Alltel offers unlimted mobile broadband (500kb/s+) for $25 a month

Tethered cell phone is all I used last year when I was unable to get WiFi. Verizon, LG6100 phone, using charging cable form eBay and DataPilot software (worth it for the dialer, I've had problems switching back and forth from high-speed to normal speed using DUN...the modem initialization strings are different).

High-speed is pretty reliable everyehere I've been east of the KS/MO line, and in SD. Iowa/Nebraska were pretty much major highways only. Basically, anywhere the phone shows Verizon Wireless...which is a lot of the eastern half of the country.

Normal-speed is reliable through most of the plains -- with the exceptiuon of NW OK and the part of Texas where no one seems to work.

FYI: AllTel and Verizon roam to one another. In fact,t he dialer string the TV staiton is using for their cell phones is the Verizon QNC string, and they are AllTel phones.

None of this takes into account EVDO, though. Honestly, I'm not too concerned about that. The data speeds have been sufficient most of the time to keep GR3 caught up, and if I need more, I stop and use Wi-Fi. It's SO all over the place in towns of any size...and in a lot of towns of NO size! <VBG>
 
CraigFisher said:
Went to local Alltel this morning and got the data connect kit and signed up for data plan. Was unable to install drivers on my Windows Vista laptop. Called their tech support and they said that their kit would not be Vista compatible until late March.
Anybody have any alternative ideas?
Click to expand...

What kind of phone do you have?
 
Craig, I'd be interested to hear any tricks you may have to employ to get that model to work. It's the same model as my wife's, so I'd be interested to hear how you come out.

Rob, I've not used a PC card with Alltel, but I'd be interested to hear if you find any good deals in the area since we're apparently neighbors, lol. I did have a decent time with my Kyocera phone tethered last year though.
 
Check the other thread from Ryan in this forum.
I installed the driver from motoroladev last nite into my Vista laptop. I plugged my E815 in and the computer immediatley recognized the modem.
I have signed up for Altell data program this morning, have class this afternoon and should be hooking up to the internet this eve. Will write back with results.

Thanks Ryan
 
Alright, I hate to threadjack, but didn't want to start a new post.

I've got the e815 myself except its through Verizon. Been thinking about downloading that driver and using it to get little tidbits of data every once in awhile (GR radar "grab", SPC text etc.) Has anyone tried this option ?? Know there has been trouble with some folks pulling data like this and getting a hefty bill plus a cancelation fee.
 
CraigFisher said:
Just reinstalled my Motorola driver and am now connected. Thanks Scott and Ryan for your help!!!
See you on the plains!
Click to expand...

I've found that sometimes, after disconnecting and reconnecting the phone to the laptop, Windows XP will switch back to the laptop's internal modem. That is, it'll try to dial the #777 number using the laptop's internal modem, which isn't hooked up to anything. :) For the longest time, I'd go back into the dialup network properties and switch it back to the Motorola phone. Then, I realized that it'd just be easier to go into the device manager and disable the internal laptop modem. Since I did that, I've not had that problem.

Not sure if this is an issue with Vista, too, but the problem that I was having can have the kinds of symptoms you were describing, with the laptop not connecting.
 
I installed the drivers from the other thread, hooked up my $15 cable, and I'm in business! Now I just need a good road test. I'm pulling 230k without EVDO, so this will definitely work if the coverage is as good as the voice for Alltel.
 
Anyone know how you get programs to realize you are connected to the internet? Right now all that works is Firefox. I don't need IE to work, but it is one that doesn't know it is connected when I use alltel quicklink. Also my webExpress program for my website doesn't seem to know it is connected when I use alltel for net. Is there some easy way to get them to all realize I'm connected? I even changed alltel to default in the internet connections options in IE and it doesn't work. The main fix I need is for my web ap, which I swore one time knew it was connected and uploaded. Thanks for any ino.
 
Mike,

The key to getting everything working is going to be to get IE working as a lot of apps use its settings as it is the authority for the OS.

As far as actually getting it working, I assume you've currently got it set for LAN and don't have any dial-up connections configured. You mentioned the AllTel connection, but that depends on how it's configured in Windows how it will show up. IE is usually smart enough when no configureations are in there to just pick whichever connection there is. It's when you start to tell it to use certain connections that it often gets flakey. While it usually just makes it take longer to connect, try turning on the auto-detect settings entry in the LAN settings area. This may give it a kick to find the upstream settings.

It sounds like you're already connected before launching IE, so I'd have IE set to never dial a connection. This is what will kick it over to the LAN settings.

Hopefully that will help some.

-John
 
Thanks John, I'll try some of that when I get back home. I see why my web ap doesn't want to work, the site's not working. So maybe it is just IE that doesn't want to work.

Edit: Figures, the second I say that the site is back up and running.
 
I plan on contacting alltel tommorow, I just figured I would ask a few questions here so I know what I am talking about when I call, and actually I'll probably have better luck getting my questions answered here as Alltell support has always been quite an adventure. First question I have is does one have to have the nation wide (no roaming) service to obtain this service? Second from what I understand it sounds like the cables Alltel tries to sell are a rip off, can someone please direct me to which alternative cable is required for the Razar V3?
 
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