Mobile Internet

[wxmn6]

I am thinking about putting a laptop computer in my truck. If I do that, I would like some kind of wireless mobile internet service. So that way I can have internet access wherever I go without having to use any phone jack. Can this be done? I would believe so but I don't know what I will need to make it work. Do any of you have wireless mobile internet in your vehicle? How is it done? What do you need?

Most of time I would be staying in my local area, but still would like internet access when I am away. To help me futhur, is there a link to a few good wireless internet providers with reasonable pricing? Any website that will help explains how wireless mobile internet works? I would like to learn some on how it works.

Part of reasons I would like to have internet service in my vehicle is because sometime I would like to check my email and check weather condition. I do snowplowing and lawn maintenance business.

Any help or info. will be appreciated. Thanks. smile.gif

[BigLakeDMAX]

We use laptops in our work vehicles - dedicated always-on communication. Our service provider is AT&T and the service is called CDPD (cellular digital packet data, if I remember right). They're upgrading to a faster service in about 18 months called GPRS. CDPD is slow - about 11k - 19.2 best possible. GPRS is supposed to be up around 115k, so I've heard. Verizon also offers a similar product in limited markets - not here, yet. Nextel does as well. Personally, I use my cell phone on Qwest Wireless to run my personal laptop. I get about 19.2 speed on that. Our laptops at work use internal wireless cards, either SpiderModem or Sierra wireless. The Sierra cards work better and, of course, cost more.

Hope this helps.

Don

[mdadgar]

True GPRS throughput is more like 40K/sec.

Sprint currently has the best wireless data service with PCSvision. It's based on 3G CDMA technology and can provide about double the throughput of the GPRS stuff.

- Mark, worked in this field

[mtomac]

I have a cord for my cell phone that plugs into my laptop. When I dial into my ISP my cell phone is the laptops' modem.

[peachin]

Laptop - cellphone - verison - 19.2 - digital - serial port. Goes slow - off hours free - so use before 6am and after 9pm and all weekend. The cell phone Mfg. sells a cord and CD to make the application work.

Prior to digital it was real slow at 4K. Check out WiFi which will be in neighborhoods soon - it will run very fast - it is now working in small towns, college campus, resorts, coffee shops, etc.

[c5dura]

I'm currently testing some gear that operates in the 2.6 GHz MMDS spectrum. Range is about 14 miles (non line-of-sight) from each tower and speeds up to 2Mbps symmetrical are possible.

The company I work for are rolling this service out commercially sometime this year.

I hear that Bell South and Sprint are also testing this new technology and might offer it as well at some point in the future.

I expect the service to start at around $50/month. Keep in mind you can also use it from your house as it is pitched as a broadband alternative to DSL, cable and satellite.

There is something very cool about driving down the road and pulling down files at T1 speeds as long as you keep at least one eye on the road. ;)

[battmain]

Question for you folks using cellphones with the laptop. I see on ebay there are cables and then cables with software. The software appears to be contact management software. Do I need the software to install the drivers for the phone? Or can windows install the phone as a device without the cd? Anyone know for sure?

[bigbobed]

My Sprint phone needed the cd. It installs a dialer that makes the cell phone look like a regular modem. Was running W98se.

[battmain]

Thanks for the info. I'd be using Win 2k or Win XP. Someone was using a StarTac and had pics of the setup. (that's the phone I have.) Anyone else using the Motorola Startac?

[peachin]

I use a Startac - Motorola - purchased the cord and cd from a Verison Store. I used a Motorola
800# - the person helped me get it going and working right. Dell Computer, Windows XP, the cord works from the bottom of the Startac to the Serial Port. I'm not a computer person, but I have always used phone help to accomplish all that I have needed

[battmain]

So it looks like I will need the CD. Thanks for the reply. I'll have mobile access soon.