Connectivity in an Open Source Conference

OSCON always pushes the limits in terms of connectivity.  Let's face it, this many geeks, fighting for the available resources.  This year has set new records in my frustration to get online.

1. The Doubletree (where I am) hotel does not have wireless in the rooms
2. They do have wired ethernet, but it's not free this year
1. I can't connect in my room
2. I had to spend several phone calls and lots of time with support
3. No rebooting my computer will NOT help in this situation
4. FINE, send the tech up to check the wire to the wall
5. at least now they are switching rooms to one that has a cable or switch port that will work :)
3. The 'Free Wireless' that they do have is just in the lobby.  Last night it wasn't working
1. spr and I wound up playing Apples to Apples with sirhc and some other folks in the lobby while trying to get online.
4. The Red Lion (not the conference hotel, but closer to the conference) has free wireless in the room
1. They have 179 rooms
   
2. They can have 100 concurrent users :)
5. The OSCON open network is better today than it was yesterday morning.
1. But tomorrow there will be twice as many people, in a smaller amount of rooms for the keynote
6. AT&T's Edge network has been swamped, haven't been able to use it after Sunday
7. A guy trying to use the verizon wireless mentioned the same results (guess it's not just the iphone users)
8. Don't even bother trying to use the local points for the MetroFi free wireless, overwhelmed doesn't begin describe

Basically, if you're lucky enough to connect to anything but the oscon connection (and it will be this way during the keynotes) you won't get an IP.