It seems to be fashionable to write (read: blog) about the wireless connection that people are using on the 747 half way over some big ocean.  Given that I’m not yet at the stage in my life where I jet around the world, I’m instead doing this from a train that is just on the border between England and Scotland.

First impressions weren’t that good.  The wireless connected fine and I fired up firefox.  Once loaded I was redirected to a page with a login link and links to other pages where I could get more information – except none of them worked but the login button.

Having logged in I then went to check my e-mail using web mail.  Several attempts later and it looks like GNER block access to certain ip addresses.  In the end I got round this by using ssh and looping through a server that I run a web site from.

Overall the speed isn’t too bad, some pages take quite a while, ping times aren’t that great.  At least it works and enables some people to get some work done, but by no means a service that allows you to get any real work done though.  The connection isn’t just up to it.