Accessing the Internet in China

Accessing the Internet in China
Aug 7, 2007 13:42
GRIZ326 Points: Join Date: Jun 12, 2006 Status: offline	I promised to post my comments on Internet access on my return and have been a little slow getting around to it so here it is: Wireless access: None of the hotels/hostels I stayed in offered wireless access. The university wireless hotspots I found were secured, usually with WPA although a few used WEP. Hacking the WEP hotspots might have been possible. I did not attempt that, although I ran my protocol analyzer on a the wireless university networks. I only found two Internet Cafes and neither of them were wireless hotspots. In short, my little wireless computer never connected in China. RJ45 access: RJ45 network cable access was provided in most of the hotels/hostels I stayed in. Unfortunately, my little computer does not have an RJ45 connector...so my little computer never connected to the Internet by wire in China. Business Centers: I used my hotel business centers in Guangzhou and in Kaili. I scanned the systems with my SanDisk U3 USB drive's A/V software while accessing my email. The machines came up clean. I did delete all the cookies and temp files from the machines before signing out (although using the Windows Chinese interface is a bit tricky). NOTE: It would have been very useful to have one of the U3 browsers for the USB drive to keep the temp files and cookies on my USB drive. Hotel in-room computers: I spent several nights on separate occasions in the Tibet Hotel in Chengdu. One of the two in-room computers was infected by malcode. Hostel public computers: Malicious code, trojans and keyboard loggers were a real concern. Most of the public computers I accessed in hostels were infected by malcode. Internet Cafes: The two Internet Cafes I found were very busy and every computer was in use. They were not wireless Internet hotspots. Ordinary home and office computers: Three times I accessed the Internet using a personal computer in a friend's home or office. In each case the computers were infected by malicious code. SIM cards: My little computer can access the Cingular Wireless EDGE Network, but I did not buy a SIM card to see if that network is accessible from China. Great Firewall of China: I know some that some websites are blocked, however, the Great Firewall of China never blocked a connection that was part of my daily use. Just to see the Great Firewall work I attempted to access a pornsite that uses a United States Whitehouse URL varient. The connection was denied...so the Great Firewall really is there. In summary: Unless you really have work to do in China, don't bother with carrying a laptop or UMPC because they simply are not worth the weight and security concerns (primarily theft). A smartphone that can take a Chinese SIM card is probably the best solution. The Internet is readily available via the SIM card. However, I know nothing about mobile phones...so I will defer to the phone freaks among you for more reliable information.

Aug 7, 2007 13:42

GRIZ326
Points:
Join Date: Jun 12, 2006
Status: offline

I promised to post my comments on Internet access on my return and have been a little slow getting around to it so here it is:

Wireless access:

None of the hotels/hostels I stayed in offered wireless access. The university wireless hotspots I found were secured, usually with WPA although a few used WEP. Hacking the WEP hotspots might have been possible. I did not attempt that, although I ran my protocol analyzer on a the wireless university networks. I only found two Internet Cafes and neither of them were wireless hotspots. In short, my little wireless computer never connected in China.

RJ45 access:

RJ45 network cable access was provided in most of the hotels/hostels I stayed in. Unfortunately, my little computer does not have an RJ45 connector...so my little computer never connected to the Internet by wire in China.

Business Centers:

I used my hotel business centers in Guangzhou and in Kaili. I scanned the systems with my SanDisk U3 USB drive's A/V software while accessing my email. The machines came up clean. I did delete all the cookies and temp files from the machines before signing out (although using the Windows Chinese interface is a bit tricky).

NOTE: It would have been very useful to have one of the U3 browsers for the USB drive to keep the temp files and cookies on my USB drive.

Hotel in-room computers:

I spent several nights on separate occasions in the Tibet Hotel in Chengdu. One of the two in-room computers was infected by malcode.

Hostel public computers:

Malicious code, trojans and keyboard loggers were a real concern. Most of the public computers I accessed in hostels were infected by malcode.

Internet Cafes:

The two Internet Cafes I found were very busy and every computer was in use. They were not wireless Internet hotspots.

Ordinary home and office computers:

Three times I accessed the Internet using a personal computer in a friend's home or office. In each case the computers were infected by malicious code.

SIM cards:

My little computer can access the Cingular Wireless EDGE Network, but I did not buy a SIM card to see if that network is accessible from China.

Great Firewall of China:

I know some that some websites are blocked, however, the Great Firewall of China never blocked a connection that was part of my daily use. Just to see the Great Firewall work I attempted to access a pornsite that uses a United States Whitehouse URL varient. The connection was denied...so the Great Firewall really is there.

In summary:

Unless you really have work to do in China, don't bother with carrying a laptop or UMPC because they simply are not worth the weight and security concerns (primarily theft).

A smartphone that can take a Chinese SIM card is probably the best solution. The Internet is readily available via the SIM card. However, I know nothing about mobile phones...so I will defer to the phone freaks among you for more reliable information.

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