WiFi via an air card [Archive] - RV Forums

whodo

12-14-2007, 10:52 AM

Dave
I hope you get a Air Card & Router combination that works together with better service than I did from the 3Gstore. They recommended a air card & router combination that the manufactures, clearly stated in their paper work, would not work together.
As much as they like to claim to be the "3G experts", their knowledge leaves a lot to be desired sometimes.
Good luck and please keep all of us posted as to your results.

kroving

12-19-2007, 10:00 AM

Hey Y'all
I got the router and it is working fantastic. Whodo, I suspect that you had an older unit. I have the CTR350 by Cradlepoint. It is a new model. The instructions, that came with it, were not very good but I called the 3G store and their tech. talked me through and in 5 min. it was up and running with WPA security.

Dave

whodo

12-19-2007, 10:35 AM

Dave
Glad to hear that every thing is working great with the router. I am very familiar with the Craddlepoint routers and they are one of the few at the present time that will work with most all air-cards. They are missing a couple of features that I would like to see on them, but for the price, and size you can't have every thing.
Did you happen to get the battery pack for it? With the battery pack it will run around 3-4 hours continuous.

Just for what it is worth, the "KR1" routers that the "3G store" liked to push prior to the Craddlepoint coming out was very limited in what it would work with, now Kyorcea is coming out with a new "KR2" model that supposedly is compatible with more air-cards.

kroving

12-21-2007, 07:56 AM

Hi Who do
No I was not aware that they had a battery for it. I will look into it. Also I am looking into devices to change my printer into a wifi printer. What do you have on that?

Merry Christmas
Dave

whodo

12-21-2007, 12:10 PM

Dave
Battery pack for the CTR350; 4 ea AA batteries, go to Radio Shack and get a 4XAA battery holder with the correct plug and you are all set. CradlePoint says that the CTR350 will operate ok on 6volts (this is CradlePoint claim not mine) so you could also use a 6v lantern battery and be able to operate for a long time. Another option that you can consider depending upon your operating environment, use a cigarette lighter adapter (like one for cell phones etc) at 6v or less and power it that way or even possible to recharge the batteries while being used.
Now you have the option of spending big bucks and replace the CTR350 and get the CradlePoint PHS300 which has the built in battery 1800mah and will only work for approx 1-2hrs.

Sorry I can't offer any suggestions on the wi-fi printer set up. I don't use a printer very often, so when I do I just plug a cable in an print. Now that I think about it, it would be handy in the motor home, I could leave the printer in a cabinet and not have to take it out an hook up a cable. I'm just going to have to start researching now.

Just for what it is worth, I don't know if you do much Photo work. I have been using a Eye-Fi SD card ( http://www.eye.fi/ ) to auto upload pictures directly from the camera to the computer (no cables, no dock etc. required) and then using the router to upload directly to the web.

wannabetravlin

01-03-2008, 10:22 PM

I bought one of those air cards from Verizon and use it with my laptop. I love it...I have only found a couple places it didn't get a signal...

kroving

01-04-2008, 12:36 PM

Hi Wannabetravlin
Great! Glad I could steer youin a good direction. I presume tht you have the USB 720. That is what I have. If you would like to make it into a wi-fi so you can run 2 or more computers, on the internet, at the same time, check out www.3gstore.com (http://www.3gstore.com) . they have a bunch of interesting stuff.

Happy computing

kroving

01-07-2008, 05:04 PM

Hi whodo and all others
I solved my printing problem. I got a Brother Wi-Fi printer. It is just a member of my wi-fi network and any station on the network can use it. It is a full multi function printer and very easy to set up on the network. About $200 at Best Buy. It is a office quality machine and able to print on card stock. My old $99 HP did not do well on that. It has 4 ink cart. so you don't have to throw away 2 tanks of ink just because the other one of them is empty.

whodo

01-07-2008, 08:16 PM

Dave
How big (physical size) is the printer? Is it a compact enough size to fit in a RV cabinet?

wannabetravlin

01-14-2008, 07:26 PM

I was given a usb blue tooth so I bought one for my printer and Whala...adding a security code and I don't have to worry about someone accidently printing on my printer...

This was a great idea...thanks for sharing.

kroving

04-06-2008, 07:09 AM

:mad: I made the mistake of telling a Verizon tech rep, on the phone, that I was running a router:confused: . I got the worst lecture of my life. He told me that I was everything in the world but a human for violating thier "bible" which forbids routers!!!!!:eek: He told me that they would forever more be watching the usage "kb" on my account and if they decided that I was using to much they would cancel me and I would owe them the $$$ for the early cancelation fee. Camping World sells an air card router, for very big bucks, that runs on Verizon. So what the heck goes on here. When I complained, to the tech, he said "you did not buy it from Verizon". So anyone that is using one, BE WARNED, DON'T TELL VERION ABOUT IT!!!!! :rolleyes:

As a last word, it does work very well and if you don't let others use it and only use one of your computers at a time, I can't see how they will know you have it. It does solve my printing problem for my XYL's computer.

Dave
KJ4OR

whodo

04-06-2008, 10:13 AM

Dave
Verizon's rules are the reason that I told them to take a hike a long time ago. Verizon has limits on every thing, an they change the rules regularly. :rolleyes: (example: you used to be able to tether a phone with out a data plan, not any more, if you do, don't get caught, and definitely don't tell them.)

I switched to Sprint and the only complaint that I have about them is there TERRIBLE CS & TECH SUPPORT, if you can handle having to call 3 times or more :mad: to get a-hold of some one that can/will answer your question they are OK to deal with. (You have to get past the first two levels of CS/Tech Support to get to some one with a IQ greater than there age. :eek: )

I have found the coverage to be comparable, and in some cases a little better depending upon where you happen to be :cool: .

Best part, they have no limits on usage, are more than happy to help you set up a router, wireless printer (no rules against it), even willing to give you the access code (msl #) so that you can actually go in an tweek your own settings for better performance and even offer advice on what has been reported to them that works the best (after you call the 3rd time and get past the first to levels of CS/Tech Support).

wannabetravlin

04-07-2008, 07:41 PM

Dang...wish I had known that sooner...thanks for the heads up. I went with verizon since that is what my company uses.

But, I really can't complain so far...it's worked everywhere we've gone. Even back in the Ozark Mountains last September which, really surprised us. Stayed down in the Hill Country for a week in early March and had good luck there.

BUT I SURE WON'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MY LITTLE BLUE TOOTH SET UP. ;)

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!

papahog

04-11-2008, 10:09 AM

I have a verizon card for my laptop and have used it coast to coast for 7 months and have always been able to hook up.

candomontana

10-10-2008, 10:09 AM

We are full-timers, new to myRVSpace. We have used our Verizon USB720 with the Kyocera KR1 router (yep - from 3G Store) for nearly 2 years and are very happy with the set up. We can use the USB & router in the fiver - allowing us both to be on-line at the same time - and when traveling, we can use the USB directly in one computer. Makes finding overnight stops, etc., easy and spontaneous.

betsytom

10-10-2008, 03:06 PM

Now if all of you with these cards will get CoPilot Live the rest of us could vacation vicariosly with you.

scrappycrafter

10-16-2008, 02:00 PM

We have been very pleased with our Verizon air card. We couldn't teather free anymore. I still use wifi when available, we have 2 computers and no router, don't really feel the need. We are pleased we can can get on when in extended network, we couldn't do that when we teathered.

We work in the summer so can put the aircard on vacation for 3 months, twice consecutively. Then we pay $20.00 a month for wifi. We do have to extend our air card contract, but the savings is worth it. Also we can both get on wifi the same time.

kroving

10-19-2008, 10:40 AM

Hi Scrappy
I have a Brother "wifi enabled" printer so we can both print without having to wire a lan in the trailer. That is the great advantage to the router.
Happy trails
Dave

murffdog

10-20-2008, 06:25 AM

Verizon wants $60.00 a month, is it worth it if your not fultiming?

mo21012

10-21-2008, 03:38 AM

kroving

10-21-2008, 10:06 AM

Verizon wants $60.00 a month, is it worth it if your not fultiming?
Hi Murffdog
It is if you use it as your means of getting on at home. If you live where Verizon has a good signal, it is very fast, probably as fast as DSL.

kroving

10-22-2008, 05:10 AM

I have a Verizon air card and I am considering running it in the house at home when our current 2 year contract for FiOS is done in March. It would definitely be worth it at that point, because not only could we use it for the internet, but we could also get rid of the land line in the house completely.
Hi mo21012
If you look around in this thred, you will see where I have an "air card router" that works with either Verizon or Sprint. Best Buy now has these. Verizon does not "permit" the use of a router. Sprint does! Verizon is not going to know if you use one unless you allow all your friends to use it and run your k-bites way up, or tell them you have it. I love the router because we can both be on the internet and we have a wi-fi printer (Brother - from Best Buy) so both computers can use it without having to be wired to it. Also, the router can be located up high in the RV to get the best possible signal. It also gives the added protection of having it's own built in fire wall. See if you can find one that has an external antenna plug so you can get the antenna outside RV. My little "Cradle Point Router" does not. Try it, I think you will like it.
Dave

mo21012

10-22-2008, 08:18 AM

Oh I know that Verizon does not allow the router! I ran afoul of the Verizon guy in the Circuit City store at Concord Mills in May asking that very question!

FiOS commitment doesn't end until March 2009, so I won't be doing anything until at least then. The problem with running the house off the air card is the occasion when I might be going somewhere and want to take it with me and leave Mr Mo home with no internet! LOL

Thanks for the advice.

wagon217

12-19-2008, 02:06 PM

Just for what it is worth, the "KR1" routers that the "3G store" liked to push prior to the Craddlepoint coming out was very limited in what it would work with, now Kyorcea is coming out with a new "KR2" model that supposedly is compatible with more air-cards.[/QUOTE]

For what it is worth my KR1 router and Spring air card have worked great for me for well over a year now. Traveling from Florida to many points in western states the only places where it didn't work is places that no cell service was available.

One point of information if it was not discussed yet is probably monthly you should use the air card in your computer to check for any updates from the provider. Routers as I understand are not set up to receive any updates.

maryandsam

01-12-2009, 07:22 PM

I also have the Verizon air card. I have been using it for about 7 months, with no problems. We have taken out our land line and internet service at home and rely solely on the air card, and my iphone, with no problems.

gypsy97

01-12-2009, 09:01 PM

I have just been fulltiming for about a month and a half. I bought an AT&T air card last week and love it. I am in Sacramento for now so there is no problem with coverage, but this summer I will be at Lassen Volcanic National Park, and I am unsure about cell phone coverage/air card coverage. I would like to know if a separate amplifier or antenna can help me get coverage that I couldn't otherwise get with just the air card. Thanks.

gypsy

akmshrm

02-05-2009, 04:40 PM

I have got to say that I've never had an issue with Verizon. We got our first card for my laptop several years ago and then we discovered that we could hook up through a router and wow what an advancement. We have been online via the card and router ever since. We have never paid extra for data or had any problems with Verizon. In fact, Verizon advised us to use the router so we could both be online at the same time. I don't know who you'd talked to at Verizon but there are very different people in different stores. Example I have a store I WILL NOT EVER GO TO AGAIN and yet I have anther store that I plan my visits too. It's the people that are in the various stores that make the difference. We are so very pleased with the air card etc. We've only had a couple places that service was slow but we've not had any areas where we havent' had some service:)

makay

02-25-2009, 01:07 PM

Hello!

I used to also be a Verizon Aircard subscriber until my friend told me that I could save money by using a range extender. I now use the Wi-Fire and it allows me to connect to access points that would previously only turn up very weak signals on my laptop. With the Wi-Fire I can connect to my campground's access points and only have to pay my $20 monthly subscription instead of the Verizon monthly charge which I think was like $60/month.

You have to buy this online but it should probably come up easily with a quick google search. Hope this helps someone!!! :)