Hotspot vs Mifi

[rames14]

okay, we have been using our hotspot for those places without wifi. I haven't found an advantage to the Mifi over the hotspot. Am I missing something?

[DQDick]

As far as I can tell, it's two names for the same thing. Had a Verizon MiFi and replaced it with a Verizon Jetpack. Same thing, different case except the Jetpack is newer and works better most of the time.

[shirleygriffin]

This has been our problems as we travel. Phones and wifi. We would like to have good internet. We have tried several hotspots and haven't been satisfied with any of them. What are people on the road using? I know Verizon is good but expensive. Anyone use Straight Talk hot spot?

[Drifty1]

We use Foxfi on our Samsung phones and it then can be used as a hot spot for free. Well not exactly free it does cost data while in use but I do not have to pay any extra fee to verzion. Since I have unlimited data plan on verzion I hardly ever shut it off. I believe the pro version of Foxfi cost $10 and it works great for us when on the road or just running to town for any reason. I know nothing about the mifi or jet pack so I can't help with that set up..

[DonandBonnie]

Our understanding is that the hotspot can link to only one computer at a time, while the Mifi can link to up to five computers simultaneously. Other than that difference their capabilities should be the same.

[mlh]

I have straight talk cell phone. What I have found is its Verizon service but you don't get to use all the cell towers. In places like Dubois Wy you have no service. All other times it is Verizon service. If there is much difference in price get if. What you don't get is the Verizon stores.
Lynwood

[Drifty1]

quote:Originally posted by DonandBonnie

Our understanding is that the hotspot can link to only one computer at a time, while the Mifi can link to up to five computers simultaneously. Other than that difference their capabilities should be the same.

For general info... My hot spot has 3-4 units hooked to it all the time..

[WeBeFulltime]

My Galaxy S5 allows multiple devices at once and can also use phone at same time.

[vangoes]

I do use the Straight talk hotspot and am very satisfied with it. It uses the Verizon towers and they offer a variety of different plans which I really like. I only use it when traveling and so the different plan options satisfies my needs whether I'm traveling for a short period of time or extended periods.

[Art-n-Marge]

Watch those GBs... We use a Verizon Hotspot with a 6GB dataplan. While this is way lower than how much we used when were we at the stickhouse which was via a router and there was no need for a dataplan. The Hotspot plan started over again as expected on the 26th of this month, then about 4 days later when I was routinely checked our current usage, I viewed that we were currently at over 7GB. WHAT HAPPENED!? A quick call to Verizon to find out what happened was NO help. They just explained they don't monitor each customer's traffic! Well thanks for that so they were NO HELP where this came from! I could only investigate that while I was online, some site downloaded about 4GB of my dataplan without my knowledge or approval.

The only thing I can figure out is that I had signed up for the new Microsoft Windows 10 and selected the option that I be notified before the upgrade occurred. I did this so any downloading would not eat up my GBs (or so I thought). I would wait to connect to a free router connection (not Wifi) and any downloads should be free.

I am now at my stickhouse and using the TWC internet which includes free router downloads. Well there was now a "Get Windows 10" icon. When I checked it out, I found out that they already did download the upgrade into my computer but waited for me to actually install it. What a bunch of crap. I will contact Microsoft and suggest to them that some of their loyal users have limited GBs, and that when someone delays an upgrade that it should also include downloading anything in anticipation of a download that could eat up download minutes.

So watch your minutes! It's not just stuff you request for downloading that uses it up. There are Big Brothers out there who think you urgently want their offerings NOW at any cost and will eat up your dataplan.

The best part of this story is that Verizon was VERY understanding especially since I could explain my computer/networking expertise and they felt pretty bad about not being able to help me to find the cause. I went through two levels of tech support and they ended up giving me 4 extra GB to cover this months overage and allow me a little more to use for this time period.

[twindman]

I am pretty sure there are 3 options for windows updates: Don't check automatically; Check and download and notify you; Check and download and install without telling you.
You probably have option 2 selected.

[rames14]

So, I am using the hotspot on my iPhone 6+. It is usually on LTE, so I should be the same as a Mifi. Guess it is no different.

[Mudchief]

Ron, we got rid of the Mifi and having been using the hotspot on the iphone and it has worked great for us.

[timandsusan]

We are in Traverse City, MI, at Holiday Campground--my Verizon hotspot does not connect to the internet but I have great phone service. The park wifi is OK but gets bogged down after 8AM. Any suggestions on Verizon issue? Verizon hotspot has worked very well for elsewhere in the US.

[Bill and Jan]

We changed from the MIFI and Jetpack to using the Hotspot. It was cheaper for us and we can still use multiple devices with the Hotspot.

[richfaa]

We have the Verizon jetpack. We need reliable service as we depend of it for everything. It is expensive but we need it so we pay for it. We rarely have a problem.