Choo-choo-choose Internet

This is being written while on a moving train. VIA has put in wireless internet access on all their trains. Considering the captive audience, they could have been more evil about it like Winnipeg's airport ($14.95/day) or Toronto's airport (no wireless at all), but they could also have been nicer about it like Halifax's airport (free wireless). Anyhoo. $8.95/day, or 30 cents/minute + $3.99 setup fee. *That* one's a ripoff.

I'm trying to use a free coupon I received to promote the service, but so far I can't get the damn thing working. I can connect, but their system (like most) notices me and won't allow me access to anything until I've logged in. I created a new account and used my 1-hour coupon, but it won't allow me to actually login using the coupon. I tried again too, just in case (I have leapfish's coupon), same result.

Grrr. I need to download some legal but popularly used for illegal tools so I can avoid this. Suggestions?

By the time you read this, I'll be sitting in a boardroom on a regular network again. Which is OK, satellite from a train is nifty and cool but sloooooooooooow.

Update: Oops, got busy and forgot to post. So here you go now.

Wooo-woooo!

(subject line displays recent activity of my train)

*This* time I'm really on the train while posting! Wooo! Maddeningly slow -- yay latency. I think I'm a couple cars ahead of the access point, plus it's cell-to-satellite-to-internet so not great anyway.

I'm getting awesome errors, like this one:

An outstanding acknowledge pdu was not received in time (probably high udp data loss)
The enhancement client proxy could not communicate with the server proxy.

If you contact your satellite service provider because of this message, please include a copy of your Log File.

Message generated by enhancement client proxy on host VIA_3472 at 2006-05-19 22:52:56 UTC.

It reminds me of that guy who watching himself as he was routed over the Atlantic on an internet-equipped flight. Yay for nifty uselessness.

Well, useful sorta. But until it works better, useless. Also, it should be free with my ticket. But that would require more government funding for VIA, so it ain't gonna happen.