Internet access on the road.

[CountryGuy]

Might want to look into this

http://www.mail2web.com/

I have used in the past to access direcway email (now hughesnet. or something like that - - am not using their email at this point, so, have not updated with the recent changes in their name, etc.)

[sgtpp214]

I maintain my home internet service and when on the road I use WI-FI if available. If not I go to the local library and use their internet service. The local internet service I use told me how to get to my email so I have no problems at all. We have found that the local Chamber of Commerce may have computers available for internet use, usually at no charge. If nothing else, there usually internet cafes available. Of course, we are not really concerned about internet service. After all we are on a permanent vacation.

[dsprik]

I have Alltel service and I am going to stay with them when we are FT. I just replaced my phone (on an insurance claim) from a Moto V710 to a Moto E815. I knew that my new phone had EVDO (Evolutionary Data Only) capabilties, but I had to ask the sales rep to explain it more thoroughly to me.

He said that EVDO is high speed data access. However, there are limited areas where this is available right now (although, if not in a "high speed" area, you will still experience up to 10x plus the speed with the EVDO card compared to your standard 14.4K speed that a standard cell phone, used as a modem, would give you). For instance, Lansing is the only place in Mich right now that has high speed data capabilities. However, the rep told me that Traverse City was scheduled to go on line this coming January, and a total of 6 cities are scheduled to come on line in Mich within the next year. This technology is really growing across the country.

What I was going to do was get a EVDO Kyocera card ($159 w/ 2 yr contract) for my laptop, when we get ready to go FT in our Montana. I will obviously have to pull the plug on my cable 3 meg high speed service.

Now, I have been told by the sales rep, that if I get the Moto tools ($50), I can use my EVDO PHONE in place of a high speed EVDO card. The only question I have is how they are going to work this, now, with me. (BTW, the Moto Razor, which seems so popular right now, is also an EVDO phone.)

My contract runs out this coming Aug. I was going to pay $129 for this E815 and begin new a two yr contract. Well, I just paid a $50 deductible for my ins claim on my V710 to get this E815. Do you see where I'm going? I just got a new E815. I now will let my contract run out in Aug and I will actually then own this new Moto E815 outright w/ no contract. Cool!

Now, they sell these EVDO cards ($159 for the Kyocera) on 2 yr contracts with $59/mo service. I won't have a contract - and I won't need one now. Do you think they will let me get away with just having this EVDO service for $59/mo with NO contract, because I now do not need the card for my laptop - I can use my cell phone?

Also, as an aside: I asked the sales rep also about using my Bluetooth on my laptop (I bought a Bluetooth dongle antenna about 2 months ago at Walmart). He said that he had heard that the bluetooth connection reportedly was slowing down the EVDO speeds. He also said he was baffled by this as the transmission speeds on the BT connection between the EVDO phone and the laptop should be more than sufficient to carry anything that the EVDO could throw at it. I agree. I will test this first before I go out and buy the $50 Moto Data Kit/cable.

[wa4bmg]

We have been using the Sprint Broadband air card for a few weeks now and it is working out very well. It is similar to the Verizon product which works well I am told. We had Sprint PCS service already ,so it was a price issue with us. If I had had Verizon cellular, I would have go with their air card. It works off the cell network so if you have service on your cell, the air card will work.
It even works from Salt Springs, FL where cell coverage for any cell
provider is poor. It is slow but it does work. Just some comments.....

[Glenn and Lorraine]

And if it works in Salt Springs it'll work darn near anywhere.
Been there, Done that.

[jrgwdenner]

The Evdo aircard that works well with Verizon (one of many aircards) is the Kyocera 650 and it is available for $79.00 after a rebate with a $59.95 monthly charge for service. Make sure those aircards are compatible with YOUR computer before purchasing one.

[dsprik]

I agree Judy. Alltel carries that Kyocera card. But apparently, I don't need one now. I'll just use my phone as the air card. However, as you point out, Judy, there is a possibilty that my phone (used as a card) may be incompatible with my HP laptop. I will take my laptop and phone in to the Alltel store (when I'm ready to start the $59/mo - Verizon's is $49/mo, but Alltel is $10/mo lower on the their regular cell minutes (non-data) National plan with the same amount of minutes, so it's a wash) with all the techs and tell them to make it work.

Another thought is that if my BT (Blue Tooth) connection works well with my phone as a EVDO card, I wonder if this would function as a wireless router, so that my wife and I could BOTH run our laptops - both on BT - off that single EVDO phone acting like the Kysocera KR1 router with the single card in it?

I don't know - sounds too good to be true.

If not - I love the setup Judy has with her KR1 router and card for both their computers.

[jrgwdenner]

Dave, I was refering to the incompatibility of the AIRCARD with the computer. They have to fit into a slot in the computer (or into the KR1 router) and those slots are in transition right now. I know of no way that the phone can be used as a router. Maybe you can connect another router to your computer to set up a wireless network. Someone can probably help you on that one.