Data jacks in hotels?

Question

I have found out that hotels have data jacks. Are data jacks phone jacks? How do you transfer data using a phone line, or data jack? What is it for?

Answer 1

Data jacks are usually on the actual phone itself, usually somewhere on the side of the phone. When the phone is plugged into the wall, you can plug a wire (such as an ethernet wire to your laptop or computer) into the data jack, and you will be given access to dial-up internet. The only catch is that you need to have a dial-up service to use it, which is normally installed on your computer, and even if you're in another city, the computer can detect dial-up numbers for your service, and you can have dial-up service through your hotel phone! This is often a great alternative to the expensive WiFi available in some rooms now a days, and even though it's slow it can come in handy if you have dial-up.

Answer 2

First answer correct. I not sell a dial-up, so, not mention the name. I have Cable at home, but, it only good for home! My dial-up I can go anywhere (Most Times) and when I start the dial-up Software, I can input the city and it give me the local numbers I can use. As stated it is slow, but, once I have my page up it not bad. Messenger works great once connected. But, you may sit there and wait a few minutes for everything to load. Depends on where you are and how many people are on the server.
Also, even if, there not a data jack, I just unplug the line from the phone and plug into my computer. When you change to the local numbers then you can put a dial out number like "9" just look on the phone what it says to dial out local.

Answer 3

I've stayed in some hotels which provide high speed ethernet jacks (RJ45 connector) some provide wireless access.

I have never had a hotel provide dialup service...

Data Jacks usually refer to a dedicated regular phone line to which you can plug your modem into (or any RJ11 device like a regular phone or fax machine) These provide regular (NOT PBX) phone line service so you can use your dial up service.

However most business phones like those in hotels are PBX (Private Branch eXchange a.k.a. digital) and you cannot plug a regular phone or modem into the PBX wall jack. In fact many PBX phones use the larger RJ45 connector which can easily be mistaken for an ethernet connection. What may be provided is a special jack on the phone which allows you to use your modem through the PBX phone. These provide an interface which simulates a regular phone line allowing a modem or fax to be connected.

Answer 4

Since I don't think hotels assume you will be carrying a modem around with you, it must mean a phone line. When you have a phone line you can plug up your laptop and get some very limited internet access (eg No downloading... just surfing). Some newer or recently upgraded hotels also keep a wireless connection going, normally much faster than dialup.

Answer 5

Maybe you are just referring to the ethernet ports that many hotel rooms have nowadays?