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It costs money, but it is always better to get a portuguese speaking local tech to check out initial sapo installations and that your pc is configured properly.

PT engineers are only trained to install lines and equipment...not to make sure computers are correctly connected to the router or diagnose computer problems.

The call center folk at the SAPO help centre run through standard computer generated fault check lists and do not have the flexibility to diagnose problems specific router/computer installations.

I have come across this many times here. I have been called to clients have been sold SAPO accounts/routers. Installation is supposed to be self-explanatory. However, they try to install it and often find they can't or there is a problem. They get onto to the SAPO helpline and more often than not end up in similiar posiitons to those refer to in this thread. The latest incident occured last week, and althogh the client had some computer knowledge and had spent 3 hours on the phone to Sapo, as well having had a PT tech come to check the line, it took a visit from me and 45 minutes slog to find out that a single misplaced number in a not-obvious page of the control panel of the router, was the origin of the problem. Since then no hassle but SAPO were worse than useless.

It is not only estrangeiros who have this problem. I know of many Portuguese folk who have had the same frustrations.

As with all threats to Linux and Apple base system this threat does require the user to authorise its installation...unlike in older Windows systems.

The real problem here is that some wise guy managed to hide a bit of malware in a screensaver supposedly designed for Ubuntu and posted it on a respected Ubuntu Linux site, alhtough not one officially recognised by Ubuntu.

The moral of the story is that whether you operate Windoze, Apple or Linux, try to make sure what one is downloading and try to download it from an official site.

For example, for a basic Windoze system these day, I only install updates from microsoft.com, adobe flash and reader from adobe.com, anti-virus from a reputable anti-virus company, and if a office package is required, Openoffice from openoffice.org.

I refuse to install anything from sites that are not reputable and authorised.

If you are not sure about any bit of software you are about to download ask in a tech forum first.
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I would concur...If you want to buy a laptop in English, buy outside Portugal, unless you buy an Apple as you can select the language you want on initial start up. (I did this last year for a client who bought one here at FNAC Guia.)

If you want desktop machine installed with Windows in english, http://www.chipsite.pt in Lisbon and Lagos have some very competitive offers with 2 year guarantees.I have used them for years.

Apple Portugal website shows the following authorised Apple agents close by you:

Telstar Informática, Lda.
Praça 25 de Abril, 47 2500-110, Caldas da Rainha
Página de Internet: não disponível
Correio electrónico: mail.telstar@gmail.com
Telefone: +351-262 823 248
Fax: +351-262 832 408

The following link gives you the list of authorised Apple support centres in Portugal:

http://www.apple.com/pt/support/contact/

Make sure you get a Toshiba world wide guarantee certificate when purchasing the machine.

Link to Toshiba Portugal national PC/Laptop support center is here:

http://bit.ly/5tuRgt

The issue about local computer men referred to above is also important. Often we have a lot more experience with day to day trials and tribulations of computer users in the field, than manufacturers' national service support centres.

Make sure that you bring a laptop cooler with you as in summer conditions here can cause laptops to run hot.

Finally, why are you giving up on Macs? Given the fact that there are practically no problems with viruses on Macs, moving from Macs you are used to a Windoze machine is difficult for me to fathom.

Infiltration of Linux boxes by malware is not impossible.....does need user participation however....

See:

http://bit.ly/linux_malware

Firefox, Opera, Google Chrome all install on your PC alongside Internet Explorer so that one can have multiple browsers operating on a single PC.

Opera - www.opera.com/
Google Chrome - www.google.com/chrome
Firefox - UK version here - www.mozilla-europe.org/en/firefox/

You will have to select one as your default browser. You should be able to import your favorites from one browser to another. Forefox has lots of add-ons but be aware it can slow down loading.

The real problem is not with national coverage of ADSL/3G, the problem is with broken terrain and loss of line of site. ADSL signals are only generally good for 4 to 5km from the nearest equipped sub-exchange. In the Vila de Bispo area, this means Vila de Bispo / Raposeira. As phone lines do not always run as "the fly crows", there can be situations where a property may be phyiscally closer than 5km to the sub-exchange but because the line runs around the houses the phone line longer.

As regards 3G, the problem is that there has to be an unbroken line of sight for the signal to follow between the dongle and the 3G Mobile mast. This has become a major problem for many people living in the country. I have friends near Bensafrim who bought a house in a valley. I ran 3G tests there. At the top of a 30m rise behind their house there was a good 3G signal but further down in the house none.

One possibility is to mount the 3g unit on one's property where there is a good signal, order a 3G booster antenna, and then run a wireless/or wired lan network signal to the computer.

The moral of the story is that if you are going to buy a house in Portugal and require Internet, check the net availability yet.

Try Beep Informatica in Ayamonte at C/ Cristóbal Colón, 39
tel: 00 34 959 320 379

They currently have psu's available from € 27.50. according to their website.

See: http://bit.ly/7addAM

Chipsite offer them from € 19.90
http://www.chipsite.pt/list.php?fm=90

P.S:

Just remembered there's a new Radio Popular opened in Faro. They should also be able to help. They have PSU starting from € 26.90 on their online shop.

Faro Shopping
Estrada Nacional 125
KM 103
8005 - 145 Faro

Tel: 289 880 220
Fax: 289 878 525

Make sure first what providers can serve you in Vale de Telha.

Methinks that in VDT, as far as I know, PT are the only provider of telecomms access over landline copper wires and that you will be tied to SAPO. Various other providers may offer you services over the PT wires but check the small print clearly as I doubt they would be cheaper than SAPO. I do not think there are cable services in VDT at present.

In certain parts of Lagos, for example, Vodafone offer services over their own copper wires and ZON/Cabovisao offer phone/internet/tv over their own cable networks.

Your only other broadband access option if the signal is good would be by3G over dongle and that will generally on average be more expensive.

This can be a real pain. My other half has an Asus EEEPC which I got her and I have an Acer Laptop and despite my best efforts we often have odd problems with hotel wifi installations. I should point out that both machines run Linux.

The Asus EEEPC suffers sometimes from having to many "dead" wireless connections in its database. This happens when you visit a lot of wifi locations that you will never use again (e.g. hotels ) in a short period. It is always a good idea to clean out your wifi connection points database periodically.

With my Acer, the problem turned out to be the fact that is was designed 3 years ago and has an old spec onboard wifi card. Once I disabled that....by stripping the laptop down as there was no option to do so in the bios, and then fitting an external wifi usb dongle, 90% of the problems went away.

Another point is that often hotels and hostelries have no one in-house that understands their wifi systems. I look after two such installations and I have, after much hassling, have finally got the staff trained "Pavlov" style to text me the moment the wifi goes down. Often a router reboot sorts it. However, where one has installations involving a router, a couple of access points, a bridge, it can be more complicated.

A final point, if you can find the setting in your wifi control panel, make sure that the channel select setting is set to Auto. Wifi can be broadcaat on anything up to 16 channels I think and this can complicate matter. Setting channel selection to Auto can often resolve this.

Linux is an operating system.

Ubuntu Linux is a sub-distribution/flavour/variety of the Linux operating system and to complicate matters is based on the Debian distribution of Linux ....

Structure is like this

Linux
......... Debian
....................Ubuntu

Why so many?

Linux is for hyper nerds like Linus Torvalds (initial developer of Linux) and Mark Shuttleworth (founder of Ubuntu and 1st South African into Space)

Debian is for super nerds.....

Ubuntu is for you and me, and is a user-friendly system evolved from above with GUI's (graphic user interfaces) and designed to operate like Widnows and Mac OSX.

Linux is based on the UNIX OS developed in the '70's and '80's.

The architecture of Linux systems does not allow for 99.9% of scripts/programs to run with out the adminsitrators permission, unlike Windows systems, where .exe., .com and some .dll files can run, without permission, as soon as they enter the system. It is the latter function, that is the origin of most viruses/malware/spyware infections.

I have been called out to three clients with Windoze machines in the last three weeks 'cos they could not find a user friendly way to install:

a) a printer
b) a webcam
c) a sapo router

Windows user friendly??????....Ha!

However, I was called to transfer a client's data from his old XP laptop to a brand spanking new Apple 15" Macbook Pro... what a dream!

It's a BMW of PC's! The client who has always felt challenged by his XP machine was roaring around on it when I arrived. However, linux knowledge was useful to configure the inbuilt samba server to talk the XP machine. Mac OS X and upwards is unix (forbear of linux) under the hood.

Very user friendly but these machines are pricey.

However, interesting to note that FNAC in Guia are pushing them big time.

Furthermore, like Linux, with an Apple OSX machine you can select your install language on first boot so there is little risk of buying a laptop in Portugal with Windows aboard and find its installed in Portuguese and then have to buy another copy of Windows in English and do a fresh reinstall.

A technical question:

System: Windows XP/Vista

I travel a lot and have 2 3g dongles/providers -

One from say from Vodafone UK
One from say Vodafone Portugal

Each dongle is tied to the indvidual sim/provider and is blocked.

Can I configure dial-up software in XP to recognise each individual dongle when I plug it in, instead of having to reconfigure it each time I switch accounts.

Any thoughts would be useful.

Thanks

Why don't you consider a 3G pay as you go dongle to start with as discussed above.

I have to comment that as you are at Zambujeira, I suspect that even when you get your line in, broadband speeds will be at the bottom end of the advertised range. I am not sure where the local sub-exchange is, but I doubt that adsl speeds in that part of the Alentejo will not be great and if you are more than 2-3 kms from the local DSLAM, and dependent on overhead cables, expect climatic conditions to regularly impact on the line quality. Also, make sure your the electrics on property is properly earthed, keep a spare adsl router in the cupboard as lightning strikes and power cuts regularly fry these units.

I was called to a client a couple of years ago, situated between Lagos and Burgau. They needed broadband. Their phone line had a history of regularly frying fax machines owing to lightning strikes on overhead phone cables. I refused consequently to install Sapo over the landline because I could see what was going to happen, (i.e regularly fried modems/routers). I did however, rig them up a vodafone dongle on a yearly contract. I then attached this to a router and at one stage they had up to five machines running on it, although I would not normally recommend more than two or max three machines over such a system. I subsequently installed a similar system at Ingrina near Vila de Bispo where a property was to far from the exchange to install adsl over the landline.

The problem with a dongle solution will probably traffic volume as data transmission rates over the 3G network will be higher than over landline.

I encountered a problem this week while updating the http://www.dancaiberica.org website for Dance Algarve 2010.

The site runs off a PHP/Myssql Database setup hosted on Godaddy shared hosting and servers pages in 4 different languages. This year I introduced a javascript dropdown menu that required the strict code in the header.

All was fine until the page were served up. Despite the fact the collation in the database is set to Latin_bin_1 and the following line is included in the header

meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8",

certain browsers were not rendering the Portuguese Characters correctly unless you manually changed the encoding in the browser each time one viewed the page. Needless to say the main culprit behind all this was Microsoft whose IE6/7/8 caused the original problem.

Anyway, after a bit of searching I found the following thread that resolved the issue:

http://forums.mysql.com/read.php?103,46870,247882#msg-247882

Simple:

Add

"mysql_query("SET NAMES 'utf8'");"

to your php database connection string/file.

Problem solved!

[quote="micas"]Please... experts out there, can someone explain to me how it works?
In simple language one can actually understand.
[/quote]

Wifi is essentially a system for transmission of data signals between computers and/or computer like devices over a limited range. The technology can therefore be used in homes, businesses and in compact public places to allow computers to connect to each other or to internet access facilities (usually know as routers) in the absence of cables.

Most laptop computers today and mobile phones such as the Apple Iphone
have built in wifi antennas.

One can also encounter WIFI signs in places such as motorway service areas. This usually means that if one has the correct access account one can use the short distance wifi facility to connect to the Service Area router and via that access the internet.

As regards using dongles with laptops, it is technically possible to connect one to certain models of routers with built in usb ports and then share the signal.

I have done this twice for clients here near Lagos. However, bandwith and speed are less than a Sapo connection. In both my cases, these were rural hostelries. At one stage, one had five pc's working on the system although the webpage load times were relatively slow when all five were being used.

The other unit has two computers operating (the owner's XP machine and a linux/ubuntu guest machine) and these work fine, although there can be periodic signal drops.

The problem is that most commercially available routers that work with dongles are quite expensive. I managed, however, to find a freeware firmware download from a guy in the Czech Republic which allowed me to flash the bios of a relatively cheap Asus router (€ 75.00) and connect the Vodafone Dongle.

www.zapp.pt offer a wireless internet solution here in Portugal also using old radio-telephone frequencies. They also offer a router option. See http://www.zapp.pt/equipamento/routerasus.php.

As mentioned above, and I cannot emphasize this enough, do not buy any gear until you are absolutely sure that you can receive not only a good mobile signal but a good 3G mobile signal. A normal GPRS mobile signal will only transmit data at 64 kpbs/sec. (Not much more than old dial-up) You must make sure that you can receive a good 3G signal to get speeds approaching broadband velocity.

Screenshot of wordbiz 1.8 running on ubuntu 9.04 on an Acer 4310 Laptop.

For use with Internet Scrabble Club - http://www.isc.ro/

(Click to enlarge:)

[Question]Er.. forgive a question that may sound stupid B_expert, but does Linux run all Windows compatible programs?

Does it look like windows - i.e. similar to navigate?

Are there problems reading files on a Windows computer if they were originally created on a Linux one?

Sorry - that's 3 questions. It's just that I keep hearing good things about Linux but have reservations about taking a leap into the void :? :?[/Question]

I am writing this to you on a basic laptop purchased in Worten Portimão 2 years ago and running Ubuntu 9.04 . After years of getting fed up with Windoze, viruses, upgrades etc, etc, I switched 100% to using Ubuntu Linux in 2004. I looked at Apple, but the equipment is expensive and if anything goes wrong with the hardware or software, 90% of the time, it can mean, off to Loulé to the only authorised Apple Agent in the Algarve.

One does need a little bit of "nouse"/"common sense" to begin with but I have 95% compatibility with a Windows installation on my machine. With Openoffice 3.0, one can open, edit and save documents in Word, Excel and Powerpoint formats. To be honest, there may be the odd problems with formatting compatible headers and footers. I do all my webdesign on this machine. I play music on it, I watch videos (e.g. Shaun the Sheep) and youtube on it. I Skype on it!

One thing about Linux, which is great is that most of the programmes are freely available under the GNU Open Source License. For example, the Gimp which is the Linux world's version of Photoshop is free and in my opinion has more options and functionality than Photoshop.

With a Linux installation, you can usually print anything automatically to PDF format.

With Windows, you buy the operating system (e.g. Vista or XP) and then pay (a lot) for or pirate most of the extra stuff you need. With Linux, you can usually find what you need for free from one of the online repositories.

Linus Torvalds (the original developer of the Linux kernel (the core of linux)) and the millions of Linux volunteers world-wide who have voluntarily been nerding away for the past 18 years, have created a vast volume of software way in excess of what is available in the Windows world...and it is free.

This means that in the Linux world, piracy practically does not exist.

There are certain areas where Linux is not yet up with Windows:

1) No one has yet developed an alternative of Adobe/Macromedia Flash for making Flash animations for websites.
2) Microsoft Publisher - If you use this program you will not find a compatible programme at present in the Linux world.
3) Some programmes such as for making labels, (Such as those you buy in Staples), will not work on Linux BUT there is an virtual layer adapter software available in Windows called WINE, which can facilitate running windows programmes on Linux. However, I don't use it.
3) Depending on your computer, you may encounter the odd driver problem but that can usually be overcome with the help of the vast Linux nerd community world-wide.

There also may be issues if you use special accounts software for business.

Linux does not suffer from viruses or malware like Windows machines. No operating system is 100% safe, but a Linux desktop machine is 98% safer than a Windows machine as executable files cannot usually be installed without the users explicit permission.

In terms of navigation, Linux desktops have a familiarity about them and can be made to look like a windows desktop. One has a choice of at least two main interface types KDE and GNOME. These basically set up the Desktop Screen. KDE is very popular for those wanting flashy desktops....I like GNOME, its more workman like..like Windows 2000 used to be.

I use a Vodafone 3G dongle, as well as wifi, with my Linux laptop - No problem at all.

I have installed Ubuntu Linux on at least six public machines in the Lagos area in recent years. When previously, every time some smart alec backpacker messed with a windows machine, and downloaded a virus, it was a call out and sometimes a reinstall. With Linux, the machines run for months. The main problem is usually the hardware not the machine. You can also lock Linux machines down so that people can only use, for example, the browser.

On the Ubuntu Linux distribution, updates are available and delivered regularly over the web. Each edition is updated every 6 months.

Finally, I admit, I am an evangelist for Linux. However, I have felt for a long time, that the prices charged by Microsoft, over the years for its programmes, have actually created the software piracy issue. If you could pick up a legal copy of Windows XP and other programmes for Euro 20, piracy would be down by 80%. Viruses would not go away, however, because the Windows environment with its self executable .exe files is basically open to virus abuse.

In summary, if you have the time and willingness to switch, linux gets you away from the world of viruses and piracy and above all is free.

With Linux you have the tools, you have the support and you can get on with the job in hand.

There are netbook & internet deals here in portugal, but most of them are fixed one year contracts with the mobile operators TMN, Kanguru/Optimus and Vodafone. Pay as you go exists but is no good for Skype owing to limited traffice volumes.

The free volume of traffic/upload/download bandwith available from fixed contract deals with these provides is also limited. So if one uses Skype a lot one soon will be paying a lot over the odds for excess traffic.

Using a UK operators dongle on roaming will cost a fortune is you use skype regularly.

Regular use of Skype, in my opinion, still requires a fixed line adsl or cable broadband connection with a good monthly download data volume. e.g. SAPO 4G/ e 8GB.

As regards no hard drives, only the the very basic models have small flash drives. The more expensive models of netbooks now all have hard drives.

I bought my other half one of the first Asus EEEpc machines sold here in Portugal as she travels a lot. It runs Linux and is fine for email, Skype with webcam and basic office stuff. Skype works well on it but it is only viable when she is in locations with free or low cost wifi.

She is currently on New Zealand on business and has been istaying n business hotels. The wifi rate at these hostelries are ridiculous. So I Skype her from my laptop here over the landline to her hotel room phone in NZ. Not free but still much cheaper. Her netbook stays in her bag. Next week she moves to a hotel with free wifi and we will then use it more.

As regards loading MS Office onboard....YUK!!!!!!!

Linux equipped netbooks already come with OpenOffice loaded. This is an opensource (free) package like MS Office from Sun. It can open, edit and save excel spreadsheets, word documents and powerpoint presentations.

There is a version for Windows, Mac and in various languages here:

http://download.openoffice.org/other.html#en-US

These are downloadable of the internet so an external DVD is not necessary.

Worten at present have a basic netbook sans dongle as follows:

Aspire One D150 BlackACERPC Portátil Intel® Atom™ N280 - 1,66GHz / TFT Wide 10,1" / 1024 MB / 160 GB / Windows XP / Intel® 945 GSE / WebCam. Price € 279.

Note this comes with Windows Xp installed and you can be sure with 99%
certainty that it will be XP Portuguese version. If you want it in english you will have to buy a new XP license and cd.

Recently, I have been encouraging expats here to look at Macs or Linux as a solution as you can setup one's preferred language on starting the machine for the first time. I did this with my partner's Asus and recently with an Apple Macbook a client bought at FNAC here.

Finally, note that netbook screens are small. If you are getting one, go for a minimum of 10'1" TFT Screen. The smaller one are a hassle.

I have been to Albufeira again to check the availability of the free wifi algarvedigital signal around the Camara building.

At the Camara, as one enters the atrium, there is a prominent notice outside advertising the free algarvedigital wifi service. There is also a map indicating that most places within 50/75 metres radius should be able to pick it up.

I then asked the security guard on duty if I could sit in the Atrium to connect to the Internet. He said no. He then explained that the service has now been equipped with a directional antenna that blasts the signal out of the Camara Building only in the direction of the gardens and Bombeiros. There are no cafes in this direction.

He said to use it I would have to sit in the gardens. Luckily it was not raining and again I tested it and again connected to algarvedigital with no problems. I tested it again over the road at the Bombeiros. There was still a signal but it had dropped to 9%.

I reckon that the whole world was using the system and someone (the Camara) was receiving a huge broadband bill. So instead of saying that the service was uneconomic, it was more politically correct to install a directional antenna and blast the signal into an area where there are no cafes etc. Consequently, it can only be used in fair weather when there is no glare, or in a car parked in the car park, I mentioned previously.

However, the Camara can continue to say they are part of the AlgarveDigital free wifi Project!

So to use it, one has to sit in the gardens or in a car in the car park P5.

OK. Finally made it to Albufeira.

I am sitting in the car in Car Park P5 in front of the Camara Municipal at 14:23.

I fired up my Acer 4310 with Ubuntu 8.10 installed and it immediately found the public wifi signal for the algarve digital project - signal strength 35% on the internal broadcom wifi card.

The machine automatically found the algarvedigital signal and access was immediate and free as in the Lagos Cultural Centre. (Centro Cultural).

I am writing this from the car in the Car Park.

However, there is free broadband wifi here!

See:

http://www.expatsportugal.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7079&highlight=internet

This is my speciality. I am based in Lagos.

Can you tell us where you are? There are various options depending where you are! If you are in a rural location, you may be restricted to PT (Portugal Telecom) or Vodafone (dependent on line of site to Mobile Mast - THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT). Also if you are more that 5000m from an adsl equipped exchange/sub-exchange you probably will not be able to get broadband over the phone line.

In certain urban areas you may have a broader range of options, including cable.

If you can post and idea of your location as well as what type of PC/operating System you have may be able to give more information.

For those who don't normally head back to the UK frequently, most Worten/Vobis/Radio Popular shops have been retailing the bottom of the range ASUS EEEpc and acer aspire one here in Portugal for several months now.

Although prices are a bit higher than £99.00, the local ones come with a 2 year local guarantee. Unfortunately, the Windows versions tend to be installed with Windows in Portuguese.

However, although the LINUX version of the Asus EEEpc comes installed in Portuguese, running a simple script in the terminal changes 95% of the operating system and programmes into English. It also runs beautifully with Vodafone/TMN/Kanguru dongles.

Bought one for the other half in July. She travels around Europe a lot and loves it.

Ours came from Chipsite who have shops in Lagos and Lisbon. They also do mail order.

They currently offer the Asus EEEpc with linux for € 195.00

See: http://www.chipsite.pt/list.php?fm=343

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