Cunning plan to extend and connect to a hotspot

For those looking for better options for their internet access I found a great site here:

http://www.zukunft-breitband.de

Shows you all the options in your area. Well - in theory but for my area it is not 100% correct. But it is pretty good and gives you possible contacts.

Just so happens freakily that I have a Wireless Hotspot close-by. If I stand in the car park outside my office it comes up as T_Mobile_T_Com but I did not manage to connect with my laptop. I was expecting to be taken to some kinda pay-up log-in page? But maybe signal was too weak. I was just using the standard internal connector built into my Macbook.

So my plan is perhaps:

1. Purchase a USB wireless extender like this one shown here: http://www.wifispark.com/index.php/content/view/90/

2. Purchase a contract from Deutsche Telekom for access. Looks like this is gonna be potentially expensive? http://www.t-mobile.de/hotspot/preise/0,12...17898-_,00.html
http://www.t-mobile.de/T-D1/cds/td1_cds_po...1230-0-,00.html
It appears that I can get 24 hours a month inclusive for my €18??

So question is whether I have missed anything here? Basically I am looking for a backup connection to go with my regular Smart-DSL connection - because that can be knackered by bad weather,
and last Winter we had no snow etc - but it might come again. And we cannot work in the office without an internet connection!!

p.s. How quick are these Hotspot in usage? Assuming I have a good signal. I doubt they will have much actual traffic bothering the network.

wow 120€ for the usb wireless antenna, seems a bit pricey. You might look at just a directional antenna, like the "Pringles-can" one you can make yourself.
Watched a video of a guy using one he built for about 5$ connect to a HS almost 8 kilometers away.
And since you are stationary it should be pretty easy to set it up and get it pointed right.
Good luck!

I saw the Pringles jobbies, but I don't really wanna screw about toooooo much 'cos when we lose our Internet connection, I have to send the staff home and cannot work!! So it is worth me spending a few pennies to have a half-decent plan. It is never gonna be a perfect plan, but just trying to look at the options.

I also read about wireless. So just how cheap can one set it up? Don't you need a PC card? I'd love to mess with those Pringles things.

If there is a hotspot nearby then there is internet nearby. Why not simply identify a local internet-capable neighbour, private or business, then go knock on the door and ask him if you can share his WiFi for a fee not dissimilar to the cost of his entire connection per month, which is sure to be less than unlimited use of a commercial hotspot, and would be an offer most would be fools to refuse. With an antennae booster such as that you've already seen, or even a direct line-of-sight microwave link, then you could achieve some or all of your desires.

My immediate neighbours have the same issues. The hotspot I think is at the local hotel. In theory I could go and have a chat with the hotel management etc but I only want it as a "backup" plan in case of failure of my main system. It's not really the answer for every day usage.

Problem really is that I have been hanging on for 6-9 months hoping that Telekom would supply DSL or similar - but that now sounds like 12 months away - if ever.

Actually, if you go via the T-Com/T-Home website then you can get a better deal, as long as you have a T-Online account:
HotSpot Flat

Currently priced at 14,95EUR for unlimited T-Com hotspot access within Germany, there used to be an offer of around 10EUR if you had Call&Surf Comfort, but I can't find the details at the moment. If you sign up for the new Call&Surf Comfort Plus (currently at the same price as the old Comfort tarif) then the hotspot flat is included!