using telephone to contenect to internet - RV-Dreams Community Forum

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

using telephone to contenect to internet

TXRVr · RV-Dreams Family Member

RE: using telephone to contenect to ]internet

Ken & Sarah · RV-Dreams Family Member

I have a wireless modem from 3G Store and a Verizon USB connector to the internet and I have been on the Magic Jack all morning. It is a great way to make calls.

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

ok I know this is a dumb one but what is a 3G store ? patti

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

http://3gstore.com/ is an internet vendor specializing in cell phone internet equipment and they know RVers needs.

Mr Geek · RV-Dreams Community Member

Cellular Internet connectivity is changing almost daily and there are several ways to connect.
Tethering is the term for using your phone as a modem for your computer. I don't know of any pay-as-you-go phone that allows tethering.

We use our new Droid phones from Verizon to tether to our computers for high speed Internet. The data service is required with the Droid and adds $30/mo to our bill.
Verizon also offers Broadband Connect for smart phones at a cost of $50/month. You can turn it on and off and it does not require an additional contract.

Your choice will be determined by how much you use the Internet and how much you can afford to spend.

While Verizon has the best overall coverage, another carrier may be preferable depending on where you travel.

Jim
www.geeksontour.com

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

ok.. I have made up my mind.. I am going with the Droid phone.. I went and talked to the Verizon sales person and they have a new one that just came out this week ...She did not even have one in the store.. so I am going back on Sat to look at it..I can get it for 1/2 price or get a second one free... O my grandson is going to love me ...his birthday is in 3 weeks...

Now I need to know what I need to tether my phone to my computer.. is it something I need to buy or will it come with the phone..

From my understanding the phone works like an aircard I can use it anywhere I get a signal from..I do not talk much on my phone and have never sent a text.. but I do belong to a few forums and share graphic designs.. will this be counted into the amount of items I download.. some of the files can be large...

Thanks for all of your help..patti

mrsgeek · RV-Dreams Family Member

To tether the Droid to your computer you need a cable for the physical connection, and software on both the phone and the computer.

Cable
The cable comes with the Droid. It is the same cable that is used to plug in to power. Really quite ingenious - just a USB cable - the 2 prong power plug has a USB port in it, so you can plug the USB into the power plug OR into your computer. AND, when it's plugged into the computer, your phone is getting power from the computer.

Software
We use PDAnet from www.junefabrics.com - we recommend the pay-for version - $24. If you get the free version, you won't be able to browse to secure sites (like your bank)
You need to download the software on your computer AND on your phone.
Once you have the phone connected via USB and the software downloaded, find the icon for the software on the phone and run it - also on the computer (in the system tray on Windows) and run it.
You're online!

Verizon
This is a 3d party solution - it IS NOT SUPPORTED BY VERIZON - I've heard some Verizon employes say, "Sure you can tether - just use PDANet." I've also heard Verizon employees say, "No, it's not possible to tether the Droid."
Yes, it is possible - it works great. No, you can't get what you need from Verizon. If you read the fine print in your Verizon contract, it will say that tethering is not allowed. Right now, they have no way to track or prevent it. Thousands of people are tethering their Droids without a problem.

I'm hoping Verizon will change their policy and at least officially allow tethering, if not support and promote it. It's a great deal because of the Droid's unlimited data plan for $30.

Palm Pre Plus
Of course, it's always possible that they'll implement some way to catch us tethering and charge for it, but we're placing our bets the other way. Verizon is already allowing unlimited data plans on the Palm Pre Plus phones to be used for computer Internet access via it's own supported Wi-Fi hotspot on that phone.
This is pretty cool too - I *almost* got the Palm Pre instead of the Droid for just this feature: Software on the Palm Pre turns the cellphone into a kind of MiFi - a wireless access point that up to 5 computers can connect too. Pretty cool - but the phone itself doesn't hold a candle to the Droid.

You'll love your Droid - it is the most fun I've had since ... well, since ... living in an RV!

-- Edited by mrsgeek on Thursday 6th of May 2010 06:00:11 AM

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Since two travelers has to wait for the phone I suspect it is the new HTC Droid Incredible, which is getting rave reviews everywhere.

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for all of the help..patti

dreamjosie · RV-Dreams Family Member

mrsgeek wrote:

Palm Pre Plus
......Verizon is already allowing unlimited data plans on the Palm Pre Plus phones to be used for computer Internet access via it's own supported Wi-Fi hotspot on that phone.
This is pretty cool too - I *almost* got the Palm Pre instead of the Droid for just this feature: Software on the Palm Pre turns the cellphone into a kind of MiFi - a wireless access point that up to 5 computers can connect too. Pretty cool - but the phone itself doesn't hold a candle to the Droid.

We need to seriously cut expenses due to mammoth medical bills recently incurred. Will probably jettison DirecTv and are thinking of cutting off our Hughes internet in favor of using Verizon cell service instead as we already have Verizon for our phones. Do I understand you correctly that a Palm Pre with a $30 @ month unlimited data plan would create a WiFi hotspot that would support our 2 computers without any additional equipment?

We don't need a fancy phone like the Droid and are eligible for a phone upgrade right now, so the Palm Pre piqued my interest. What can you tell me about reception and speed with this setup vs. the Hughes we have now?

Also do you think there is a market for selling the Hughes equipment we have now (roof mounted dish, D3 Controller, 7000 modem)?

Thanks.

mrsgeek · RV-Dreams Family Member

CORRECTION!!! I was wrong about the unlimited data for the Palm Pre Hotspot.
I just found Verizon's fine print:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
* Activating the Palm Mobile Hotspot application requires you to subscribe to the Verizon Wireless 3G Mobile Hotspot feature, which includes a 5 GB monthly allowance. Any usage above the
5 GB monthly allowance will be billed at $0.05 per-MB. This feature is separate from your smartphone data feature. Please visit verizonwireless.com and log into your account, select add a
feature, and add the 3G Mobile Hotspot feature. When your smartphone is connected using Mobile Hotspot, all data sent or received by your smartphone (including data sent or received
by any Wi-Fi devices connected to it, or by your smartphone itself) will be billed according to your 3G Mobile Hotspot feature, and not according to your smartphone data feature.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the full detail from Verizon about the Palm Pre's hotspot:
http://support.vzw.com/pdf/Mobile_Hot_Spot.pdf

SO .... I see the Palm Pre Hotspot as working just like the Mobile Broadband Connect that we used on our LG phones. You can turn the feature on and off. You just don't need a cable to tether. I don't find any mention of an extra cost for this feature ... so I am assuming that it is included in the phone's $30/mo data plan.

but ... you know what happens when you *ASSUME* right.
(you make an ASS of U and ME)

mrsgeek · RV-Dreams Family Member

Check out this great video about Verizon pricing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdKwRdWocco&feature=related

Even Verizon reps don't know what the costs are!

-- Edited by mrsgeek on Wednesday 12th of May 2010 07:04:34 AM

dreamjosie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Mrs. Geek: Isn't the Verizon Mobile Broadband 5GB plan an extra $59.99 per month?

Sherry · RV-Dreams Family Member

MRS GEEK - what about boondocking? Just forget it? No phone/no internet.

mrsgeek · RV-Dreams Family Member

The $59 price is for data cards - and it's $49 to tether older phones. When you have a smart phone you're already paying $30/mo for data - so you either just piggy-back on that for tethering, or ask Verizon for a tethering plan at an additional $15 or so. ... yes, I think it is $15 for official tethering and probably for the Palm Pre Mobile Hotspot too

-- Edited by mrsgeek on Thursday 13th of May 2010 09:40:21 AM

mrsgeek · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sherry wrote:

MRS GEEK - what about boondocking? Just forget it? No phone/no internet.

If you can get a weak cell signal - there are lots of antennas and amplifiers that may enable you to get Internet. If there's no signal at all you're SOL

That's when you need a Satellite Internet solution if you really need Internet.

Sherry · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the confirmation. Howard has demonstrated that even Satellite won't work in the trees if that's where you are boondocking. Although he seems to manage with some small windows.

But I Don't think the price of satellite is in my budget for a while. Just have to do without it in those places, especially in the west, where phone coverage is a problem.

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

RE: using telephone to contenect to internet

Melstar · RV-Dreams Family Member

In reading this thread I don't see anyone talking about the iPhone....can it tether? It can do everything else...heck, it is a computer. I was just thinking when and if I get a laptop for travel.

Melanie

-- Edited by Melstar on Sunday 3rd of October 2010 07:08:21 AM

-- Edited by Melstar on Sunday 3rd of October 2010 07:08:47 AM

-- Edited by Melstar on Sunday 3rd of October 2010 07:09:28 AM

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Melstar wrote:

In reading this thread I don't see anyone talking about the iPhone....can it tether? It can do everything else...heck, it is a computer. I was just thinking when and if I get a laptop for travel.

Melanie

The iPhone is on AT&T, which has more 2.5G (Edge) service around the country than 3G. For laptops most prefer Verizon, which has much more 3G coverage or Sprint which is still better than AT&T for 3G service. Up until recently you could only tether an iPhone by jailbreaking it, but now AT&T will let you tether for $20 more per month but only lets you use 2GB - http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/06/att-adds-iphone-tethering-kills-unlimited-data-for-ipad-smartphones/. So yes, you can tether an iPhone, but the 3G coverage is not that great. Due to the larger screen and faster processor in the laptop the slowdown of Edge will be even more noticable than with the iPhone.

When a cousin came to visit us in an Edge area he found he could not use his iPhone to geocache, it seemed the network speed was too slow to support it. When he got home where he was in 3G the geocaching app worked fine.

(I have an AT&T phone that shows me "3G" for 3G, "E" for Edge and "G" for even slower speeds. I keep track of these settings at campgrounds and in the last year and a half I have had this phone we have been in 3G while camped about half the time. We also have a Verizon aircard and we are in 3G areas about 90% of the time.)

-- Edited by bjoyce on Sunday 3rd of October 2010 08:36:44 AM