Cell Phone Internet Access

[ZoominC6]

We've been using a Cingular wireless card in our laptop for a little over a year now. It is EXPENSIVE and it is SLOW but we get a signal almost anywhere and it is for an unlimited number of minutes at around $90 a month, OUCH! Leadville and Rocky Mountain National Park were the only places we couldn't get a signal at all (while our cingular cellphone did work). We've been from Maine to Key West and then west as far as CO. with this thing so far and are pleased with it other than the cost. Just my two cents worth, which is about all I have left after paying the monthly cost.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Rivetedude

I have Sprint PCS service and use a Sanyo PM8200 with unlimited wireless web (no waiting for nights and weekends). All I need is a data cable (USB) and the driver (www.driverguide.com). On Driverguide the Username is "drivers", and the password is "all". You can rigister if you want, but that's the name and password they give everybody. Do a search for you phone.

After installing the phone as a modem useing the driver you just downloaded, use the internet connection wizard and select your phone as the modem to use. The username and password for your connection is the same as your wireless web username and password. #777 is the number that you use to dial out. It's four times faster than dial-up (230k), it doesn't cost you a dime extra, and you've got Internet access anywhere in the Sprint area. I have a Nationwide plan.

Ben

I use the same basic setup...got my cable fromGomadic they also include a disc with the drivers on it. So far it has been pretty dependable. In one location in OK it was the ONLY choice, there was no local dialup available.

Aaron

[Rivetedude]

Originally Posted by ZoominC5

We've been using a Cingular wireless card in our laptop for a little over a year now. It is EXPENSIVE and it is SLOW but we get a signal almost anywhere and it is for an unlimited number of minutes at around $90 a month, OUCH! Leadville and Rocky Mountain National Park were the only places we couldn't get a signal at all (while our cingular cellphone did work). We've been from Maine to Key West and then west as far as CO. with this thing so far and are pleased with it other than the cost. Just my two cents worth, which is about all I have left after paying the monthly cost.

I carry Sprint's best plan for around $110 per month. That includes 2000 ATM's, Unlimited Vision (Text, Web, Pic & Vid mail), Long Distance included, Nights and Weekends starting at 7, an extra phone for my wife...yada yada yada. I could go on and on.

I can easily justify that cost because we have replaced our home phone, long distance provider, and internet service provider by having our Cell phones. I figured it up and I only save about $10 per month, but it's worth it to have the portability, freedom of use, and free internet at quadruple the speed! I'm very happy with my Sprint service and would reccommend it to anybody.

Ben

[grizzy]

We went with a Verizon Aircard (separate from the phone) and get high speed broadband in almost 50 cities and speeds about 5x faster than dialup (8x faster than cellular dialup) most other places. We like it well enough that we now use it as our primary internet service whether we are home or traveling. Its a little pricey ($79) but has unlimited use and is independent of your cell phone service. In addition, its always on, just like other broadband services.

[SafeHarbor]

Hi, Dave (Grizzy),

I'm interested in Verzion's plan, too. Do you use an external antenna on your Aircard? I'm trying to decide if I want to get an Aircard, external antenna, and automatic 3-watt amplifier, all of which costs together less than half of the "Internet in Motion" setup in Vintage Thunder.

My job requires me to be online from 10 to 12 hrs most days, but it doesn't demand WHERE I should be online FROM. Sometimes I look around here and think it's time to get the hell out of Dodge.

Thanks for any info,

Lamar

[grizzy]

I use the Sierra 580 Aircard for our Verizon service. I have an external antenna I use at our place in the Mountains where there isn't high speed Broadband service -- it improves the signal slightly, but it is not the full 3 watt amp, just an external antenna designed to plug into the aircard. I believe the Aircard 580 gives you somewhat better options for connection where High Speed Broadband isn't available than the standard aircard that comes with Verizon Broadband/Nationwide access. This is the case at ourplace in the mountains, and our speed is still about 100-140 kbps. In Mesa where we have a high speed signal available the speed is between 450 and 650 kbps -- not too bad. The service is the best we have ever had with zero down time in the last 4 months.

[rluhr]

We're looking into the 3-watt boosters for our voice service (Verizon). Frequently I find myself in marginal coverage areas where our Internet-in-Motion system works but the Verizon phone doesn't, at least not very well. I assumed that the difference is that the IIM system has a really good external antenna and the 3 watt capability (although I understand that with CDMA (digital) frequencies it is limited to 2 watts).

So I thought a booster would be the solution to my voice connection problems. But everyone in the industry I have talked to so far says that the boosters don't really get you much on the voice side. Basically you get back to the performance you would have gotten just by standing outside the trailer. In some cases, the "low loss cables" to the external antenna actually cause enough signal loss to wipe out the gains from having the external antenna!

To check this out, we are requesting trial units from the manufacturers now for testing. The Mobile Technology columnist for Airstream Life is a former engineer/manager/tech for various cell phone companies, so we have the capability to do valid testing. We will be reporting on our recommendations in a future issue of the magazine.

For those who are technically inclined, I routinely get online with the Internet in Motion system with signal strength around -110 db. Unfortunately, with the spotty nature of cell signals in this country, that's a common requirement.

You would never get online using an Aircard inside your trailer at that signal strength. If you go the Aircard route and getting online is important to you (for work or whatever), you definitely will want an external antenna and a booster at a minimum. Otherwise, one day you'll find yourself sitting outside in the rain (or mosquitoes) trying to get online, and cursing the cellular networks all the while...

[Powayegg]

Our latest internet solution is the 5g Insty Connect with the angel wings antenna. We use a 4g verizon tablet sim and have been very happy with its performance. We get unthrottled wifi and use 200 - 300 gigibits per month. We use ROKU for our TV. The one exception is Quartzsite in Jan when thousands of RV's show up and overload the tower. Because we are retired WiFi is not critical but nice to have otherwise we would get the Insty Connect Binoculars antenna and Starlink. Our travels (fulltime) keep us mostly west of the Mississippi. Prior to this we used the 4g MOFI unit with a 10 ft antenna extension and it worked fairly well but the Insty Connect is a better idea in my opinion.

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by Powayegg

Our latest internet solution is the 5g Insty Connect with the angel wings antenna. We use a 4g verizon tablet sim and have been very happy with its performance. We get unthrottled wifi and use 200 - 300 gigibits per month. We use ROKU for our TV. The one exception is Quartzsite in Jan when thousands of RV's show up and overload the tower. Because we are retired WiFi is not critical but nice to have otherwise we would get the Insty Connect Binoculars antenna and Starlink. Our travels (fulltime) keep us mostly west of the Mississippi. Prior to this we used the 4g MOFI unit with a 10 ft antenna extension and it worked fairly well but the Insty Connect is a better idea in my opinion.

Back in 2005 (when this thread ended) they didn't have 5g or even 4g. Maybe find a more recent thread.