What is a "dataport"

Pengwuino

When i look at hotel listings... i always see this feature of a room called "dataports". What exactly does that mean? What is a dataport when it comes to a hotel room?

wolram

Only for cyborgs and treky crew

chroot

An ethernet jack, usually.

- Warren

Pengwuino

for high speed internet? :O

russ_watters

The ethernet jacks are starting to go away - most decent hotels have wireless access now (though some have both).

Pengwuino

ahem

for high speed internet? :O

Mk

I think it means you can have internet in your room?

imabug

A few years ago all it meant was that the phone in the room had a second phone jack that you could plug your modem into. Now it means that as well has the possibility of the room having an Ethernet cable to plug into your computer.

Evo

Correct.

Yes Pengwuino for internet access. You just plugged your regular phone cord from your laptop into the extra jack on the phone and then you could dial into your ISP (dialup access). Now it can mean anything.

Moonbear

Yeah. You can usually find details somewhere else if they have hi-speed access or wireless, or just call the hotel and ask if you need it. Depending on my reasons for traveling, sometimes I do ask (i.e., business travel and I'm working from the road), and others I pay attention to different hotel amenities and take my chances on internet. The hotel I'm in right now has a choice of wireless or ethernet access, which will probably get phased out when everyone has a wireless card in their laptops.