Jerry Prsha
EF4
You can do this with a laptop.. Just share what's coming in the PC slot or USB and out the internal antenna...
New incar wi-fi setup
- Thread starter Jay McCoy
- Start date
You can do this with a laptop.. Just share what's coming in the PC slot or USB and out the internal antenna...
Jay McCoy
EF5
That would limit your speed and range quite a bit though. Plus your still only getting 1 service provider so you have a better chance of losing the signal. With this setup you use all towers so you rarely lose signal and there is plenty of DL speed. Not to mention the setup you would have to go through. Not everybody is IT savy. Much easier to just turn on your wireless port and surf than go through that kind of configuration. Ofcourse some of us love tinkering and figuring out new ways to connect to each other or the internet.
I and my team tried this a few years back and even setup a wifi router in the lead vehicle so all the other vehicles could share the feed. It was extremely slow. We were able to network the primary and were able to view the radar or other data the lead laptop was viewing on his laptop with a range of up to 1/4 mile. We would have 3-4 and at times up to 6 laptops connected in 4-5 vehicles. We could even use chat if we wanteds to communicate in private (off air). But each laptop surfing the net seperately off 1 data card was a for sure no-go.
I and my team tried this a few years back and even setup a wifi router in the lead vehicle so all the other vehicles could share the feed. It was extremely slow. We were able to network the primary and were able to view the radar or other data the lead laptop was viewing on his laptop with a range of up to 1/4 mile. We would have 3-4 and at times up to 6 laptops connected in 4-5 vehicles. We could even use chat if we wanteds to communicate in private (off air). But each laptop surfing the net seperately off 1 data card was a for sure no-go.
Greg Neuman
EF0
- Joined
- May 22, 2007
- Messages
- 15
There are Wi-Fi routers (manufactured by Linksys, Top Global, etc...) with a port for the EVDO card. They usually have a couple ports for Ethernet in addition to the Wi-Fi. I have been using EVDO at home exclusively since May. I didn't intentionally go 100% EVDO. My apartment is getting converted to a condo, and I ended up canceling my broadband a few months early. Surprisingly, I don't miss broadband as much as I thought I would. For web browsing, it works just fine. Bittorrent is slow, but it works if you have patience to leave it alone.
I have left my EVDO card running in my router for months at a time. I have multiple computers running off the same card, and I never had a problem. Sprint hasn't dumped me. I only remove the card when I need to carry it with me. There are a few little quirks. It sometimes stops for about 30 seconds...but it starts working again. I am moving next week from downtown DC to a location between DC and Baltimore, and I am considering using EVDO at home. Who needs FiOS.
Dave Carroll
EF1
Wi-Fi
...the great thing about the Autonet Mobile unit is the seemless way it transitions from one provider to the next, without ever missing a beat. It automatically grabs/changes to the strongest signal without you ever knowing it...just plug it in, and enjoy your connection. Simple, and it works! I hope some of you can give it a try soon...it has changed the way I think about data on the road.
...the great thing about the Autonet Mobile unit is the seemless way it transitions from one provider to the next, without ever missing a beat. It automatically grabs/changes to the strongest signal without you ever knowing it...just plug it in, and enjoy your connection. Simple, and it works! I hope some of you can give it a try soon...it has changed the way I think about data on the road.
David Drummond
Member
Am I the only one with a Sprint card that experiences that same thing? Once it's on I rarely have to mess with it. The very first time it goes in to roaming, it asks if it's ok, but after I approved it does it on it's own the rest of the day.
Not bashing their product, I am just still not seeing the advantages of it over my regular Sprint card.
Andrew Revering
EF3
I'm with you on the Sprint card David. I've never been very active on these forums, but I'm big into wireless data and am pretty active on evdoforums.com where this is all you talk about. From everything I know about all the providers out there, my choice is a big loud Sprint.
I'm not bashing this device... I think it's a great idea and I'm sure it works perfectly. But I've been a long time fan of Sprint and I have had no problems getting data just about anywhere I've wanted to chase from Canada to Mexico this year and it just gets better. They have a great native network and their roaming agreements are top of the line.
I'm certain this device is using the same roaming agreements that the big 3 CMDA companies have with each other, so the service between the two devices is going to be identical. So I think anyone who wants either device is going to be making the 'right' decision.
Here's a little naughty trick you can try to save money with Sprint and get the best deal if you dare... call them up and say you want to cancel your data card. They will ask why. Just tell them you want to switch to this device because its cheaper. They will probably offer the unlimited data to you for $40/mo.
If they don't offer that to you, then switch to this other thing if that's what interests you.
I'm not bashing this device... I think it's a great idea and I'm sure it works perfectly. But I've been a long time fan of Sprint and I have had no problems getting data just about anywhere I've wanted to chase from Canada to Mexico this year and it just gets better. They have a great native network and their roaming agreements are top of the line.
I'm certain this device is using the same roaming agreements that the big 3 CMDA companies have with each other, so the service between the two devices is going to be identical. So I think anyone who wants either device is going to be making the 'right' decision.
Here's a little naughty trick you can try to save money with Sprint and get the best deal if you dare... call them up and say you want to cancel your data card. They will ask why. Just tell them you want to switch to this device because its cheaper. They will probably offer the unlimited data to you for $40/mo.
If they don't offer that to you, then switch to this other thing if that's what interests you.
Andrew Revering
EF3
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.
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.
David Drummond
Member
To add to that, Sprint has a discounted special for new lines right now on the datacard online for that price, and depending on the card you get, it's darn near free.
For the record, I have one with an external antenna port, hooked up to one of those short Wilson cellular antennas.
For the record, I have one with an external antenna port, hooked up to one of those short Wilson cellular antennas.
Dave Carroll
EF1
wi-fi
Yeah, I simply don't know how the coverage actually compares with a Sprint card alone since I have never used one. I know that it is superior to Verizon alone, which I have used in the past...
Yeah, I simply don't know how the coverage actually compares with a Sprint card alone since I have never used one. I know that it is superior to Verizon alone, which I have used in the past...
Andrew Revering
EF3
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.
The question of which is better boils down to a cost/portability issue I think.
Do you only use your mobile internet in the car, or do you take your laptop other places? If only in your car, then I understand its like $10 a month cheaper than a card (unless you get a SERO deal from Sprint which is $49.99/mo - just do a google search for how to get a SERO deal.) If you use your laptop internet beyond just in your car, and beyond being at home, then I'd stick to using a card.
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.
The question of which is better boils down to a cost/portability issue I think.
Do you only use your mobile internet in the car, or do you take your laptop other places? If only in your car, then I understand its like $10 a month cheaper than a card (unless you get a SERO deal from Sprint which is $49.99/mo - just do a google search for how to get a SERO deal.) If you use your laptop internet beyond just in your car, and beyond being at home, then I'd stick to using a card.
Joey Ketcham
My laptop uses the new Express cards, the last time I checked - which was before the chase season - they only had the cards in PCMCIA. Has this changed?
David Drummond
Member
Yeah, I was on Sprint's site the other day and they had a couple of cards for the other slot.
Andrew Revering
EF3
As David mentioned, there are Express Cards now. They came out early this year I believe... maybe around February.
They also still have PCMCIAs and USB cards. A little more cumbersome because they don't go inside your computer, but would be useful if you wanted to plug the USB card into your desktop.
They also still have PCMCIAs and USB cards. A little more cumbersome because they don't go inside your computer, but would be useful if you wanted to plug the USB card into your desktop.
Jarrod Cook
EF2
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
Andrew Revering
EF3
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.
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.
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