Air Card, 3G wireless internet

[adamdegraff]

Just about ready to get a wireless router for our bus. Read Mango's endorsement of Boosterantena.com which is now 3Gstore.com. Looks good to me. Anybody have other opinions about these aircards or the best way to go about getting set up? I don't think I want to do the whole motosat thing. Air card should suffice for us. We are mac people if that makes any difference and will have at least two computers. (Or, maybe just one if I con convince my wife to let me get the new iPhone.) Verizon? Sprint? ATT? Any opinions?

Thanks,

~Adam

[tdelorme]

Adam, we use an AT&T air card plugged into a TopGlobal router. Works great for us. Tonight we are in Texarkana, TX and both online at the same time. Speed is reasonable. Not super fast, but acceptable.

[hhoppe]

Adam: We have had good luck with Verizon Air Card for the computer and Verizon family plan phone. If you have any Onstar vehicles the Verizon can be dovetailed into them for Verizon rates. We found Verizon with the best location coverage. Any Verizon caller to Verizon caller is free minutes. I'm not a shopper , there may be better deals out there, but I'm happy with what we have.

[MangoMike]

Adam,

To make the installation seamless and pain free get both the wireless router and the verizon card from the same folks at 3g. Just tell them you have a Mac and it will be plug and go when you get it.

Mike

[phorner]

I can echo some of the other comments. We have used a Verizon air card for the oast couple of years now and we're very happy with both the performance as well as the coverage areas.

[lloyd&pamela]

Adam we love 3Gstore. Victor is the only Mac guy there buy he is very knowledgeable. We have the Cradlepoint MBR 1000 router adn the Verizon Express card. They work great for Pamela and I. We also have the Rogers Merlin x950D card for Canada. Do not use the Verizon card in Canada. WE had a $2800 bill in a week, luckily they reversed the charges and we bought the Rogers card.

[Ray Davis]

Lloyd,

Are you still using the Motosat?

[lloyd&pamela]

Yes, when we have a view of the SW sky and it is not too windy. Lately we have been staying in very heavily wooded sites and have not been able to deploy the sat or get a signal. Too bad because in some places the wireless and 3G connections have been poor also.

We have been in Bermuda for a week with no internet. How are you? Last I read they were totaling the bus and it was not good news. Any change?

Best to you,
Lloyd

[Darl-Wilson]

We bought this equipment (http://www.novatelwireless.com/pdf/Merlin_XU870_DataSheet.pdf) prior to the Kerrville POG Rally. I purchased it direct from the company's affiliate, NexAira (http://www.nexaira.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=C-NVTL-XU870)
The two links provide specs and price. I think this can be used with any service vendor. We use ATT Wireless and have great service and reception. At almost any interstate rest area there is a good signal and a good transfer rate. The best demonstration I have had of this device is when our daughter signed on to the Internet as we left our home in Reno, NV for a trip to 6 Flags at Vallejo, CA, near SF. The signal was lost briefly driving over Donner Pass in the Sierras but was quickly restored. Daniela surfed and emailed the complete trip. Connection speed is good and in over two years I have never had a problem. I pay ATT $59 per month for unlimited service.

[adamdegraff]

I called the folks at the 3G store. No doubt, they know their stuff. Very helpful, no pressure at all to buy. I was worried that getting set up with something like this might take a little while, but it turns out that I can wait until a few day before we take off for our tour to get things started with them. Nice folks.

Thanks for the recommendation and all the comments.

~Adam

[Alek&Lucia]

From your experience which provider is better ATT or Verizon for wireless internet ?

Alek

[Darl-Wilson]

Alek, Verizon just bought Altel (http://gizmodo.com/5013412/official-verizon-wireless-absorbing-alltel-to-become-largest-us-carrier) making them the largest cellular company in the US. They are also the highest rated by Consumer Reports.

ATT Wireless works well for us because we have more coverage in the areas where we travel than with Verizon.

If I were in your area I would consider Verizon.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Alek we were looking for a service that we only needed maybe 2 months a year and did not want to have to get another # and sign another contract.

We have Verizon and if you get the mobil office manager kit at one of their stores you can get high speed service through your existing # and have it turned on and off as required. It is just as fast as at home is about 35 bucks a month and you only pay for the time you have it activated. I remember going 6weeks once and was pleasantly surprised when they only charged us by the day for the last 2 weeks instead of the full second month.

The office manager kit includes a disc that installs easy and an OSB cord to hook your phone to the computer.

We used Debs brother Harry as a ginni pig, he is OTR trucking for a living and gets the least signal loss from Verizon.

[Ray Davis]

How are you? Last I read they were totaling the bus and it was not good news. Any change?

The bus has been totaled by insurance, however now almost 3 months later, I'm still waiting for a check. Everyone gets paid before I do. The loan on the bus was paid back on June 11th, however the insurance company is waiting to receive title, before they send the remainder to me.

Seems a bit unfair, they've got the bus, and they won't pay me for it!

I don't have the title, it's held by the loan company, who said they are sending to CA DMV for a paper title. Something about they have only held an electronic title.

Pain in the ....

Ray

[mikedee]

We have a Verizon and ATT card in our two Mac's. I would vote for the ATT card my wife has for speed and coverage. I grab it every now and then when Verizon drops. The ATT seams to have more coverage.

With that said I just got a cable to hook my Verizon 740 card to my Wilson amp and outside antenna. I go from one bar to full coverage when I plug in to the amp. I also got a cradle to allow the Iphone to hook to the amp/antenna.

It really works.

[jello_jeep]

If anyone wants a Verizon air card (the kind you slide into a laptop) we are switching out Verizon for ATT and I have a few cards. They usually charge 240.00 or so for them if I remember right. Yours for the asking (ok you can buy me lunch at a rally).

The reason for the switch is we dumped nextel/verizon for cellular and data at work because ATT gave me a package deal I couldn't refuse for 25 phones and 4 cards.

[MangoMike]

Jelloman,

I'll take one.

Thanks

Mango

[dalej]

Warren,

If you have any more left, I'll take one. I called Verizon and they said it would work good for me when traveling.

Let me know if you know anything else about this. Right now when in a Verizon digital area, I just plug in our phone and I'm online. Sounds like with the air card, I just pay for the days I'm using it or traveling, but works with other wireless towers and where ever there a signal.

[hhoppe]

Mike: I'm interested in your whole antenna setup and hookup to Verizon. Where can I obtaan all the hardware to get it done? The info may have been on a previous post that I missed. Sounds like you and Dee are enjoying your new freedom from company. Congratulations. Hope to hook up with you when we get back to busing.

[dalej]

Harry! how can you be online....I can't even get you on your cell! Just maybe your caller ID is working ok. :)

[Alek&Lucia]

Warren,

If you have any left, I'm interested in one also.

Alek

[jello_jeep]

Cards are all spoken for now!

Thanks!

[0533]

We have been on the road for about one month now, have both a Motosat and a Cell booster with repeater inside the bus that brings up the bars by 100% or more. We use a Top Global Router that holds the Verizon 727 modem USB card. This works great and allows both Pam and I to have a network inside the Bus for all of our Macs, plus cell phone from the booster. have been in some remote regions of Maine, Rangeley lakes and it works well, often better than the Motosat.

[Journeyone144]

Hi Ted and Jan,
I have AT&T Cell...and a wireless router I was using in the house when I had a boarder...I wonder if I could make use of the router I bought for his computer in the Bus now since I still have it and it's doing nothing anymore...
Is there any relationship between an AT&T air card and this wireless router I have....Also what is a TopGlobal router...is it just a different brand name..?? I could sure use a quickie education about these things..as the only way I ever get on line in the coach is via Wifi ...if I get lucky and close enough to borrow someone's connection to the Net...

Mine is a "NetGear wireless N 150 Router WNR 1000 v2"

Appreciate any in put at all...
Hugs Always Viv
88 Prevo Le Mirage XL



Adam, we use an AT&T air card plugged into a TopGlobal router. Works great for us. Tonight we are in Texarkana, TX and both online at the same time. Speed is reasonable. Not super fast, but acceptable.

[merle&louise]

I was surfing the net and saw this little gizmo! In motion internet service for $89,000! What's the difference between this thing and an air card? Don't both connect you to the WWW?

http://www.satellitesinmotion.com/m7_view_item.html?m7:item=TRA-The%20COTM

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

I was surfing the net and saw this little gizmo! In motion internet service for $89,000! What's the difference between this thing and an air card? Don't both connect you to the WWW?

http://www.satellitesinmotion.com/m7_view_item.html?m7:item=TRA-The%20COTM

Tuga, with your example you get FREE SHIPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!



:cool::cool::cool:

[dale farley]

I bet if we get every POG member to purchase one, we could get this price down to $85,000 each!

[truk4u]

Tuga,

Did you have one to many Hurricanes?:p

[GSwaim]

:Dhttp://customcoachconnectiontn.web.officelive.com/images/autonet%20gen%20ii.jpg For those not aware, there is now a service and a wireless device that brings any vehicle highspeed internet without dropping the connection while going down the road. It's called Autonet Moble (http://www.autonetmobile.com). They have recieved certification from all of the major auto manufacturers and are being built in to automibiles currently by most auto builders. I have been licensed by AutoNet Mobile to bring them to the RV industry as an aftermarket unit.

I've had MotoSat Datastorm, Verizon aircard and cradlepoint MBR1000 router and this unit has beat them by performance and cost. Since it works on the Verizon network it has the best cellualar coverage but the monthly service is only $29/month since the service is paid for throught autonet Mobile. Since it has a comercial cellular radio it's 10X stronger than the aircards. It also has a wifi router built right into it so with one 12V dc power connection it does it all. I have one of these in my bus and it works flawlessly without a external antenna. Some have reported getting unbelieveable reception border to border with an external cellular antenna. It has all kinds of features but the best part is it retails for under $500 and has a monthly service cost of $29.mth. Contact me if you would like more info. I'll have these with me at POG 9

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Gary, what do you get for $29.00/month, compared to Verizon?





:confused:

[GSwaim]

Good question - Here is all the details: http://customcoachconnectiontn.web.officelive.com/CellularInternet.aspx Just look at the comparison chart on the page. If that doesn't clear it up feel free to ask. The key is "No overage charges & No taxes"

[Ray Davis]

I am curious. Can the device be stopped/started on a month to month basis. I currently pay $60/mo for ATT but I have to pay every month used or not. I only travel a few times a year so I want a data service like iPad that can be turned off and on.

[aggies09]

Gary, what is involved in the install for this product? Is it just plug and play?

[dale farley]

Ray, I see (http://www.autonetmobile.com/support/faq/) it says a 1 year contract is required.

[GSwaim]

Has a 1 year committment then it's month to month. At $30 per month compared to $60 per month it really is just a six month committment in dollar and cents. I use mine in and out of the house so don't need to shut it off. I went the two years just to ensure I get the $30 per month for that long.

[jelmore]

Gary, this device receives 10x better that an ordinary data card? Is that 10x better range, like instead of receiving 4 bars at 1 mile it will receive 4 bars at 10 miles And what does no overage charges mean? If you go over 5 GB, there's no additional charge? That would be an unlimited data plan and I didn't think any one offered that any more. Is this only available on Verizon? We use both Verizon and Sprint to give us maximum coverage. It's $120 a month for both but we're almost always well covered.

[dale farley]

Jim,

I found this on their site:

What happens if I exceed my data plan?
If you exceed your monthly data plan of 1GB or 5GB, your connection speed will decrease until the new month starts. The throttling is progressive. The more you exceed your limit the slower your connection.

[GSwaim]

Jim,

Roadrunner is correct, they slow your connection down but don't charge you a dime. If you find the $29/month plan isn't enough it is a simple phone call to go to the bigger plan.

Tony, there really isn't any install. You give the unit 12V DC power connect to the unit with either a network cable or wireless and the first page it takes you to is the Autonet Mobile site to sign up for service. You can go with either the $29/month or the $59/per month. I find most are very happy with the $29/month but as I said above, a simple phone call to the 800 number on the back of the unit allows you to go up to the $59/month plan.

I know this sounds too good to be true but it's not and it's simple. I've had mine for a year now and have distributed literally hundreds of these in that time with no complaints.

[GSwaim]

Jim,

Sorry I forgot to answer the 10X question. 10X refers to transmit recieve power and means it has the wattage to reach out further to recieve a cellular tower signal. Aircards and phone are governed to a very small wattage because they are personal cell devices, this unit is designed to be in a remote location such as a car trunk, RV cabinet and so on so it's not governed by the same FCC rules. For even futher reception capability it has the ability to have an optional external antenna such as the Wilson trucker/RV antenna to increase range even further. I haven't went this route because I wanted to see just what the little rubber antenna that's included on the unit would do inside the bus. So far I haven't found a place I didn't have signal yet.

[Ray Davis]

Has a 1 year committment then it's month to month

Once you reach the month to month, can I turn it off, let's say for 3 months, call up turn it on for a month, then turn it off for 3 again? All this without incurring a new one year commitment? If I restart, is there a reconnection charge?

I'd be happy with a 1 year commitment, if after that time I could turn on and off at will.

[GSwaim]

Ray,

That can happen but there is a $35 activation fee each time you activate. Why not leave it on and use it while at home in place of another service?

[dale farley]

Gary, That is what I am considering doing (using in bus and at home), but I am afraid that the 1 GB per month won't be nearly enough. I only pay $25 for my current DSL service, so I don't want to go to a $60 plan.

[GSwaim]

I find the hardest part about shopping for a internet or cellular service is trying to decide how much is enough. 1 Gig will easily satisfy 95% of peoples needs so the question is are you the 5% of people that do bandwidth intensive activities on the internet? To help wit this question you need to analyze what type of activitities you do on the internet and how often. Do you watch youtube videos each day or just occassionally? Do you down load multiple songs from places like iTunes everyday or just occassionally? Do you build websites or upload large size files to an online server everyday or just occassionally? If the answer to these are yes, every day then you are correct 1 gig is not enough. If you and your spouse only browse the web, retreive and send email with attachments and occasssionally download extrememly large files (100 Meg plus) then 1 gig is fine. Another means of determining if you need more than that is to find out how much you have used over the past several months from your current provider. good luck.

[Ray Davis]

That can happen but there is a $35 activation fee each time you activate. Why not leave it on and use it while at home in place of another service?

I really only need this service for when in the bus. My home service get's me 12Mbit download at the moment, so it's hard to move to anything cellular.

[Jeff Bayley]

Don't know if anyone suggested this yet but this is our preferred connection:

http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/SubmitRegionAction?isUpgradePathForCoverage=false&currZipCode=&upgradeOption=&nextPage=DisplayPhones&equipmentSKUurlPart=%3FphoneSKU%3DNV2200WFDO%26cur rentPage%3DphonePage&filterStringParamName=&newZipCode=34208&x=0&y=0

It's a Sprint MyFi they call it and it is wireless hot spot for up to 5 devices and works great. The speed is good. If you have (or buy) and Apple I pad it will let you online with that also but you have to have ATT wireless service for the new 3G I pad if you want the GPS on the I-Pad to work so I bought the new 3G I pad because the GPS was important to me and consider the price of the I-Pad worth it just to have the nice big screen GPS while driving.

I also have a Verizon Air card that slides into the lap top (in addition to the Sprint MiFi) and have found (so far) that the coverage is always working on either of them.

[jelmore]

I really only need this service for when in the bus. My home service get's me 12Mbit download at the moment, so it's hard to move to anything cellular.

Ray, this is a month at a time with no contract. 5GB will get you by if you're careful.
http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=402&products_id=2193&gclid=CMmGjOCfmaICFQJL5wodIx1Xxg

[Ray Davis]

Thanks Jim, I'll take a look. At first glance they say the $90 price is a lease only, and you have to return it if you cancel before 2 years?

[jelmore]

Maybe I read that wrong. I thought it was on/off any time, a month at a time. Might not be that. Probably not.

[michaeldterry]

Don't know if anyone suggested this yet but this is our preferred connection:

http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/SubmitRegionAction?isUpgradePathForCoverage=false&currZipCode=&upgradeOption=&nextPage=DisplayPhones&equipmentSKUurlPart=%3FphoneSKU%3DNV2200WFDO%26cur rentPage%3DphonePage&filterStringParamName=&newZipCode=34208&x=0&y=0

It's a Sprint MyFi they call it and it is wireless hot spot for up to 5 devices and works great. The speed is good.

Since we were already Sprint subscribers, I got the Sprint Overdrive™ 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot for the bus and so far, we love it! Our experience has been that the WiFi service at the various RV parks is spotty at best and nonexistent at worst. It's critical that Vita have dependable access to the internet at all times while we're travelling for her work at the CDC and depending on RV park WiFi was just not cutting it! So far the Sprint solution with the Overdrive Hotspot has served us easily and flawlessly!

Here's a link: http://shop.sprint.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/DisplayPhones?phoneSKU=SWW8013G4G

From what we've heard, the MyFi is a good solution for basic users. We chose the Overdrive for a few advantages. First, it is a dual-mode 3G/4G device, with access to dependable 3G speeds and accelerated 4G speeds (up to 10x faster than 3G) where available (a lot of places). Also, it is GPS navigation enabled, has a memory card slot, and has an AC adaptor so we don't have to be at the mercy of the battery life.

Initial set up was easy and fool proof and operation is automatic - just press the power button, wait for it to boot and we're online! Vita can be online while we're rolling and we can both be online at the same time (when we're stopped, of course) :p

We had gotten the Overdrive the week before we moved to our new house. After the move, it took Comcast a little over a week before they could schedule to come and reinstall our cable, phone, and broadband internet. In the interim, we used the Overdrive at home for internet access and found the speeds comparable to those we experienced with our regular Comcast broadband cable modem!
Again - so far, we're very pleased!

[Devin W]

I've been using the autonet router for about a year and a half in the bus, but only really started taking advantage of it the past 6 months where my wife is using it more as we travel and I use it quite a bit when we're stopped when traveling (I'll often drive early or late and spend a few hours mid-day catching up on work phone calls and e-mails). So far it has been great and I've even opted to use it over some campground wi-fi due to it being faster (I'm not sure of the actual speeds). So far I'm on the 1GB plan and haven't gone over, but we're really only surfing and doing e-mail with no really heavy file transfers.

It's easy to link multiple devices to securely just like a home router and I've thrown it in my carry on when I travel so that I have internet in any car that I end up driving (I wired the leads to a 12V car lighter plug). My last biz trip I got a barrage of phone calls so I pulled up to a restaurant, plugged in the router and went inside, ordered lunch and worked on my laptop to put out some fires. For this purpose, the aircards are probably more convenient, but since we originally purchased it for multiple users in the bus, this is a bonus use. The bottom line is that when I started really using it, I found that my appreciation has grown.

[bgaunce]

One option which is new to the conversion market but is being used extensively in commercial buses for bulletproof in-motion internet access for multiple users (up to 45 passengers) is Hobnob. I use our coach (1999 H3 Vantare) both for work and for play and need robust in-motion internet service for the work part of the day that importantly works in a VPN environment without interruption. Upload/and download speed is consistently strong (modest T-1 speeds) and Hobnob is the only (moderately priced) service that I've found that achieves this in a VPN environment (short of mobile satellite which is prohibitively expensive). Hobnob uses multiple air cards from separate carriers, a multiplexer and a router to constantly seek out the strongest signal automatically, combined with high performance antennas on the roof of the coach. After researching many different options and purchasing a couple of different sets of equipment for our needs (and being disappointed), Hobnob finally provided the solution. we were looking for. The combination of 4 cell cards and Hobnob's active signal management service costs between $300.00 and $500.00 per month so it isn't the right solution for the casual user, but if you need business grade internet service while in motion, based upon our experience, this is the ticket. If this is what you are looking for, you can try hobnob.com for more info. or email me for more detailed questions. I'm a new member and wouldn't usually post such a long message, however the in-motion internet challenge has been a big one for us and if we can save a fellow member from the process we went through to arrive at the solution I'd welcome the opportunity to help.

[bonhall41]

I recently upgraded to a Verizon MiFi with 5 gigs a month and have been very happy so far. It can handle 5 users at a time so that's more than enough for us. It's about $60/month. I don't use it every month but it's nice to have when I need it.

[Devin W]

I use our coach (1999 H3 Vantare) both for work and for play and need robust in-motion internet service for the work part of the day that importantly [U]works in a VPN environment without interruption... Hobnob uses multiple air cards from separate carriers, a multiplexer and a router to constantly seek out the strongest signal automatically.

That's an interesting point. I could be wrong, but I got the impression that the Autonet carries contracts w/multiple providers so that it automatically uses the strongest signals. I'll have to check where I got that idea. I have also used it for VPN access and have found it to be very stable. Again, I don't move huge files, etc back and forth -- primarilly e-mail, etc.

By the way, welcome aboard. I know for sure that my first post didn't have nearly as much useful information as yours did!

edit: just did some reading on hobnob and definitely seems like a great solution if you've really got to have an on-demand reliable solution for internet.