Lap top wireless(cellular) aircard any good?

[craigcd]

Hey im looking at a wireless air card for my laptop through Rogers? Has anyone ever used this befor? Is it comparable to veiwing the web on like a Tungsten W? I think to use this i you need is to have a data package... plus the device.

Any information would be great

[D'z Nutz]

Isn't that card like freakin' $400, not including month service fees? I dunno, seems ridiculously expensive. You may be better off just getting a phone with GPRS along with a usb data cable and using that for wireless internet on your laptop... But I dunno, maybe someone may have a better opinion. I'm not sure what that option has in terms of transmission speeds.

[Weapon_R]

I heard the transfer speeds were slower than a 28.8k modem in reality, and that you still have to pay outrageous amounts each month to use their internet service.

[Ajay]

Telus offers the same thing but you have to be in a digital 1X coverage area. If you're gonna be using it all over Alberta no problem....all of Telus' coverage in Alberta is 1X anyway.

The ones I sell give speeds of 40-60K/sec....by no means is it gonna be blistering fast but some people I've sold these aircards to have told me they sometimes get upwards of 90K/sec. Not common but still there.

Those devices aren't meant for using your internet on a laptop as your primary internet connection. Really good if you need to do something on the road real quick (ie checking email or connecting to a company database). Still relatively expensive but it's pretty new.

[SAiamNE]

I know this is kind of off topic...
But whats the best way of getting internet on a labtop where I could simply plug into any phone line and get a connection...
My labtop does have the card needed for high speed internet so that is not a problem. It also has a 56K modem.

I would like high speed internet if possable if not i guess a 56k line would be good also.
If im just using it at home and work would it be best just to get a high speed internet from shaw/telus at home, and plug it into my computer at work? I'm just a little confused how everything works.

Thanks

[Ajay]

You can do it using your cell phone and a laptop as well too.

Depends on who you're with in terms of cell phone provider as well. Most carries have a setup where you buy a cable and plug one end into your phone and one into your computer. After that you subscribe to a feature every month (Telus Mobility = PCS Online) and then from there it chews into your minutes (i.e. If you have a 500 minute a month plan and use your phone as a modem for 20 minutes it takes it from your 500 minutes).

With Telus though it must be a 1X digital phone in order to do it. Not exactly sure how Rogers system would work with that and I'm pretty sure Fido doesn't have anything like that on their network. Bell would work the same way as Telus.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Ajay
Not exactly sure how Rogers system would work with that and I'm pretty sure Fido doesn't have anything like that on their network.

Well, it's like I said earlier, all you need is a GPRS phone and a data cable to hook up to your laptop. Both Roger's and Fido have this. In fact, Fido has a package where you pay $50 a month for unlimited internet access. Not sure if Roger's has an unlimited internet access plan (I don't see they wouldn't though).

[szw]

With fido you can get unlimited GPRS for 20/month. I believe you need a voice plan also, and you must purchase a hiptop. You can still take the sim out and use it with a GPRS enabled phone if you don't like the hiptop, but you cannot return the hip-top and stay on the 20/month unlimited data plan.

Also it works in the states for no fees I believe.

[Ajay]

Damn....of course they're cheaper than Telus!

Shoulda known that!

[craigcd]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
Isn't that card like freakin' $400, not including month service fees? I dunno, seems ridiculously expensive. You may be better off just getting a phone with GPRS along with a usb data cable and using that for wireless internet on your laptop... But I dunno, maybe someone may have a better opinion. I'm not sure what that option has in terms of transmission speeds.


Yaa i would get the card for nothing because i work in the industry and the service charges would be low aswell.... its something i guess i should no off hand but yaa i dont haha. I was jsut wondering what the quality would be like? Fairly similar to wireless web on a cell phone or PDA i guess because it is GPRS.... would it be possible to run msn messenger?

[turboMiata]

I use the Fido GPRS (Merlin card) on a regular basis. It's damned slow but what the hell, when I'm on the road, I can at least check important emails and download files. It has saved my ass a few times.

You can use any software with it, messenger, VPN, everything. It's basically recognized as a "modem device", just like dial-up internet access without the phone.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by craigcd



Yaa i would get the card for nothing because i work in the industry and the service charges would be low aswell.... its something i guess i should no off hand but yaa i dont haha. I was jsut wondering what the quality would be like? Fairly similar to wireless web on a cell phone or PDA i guess because it is GPRS.... would it be possible to run msn messenger?

Well, fuck if that's the case, why not?!

[craigcd]

I will give it a try and see what its like.... i willl psot some results when i get it up and going.