Using a cell phone as a wifi router
I just discovered that you can pay a monthly fee and some of the newer cell phones will act as a wifi receiver/router. As long as you have cell phone coverage you can get internet. Does anyone do th...
Forum Discussion
I've been using my AT&T iPhone as a mobile hot spot for a couple years (actually my old one - got a new one in Oct).
Since we are doing more traveling, I've added a Verizon MiFi to my inventory.
Because the big important thing is to watch your data usage. You don't want to go over your plan. I turn on the mobile hotspot - connect to the internet - do what I want - then disconnect and shut off the mobile hotspot.
Don't leave it on all day. Besides draining your cell phone battery at about three times the normal rate - the continual checking to make sure the phone has a connection - an automatic process - eats up some of your data allotment.
If you have automatic updates enabled on a windows laptop - turn it off. Updates could happen without you knowing it and use up half your monthly data plan is a few hours.
The Verizon MiFi was great this morning at home when the ice storm in Dallas killed the power. The AT&T network was so jammed with users I couldn't get a good enough connection with three bars of 4G LTE to get on the internet.
I also like having the ability to access two different networks if one coverage is better than the other in a certain area.
Two other points.
1) Your coverage and connection ability will vary. Cell towers are built for a certain number of connections - at times you can get a great connection, and other others no connection. The number of people trying to access the network has an impact on data connections.
2) Inside a metal box is the worst place to try to get a good connection. If you can go outside - you will almost always have a better connection. But my rig has fiberglass sidewalls, not metal. Then almost certainly, you have an aluminum structure of wall studs and supports. Even though aluminum isn't a good conductive metal - the wiring for your rig and the AC creates a electrically grounded 'box'.
Since we are doing more traveling, I've added a Verizon MiFi to my inventory.
Because the big important thing is to watch your data usage. You don't want to go over your plan. I turn on the mobile hotspot - connect to the internet - do what I want - then disconnect and shut off the mobile hotspot.
Don't leave it on all day. Besides draining your cell phone battery at about three times the normal rate - the continual checking to make sure the phone has a connection - an automatic process - eats up some of your data allotment.
If you have automatic updates enabled on a windows laptop - turn it off. Updates could happen without you knowing it and use up half your monthly data plan is a few hours.
The Verizon MiFi was great this morning at home when the ice storm in Dallas killed the power. The AT&T network was so jammed with users I couldn't get a good enough connection with three bars of 4G LTE to get on the internet.
I also like having the ability to access two different networks if one coverage is better than the other in a certain area.
Two other points.
1) Your coverage and connection ability will vary. Cell towers are built for a certain number of connections - at times you can get a great connection, and other others no connection. The number of people trying to access the network has an impact on data connections.
2) Inside a metal box is the worst place to try to get a good connection. If you can go outside - you will almost always have a better connection. But my rig has fiberglass sidewalls, not metal. Then almost certainly, you have an aluminum structure of wall studs and supports. Even though aluminum isn't a good conductive metal - the wiring for your rig and the AC creates a electrically grounded 'box'.
