my 5660 and I are currently living in Japan. It's really nice here, but I still don't have internet access. I've been looking at the Japanese wireless internet service called AirH. I'm just curious if anyone else has used, or even heard of this before?

There's a pcmcia type II card you can buy, and a decent monthly fee you can pay for unlimited access, but I've been told the drivers for the card may not work on my comp because it's not a Japanese model. I don't want to believe this, but I also don't want to shell out my hard earned yen for something that's not going to work on my comp.

Can anybody provide some insight?

Thanks

I'm no expert on this, but as long as the computers are built the same basic way over there as they are here, it should work. The main reason different countries need different drivers is for the languages-something a computer doesn't really understand anyway.

Well, you could always bring your system in with you and ask to try it out before you buy. I don't think they'd have too much of a problem with that. You could ask if it would work, but I don't think they'd be able to give you a good answer and they'd probably be overly pessimistic.

That said, while I don't know if this is relevant, I've installed a driver for a Japanese printer on my 8886, and it works and there are no apparent problems...

Still, it seems to me that something like that could quickly become an expensive proposition.

Here's some more info on the AirH" service

speed - 128 kbps
cost - basic monthly cost of 4930 and additional cost based on plan chosen (example - 128k packet/32k packet unlimited use: 3500/mo)
- additional cost from internet provider (probably something like 1500/mo)
- it appears that you will also be charged normal phone rates of 10/min

So that first hour you spend on the internet this way will cost you 10530, with every next minute adding 10 more

I'll check this total at an actual shop if I get a chance soon. Meanwhile, are you sure you want to try this? I have LAN access at work and a cable modem at home which costs something like 5000/mo (a little less, I think, but anyway...). I'm assuming you won't be completely remote most of the time (unless you have the additional battery... and maybe a solar panel as well... ), so you might want to look into something like that instead.

Note: There are other deals available from them. You can get the first 25 hours of use/mo as a package deal for 5800/mo instead of the 3500/mo charge. That brings the basic charge (first 25 hrs free) to 12230.

yeah, i just went�@to the shop today, thinking i was going to get the AirH adapter. then they hit me with all the additional costs. i said "thanks, but no thanks".

i'm getting ready to move to a new apartment, and the guys that live there already have cable, so i think i'll look into getting a cable modem.

of course i have no idea who to talk to about getting a cable modem here in osaka. haha.

any suggestions aviax (it sounded like you are in japan as well)?

thanks