Wifi & internet

[Dave507]

Hello!  I'm booking a property soon as I'm going on vacation abroad. Having never booked a property/appartment on airbnb, I have a quesstion regarding wifi & internet.

What does it mean when wifi is listed as a feature on a property? Does it mean they provide a computer with internet/wifi? 

As I'm going on a business trip, I will need a computer & internet connection to browse some websites as it's part of my job. 

For example I will need to use Microsoft Word. If there's no computer, it will be problematic as I can't use Microsft Word on my smartphone?

[Ana1136]

@Dave507 Wi-Fi means exactly that, only Wi-Fi. If you need a computer you need to search for listing that provides that too which is separate from WiFi. Those listings are rare, can't you take a lap top? 

[Dave507]

Thanks for your quick reply. I'd take a laptop but I haven't got one because I never needed one. But now I do, so I suppose I'll have to buy one or ask my brother to borrow his if he still has it.

Anyway do some hosts provide a computer? I read somewhere stories about people getting their passwords hacked when using a computer at their airbnb property, so that would suggest some properties do have computers?

[Lawrene0]

I'm a pretty laid back host, @Dave507 , but even I wouldn't let a guest use my personal computer. Also, I wouldn't let my brother take it on vacation. Brace yourself for your brother's answer...

@Ana1136 is right. Wifi is just wifi. It doesn't come with equipment. 

Are you travelling to a city that might have an internet café? Would that meet your needs?

[Dave507]

I didn't mean that I'd use the host's personal computer. I thought there would be some sort of public computers available for guests to use. It's my first time booking a place to stay at airbnb so I don't know how it works. 

Btw my brother has a laptop, he doesn't use it anymore so he told me I could borrow it if I want. But I'll be taking my dad's as he doesn't use it neither.

Yes I'm going to several major capitals in Europe so yeah there are internet cafes but that's definitely not an option as I will be browsing some private sites so I need privacy. For example I wouldn't feel comfortable browsing escort websites infront of bunch of people! And I wouldn't feel safe ( risk of getting hacked) entering confidential info/ my bank details on a public computer!

[Sarah977]

@Dave507  Most people travel with laptops these days if they need them for their work. Certainly all my guests have. I don't think anyone will let a guest use their computer, nor are they normally provided in any listing. it's considered something personal. It's also important that you message the host to get really clear on how their internet is. Many people just assume that there is high speed, unlimited internet everywhere, which isn't the case. At my place, for instance, my Wifi is cell-based and metered, so neither I nor my guests can use it to upload large files, watch Netflix, etc. And it's slow compared to what many people are used to. But there's tons of cafes and restaurants around where guests can go, get a bite to eat and hook up to the Wifi.

[Dave507]

It's my first business trip & my first "real" holiday abroad hence why I have a computer but not a laptop. 

I wouldn't dream of using a host's computer tbh as I'd have to really trust her/him to enter my personal bank details/ debit card information. I've read a lot of stories of crazy host's installing surveillance camera's in the property, even in the shower & the bedroom! That's not normal! 

Obviously there's not high speed internet everywhere. Infact in some cities/countries such as in Russia or Greece the internet connection isn't as fast as say in Norway or the USA ( although it depends what part of the US too)

Having said that even though Russia for example doesn't have fast internet connection it still has a faster internet connection than in France where I live! So most of the countries I will be going to have faster internet connections than France according to wiki https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Internet_connection_speeds