New incar wi-fi setup

[Bill Tabor]

I haven't read the 13 pages on this topic, but I would like to point out that you can only use this device in your cig lighter from what I understand.

That makes it hard to take it with you when you get your car serviced, over to a friends house, etc. etc. when you may want data somewhere other than in a car. That's where a Sprint card (or Verizon or Alltel) has the advantage.

Not really. You can buy a device from Radio Shack for cheap (I have one) that plugs into Ac and provides a cig lighter type socket for home use. They don't cost much.

 

[Bill Tabor]

I think the trick is to track down the actual providers that this device is able to access, and then compare to one of the cell company's partner agreements and compare maps.

I'm pretty certain that if you had this cig. lighter thing next to a sprint/alltel or verizon card you'd both be accessing the same tower anywhere you went.

That may be. This test should be done. It may be that even though Sprint/Verizon/Nextel all share towers they may not share in agreements for data. These agreements may primarily be for voice. I use Verizon and if what you say is true then I should have data anywhere and I do not. Brownwood Tx has always been bad and analog - although now I notice they have digital connects. There is an area between there and Abilene which is tough. As I recall other areas around and north of Haskell county.

So the key is do these 3 providers really share their maps of coverage for data and if not completely then what is the difference. Otherwise this device will add some additional connectible locations. Also does this device represent the latest technology and speed from Sprint or even AT&T / Cingular. It appears the tech my friend Gene uses with AT&T/Cingular regularly beats my Verizon (assumption Sprint) by a factor of 10x typically. I've been amazed when I witnessed this. Also contrary to most people's belief Gene is able to tether and talk on the phone while downloading data with no loss of connection.

 

[Bill Tabor]

I don't think that's correct. This is from their PDF: "Moreover, the device can easily be removed from the car and put into a small bag. Thus, users
can shuttle between the car and a residence, hotel or vacation spot, extending the usability of the Autonet Mobile Service beyond the car. For business travelers, families on vacation or couples on the go, bringing connectivity out of the car and into the hotel room is an additional
benefit."

I assume they'll give you an AC adapter with it.

http://www.autonetmobile.com/wp/news

You folks may have already seen this from the news release:
"Simply plug the unit into a cigarette lighter or standard
wall plug and go."

http://www.autonetmobile.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/autonet-jan-2-wire-press-release.pdf

 

[Bill Tabor]

Oh nice...

but I see a $400 setup fee. ouch. You can get data cards for free if you look for one of their deals. But this is $10 a month cheaper than the cell companies... but it'd take 40 months (3.3 years) of a subscription to pay off the setup fee before you start saving money with this device.

Can you turn off the monthly data option with Sprint? If so that may be a factor. If not and you only use Autonet 3 to 4 months a year then I believe the break even comparison equation is:

400 + (40*x) = 50y

x=number months Anynet
y=number months Sprint

Anyone done algebra lately to derive this? Been awhile for me.

 

[Bill Tabor]

Here is a good site page discussing the different type of connects, providers, and speeds available.
http://www.treocentral.com/content/Stories/911-1.htm

I see now though why Gene's phone beats mine.
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/phone.php?p=210
Mine only supports 1XRTT and not EVDO. Looks like I need an upgrade. The question is to what? I am not on a contract. Do I go Verizon EVDO (my current provider)? Switch to Sprint? Or go Autonet?

 

[Bill Tabor]

Also, regarding speed of data, HPSA (abbreviation may be incorrect) is the technology for GSM and it is not as fast as the competing EVDO on the CDMA networks. So not only do you get better coverage, but faster data.

Andy from the weblink I posted previously:

"HSDPA (3.5G) is again much faster than UMTS, and it's been rolled out already in a few small areas of the world. The standard supports about 14700kbps, though what users get will vary by carrier. Very few smartphones support HSDPA yet."

This is much faster than the listed CDMA max of 2500kbps

 

[David Drummond]

No matter what you use, the difference between having signal in a lot of places, and not having it, is getting that antenna up and out of the vehicle. Try and get equipment with an external antenna port or maybe one of those repeaters with an outside antenna. Being inside the vehicle is a horrible attenuator of signal.

 

[Bill Tabor]

The cellular carriers will not just activate the unit on thier network without a minimum 1 year commitment . That cost will be passed on for sure.

As I understand it the main reason the cell carriers do this is because you get a free or low cost (read subsidized) phone. If you already purchased the hardware (Autonet device) then there is no reason to necessarily require a contract.

I've been on Verizon for 2 or 3 years now with no contract.

 

[Bill Tabor]

Going to have to talk with my guy about the post above because the only paperwork that I was given concerned a year, two year, and three year agreement.

Yes, you need to find out what incentive they offer to choose a 2 or 3 year contract over a 1 year one. In other words is it $49/mo for the 1 year contract and $39/mo for the 3 year - or perhaps you get free hardware with the longer contract?

 

[Bill Tabor]

No matter what you use, the difference between having signal in a lot of places, and not having it, is getting that antenna up and out of the vehicle. Try and get equipment with an external antenna port or maybe one of those repeaters with an outside antenna. Being inside the vehicle is a horrible attenuator of signal.

True. Seems like since vehicle is metal a great antenna would be to use the whole vehicle body as one. Wonder if there is a way to do this - or perhaps that is what we are getting when we connect a mag mount or other type of antenna to a vehicle?

 

[scott r currens]

Wow Bill, I guess you are interested in this product. I was expecting one new post when I checked this thread.

Do I go Verizon EVDO (my current provider)? Switch to Sprint? Or go Autonet?

That is the question we are all asking ourselves. I was an early adaptor when WXWorx came out in 2004 and that turned out to be a great decision. I sold my WXWorx receiver this summer and I think I will take a shot at this Autonet thing and see if it works out just as well. The only internet access I have chased with is WiFi so it will be a real change for me to have almost continuous access.

I got 4-years out of WXWorx, I wonder how many years I'll get out of Autonet with WiMax on the horizon.

 

[Alex Sian]

Anybody know the speeds required for using VOIP phones? I'm curious in case I wanted to use Autonet for home internet access and then portability on the road.

VOIP doesn't use a lot of bandwidth, only about 56-90kbps.
what matters most for VOIP is quality of connection.
High latency can make your calls sound like old school half-duplex crap.

Latency needs to be as low as possible for good call quality. anything under 70ms is "good", but even up to 150ms is bearable, just not optimal.

the problem with EVDO is that latency is inconsistent and changes from tower to tower and even from hour to hour on a tower, as load increases/decreases. none of the EVDO carriers care much about consistency of latency because their EVDO data service is not meant to target VOIP users.

devices like this autonet router must have firmware/programming to prioritize VOIP connections in order to be useful for VOIP. nothing i've seen in any autonet literature says they do that.

i test and review EVDO routers and all Sprint/Verizon EVDO Devices for a living and the best i've found are the cradlepoint CTR350/PHS300 EVDO routers. their 'wipipe' technology makes a significant difference for VOIP and VPN connections, among others.

 

[Alex Sian]

Got home this morning to find this at my door...
I'm on it right now and have rode around with it a bit while watching storms.

Brett, would you mind doing a speedtest at http://speedtest.net while using the autonet device you have? post a graphic like this one:

it will tell us some things about the service, that many people want to know.

 

[BrandonWhittington]

Back to the Autonet Rig...

I have been doing lots of research on the product and I have yet to come up with an actual page that shows the monthly prices, unit prices, and plan options...

Also, were is this press release that says the prices?????

I just want to get a better understanding of the product.

 

[Bill Tabor]

That is the question we are all asking ourselves. I was an early adaptor when WXWorx came out in 2004 and that turned out to be a great decision. I sold my WXWorx receiver this summer and I think I will take a shot at this Autonet thing and see if it works out just as well. The only internet access I have chased with is WiFi so it will be a real change for me to have almost continuous access.

I got 4-years out of WXWorx, I wonder how many years I'll get out of Autonet with WiMax on the horizon.

Yep. I still use Threatnet. It's advantage is it is reliable, always on, and you don't even have to switch radar stations. However it is limited in what it can display and do compared to the internet and higher resolution radar products. If Autonet is close to 100% reliable, always on, and everywhere in the Plains we chase and at least runs from 25 to 50 kbps+ then I'd say the days of Threatnet are numbered. This will popularize products such as Swift, Grlevel3, Stormlab, and Radarlab Hd. It is for this reason I am looking in much more detail at those products. So, the future is bright, and exciting.