We have been using a ATT aircard for going on 2 years now along with ATT cell phone.Our aircard is UNLIMITED time, never have been charged over $59.I use it about 100 to 150 hr per month. The system works ok if your cell phone works,but in Arizona there are many areas that have NO cell phone coverage and this is true with parts of Nevada and Utah.Out here some times Verizon works when ATT does not and some time ATT work when Verizon does not,so take your pick. In some areas the down load time get very slow like a land line during peak use time.I use my same aircard on my PC at home and lap top when I travle it is my only internet connection. I have looked at Data Storm satellite but to many $$$$ and work to set up.But does work in more areas if you can aline with satellite.But deep canyons and trees here do not make it 100%.
We had Verizon, too. We dumped it when my PC laptop died. I decided to pay the $175 early termination charge, and I don't regret it for a second....a lesson learned! Thanks for starting this thread, Al - K4GLU....I was hoping there might be something new out there!
There are no good deals.
__________________
1983 310 Turbo Diesel Mo/Ho "Bess" 211,100 miles
Full timing since 1994
...I have trouble believing some of the claims I hear from people about the great service...5 days next to a city as big as Charleston and virtually no service - something is rotten in Verizon Land.
service or coverage? 2 different issues...
i've hand trouble with the software 2 or 3 times, and had one card that died after 5 months usage...
they shipped my a new card overnight at no cost...
tech support online is sometimes great (usa support from seattle) and sometimes not.
coverage issues can be a mystery sometimes...
last year artstream and i were camped with 200 feet of each other with the SAME verizon and wilson stuff (mac vs pc)...
he had ZERO connection and i had a juicy fat connection for 5 days.
Quote:
Originally Posted by warbler5
...I went to get a new card for my Mac, they refused to give me any kind of trade-in or discount on the new card (unlike all the discounts they offer to suck you in!)....the new card was close to $300...
u can buy the card for 300$ WITHOUT a service contract, meaning month2month no obligation
i've been month to month with them for over a year using a v640 express 34 mac card.
recently i upgraded to the v740 card (faster, faster, faster) for UNDER 50$ for the card.
best buy had the same card at 19$ (with rebates) in the spring, with a 'list price' of 300$.
no they don't take old cards in trade, but i've got a v640 that still works GREAT, u can have it for FREE....
it's NOT a usb card however, it's an express 34 card for the mbpro line....
Quote:
Originally Posted by TBRich
We use Alltel's aircard...it's been pretty go for the most part...
verizon has/is purchasing alltel, pending approval by the feds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmini
We have been using a ATT aircard for going on 2 years now along with ATT cell phone.Our aircard is UNLIMITED time, never have been charged over $59...
well "unlimited time' isn't the same thing. they still DO have limits on usage and DATA volume...
here is a link to the att offerings, WHICH PLAN HAS UNLIMITED DATA/USAGE ??
wifi is best if one is careful. Best to use a dedicated computer without private files on it and be very careful about banking. wifi connections are very easily hacked even if you have it locked.
Having said that I have an old fujitsu tablet that has full windows 98 on it and hand writing recognition. It can be hooked up to regular keyboard and monitor when back in the camper. Through the usb and pcm ports you can hook it up most any way. Lighter than a regular laptop and more robust as they were produced for business use in the field. A new toy is the ipod touch.Apart from music and video it can go to the net by wifi and weighs just ounces and fits in a shirt pocket. Drift by any Starbucks and you get 2 hours a day free up here for any coffee card of their's. Have several coffee cards and they are good for 2 hours each with minimal balance so basically connection is free. No need to pay at all unless one is doing business on the road and need a continual , secure link. The smallest memory touch is about 275.00 new in Canada and I see them second hand already for around 150. The largest is 32 megs and is about double those prices. I have heard that geeks can hack them and turn them into iphones too. A regular iphone with runs about 1000 but should drop very soon as there is some good competition coming after them.
I installed a Wilson amp and antenna, down through the refer vent, and have a direct connection wired under the couch to the laptop. Have had good luck (makes the difference between no signal and one bar). Have $60/m Verizon. Nights, will pick up Broadband, days will pick up the slower National Access. That's 50 miles from nowhere on the Crow reservation in Montana. I could download the paper every morning (given you want to do that...)
Has a high current drain, so installed a lighted switch to remind me its on.
__________________ Hank
WBCCI 1489 AIR 20708 2007 Chvy 3/4 ton 4 x 4 gas
"Its better to light just one candle than to curse the darkness,
I have been using AT & T for several years now. I recently upgraded to a Mac and had to get a new air card also. Had a deal for $100, less a $100 rebate (equals ZERO net cost) and they actually sent the $100 debit card, which I immediately went out and spent!
The fee is $59.95/ month for 'unlimited' usage (I haven't read the fine print yet) but I get good service most places (2.5G network) and pretty fast 3G network in the larger metro areas where it's in effect. It is much faster and more reliable than the old card that I had in the PC.
I use a Digital Antennas amplifier set-up for both the air card and cell phone, and it definitely works in the fringe areas like Wyoming, Montana, southeastern Oregon, Utah, places like that.
So far....so good.
__________________ Lew Farber -Certified Master RV Tech (currently on Forums sabbatical) WBCCI #1032/VAC (assoc) #1032 AIR # 10325 CHARTER MEMBER: FOUR CORNERS UNIT
I've used the Verizon Wireless aircard for 59.99/mo for my previous job. It worked fine where I traveled but it depends on how where you go. Moved about as fast as DSL but not nearly as fast as cable. I found it to be very convenient and usually reliable.
Soooooo....since this conversation started, I managed to "free up" my Airport in the house. My plan was to put it in the Airstream.... Are you just "war driving," as my kids used to call it, hooking into any open WiFi connection that your Airport picks up?
r u are referring to 'freeing up' an airport base station to use in the stream?
these are labeled airport express, extreme or time capsule units.
airport base stations are transmitters, so the unit still needs to be 'connected' to a signal, they don't scan and connect to wifi.
many newer macs have airport antennas and receivers bulit in. the 'airport' in the laptops is an example.
these airports are 'receivers' for the signal and do scan for a signal from the 'puter.
scanning for locally available wifi transmission zones in this manner...THAT is wardriving.
there are ways to use a airport base station downstream from a mac that has an airport antenna...
is THAT what u wanna do or are u hoping to 'catch' a signal with an airport base station?
picking up GOOD wifi signals INSIDE a stream is an issue (the metal cocoon) without an extra antenna...
having used local library access for an internet connection (including their computers)4 many years...
and campground wifi, coffee shops, diners, paneras, mc'd, parking outside shops with signals and so on...
a broadband cellular card is SO MUCH easier to use, more secure and may be LESS expensive than mooching wifi...
IF the cost of fuel to get 2nfrom the 'free wifi signal' is considered.
cheers
2air'
Hi 2air,
What I have are two MBP's and an Airport Extreme (replaced in the house by a Time Capsule), and I want to set up a WiFi set-up in the Airstream, similar to what we have in the house. I guess what we need is an external antenna, an amplifier, and a router that accepts a broadband card. There is no point in including the Airport Extreme, since we don't plan to include any shared peripherals....at least not at present.
We have been doing what you do....campgrounds, coffee shops, Paneras, CofC's, libraries, etc., that offer free WiFi. Like you said, there are security issues (especially if you do on-line banking) and now the cost of gas, just driving to these places. The issue for me is that I got burned by Verizon once before, so I am sort of "gun shy," I guess.
You are right about all the "Airport" terms floating around.....we have all the ones you mentioned! At least they gave Time Capsule a new name....
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We have been using a ATT aircard for going on 2 years now along with ATT cell phone.Our aircard is UNLIMITED time, never have been charged over $59.I use it about 100 to 150 hr per month. 
The system works ok if your cell phone works,but in Arizona there are many areas that have NO cell phone coverage and this is true with parts of Nevada and Utah.Out here some times Verizon works when ATT does not and some time ATT work when Verizon does not,so take your pick.
In some areas the down load time get very slow like a land line during peak use time.I use my same aircard on my PC at home and lap top when I travle it is my only internet connection.
I have looked at Data Storm satellite but to many $$$$ and work to set up.But does work in more areas if you can aline with satellite.But deep canyons and trees here do not make it 100%.
THE FEW,THE PROUD,THE SQUARESTREAMER'S
FREE MEN DO NOT ASK PERMISSION TO BEAR ARMS,
AMERICA.LOVE HER OR SADDLE UP AND RIDE ON OUT.
CHARTER MEMBER 4CU
and had to get a new air card also. Had a deal for $100, less a $100 rebate (equals ZERO net cost) and they actually sent the $100 debit card, which I immediately went out and spent!
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