• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Virgin Mobile Mifi Wireless Questions

TangoJuliet

TangoJuliet

Diamond Member
I was planning on installing a VM Mifi at my job. We currently have a VZ wireless 3G card that is hooked up to a cradlepoint wireless router but we are capped at 5GB a month. The VM would allow us to have unlimited data.

My question is we are moving to a different building this week and I don't think the signal will carry from the 1st floor all the way up to the 14th floor. We don't want to buy 2 Mifis and have 2 accounts so I was wondering if we could install a repeater somewhere (not even sure if that is possible).

We do not have any access in getting something commercially (ie. Verizon Fios, Time Warner, etc) installed so please don't recommend that option.
 
How many people/devices would be using this connection, and will you need connections on the 1st and 14th floors, or on all of the floors between them?

It's theoretically possible to use a repeater to extend the signal from a Mifi device, but going through that many floors is highly unlikely unless you can put a repeater on every third floor (give or take a floor depending on building materials and other obstacles and interference).

If this is going to be a permanent situation, you'd be better off installing CAT6 cable between the floors. If that's not possible, a pair of directional antennas mounted on the wall outside the building and pointed directly at each other (1st floor pointed straight up, 14th floor pointed straight down) might be able to reach 14 floors but I wouldn't guarantee it.

If it's a temporary situation, you'd have better luck getting a second MiFi account (or just get a MiFi for one floor and keep the Verizon card for the other) and then just shut it off one of them when you no longer need it.
 
Fardringle said:
a pair of directional antennas mounted on the wall outside the building and pointed directly at each other (1st floor pointed straight up, 14th floor pointed straight down) might be able to reach 14 floors but I wouldn't guarantee it.
Click to expand...

I was thinking this might work as well. The Cradlepoint appears to have an external antenna jack, so if you feel like experimenting, try picking up a good directional antenna and following Fardringle's suggestion.

You might also try aiming both directional antennas on the 1st and 14floor at the same radio-reflective surface (outside your building), such as a large sheet of steel or aluminum. You would have to experiment with the angle etc, again no guarantees.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the suggestions guys. The windows on the building do not open so I can't hang the antennas outside. The Cat6 cabling isn't going to work either.

There are only going to be 2-6 people connected to the device at a time but it will be serving about 50 people all together (not at the same time). I will need connections on both the 1st and 14th floors. I can probably put repeaters on the 5th and 10th floors but not sure right now.

I think its going to come down to us getting 2 accounts. I really don't see any good way around it.
 
TangoJuliet said:
There are only going to be 2-6 people connected to the device at a time but it will be serving about 50 people all together (not at the same time). I will need connections on both the 1st and 14th floors. I can probably put repeaters on the 5th and 10th floors but not sure right now.
Click to expand...

I saw 50 people and nearly spat out my coffee lol. Yea, that might be too much for a Mifi, but if its only 2-6 at once... still a marginal use of this poor networking device but might be doable.

If I had time to waste, I would try the directional antenna thing. You would need a repeater and two good directional antennas, preferably from a local store (so you can return the stuff if it doesn't work). Place a large fixed metallic object nearby the building you can aim both antennas at. You will lose some signal going through the glass, and more signal reflecting off the object, but with careful aiming it might be just enough signal to be usable.

You might inquire with your building manger to see if its possible for you to simply connect the two floors at the building's MPOE data closet. Then you could simply the network using the building's existing wiring, and put the wireless bridge wherever you want.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
How many simultaneous user's do you plan on using with that device? Sounds like trying to stuff 20 people into a economy sized car. Those aren't intended for large amounts of people to use the internet. Actual real life bandwidth is less than a T1
 
kevnich2 said:
How many simultaneous user's do you plan on using with that device? Sounds like trying to stuff 20 people into a economy sized car. Those aren't intended for large amounts of people to use the internet. Actual real life bandwidth is less than a T1
Click to expand...

between 2-6 people max will be using the device
 
How big of a company is this? Is it 50 people or 2-6? I ask because I am wondering why a legitimate business would be so cheap, cutting corners like this?
 
I see performance of this ending badly. Just spend the money and get a business cable connection, it is not that much more for like 10x the speed.
 
If this was a temporary situation such as you being contractors building/finishing the building and you just need to have Internet access occasionally, the MiFi would be a good solution. If you are moving in to new offices and intend to be there for any length of time with 50 people, even if only a few actually use the connection at a time, you really need to get an Internet connection that is designed for the situation. You mentioned in your first post that you can't get a business Internet connection. Why not?

If you really can't get a contract with a cable/DSL/Fiber ISP in the area, the MiFi MIGHT work but only if you really won't ever have more than 2 or 3 people using it at a time and they don't need to do anything that requires a fast and reliable connection, and it's really only a last resort since those devices simply aren't designed for the type of traffic that 50 users (even VERY light users) will create. You'll definitely need to have one for each floor since there's no way to get a wireless signal between those floors if you can't mount directional antennas outside. As gsalvidar mentioned, if you can get a connection that will actually support your users (cable/DSL), then talk to the building manager to see if they will let you connect the two floors in the main wiring closet. This will let all of the computers on both floors communicate with each other and share the Internet connection.
 
Fardringle thanks for the reply but we are not contractors, the building is finished and we are moved into it today. There is NO option to have ANY commercial internet access installed in the building ZERO ZILCH.

I went ahead and bought the Mifi from BBY and going to try it out for the next 30 days. So far we got it up and running (using it now to post) and its working great. We got a solid 4-5 bar connection and it is doing the trick for light web browsing for 3 computers. I thought we would have more so 3 is the max amount of users on the connection.
 
How can you move into an office building that has NO business grade internet options available? Mobile broadband doesn't suffice for a permanent internet solution for a business.
 
why don't you just use a DD-WRT router to client access the mifi then get creative.

i've run two cat5's up many floors to QWEST to get 100mbit redundant access say 15 years ago - there is always a solution.

Why don't you just buy two of those - attached to a DD-WRT router attached to a switch (for static devices like storage/printers) and rock out? the amount of time you spend is going to cost more than the downtime of not having a redundant connection the first time VM goes down - lots of possibilities - cost? yeah cost of doing business is great - but spending a little dosh to make your business solid is important.

how do you get telephone access? cbeyond runs t-1's for their hybrid CAS,PRI,SIP solutions - extremely high grade SLA - cheap too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top