New incar wi-fi setup

[David Drummond]

That would only really work though Scott if your in an EVDO area. If not, your looking at some pretty slow internet, unless that doesn't bother you.

Just like Sprint, some places I get EVDO, even on roaming. Here at home it's good old 1xRTT, which I tested the other night with a brand new Sierra Wireless 597E card (the best Sprint offers right now). I was getting 50 kb/s up speeds and a little over 100 kb/s down speed. Which is great sitting out in the middle of nowhere, not so great at home.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

It's not that easy of a choice if you have a cellphone contract with another carrier. The best deal I can find for a data only plan is $60/mo with a $100 data card. I know I can get the card for "free" if a sign a contract but I don't think it is worth it. I'd rather just pay for the card and cancel the plan whenever I want. I know what you are thinking. Why would I want to pay an extra $300-400 dollers for Autonet? If I get AutoNet I can easily move it between home/car/motel so I will know longer need my home internet service ($40/mo). That and I wouldn't have to deal with extra wires or device drivers on my computers. Just plug it in and go, or stay if you are at home.

I bet a usb cable and a cell phone moves around just as easily. I'd pay the early cancelation fee on my current cell phone and switch before I'd pay $400 for autonet. It'd be cheaper.

 

[rdale]

From JiWire:

At CES, Autonet announced a couple of new twists that should make the product even more attractive to end users. First, a new version of the hardware will add internal storage for downloadable media like movies, TV shows, music and online games, which can be beamed over from your home network while the car is in the garage and then accessed by any Wi-Fi device, including Sony PSPs, Nintendo DSes and iPhones. So the kids can watch movies or play games in the back seat as well as surf the Web on that summer road trip. Second, they're now partnering with major automotive provider Delphi, which likely means Wi-Fi systems will soon start becoming options on new cars. Sign us up!

 

[Fabian Guerra]

Rockies vs. Cascade

Gordon, question for ya...

In not-too-technical terms, what are the main differences, besides the $150 price difference, between the Rockies Amp/Antenna and the newer Cascade amp/antenna? For our purposes as chasers is it worth the extra dough for the Cascade? If so, please explain. Thanks!

The autonet sounds great and all but after plodding through these 20 some odd pages in this thread I think autonet is still a ways away from being ready in terms of having proven results and adequate customer/technical support.

It's January now and I want to have my in-car data decision made by March. I gotta admit Hollingshead makes a good point going with Alltel's $25 a month. I also read somewhere on their site that they have some sort of "24 hour pass" where you pay only $1.50 for each day you wish to use it.

 

[Wesley Luginbyhl]

It's January now and I want to have my in-car data decision made by March. I gotta admit Hollingshead makes a good point going with Alltel's $25 a month. I also read somewhere on their site that they have some sort of "24 hour pass" where you pay only $1.50 for each day you wish to use it.

The $1.50 pass you saw may have been for Access (which is watered down internet ON your phone). I dont know if they have much about phone as a modemn on their webpage, which I dont know why. All you have to do on the $25 a month (phone as modemn) is call them when you want to turn it on, restart your phone and your ready to use it. After the chase is over, to turn it off I just go online and turn it off in my account. They just prorate the charge so for a 24 hour period (I forget to turn it off till the next day) it normally ends up around $1.50. They try to charge like $70 for the cable kit w/cd (I found it for $10 on ebay). If you get a phone with them just make sure it is EVDO capable. The only phones with EVDO when I got mine was the RAZR and the U520 (which I have), but I think the Hue, Wafer, and a couple others have it now. If you dont want to buy the cable or have extra wires you can use a usb bluetooth, but I have heard the connection speed is a bit lower.

 

[Dick McGowan]

T They try to charge like $70 for the cable kit w/cd (I found it for $10 on ebay). If you get a phone with them just make sure it is EVDO capable. The only phones with EVDO when I got mine was the RAZR and the U520 (which I have), but I think the Hue, Wafer, and a couple others have it now. If you dont want to buy the cable or have extra wires you can use a usb bluetooth, but I have heard the connection speed is a bit lower.

FWIW, the cable is just a standard USB cable. I have about 10 of them in my house, and all work. The software is free, and I found it by digging the other night, but can't find it now. It's called Axcess Quicklink Mobile, which they'll provide you when you sign up for the $25 unlimited data. Don't buy the 70 dollar kit they offer!! That's good to know about disconnecting the service daily, they don't charge reconnecting fees?

Alltel's internet works well in KS, Central KS being the best, where in the middle of nowhere I've gotten about 1.2 mb on several chases. Highway 166 from Arkansas City to Coffeyville KS, wouldn't work at all for us on October 17th. It would show a signal, say it was connected, but pull no data.

Anywhere else in KS, it wouldn't stay disconnected for more than 5 minutes. I own the Motorola razr v3m and from what I understand, those are the best for reception. I plan on getting an amplifier this year, and perhaps this Autonet thing, if they ever release it.

 

[Wesley Luginbyhl]

FWIW, the cable is just a standard USB cable. I have about 10 of them in my house, and all work. The software is free, and I found it by digging the other night, but can't find it now. It's called Axcess Quicklink Mobile, which they'll provide you when you sign up for the $25 unlimited data. Don't buy the 70 dollar kit they offer!! That's good to know about disconnecting the service daily, they don't charge reconnecting fees?

I cant use that standard cable you are talking about (I have like 6 myself). I had to find the kit, because I got the Samsung U520 and for some reason Samsung likes to have a different connecter for every phone. They are not hard to find though. I have been doing the daily connect thing for a few months now. I used it a few times in October and again around New Years and have not recieved any reconnect charges or anything of that nature. I plan on doing it this way all Spring so I can save another $100 dollars. Hopefully I end up with a total of internet charges for the whole Spring of under $25, atleast thats my goal. When I am chasing I normally have GRlevel3 with atleast 3 webpages open and they usually load pretty quick (and thats with 1xRTT).

 

[Gordon Spencer]

You will always get you best amplification from a direct connect amplifier. The advantage of the wireless is that it will do multiple devices whereas a direct connect only does a single device. Our product works with the Autonet to even give you better coverage by the way.

Gordon, question for ya...

In not-too-technical terms, what are the main differences, besides the $150 price difference, between the Rockies Amp/Antenna and the newer Cascade amp/antenna? For our purposes as chasers is it worth the extra dough for the Cascade? If so, please explain. Thanks!

The autonet sounds great and all but after plodding through these 20 some odd pages in this thread I think autonet is still a ways away from being ready in terms of having proven results and adequate customer/technical support.

It's January now and I want to have my in-car data decision made by March. I gotta admit Hollingshead makes a good point going with Alltel's $25 a month. I also read somewhere on their site that they have some sort of "24 hour pass" where you pay only $1.50 for each day you wish to use it.

 

[Fabian Guerra]

You will always get you best amplification from a direct connect amplifier. The advantage of the wireless is that it will do multiple devices whereas a direct connect only does a single device.

Ok, I think I get it. The Rockies amp is direct connect and gets the best amplification of the two but it can only handle one device at a time. The Cascade costs more because it is wireless and can handle mulitple devices. Thanks for reply...

 

[Alex Sian]

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.

Am i missing brett's response with a speedtest graphic?

 

[Brett Adair]

Uno momento.....I'll hook it up here at the house and give you a test.

 

[Brett Adair]

 

[Alex Sian]

hmm... anyone else unimpressed?

 

[Gordon Spencer]

Looks like it is on EVDO Rev. 0. What have the reults been like out on the road Brett?

 

[Jay McCoy]

That depends on where he was when he tested it. if he was in a city then its average to below average. if he was more rural then thats not all that bad. Almost a half meg/sec is much faster than cell phone/modem for sure. I KNow Sprint has pretty good coverage in my area but my Cingular card the coverage sux. This unit combines all networks so it is as fast as sprint or nextell or att but wil use any of their towers so there is no coverage hole.

Even if its not as fast as some cards I will take slower speed (if it is) and a solid signal over fast but dropping signal.

I will wait for more testing to be done in the field before I decide to see if it can trully hold its signal at all times. I nkow for sure it has to be better than my Cingular card. They suck. If this doesnt work I will at least be switching to Sprint once my contract is up.