Recommedations for Mobile Hotspot

[Stillwater]

magentawave - I have not, as yet, needed an user agent. Though my cell-data-plan on Verizon is not enabled to be a mobile hotspot, I haven't notice a bandwidth throttle during use as a nic. <br /><br />SUP? Not yet, though it does look interesting! Honestly, one of the reasons I was attracted to a whitewater kayak in the late eighties was the protection from fatigue to my relatively bad knees. I spent about a decade paddling 65-75 full days per year of mostly whitewater in the locale of the Ocoee, Chattooga, Nolichucky, Tellico, Little (Smokies), Gauley and New River. I taught most summers and even tried my hand at competition (wildwater/sprint) for a couple of years - I did ok regionally but never progressed beyond that. A good amount of experience carving waves at the beach in a whitewater boat and several long, multiday solo trips in my sea kayak in the Gulf and Great Lakes. <br /><br />

<br /><br />Stand up? Man, it does look like fun! Just when I was getting out of whitewater due to family and moving, I had friends just getting into poling rivers like below:<br /><br /><br /><br />Back to your regularly scheduled topic. <img src="../images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />

 

[offroad]

Have just started looking at a directional wifi antenna. &nbsp;You can use this to point at the wifi source in a truck stop or camp ground for better connection. &nbsp;Supposedly 15 dB gain (aka amplification) &nbsp;The design is called a YAGI antenna. &nbsp;Not sure what I will try but the pricing is around $100 for antenna cables, connectors. &nbsp;All assuming that my router or laptop have an external antenna connection. &nbsp;

 

[magentawave]

paddling_man<br /><br />Wow, I've never even heard of canoe polling before! Seems like you'd get the same great core workout you get paddling an SUP.

 

[magentawave]

I use SimpleMobile ($40 per month "unlimited" data, text, calls) that uses T-Mobile towers although I'm going to switch to their $50 4G plan as soon as I replace my current phone. Anyway, as a test yesterday I used my Android phone with the free FoxFi app (proxy on) as a mobile access point and was amazed I could stream Netflix on my iPad 1 with a download speed of only 0.27MBPS!

 

[magentawave]

You can use barnacle on android. To avoid problems with your phone carrier use firefox as your browser and add-on user-agent with a Android header. By doing this your data appears to be coming from an android phone even tho you are browsing with your computer. I have been doing this for more than 3 years and have never had a problem or been charge more.

<br /><br />Do you think I would need to use Android headers on my computers browser if I use the FoxFi app with the proxy on? By the way, who is your carrier?

 

[Khyron]

Have just started looking at a directional wifi antenna. &nbsp;You can use this to point at the wifi source in a truck stop or camp ground for better connection. &nbsp;Supposedly 15 dB gain (aka amplification) &nbsp;The design is called a YAGI antenna. &nbsp;Not sure what I will try but the pricing is around $100 for antenna cables, connectors. &nbsp;All assuming that my router or laptop have an external antenna connection. &nbsp;

<br /><br />Well now you are talking about something completely different from boosting cell phone signals. &nbsp;Wifi has its own, separate operating freqs. &nbsp;<br /><br />Anyway you are correct. &nbsp;A directional panel antenna can dramatically boost a wifi signal where it's pointed. &nbsp; During my last tour of Iraq I bought an ALFA Networks AWUS036H 802.11g external USB connected WiFi adapter. &nbsp;This thing can transmit up to 1000 mW compared to most internal laptop adapters which only transmit at 10-20 mW. &nbsp;It comes with a short omni directional antenna which is what I normally use but it screws off to attach whatever antenna you might want. &nbsp;I used a small panel antenna with it occasionally to transmit to distant access points or through rows and rows of concrete T-walls and HESCO barriers. &nbsp;I'm sure they have newer models out now but I'm taking this one with me on the road with both my omni and flat panel antenna. &nbsp;<br /><br />Just remember you don't need a giant antenna with WiFi. &nbsp;The higher the frequency the shorter the wavelength so short antenna's are ideal for wifi frequency ranges. &nbsp;Getting that antenna as high up as possible, however, is always a good thing. &nbsp;Yeah I was Signal Corp.&nbsp;<img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /> &nbsp;<br /><br />Here is:<br /> <br /><br />

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

I use an alfa at work, it is one of the best (yeah use the little antenna, works better).&nbsp; I can get almost no signal at my work from the motel above due to obstruction (its on a hill and some metal tanks between) but im able to with the alfa.&nbsp; Of course thats for wifi.&nbsp; I tried a directional antenna (a cantenna not a YAGI, but the concept is the same), and it was crap.&nbsp; You have to be very precise about where you are pointing it, so it becomes pretty useless if you dont know the location of the access point.&nbsp; Even like a 5 degree shift of the antenna and you go from 4 bars to 1.

 

[unckybob]

I went with the Sierra Overdrive Pro. <br /><br />Thanks Seraphim!

 

[user 2252]

I purchased the Verizon Jetpack MIFI4620L 4G/3G Modem for 50 bucks,&nbsp;received&nbsp;a 50 rebate and pay 20 dollars for 2 GB of data. So far it works for my Nexus 7 tablet.

 

[caseyc]

Do you really need a wireless solution for accessing the internet? This usually requires paying a monthly fee on top of whatever you may be paying now for internet access.

I'm already paying a monthly fee to Verizon for my Motorola Razr Maxx Android phone service, so I don't really feel like paying any more for internet access. I used to pay an extra $30 for Verizon's mobile hotspot feature which worked great on my cell phone. Only major problem was that it drained the phone's battery faster than usual, and heated up the phone too. Plus I actually didn't use the mobile hotspot feature very much since I have internet access most of the time already, so it was a waste of money.

Nowadays for the times I want my laptop to have internet access while on the go outside, I use "Easy Tether Pro" app for a one time cost of $9.99 on the Google "Play" store, which requires a USB cord plugged to the cell phone on one end, and the cord going to the laptop's USB outlet on the other end. Although this is a "corded" solution as opposed to wireless, it does work well, plus you don't have to pay any extra for this.

Here's a link for more info on Easy Tether Pro:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mstream.etpc&hl=en