Accessing internet from the desert?

[Ferocious]

If you were going to spend considerable time in the desert (Nevada, California, New Mexico) and will be taking a labtop with access to electricity, what options are there to have internet access?

 

[bobsmith1492]

Sattelite?

Edit: or, your could rig up a Wifi connection at the nearest town, rig up a massive amplifier for the signal, and attatch a high-gain directional antenna pointing toward your house. Then do the same at your house. Although, sattelite would probably be easier, now that I think about it.....

 

[Matthias99]

You can also use most cellphones as a modem (dialing a land-line, though speeds are horrible), or directly on a GSM network if it's supported by the phone, service provider, and network (I know AT&T and T-Mobile do, though it's mostly only in big cities in the US).

Although if you're *really* in the middle of nowhere, you probably won't have cell coverage, and will be way too far away to get Wi-Fi. Satellite is then your only option, and will not be cheap, since you need a two-way link (most satellite ISPs only provide the download via satellite; uploads are handled via a dialup link).

 

[VirtualLarry]

Just bring a really huge spool of telephone cable in the back of the pickup, attach one end to the telco network when you set up, and just unroll the spool as you go.

Seriously, if you have access to a POTS line, bring a PCCard analog modem, and a copy of the Juno and NetZero client software. They have a lot of dialup POPS nationwide. But desert.. I dunno.