. I know that when I went to Spain the last time I had to get a converter for my elec appliances (curling iron, hairdryer)but I'm unsure of what I need...or rather where to get it. I have a DELL laptop...maybe I should call DELL?? I'm wondering if they have computer stuff at travel shops.
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Flipada - IBS-C "It's a gas, gas, gas"
**Lauren**
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You mean what you need to use your laptop in Spain? (Sorry I've had a long night - long story - and being a blonde dumbass...)
Right, well, power-wise yes you'll need a US-Europe power converter, the same as you needed for your curlers etc (tip from a seasoned traveller with many appliances - take at least 3, so you don't have to keep swapping them round, and buy them at home first, they cost a fortune in airports).
Connectivity-wise: your hotel might have wireless, and if so same thing applies as I posted for Japan.
If it just has wired access, in either your room or communal areas, you just need your normal network connecter - an RJ11 to RJ11 cable, as Europe uses the same phone points as you guys (pic below again). You can just buy a standard RJ11 cable from any computer shop before you go, or from the airport (where it'll be more expensive). You could even take the one with you that you use in your house if you wanted!
Any more questions give me a shout- I love travelling and can't at the moment (no money as can't work), so I get to live out my travelling urges through everyone who asks me questions!!
Pic of an RJ11 plug - you need a cable with one of these on each end
All the stuff I answered in response to Nomorepooch's question about connecting to networks, etc, stands for you too; just even easier with them having the same phone sockets as you guys (we also have them here in the UK, but only for broadband or networks - normal telephone lines use a different plug, just to make things difficult...  )
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