Cheapest & best internet access, for laptop, for N, E, & S of Denver, CO?

[Carol Sidofsky]

Carol,

I'm sorry, but I don't think there is a more reliable method that is cheaper. I understand the cost is too much, but it is what it is. Unfortunately, if it's out of your price range, then you'll have to make a few sacrifices.

Millenicom is a great way to get a data plan. Then when it comes to better reception, that problem can be solved by a direct-connect amplifier ($200 +/-) or a wireless amplifier ($375 +/-). Maximum Signal is your best bet should you ever go with an amplifier.

This doesn't really fit into the realm of cheap, but if you had a smart phone, such as the iPhone, then you could run RadarScope on your phone and have plenty of data to effectively position yourself on a storm. Of course, then you will have a monthly data fee for the duration of a 2-yr contract. (Approx $20-$30 a month.)

And of course, you can absolutely chase storms with no data whatsoever. It was done for decades and there is so much to learn just by keeping your eyes on the sky versus buried on a laptop screen. You just have to accept a few limitations, but it can certainly be done.

These are the best suggestions I can come up with. No matter which route you go, I hope you get out this June/July and enjoy some Colorado storms!

Bryan

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Great advice, Bryan!

Since I got bumped off the internet so many times in the last few days, including yesterday (Wed.), too, I was following your advice on Wed., keeping my eyes to the sky, watching the beautiful storms in the Denver area!

And, I learned that yesterday (Wed.) I probably should have gone East on I-70 to Bennett, and then, should have gone north, behind the storms, towards Prospect Valley, instead of going up NE on I-76, to Hudson.

It was amazing how fast those storms seemed to develop out east of Denver! While driving back up to the mountains, my weather radio kept having more and more severe T-storm warnings, around Greeley, etc. It was happening in Wyoming too (car radio had warnings).

I wonder if anyone saw a tornado from any of those (?supercell?) storms, on Wed.

Carol in Colorado
cell: 970-531-5000
[email protected]

 

[David Wolfson]

Carol, here are some more thoughts, in no special order....

Run cords against/through the door weatherstrip, not through a window. There's enough squish/slack there in my experience to not mangle them. I've just found this year, also, that a home improvement store, i.e. HD, sells exterior grade, heavy duty electrical tape made by 3M that works well for sticking down cords in moulding channels, etc., and holds fast even through hot sun, car washes, etc.

The "hibernation" issue could be due to an old software driver for your aircard, unless you've done a fresh install. The VZ Access Manager program does a pretty good job exercising the aircard when you install, update the PRL and such. If it's happy the aircard itself is probably ok.

A few weeks ago we ran all around eastern CO, up to Nederland in the mountains, etc., with the CP 500 router, UMW 190 aircard and mag-mount antenna (no amp), and coverage only dropped south of Lamar and for a few miles east of Punkin Center. Now, unless I need to squeeze maximum data from the connection, I stream internet radio. Besides giving something nice to listen to in the boonies, it serves as a hands-free connection monitor and it avoids what could be contributing to your problem. If your connection is inactive for a little while the system forgets about you, and may even time out your dynamic IP address, resulting in open applications, browsers, etc., losing their socket connections. If you're watching bandwidth, you might try doing that with one of the SPC's mesoanalysis pages set for one-minute refresh.

Hope this helps!

 

[Guy.Cooper]

Carol,

I was using the Novatel USB1000 with the external antenna available from VZN until my wife "upgraded" me to the MiFi 4510L when she was at the VZN store getting herself a new phone. When I read the manual on the 4510 I was disappointed to not see the external antenna port. But to my surprise I found the external antenna port DOES exist. I have successfully tested that.

Note: The antenna below is the low-cost approach, not the high-gain method mentioned earlier. But it is still better than the built-in antennas.

I paid $20 for the mag mount external antenna from VZN: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/accessory?action=accessoryDetails&accessoryId=42670

But it requires an adapter cable ($10) that no one at VZN will know what you're talking about - you have to tell them. I think it's this one: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/store/accessory?action=accessoryDetails&accessoryId=47496

I haven't thoroughly tested it remote yet since I just got my gear setup last weekend. But so far it's doing the job just fine around my local area.

I agree with David, run the cables through the doors and tape them down. Most cars have plenty of rubber moulding to protect the cables from being smashed. I have my VZN antenna and GPS antenna setup that way. Just be sure to keep the cables clear of latches, and try to find a place with least pressure to cross the rubber moulding. When I'm not chasing, I take them off and put them in the car (not disturbing the tape) to avoid theft/vandalism. My T-Bird happens to have metal speaker grills below the back seat windows that I just stick the antennas on.

Good luck!

Guy