Internet?

[Scott McLaughlin]

Just wondering what everyone uses for internet while on the road. I use a wireless internet company called Xanadoo, but the problem is that it only works pretty much in city limits, and we seem to have a force field around our city that the storms tend to split and go around us so it does me no good. I currently have US cell as a cell phone provider and i can connect my phone as a modem, but shortly after they start calling me stating that I am using an excess number of kb and if I continue they will drop my service.

So the question is, what do must of you guys use? I want to have something that I can stream with but not too expensive! Gas is killing me esp in a freaking 1Ton van.

Thanks Again!

 

[J Kinkaid]

If you do a search on this subject you will find lots of info about cellphones .


I use Alltel and ATT with a 9db external antenna and 7 watt preamp that I got from Maxium Signal and seem to have coverage everywhere and I am able to stream a dash cam and use Gr and talk in chat.

 

[Steve Polley]

I am using a sprint data card with a Kyocera KR1 EVDO Router. This setup works very nicely. I have a modest Wilson external antenna which give me an internet connection about 90 percent of the time. The router is handy also for those within our group that are needing internet when theirs is down for what ever reason. I also have the sprint sero plan which makes the monthly fee $50.

Here is the website for the special plan.

www.sprint.com/sero

Steve

 

[Bill Schintler]

RE: data plans

I just chased for a few weeks using AT&T. I have the unlimited data (well, 5GB) plan. I use a Sierra Wireless 881U card, with a Wilson 811201 direct connect and 6dbi omni antenna. The amplifier is supposed to work with all domestic providers except Nextel. Service was great in all of OK (even in the hills in the southeast part, where I was on May 10), TX (I was north of I-20, west, central, and east), and KS where I spent the majority of my time off the beaten path. I averaged 500Mb/day on chase days, and was able to stream level-2 most of the time, with 200kb/s average download speed (2500kb/s in and around OKC and Dallas where 3G is implemented). Connectivity and speed were better then expected. When things worked, it was great. Now the issues...

1) Resolved: AT&T communications Manager application was flaky - no connection when it indicated I was connected and the signal was strong. Resolution: Make sure any firewalls (Windows, Norton, etc), are set to make an exception for the communications manager to contact the internet. PM me if you want help with that. While on travel, I crank my firewall settings for maximum security while spending time on unsecured networks, and the data card ceased to function until I changed the firewall settings.

2) Not Resolved: Warranty issues with the data card. The 881U card failed while I was on the chase trip. To make a long story shorter, I had to purchased a replacement unit from the store as the warranty procedure is to ship a replacement to my home (1000 miles from where I was chasing). I have spent nearly 4 hours on the phone so far with AT&T, going in circles, trying to get reimbursed the $250 for the card. This is not resolved yet. It has turned into a big, convoluted mess and a major waste of my time (and cell phone minutes). This is very frustrating, and AT&T is not going to see a penny of my (now overdue) bill until this is resolved.

3) Resolved: Billing and contract issue - When signing onto the plan, I requested the unlimited (5GB) plan, for $60/mo. Somehow, I was inadvertently signed up for a plan with a 10MB cap, with large charges for bandwidth in excess of this. I nearly had a heart attack when the bill arrived - as you might imagine, I incurred an *enormous* bill. About 30 minutes on the phone with AT&T wiped those service charges from the bill and got me on the plan I requested in the first place.

- bill

 

[J Kinkaid]

1) I wouldn't have used there connection manager if they paid me to use it
2) How long did you have your card before it went out ?
3) Why would you pay $60 for something that you can get for $20 a month? ATT is yet to enforce the 5 gig limit and I would watch your bills from att like a hawk the next couple of months cause they have been known to add those charges back in .


Did you ever lose signal and what kind of antenna do you have ?