Broadband internet?

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Sean, I'm surprised you found great coverage. Sprint has made no secret out of the fact that they cherry-pick markets, i.e. airports, big cities, interstate corridors, and the hell with the great empty spaces. (Or anything less than a very dense market.)

If they stick to their plans to deploy WiMax later this year (apparently their losses are so big that everything is up for reconsideration) that may be a huge success for them, it will cover way more area with way more bandwidth than any of the cellular data plans.

Yup... I'm getting between 1 and 1.5 Mbits/sec up here in the woods of Maine. See... there's something to be known about cell coverage:

It's not for the poor.

I'm in a fancy part of the woods of Maine close to Freeport. Rich people are all around.

This is the same reason it's ideal for boats. The more wealthy the area (think fancy houses on shore - like in Great Neck), the more likely you are to have good service.

They also follow the interstates as well, for the same reason - business users.

Lastly, even waaaaay up in Maine at Acadia National Park (Bar Harbor), you'll find plenty of full 2Mb service. Why? That's where some of the elite go on vacation.

Think, "where is the real estate most expensive" and you'll find the best singnals (Manhattan excepted of course!!)

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by defjef

So which of the little USB wireless "antennas" is recommended? I looked at Spint's site and they have a series of them and I can't see a comparison chart.

They'll just set you up with the newest one that works with your computer. I have the Ovation U727. That was newest when I went shopping for it a month or two ago.

[markpj23]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

This is apparently a great time to negotiate deals with Sprint, apparently they lost nearly 700,000 subscribers in the last quarter and they are aggressively courting new ones....

Yeah - just remember that the reason they are in this position is due to lousy customer service.

No carrier is perfect but I know firsthand how much emphasis we have put on customer service improvements and building out the network for EVDO. Check the coverage maps for your intended cruising grounds.

In the interest of full disclosure I work for Verizon. And no, I'm not able to sign anyone up for free..

[DaveyJones]

I have the Verizon USB720 EVDO modem which has the same service as sprint.

It works very good. In areas where there is no broadband it defaults to 1x which is slower but still works. In some areas (like in a wheat field in Kansas) it's painfully slow but works.

It also works with Linux.


The USB unit is better than a pcmcia card for me because I can use it on my desktop too.

It came with a cable that has two USB plugs on it. On for normal use and if you plug in the other one it boosts the power.

It's worth $60 to me because I'm always on the road and stay in RV Parks. Most RV'ers use cell phone internet.

The other alternatives are very expensive. Your talking thousands to get rigged for satellite internet.

I have one that is for our office but disconnected the service. It's a static dish type antenna that will not work if your moving.


You can look at something like the RaySat Speedray 3000 if you simply must have coverage where cell phones do not work. I know nothing about it so it's just a suggestion.

And just think, when your in a marina you can sell service to everyone and recoup the $7,000. (just kidding, I think that would not be allowed)

[JohnWms]

The "Sierra Wireless 3G AirCard 875" is widely available on eBay. This is a PCMCIA card and probably only works on Windows. I picked one up for $50 and signed up for AT&T's unlimited data plan, which is also $60 per month.

I initially tried the USB 881 device from AT&T but the connection between the computer and the device was troublesome. Not recommended.

The Aircard works great all over Puget Sound. Not sure about the San Juans yet. It's about as fast as good WiFi for me. I'll keep the BBX WiFi subscription until I know more about connections further north.

I also picked up a Wilson Cellular antenna and booster but haven't needed them yet.

[S/V Elusive]

Now Mark, don't do anything rash about what I'm gonna say.

I've used Verizon for the last 7.5 years. Why? All the normal reasons why you choose a wireless service provider PLUS .. I get my internet access for free. HOLD IT! There IS a caveat or three: It does cost me air time (but between 9:01pm and 0600am, and on weekends - NO CHARGE). 7 years ago, I bought the cable and the program ($60) from Verizon that allows my computer to use my phone for access to the internet. I do not need a Service Provider. There are no additional fees or charges. Three years ago, I upgraded my phone (had to, the original went 'swimming' with me) and had to repurchase the cable (to fit the new phone) and program (another $60). The access speed is ... okay. Not real fast, but fast enough for what I use it for.

However (Mark? Feel free to chime in here), I know of two others that attempted to get this same program. NO WAY they were told by Verizon - it doesn't exist -you have to pay for the monthly access for internet. hummm .. 'cause ya know ... I'm STILL doing this - and I've made DAMN sure I haven't changed my PLAN.

I really don't see why it still can't be done. Unless they changed the program portion of the 'kit' to not allow that any more.

[ssullivan]

Should I be admitting my marriage into a family that has a few of Verizon's top brass in it, as well as Verizon Wireless'? ha ha ha

(while we're admitting Verizon stuff)

Well, they are retired top brass, anyway.

[DaveyJones]

I have been connecting using cell phones for about 17 years.

The old phones had to have a serial adapter, which, once it was in place you could connect a normal modem to it. Then you dialed your ISP or office.

The newer ones are much faster if your in a broadband area, and just as the old ones, if your not in an area that has data service you can still use it for dialup.

No software is required to use any of these phones.

If you have bluetooth modem support in your phone you link the phone and use the bluetooth modem as a dialup modem.

If your using USB you need the driver for your phone. Windows needs a different driver for just about everything whereas Linux uses the same driver for all phones and normally is included in the installation. The windows drivers are available on the internet.


Once the driver is installed you have a dialup modem listed just as you would with bluetooth or any other modem.

Then you only need to create the dialup network connection in your connections.

Other providers would have the same thing only the login process would be different.

For Verizon you need to use the following..
(this is not a secret in any way. if your having problems with the software the support people should help you set it up manually.)

Number dialed: #777
User: {your number}@vzw3g.com
Passwd: vzw

This connection will provide data for EVDO or 1X connections. If however it's not available they have a dialup server ...

Number: #777
User: qnc
Passwd: qnc


Or you can simply dial any ISP or home computer.

CAUTION!!!

Depending on your plan you may be charged minutes for dialup access. The broadband access may be charged as data which could be unlimited, also depending on your plan.

They work without a data plan as stated. However you could be charged for data although I have never seen it happen.


I got the USB720 and canceled the data plan on my phone so I could use the phone for calls at the same time.

For a while I did use the data without having a plan but wanted to use it during the day so I got an unlimited data plan added. It's much cheaper than paying for minutes or megabytes.

For a while I had a data plan on a regular phone (one of my old ones) and used it as a modem only. No voice plan on it. That took some doing to get it on that plan. They kept telling me it would not work. Finally someone activated it for me. Just keep calling in until someone knows how to do it.



Now, I have a Palm phone and it's useless without data. So it's starting to get expensive with all the data plans.

Can you create a dialup connection and use it without a data plan? Sure. However it's cheaper to get the data plan if your using it all the time.

[DaveyJones]

Sorry about the double post as well as the long one but it timed out.

Anyway if you simply must have the windows software to avoid learning how to set all the connection stuff up you can get it here... VZAccess Manager

[Lesmusic1]

OK Boys......I've been folllowing this Thread since I need wireless for my laptop.

I understand most of what you all are saying, Now..... Here's my story:

As it stands, I have no Mobile Phone, But have a laptop computer, and a land line phone which cost us 85.00 per month with unlimited long distance calls, ( kids and grand kids) but no internet.

What I want: Internet everywhere...well in the Pacific NW. The service for phone and wireless internet may not be more then what we pay now. I have a husband that keeps the bills paid but the "Control" too.

I plan to make my first trip this Summer with my 12 year old daughter and I want to be able to contact anyone and use GPS program...Oh that's the other thing I need!..LOL.

We have Verizon as our land home phone.....NOW..

Can you help me in girl words and help me fast. I run my life and business on line and need to be on line all the time and also be able to talk to my girls at any time.

I need to have a plan figured out so I can sumit it to my husband.

Hope you all can help me...Oh, my computer is a toshiba Satelite, with wirless card and Blue tooth...which I don't understand everything about that stuff...But I did buy a good computer to get my down the river...LOL

[DaveyJones]

The wireless you have is for WLAN or wireless local area network connections which are short range (200 feet or so) wireless networks found in various places like motels and truck stops. Usually called hot spots. Most of them are not free. Motels are usually free for guests. Some people have them at home for convience. You need to be very close to a wireless router or access point that's connected to the internet to use it for internet.

Blue tooth is an even shorter ranged radio (50 feet) for connecting to various bluetooth devices wirelessly such as printers, headsets, phones, and short range file sharing, etc.

Cell phone internet is WWAN or wireless wide area network.

You need to check the coverage maps to see if the area you are traveling in has coverage.

If the coverage is good you can get a cell phone to talk on.

For internet you can either get an aircard, which is a data cell phone card that plugs into a laptop PCMCIA slot for data only, Or you can get a USB type data cell phone for data only. The USB unit works with any computer so I have one of those. Check the coverage maps for data plans as well to see if your area will have coverage.

My USB data phone works antwhere my cell phone works. some areas are slower depending on the type of coverage available. EVDO is fast, 1x is a little slower, and after that it defaults to dialup which is the slowest.

[DaveyJones]

The cost depends on you required minutes.

Internet all the time is going to be $60 plus taxes and fees per month(around $61.00).

For talking you can get 2000 minutes per month for $100 plus taxes and fees. Less minutes can be had cheaper.


If you only need about 450 minutes or less you could get a voice plan for $40 plus tax and fees so that would give you a total of just over $100.

That's about as cheap as it gets.


You could save a few dollars if you use the same phone for internet but that's not really what your saying you want. You cannot talk on the phone at the same time.

The voice and data plans could be with seperate carriers if you wish to do so and have both the data cell phone and the normal cell phone.


A single phone for talking with a data plan is the cheapest way to get setup due to the cost of the equipment. You could get on the internet when your not talking on the phone.

[Greg Schoenberg]

Originally Posted by Lesmusic1

OK Boys......I've been folllowing this Thread since I need wireless for my laptop.

I understand most of what you all are saying, Now..... Here's my story:

As it stands, I have no Mobile Phone, But have a laptop computer, and a land line phone which cost us 85.00 per month with unlimited long distance calls, ( kids and grand kids) but no internet.

What I want: Internet everywhere...well in the Pacific NW. The service for phone and wireless internet may not be more then what we pay now. I have a husband that keeps the bills paid but the "Control" too.

I plan to make my first trip this Summer with my 12 year old daughter and I want to be able to contact anyone and use GPS program...Oh that's the other thing I need!..LOL.

We have Verizon as our land home phone.....NOW..

Can you help me in girl words and help me fast. I run my life and business on line and need to be on line all the time and also be able to talk to my girls at any time.

I need to have a plan figured out so I can sumit it to my husband.

Hope you all can help me...Oh, my computer is a toshiba Satelite, with wirless card and Blue tooth...which I don't understand everything about that stuff...But I did buy a good computer to get my down the river...LOL

Ok....I'll make it simple. Call Sprint and see if they bundle both the broadband and cell phone service for you. Use the Verizon word. My broadband service with them is $60/mo. and it works great in the PNW. On the road or in the boat, I can be on-line while running a gps chartplotter or map program in the background. This is real handy when my wife is driving and I'm navigating. Also, it works great to find a local Sizzler. With Sprint's free gps software, all I have to do is fill in this sentence, "Find the nearest __________. It can be gas station, bank, coffee shop, etc. It tells you your location, the business location, and directions how to get there.

That's saves an argument and the value of that is priceless!

Are you on the Columbia River? We live in Kalama.

-Greg

[mohave_steve]

Hello All,

I have been asked by a friend who has been using the Verizon Home Office for quite some time for assistance getting the Verizon connection to function on her new Vista PC.

Does anyone here have experience with this service & software running under Vista?


She has called Verizon tech support and was not able to make any progress.

Any tips?

Thanks

Steve

[Sandero]

Does anyone know how to get rid of Vista and put on XP? We finally got a laptop and it has that awful Vista. ICK