Visiting China

[ChinaVisitor]

Hi,

I will be visting China soon and need a little information.

I believe I have heard that some ISP's in China restricts certain web sites etc. However, would a mobile user have any issues with VPN'ing into a network in Canada from China?

That is, the user would like to be able to go to any internet cafe and use his/her own laptop to VPN from China to Canada to perform administrator tasks, if needed.

BTW, I believe I will also need a european converter for my laptop AC power adapter and Blackberry.

Thanks in advance.

[cdn_in_bj]

That is, the user would like to be able to go to any internet cafe and use his/her own laptop to VPN from China to Canada to perform administrator tasks, if needed.

Your VPN should work fine.

BTW, I believe I will also need a european converter for my laptop AC power adapter and Blackberry.

Most laptops these days come with international power adapters (110-220 volt) - you should check the sticker on the adapter. You may need to get a plug adapter, but you can get that here for quite cheap.

The same could be true for your Blackberry too.

[roddy]

That is, the user would like to be able to go to any internet cafe and use his/her own laptop to VPN from China to Canada to perform administrator tasks, if needed.

'Cafe with wireless Internet access', yes. 'Internet cafe with banks of computers', maybe. Some have hotdesk type arrangements where local students can bring their own laptops and use the Internet connection, but some won't, and won't be too keen to help out a passing customer.

VPNs work fine though, in my experience.

[adrianlondon]

I used VPN while in China a year or so ago. Worked well everywhere although for fast internet I'd usually sit in the reception of a decent hotel to use their wireless. Or use the wired internet in my dorm room.

Internet Cafes .. Roddy says they provide free wireless. He's usually right about these things, but I find it surprising, as internet cafes in the UK (the few we still have left) provide desktop computers at a charge. It'd be like a restaurant providing free cutlery for you to eat your own food with. I guess they make their money with potential printouts and DVD burning.

All modern chargers cope with the full range of voltages in use; you just need a plug adapter which you can get cheaply once you arrive.

[roddy]

Internet Cafes .. Roddy says they provide free wireless

Certainly didn't mean to. Was trying to distinguish between coffee-selling cafes which happen to have free wireless, and Internet cafes - 网吧s - where there are banks of computers and also now in some cases hotdesks where you can get power and Internet (wired or wireless I'm not sure, wired might be more likely). You'd pay per seat per hour, I'd guess. Haven't actually done this, just seen signs for the service. Makes sense now so many students have their own laptops.

[adrianlondon]

Ah, my mistake. You mentioned they may provide wireless and my brain just put the word "free" in there. Don't know why. Subconsciously I obviously expect wireless internet to be free ;)