3G Wireless Router

luckylucky

Anybody know anything about these and any recommendations etc?
Specifically I have access to a vodafone datacard and also a seperate usb (made by HUAWEI) device in which I just insert my Vodafone sim. I saw one from Linksys http://www.linksys.com/vodafone, anybody got one of these perhaps or any other such stuff.

Ta for any help.

CptSternn

I have the 3G one and it's brilliant. Great speeds (3.6meg connection) and 10 gig limit. It's erfect for basic browsing, but be forewarned if you even THINK about using bittorrent clients as it will suck down that 10 gigs in a night or two.

The Vodafone and 02 versions are almost identical. They look the same (with the exception of their logo) but Vodaphone has only a 1 megs connection, and 4 gig limit and charges you €49.99 a month, where as 3G gives you treble the speed and limit, for less than half that price.

O2 also charges more for less.

My advise is if your going to get one, go 3G. The best value, the fastest speed, and so far I know of about a dozen lads with them who all have yet to encounter any issues (with exception to the Eircom email battle, but thats another thread sure!).

-S

mjsmyth

@ CptSternn

Can you please not post incorrect information.

Vodafone is €14.99 for the first 3 months and €29.99 there after, subkect to an 18mth contract.

Their data transfer limit is 5GB / Month

Connection speed is up to 1.8Mbit/sec

There was (is?) a Vodafone option available for €49.99 and it had unlimited download cap.


With regards to O2:

Their data transfer limit is 10GB / Month

Connection speed is up to 3.6Mbit/sec

Thats the same spec as 3 (not 3G). O2 do charge more, but for the same.



@luckylucky
I have only heard of one person with a similar piece of equipment and they were quite happy with it.

It all depends what you want to do. If you want to share the one 3G broadband connection around the house / flat then this should work, but remember the 5GB data transfer limit... Thats not a lot to be sharing out.

Regards,

MJ

CptSternn

mjsmyth wrote:

@ CptSternn

Can you please not post incorrect information.

Vodafone is €14.99 for the first 3 months and €29.99 there after, subkect to an 18mth contract.

Their data transfer limit is 5GB / Month

Connection speed is up to 1.8Mbit/sec

There was (is?) a Vodafone option available for €49.99 and it had unlimited download cap.

This must have been a recent change. I know of at least a half dozen former vodafone users who switched to 3G because of the price/limit issues, all within the past couple of months since 3G came to Clare.

I know because the first day it was offered I was standing in queue at the shop talking to them about it.

Either way, 3G is the cheapest and does give you the most service for the least amount, thats something that can't be disputed.

rebel.ranter

3G is a Technology

3 or Three is a company (currently one of three companies) that provides 3G/HSDPA services

It's just confusing reading your posts. Also cheapest doesn't always mean best.

With regard to the OPs post I presume you know all about the companies offerings. You are really interested in the performance of the router that uses 3G/HSDPA as backhaul, would that be correct?
Well this router will perform the same as a normal router on the PC side. The only difference is how the backhaul is taken care of. The plus with this unit is that if you live in an area of marginal coverage you can place the unit in an area of good coverage (e.g. top floor bedroom windo facing mast). This will ensure good connectivity back to the Vodafone/other operator network. Then of course as many PCs as you want can share the connection.
The only concerns I would have is:
- usual wireless router issues around security, make you use WEP or WPA
- DL/UL limit on Mobile Broadband packages being shared on multiple users especially with the threat of others being able to acess your router if not properly secured

Other than those I cannot see why it is a bad idea.

Sponge Bob

all the 3g operators now supply a USB modem as standard.

The linksys ( there is a similar dlink) needs a PC Card modem

To cover yourself for future needs ( 7.2mbits speeds this year or next and HSUPA next year maybe probably 2009 ) you would need this card

http://www.option.com/products/globetrotter_express_hsupa.shtml

for €329

or a selection of pc cards typically €250 up but not always future proof with 7.2mbit and HSUPA capabilities .

http://www.expansys.ie/p.aspx?i=150168

and note that there is currentlty no 3G router that I am aware of which will share a USB modem , this would make matters easier in Ireland were it available.

emaherx

Sponge Bob wrote:

and note that there is currentlty no 3G router that I am aware of which will share a USB modem , this would make matters easier in Ireland were it available.

I don't know of any routers which share the usb modems, but I have seen some advertised which will except a 3g sim directly (ie. built in umts /hsdpa modem)

emaherx

Here is an example although this one is far too expensive
http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/it.A/id.3740/c.519425/.f
I'm sure I seen similar devices for cheaper but I can't find them now

Edit:
some more on the same site http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c.519425/sc.15/category.2671/.f

Sponge Bob

forgot about them but know nothing about them , you mean built in hsdpa AND built in wi-fi too

emaherx

Sponge Bob wrote:

forgot about them but know nothing about them , you mean built in hsdpa AND built in wi-fi too

No I meant built in hsdpa /umts modems which are both 3g, there are a lot of these devices which don't support hsdpa and a lot of the ones that do, only support 1.8Mb/s

I took for granted that wifi would be a requirement

memeandmark

sorry if i am going off the point but is is possible to use the vodafone 3g huaweii for internet connection on a network...if so how wud i set this up :cool:

emaherx

memeandmark wrote: »

sorry if i am going off the point but is is possible to use the vodafone 3g huaweii for internet connection on a network...if so how wud i set this up :cool:

If you have a 3G modem and a compatible router all you need to do is connect required computers to the router through built in switch or connect the router to your existing switch. Routers will also have WIFI capability.

Alternatively you could share the internet connection on one if the PC's using the built in Internet Conection Sharing feature of windows. Other operating system also have means of sharing connections.

I think there were some more recent threads than this that have more upto date information on the types of routers.

Basicly you have 3 types of modem PCMCIA, USB or Express Card. So the router you need depends on which modem you have.

arseagon

I believe this is what you are talking about? Still not cheap but not as expensive as the Sarian box that emaherx posted about.

emaherx

arseagon wrote: »

I believe this is what you are talking about? Still not cheap but not as expensive as the Sarian box that emaherx posted about.

As I said in the last post this is a fairly old thread and there was a more upto date one with info on cheaper routers.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055166160

This was a thread about 3's usb 3g modem, but O2 and Vodafone use the same. This may not be the most recent thread either but cam up with a quick search