I use ad blockers and open source privacy focused software whenever I can but occasionally I have to use computers that don't belong to me or an older phone where my usual applications aren't installed and seeing all the advertisements just feels dirty and dystopian.

I think the worst ads are the text to speech ones that say "Download this app today". The unblinking energenic people saying you can make a living at home are probably a close second.

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[–] FlyingSquid 35 points 1 year ago (15 children)

I'm used to seeing brief YouTube ads when I cast from my phone, but I was in a hotel recently where the only option was live TV (we were in the back of the hotel and the Chromecast didn't have a good enough antenna to pick up the router), so it was the first time in years I saw full-on commercials. If the movie hadn't been so good- After the Thin Man- I wouldn't have put up with it.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Look into the gl.inet travel routers. I've got one of the smaller ones and it has helped me on a few trips. It can run as a hotel wifi extender. An AP for your devices while it logs into the hotel wifi or ethernet on their behalf, etc. Can even channel all your data over a VPN over the hotel connection which is useful if you're overseas and want to use your services back home but need to un-geoblock yourself.

Worth a look for under $100.

[–] glockenspiel 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I agree, and those routers can be extremely cheap. I recommend people plug them directly into ethernet whenever possible otherwise speeds basically get cut in half when operating as extenders (just like at home, excepting backhaul).

And in hotels without an obvious ethernet port: check behind the TV. There is usually a less metered port on the wall back there for use by the TV. Sometimes it is restricted, but I've been pleased to find that enough hotels don't have the foresight to do more than simply obscure things a bit.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

How do they handle the web portal login requirement that hotels typically have?

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