The challenge
A group of friends planned a holiday getaway at a Bed and Breakfast in a remote area of Pennsylvania. In order to plan daily activities they needed to get online to check emails and view websites to reserve tickets for area attractions. The B&B did not have broadband or wifi, and spotty wireless reception made using wireless broadband cards impossible.
The solution
The B&B had land lines available for dial-up use and one of the friends came prepared by bringing along a USR 56K USB modem. By having this backup dial-up modem in his laptop case, he was then able to dial into his broadband provider's dial-up number. This backup connection allowed the group to continue their holiday weekend without having to make numerous calls, wasting time tracking down information that was readily available online.
With the dial-up internet connection, they were able to make reservations late at night before tickets sold out the following day when the attraction opened for the holiday weekend. Maps, locations and hours were noted and the weekend went smoothly with all the information they needed.
The benefits
Having a backup modem means that you can always get on the internet as long as there is access to a phone line. The 56K USB modem is small and light, so it doesn't take up much room in a laptop case while providing peace of mind while on the road.