I know nothing about these services in particular, but using the service from further away is certainly doable. As long as it is a standard wifi protocol, you can always add range extenders.
I personally dont think I'd want to try it, as it would likely end up being a bit of a pain in the butt. Also, if they advertise it as up to 150 feet, I'd say you should very likely expect real world results of around 30 feet. "Up to" generally implies best case scenario.
Anyway, think of range extenders as middle points in a marathon. Your car transmits to the extender a couple rooms away in the house, then that extender could transmit to another one at the other end of the house, then that one could transmit to the next neighbor over's house...
Also, does their product have to be hardwired into the car? Assuming it is basically just a cellular card with a router and wifi access point built in, you could very possibly hook it up indoors as well. find an appropriate AC adapter, and you'd be good to go.
Also, does their product have to be hardwired into the car? Assuming it is basically just a cellular card with a router and wifi access point built in, you could very possibly hook it up indoors as well. find an appropriate AC adapter, and you'd be good to go.
I gather from user comments elsewhere (paying to have the device installed) and the following from the web site ...
Quote:
our router’s sleek form factor was designed to be easily installed in the trunk of your car or the cargo area of your suv so that it’s out of your way and provides you with the best wi-fi signal possible
that it is hard wired. As I recall, the hardware itself costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. Service is $29 for 1GB/month or $59 for 5GB/month. Even the 'gold' plan is slightly less than what I'm paying Comcast now( although I didn't pay $500 for my cable 'modem').
As for range ... I hope 30 is pessimistic. If 50 feet, that's workable. I don't know what the current draw is.
Oh how technology moves ahead. This thread is so last generation, and I started it.
Better options now, and you can take them anywhere
Options from Sprint and Verizon.
Unfortunatly for me, im still to far out for reliable service from both of them, so I know this other company most likely won't work for me.
Unless I'm mistaken, those options require a Cell phone, right?
I've answered a couple of my own questions. It definitely IS hardwired. The hardware is $400, a 3 watt amplifier is available for another $370 ... that would certainly solve any range problems though. Seems I'll have to make a call to find out what current it draws, and they're closed for the night. Even armed with that information, I'd still need the advice some someone better schooled in electronics to answer the final question. John_H, are you listening? LOL
I've seen the advertisements for MiFi, and might check it out. I like fact that Autonet Mobile is hardwired though. The price may be prohibitive ... unless it can double for my home ISP. The speed is close to what I have now by cable ISP.
Not part of the phone plans
This system is available from both Verizon and Sprint right now.
Its an individual plan. Check you local store, I know you havent gone into one since you don't want a "cell phone" but check them out, it might work in your area.
Most of those types of things *are* a cell phone, they just dont have a microphone attached. Of course, just install skype, or the voice program of your preference onto your laptop, and boom, it's basically a cell phone anyway.
There certainly are other carriers that have similar things. I'm used to cellular data plans running about $60 for a stand alone, which is what this would be. I'm not used to it being hard wired to a car however. I've used cellular modems quite a number of times, and usually they're just a dongle that you plug into your laptop. With one of those you can bridge your cellular modem with your wireless card and use the laptop as a wireless access point to let your other devices share the internet. There's lots of different ways to pull off the desired end result. The problem is, if it's a little bit of a hassle, you'll (or at least me) will find yourself not using it a lot, at which point it's worthless.
Soon they will monitor parking spaces: No More Perks: Coffee Shops Pull the Plug on Laptop Users - WSJ.com
A sign at Naidre's, a small neighborhood coffee shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., begins warmly: "Dear customers, we are absolutely thrilled that you like us so much that you want to spend the day..."
But, it continues, "...people gotta eat, and to eat they gotta sit." At Naidre's in Park Slope and its second location in nearby Carroll Gardens, Wi-Fi is free. But since the spring of 2008, no laptops have been allowed between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekends, unless the customer is eating and typing at the same time.
(All work and no play......)
Soon they will monitor parking spaces: No More Perks: Coffee Shops Pull the Plug on Laptop Users - WSJ.com
A sign at Naidre's, a small neighborhood coffee shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., begins warmly: "Dear customers, we are absolutely thrilled that you like us so much that you want to spend the day..."
But, it continues, "...people gotta eat, and to eat they gotta sit." At Naidre's in Park Slope and its second location in nearby Carroll Gardens, Wi-Fi is free. But since the spring of 2008, no laptops have been allowed between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekends, unless the customer is eating and typing at the same time.
(All work and no play......)
I'm sure this has the potential to start an argument on here, but I actually do not like the "no texting while driving" rules.
Mostly, because as far as I understand it, "driving" doesnt require the car to be in motion, just that it be on the road. Was stuck waiting for a train recently, and I sent a text to a coworker letting them know that I was going to be 10 minutes late. Starting next year here, that would have been me breaking the law. Same as when I send texts (or even reply to emails!) on my phone while waiting for the damn I-5 bridge (is there anyone in the Portland area that doesnt hate that bridge?).
I am totally off topic here, but just had to vent that. It seems that most laws anymore are aimed and removing the opportunity for a person to exercise judgment, rather than just penalizing people for bad judgment.
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smart - aka Smurf
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... that would certainly solve any range problems though. Seems I'll have to make a call to find out what current it draws, and they're closed for the night. Even armed with that information, I'd still need the advice some someone better schooled in electronics to answer the final question. John_H, are you listening? LOL
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