Mobile Hotspot ?

[BLKSHEEP]

What are my best options for getting mobile internet service for my laptop? 3G/4G is fine, I don't need 4GLTE. Freedompop looks like a good deal but there website says ships in 2 weeks, I need to get something before Monday!  My cell is furnished by my employer so I could only use it as a hotspot or tethered if it was free. The major carriers mobile hotspots are $50+ per month.  :help:    

[Magwa]

beyond my scope of help here I am lucky I have any internet here on the rez it is 3 g or smoke signals here that is the only choice ..good luck at least you have choices

[Robocop1051]

Getting a wireless card is quick and easy, and that's what the extra $40-$50 per month is for.

If you have a smartphone, that's the cheaper way to do it. Go to your service provider (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, whoever) and ask them how to set up your pc/phone for Internet.

[unforgiven]

Not sure but the downside to wireless is the signal can be intercepted by others.

[Robocop1051]

Not sure but the downside to wireless is the signal can be intercepted by others.

You can secure the connection. Others will require a "key" to use your service.

You can also use your phone through a hard-wire connection. Then there is no wireless connection to deal with.

[392heminut]

You can also use your phone through a hard-wire connection. Then there is no wireless connection to deal with.

I've done this a few times with my Verizon phone when my Qwest service has been down. It worked pretty good. If you use the phone as a wireless hotspot you can set it up for a password as Rob said, but you also need to plug it into the charger, as it can drain the battery pretty quick.

[Robocop1051]

, but you also need to plug it into the charger, as it can drain the battery pretty quick.

I forgot about that part. You'll get about 20-30 mins of battery use, depending on your battery. Unfortunately many of the new smart phones charge through the same port the hardwire from. That is why the wireless hotspot is better than a hardwire.

[BLKSHEEP]

I've been searching different ways to do this most of the day, if I didn't have a crew cut I'd be able to pull my hair out :ugone2far:  I'm I.T. challenged! Tried tethering to my "employer provided" cell phone (many times) and kept getting a msg. saying blaa,blaa, contact AT&T. Then I discovered these apps "Portable WiFi Hotspot" "Foxfi" "PdaNet+FoxFi"  and couldn't get them to work either. I then discovered some laptops come with a simcard slot ready for mobile broadband ,googled the hell out of that then chatted with Dell for an hour to eventually find out mine didn't come with it & it would cost $150+ to get it through them. Uncle,Uncle! I give up! lol I'm back to either buying a Virgin Mobile Aircard http://www.walmart.com/ip/Virgin-U600-3G-4G-Franklin-USB-Stick/21082067 with pay as you go plan or Freedompop Hotspot which gives you 500mb free every month. Thanks for y'alls input!

[392heminut]

I forgot about that part. You'll get about 20-30 mins of battery use, depending on your battery. Unfortunately many of the new smart phones charge through the same port the hardwire from. That is why the wireless hotspot is better than a hardwire.

Rob, my computer doesn't have a wireless modem so if I use my phone I have to hardwire it. Mine seems to at least maintain the charge level while doing so, so I assume the phone is getting enough power through the hardwire to keep from going dead.

[The _Mentalist]

I use my iPad. The problem with tethering a phone is if you get a call, then the phone takes over and kicks you off the Internet. Unfortunately, it is not inexpensive. Also, 500 meg ain't squat these days. My plan is $80 for 10 gig and I go through that in 3 weeks easy. Then it is $10 for each additional gig I use.