Using a cell phone as a wifi router

Many of us do it, I do it minus the monthly fee (Tethering/hotspotting is part of my data plan).

WOrks great.. now I'm not with Verizon which just got a #1 consumer rating again (Considering their cuss-some-more non-service department I fail to understand how that happened. but they do have the best coverage) I'm with a lesser light. but ....

Where I am THIS week .. Good park Wi-Fi

Where I am 2 weeks from now.. NO park Wi-Fi.. GOOD 4G.

It works very well.. I can link both my computers and my tablet to it.. I have never tried linking my printer to it though, IF i need to print I switch back to the "house router" (Easier than programming a 2nd WI-Fi password into the printer)

PawPaw_n_Gram wrote:
...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'.

Aluminum is a great conductor of electricity. Used in most power company transmission lines. No longer allowed for home because it corrodes at the connections, causing hot spots and potentially a fire.

I use the tethering built in to our T-Mobile phones, don't need any apps, works good. WiFi sharing will run down the phone battery quickly. If you can use a UBS cable between PC and phone you can turn off WiFi on both and both batteries will last longer.

RoyB wrote:
I wanted to use the PDANET application as well a few years back but found out this was not legal to use on my VERIZON DROID cellphone. How did I know this - I asked VERIZON to install it for me.

Further research I found alot of folks are using the PDANET application but seemingly at their own risk. Most folks went with the idea if they did not use alot of DATA they would not be flagged and therefore get away with using something illegal running from their cellphone account....

I am not wanting to use things that are not legal just to save a couple of bucks or get away with something... Just not my nature...

After hearing all of this and with the thought in mind to be as legal as one can be I ended up going with the VERIZON MIFI plan and accomplished the same thing at a modest monthly cost which was a 3GB dataplan for $27 a month. I have been grandfathered using this plan ever since... I think the cheapest Verizon dataplan available now is a 5GB Dataplan for around $60 a month. The MIFI plan shows up on my cellphone account as another CELLPHONE with its own cell phone number assigned.

The VERIZON MIFI plan was just what we needed to have as it allows up to five devices to be connected to the internet at the same time. This does not interfere or require the use of our CELLPHONE to use the internet.

The 3GB dataplan works very well for us for all of the things we want to do with checking emails, paying bills on-line and some surfing the internet. The MIFI plan coupled with the WILSON Cradle as a docking station gives us a nice secured WIFI HOTSPOT signal around our RV Setup just about anywhere we go in the US. If more serious down-streaming of data for movies and HDTV signals is desired etc we would upgrade to the Millenicom 20GB dataplan for around $70 a month which uses the Verizon network.

At home the MIFI plan is a great PLAN B for when the cellphone service has been disrupted for some reason. Logs right into the internet and continues to work for you...

This was a few years back so I don't know if it is legal to use PDANET application now or not. I suspect it still remains NOT LEGAL to use on the Verizon network Cellphones.

Just my thoughts

Roy Ken

It is legal to use PDAnet. FCC slapped Verizon for not allowing customers to use tethering. Here's a like that can explain it a lot better than I can. If you Google it you'll find several other sites that tell you the same thing. Best I remember Verizon got hit with something like a $1.25m fine for blocking it.

PDAnet on Verizon

For those that think that you need to pay Verizon to be able to use your phone for wi-fi access, that is no longer true. In July of last year Verizon was required to pay a large fine to the FCC for blocking the free tethering apps. They can no longer require you to pay for tethering using the free apps like PdaNet, however they may still offer their own app at a price in the event that you'd like to pay them for the privilege. Here's an article that explains the tethering agreement between Verizon and the FCC. clicky
I use the full version of FoxFi/PdaNet+ app myself and am happy with it. ymmv
Al

yes

Good information. I appreciate the input.

I'm kind of tech ignorant. Can I check on my phone to see how much data I have used? I have an android phone.

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'.

I wanted to use the PDANET application as well a few years back but found out this was not legal to use on my VERIZON DROID cellphone. How did I know this - I asked VERIZON to install it for me.

Further research I found alot of folks are using the PDANET application but seemingly at their own risk. Most folks went with the idea if they did not use alot of DATA they would not be flagged and therefore get away with using something illegal running from their cellphone account....

I am not wanting to use things that are not legal just to save a couple of bucks or get away with something... Just not my nature...

After hearing all of this and with the thought in mind to be as legal as one can be I ended up going with the VERIZON MIFI plan and accomplished the same thing at a modest monthly cost which was a 3GB dataplan for $27 a month. I have been grandfathered using this plan ever since... I think the cheapest Verizon dataplan available now is a 5GB Dataplan for around $60 a month. The MIFI plan shows up on my cellphone account as another CELLPHONE with its own cell phone number assigned.

The VERIZON MIFI plan was just what we needed to have as it allows up to five devices to be connected to the internet at the same time. This does not interfere or require the use of our CELLPHONE to use the internet.

The 3GB dataplan works very well for us for all of the things we want to do with checking emails, paying bills on-line and some surfing the internet. The MIFI plan coupled with the WILSON Cradle as a docking station gives us a nice secured WIFI HOTSPOT signal around our RV Setup just about anywhere we go in the US. If more serious down-streaming of data for movies and HDTV signals is desired etc we would upgrade to the Millenicom 20GB dataplan for around $70 a month which uses the Verizon network.

At home the MIFI plan is a great PLAN B for when the cellphone service has been disrupted for some reason. Logs right into the internet and continues to work for you...

This was a few years back so I don't know if it is legal to use PDANET application now or not. I suspect it still remains NOT LEGAL to use on the Verizon network Cellphones.

Just my thoughts

Roy Ken

Dick_B wrote:
We do it with our Motorola Razr Smart Phone and Verizon service. This avoids the problem with campground WiFi. HOWEVER, if you camp in the boonies where there is no cell phone service it doesn't work!

Same setup here. I have a grandfathered unlimited Verizon data plan and I'm playing by their rules and paying them the extra $30 a month for tethering.

I also have a Wilson Sleek cradle for a signal booster. It is a terrific addon for people who spend a lot of time camping. Using it I've been able to boost low cell signals up to a usable level almost everywhere I've gone. I put the phone in the cradle and set it in front of a small fan that helps keep the phone cool. Don't tether when you aren't on a charger, it sucks batteries dry otherwise.

Over the past months I've averaged around 16 Gig a month with no complaints from the provider.

Having said all that, if I didn't have the grandfathered plan I'd go with Millinicom and their 20Gig/$70 plan.

Using HTC One with ATT as total Internet Access
for 2 Laptops, Tablet and another HTC One.
Plus, I can use my bluRay DVD Player to access the internet on the HTC Hotspot. However, I don't watch movies or streaming through the HTC One, even though I could, would increase gb's excessively.
Most months I use 5g, sometimes I use 6g.

Fulltiming, and hasn't been an issue. I do use a Wilson Sleek Booster where we currently are. Works for us.