Anyone have any experience with Wireless Internet?

[AkumaX]

Verizon: $60/mo for 2 yr contract + equip. / activation charges
Cingular: $80/mo for 2 yr contract + equip. / activation charges
T-mobile: $50?/mo + equip. / activation charges

recs?

 

[ric1287]

Originally posted by: AkumaX
Verizon: $60/mo for 2 yr contract + equip. / activation charges
Cingular: $80/mo for 2 yr contract + equip. / activation charges
T-mobile: $50?/mo + equip. / activation charges

recs?

verizon, unless you will be in a 3g area for cingular.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Sprint SERO

$30 a month, unlimited data

Get a Treo or 6700 with Dial up networking

Get a bluetoof module for laptop.

DUN from laptop to phone

Internets anywhere

 

[bucwylde23]

I just used the verizon broadband for a week. Returned it yesterday. Never got to try out the Broadband access (EVDO Rev A) but I did use the National Access (slow ass) connection. So I will just comment on the National Access speeds.

I used it some on vacation and at my home and found it to be way to slow for what I was trying to do. I had plans on taking it to try out the EVDO speeds, but for $60 a month, I'd like to be able to use it at home.

You've got nothing to lose. You can do a 30 day test drive and you only have to pay for the time you had the card. I have to pay for about a week and a half worth of usage. When I signed up there was no activation charges.

 

[kranky]

I have the Verizon card. If you have to get on the Internet and there's no other option, it's great.

I certainly wouldn't want to use it as my only method of connecting, though.

 

[RichieZ]

I have the cingular card, its $20 on top of my regular voice plan. 3G is decent fast, I use it when I'm traveling for work (@hotel/airport etc)

 

[hiromizu]

I have a Sprint card provided by the firm. I consider it an absolute necessity for any business. It allows me stay connected and be productive anywhere I go, anytime. Without it, I am a regular Joe, with it, I am Hiro.

 

[AkumaX]

i forgot about the sprint sero plan. for $30/mo, how can you go wrong? hahaha..

now, which one of those phones are the easiest to tether?

 

[ABitTooSpicy]

I have the Verizon broadband card for the laptop as well. It is not my primary option of connectivity, but when I am at a client location and they don't allow you to get outside their network I needSSSS it.

Speeds are decent, if you are just using it for email, chat, browsing and small file transfers. Max I get when downloading is about 100K to 150K (not terrible, but sucks when you are trying to download a 12GB VMWare image!)

 

[hiromizu]

Originally posted by: AkumaX
i forgot about the sprint sero plan. for $30/mo, how can you go wrong? hahaha..

now, which one of those phones are the easiest to tether?

Phones? It's a slim card that slides right up your computer's hole.

 

[olds]

Moved from Off Topic

 

[AkumaX]

Originally posted by: hiromizu

Originally posted by: AkumaX
i forgot about the sprint sero plan. for $30/mo, how can you go wrong? hahaha..

now, which one of those phones are the easiest to tether?

Phones? It's a slim card that slides right up your computer's hole.

cheapest broadband package sprint has with a PC card is $50/mo

the sprint SERO plan has unlimited internet and 500 min for $30, but has to be used with a phone (such as moto Q, PPC 6700). now there are ways to make your phone act as a internet provider (DUN) - called tethering - and im wondering which is easiest? looks like i might go w/ the Q cuz its cheapest..

 

[hiromizu]

Originally posted by: AkumaX

Originally posted by: hiromizu

Originally posted by: AkumaX
i forgot about the sprint sero plan. for $30/mo, how can you go wrong? hahaha..

now, which one of those phones are the easiest to tether?

Phones? It's a slim card that slides right up your computer's hole.

cheapest broadband package sprint has with a PC card is $50/mo

the sprint SERO plan has unlimited internet and 500 min for $30, but has to be used with a phone (such as moto Q, PPC 6700). now there are ways to make your phone act as a internet provider (DUN) - called tethering - and im wondering which is easiest? looks like i might go w/ the Q cuz its cheapest..

All that just to save $20? Insanity. Just get the card.

 

[corkyg]

The Sprint EVDO connectin card rocks - in Vista with the Novotel Merlin S720. It also comes in EX flavor, and is fully Vista compatible. Been using it now for 3 months, and it is about to be my only connection for the next few weeks.

Sprint is strong along all Interstate axes. Before the S720, I had a Sprint 5740 aircard, and it worked great for over a year for me. Before that, I was "tethered" with free Sprint PCS access, but lost that when I upgraded my phone. All in all- tethered sucks. EVDO rocks!

 

[frostedflakes]

I'm using Alltel EVDO as my main connection (we're kind of in the boonies, so options are limited). It's $25/month for unlimited data tethering. If you have bluetooth on your phone and laptop you can tether them wirelessly and it's basically just like the $60+/month plan using a PCMCIA card. Only downside is you obviously can't browse and use the phone. If you take a call it'll disconnect you from the net.

Speed is pretty decent for me, I typically do 100-150KBps. Latency is HORRIBLE, though, 300-400ms typically. EVDO rev. A is supposed to be a bit better in this regard, though.

And something to keep in mind about Verizon is they are very strict about bandwidth use. If you go over ~5GB/month you'll probably get your data plan canceled. Not an issue if you plan to use it lightly, but if the connection will be used a lot for higher bandwidth stuff (audio and video streaming, downloading, etc.) this could be a problem.

 

[AkumaX]

i'm pretty much set on getting the Q with Sprint SERO, and paying $34 to enable DUN (with PDANET). thanks for everyone's help!

@ hiro - its $20 saved a month, and with the Q, it'll work standalone (browsing webpages, maps) instead of always needing a laptop