I'm making my first trip next weekend and I am wondering if it is worth bringing my laptop to check email etc? is there a wireless infrastructure? I believe my hotel's internet access in pretty pricey... Thanks!

Just out of nerdy curiosity, I dropped a couple of Google searches:

hotspot amsterdam
and
wireless internet amsterdam

Both came up with a number if sites worth checking out - some commercial, some free - and one even has a navigatable hotspot map. Most of the most useful sites are written in NL, but are still pretty easy to navigate.

Try these:

http://www.amsterdamwireless.net
http://www.amsterdam-wireless.nl/oost/moin.cgi/FolDerEn
http://www.hotspotamsterdam.com/

There was even a hotspot list on one of the sites:

Bagels and Beans - Waterlooplein 2
Albus Grand Hotel - in Deluxe Rooms - Vijzelstraart 49 - 31-0-20-530-6200
The American Book Center - Kalverstraat 185, 1012 XC - +31(0)20 625 55 37
THE FLYING PIG Downtown Hostel - Nieuwendijk 100 - 1012 MR - 31 (0) 20 4206822
THE FLYING PIG Palace Hostel - Vossiusstraat 46 - 1071 AJ - 31 (20) 4004187
NEMO - Oosterdok 2 (naast Amsterdam Centraal Station) - 0900 - 91 91 100
De Balie - Kl. gartmanplantsoen

Hope this helps!

Just bring your laptop,you,ll probably be able to pick up someone,s router somewhere as long as they are not firewalled like the ones at my work.as a matter of fact those are the only ones i can,t log on to of all the ones i pick up a signal from. I presently at this moment am picking up 4 unsecured routers-all high speed 54mbps.There,s a lot more internet in Amsterdam then here in Hawaii

To enhance your search for wireless try downloading Netstumbler-do a Google search,it,s free

There's a free one on Prins Hendrikkade but I forget the name of the hotel...

you can also try abraxas coffee shop which has free wireless access.

withnail

Can vouch for the Abraxas hotspot, completely free at 54mbs. The Dolphins coffeeshop also has free wireless.

Only problem with both of these places is there's nowhere to plug your laptop in so you're at the mercy of your battery.

Dave

Hey thanks guys. All of your replies have been extremely helpful. I'll be bringing the laptop afterall.