Travelling Internet February 24, 2010, 10:37:47 am Yahoo Message Number: 110381Hello Group, My personal solution to e-mail and internet, when wi-fi is not available, is verizon's "tethering" plan. I am not full time, only two weeks or a month max, and I already have a verizon smart phone. Their plan allows me to tether my smart phone, via USB cable, to my laptop. I wish it was bluetooth! The smart phone becomes my modem. The beauty for my particular life-style, is that there is no additional equipment and the plan is temporary. The cost is roughly $30 per month, but think if it as $1 per day, because there is no long-term contract. Next week I will be travelling for two weeks. I start the contract on March 1 and will notify them to stop it on March 13. I'm home for two weeks and gone for a month. I will re-start it then.I haven't found a down side yet, maybe there is. Anyone else using this? Or even heard about it? It seems perfect if, like me, you are not full time and already have a smart phone.Bruce in Santee 2005 Mid-bath I-Pod Touch and DROID
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #1 – February 24, 2010, 11:12:44 am Yahoo Message Number: 110384Bruce, I've been using something similar for a couple of years now. I don't have a "Smartphone" I have a Motorola RAZR with bluetooth and also tether it. Until Verizon came out with their "29.95" data plan I had been using their "unlimited internet plan" ($60/mo.) as a feature addition so I didn't have to subscribe to any 2 year contract. I also turn it on and off at will.Great feature, actually.Don
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #2 – February 24, 2010, 11:14:12 am Yahoo Message Number: 110386QuoteMy personal solution to e-mail and internet, when wi-fi is not available, is verizon's "tethering" plan. . . .QuoteAnyone else using this? Or even heard about it? There are lots of people who tether their phones to their laptops for Internet access. It's a great solution for the person who is not fulltime and only needs a temporary way of accessing the Internet while they travel. In fact, with the right phone, you can even hook it up to a Cradlepoint router (may take a special model) so that more than one person can get online at the same time. For us, because we're fulltimers, and I don't want our phone tied up when we're online (which is most of the morning and afternoon if we're not gone someplace), an air card/USB modem is our preferred method of Internet access.Linda Hylton http://map.datastormusers.com/user1.cfm?user=1167 http://earl-linda.blogspot.com
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #3 – February 24, 2010, 11:16:19 am Yahoo Message Number: 110387"Anyone else using this? Or even heard about it? It seems perfect if, like me, you are not full time and already have a smart phone."Bruce A lot us use Verizon's tethering for Internet on the road. Once it was possible to used the 'back door' to get Verizon internet access for free or next to it but Verizon cut that off a couple of years ago. I use a Motorola Razr V3 to connect to the laptop with either a USB cable or Bluetooth. Since I have broadband at home, I have no need for the extra expense of an air card. When we are ready to hit the road for a trip, a quick 5-minute phone call is all it takes to get the service turned on. I have turned it on one day at a time when I have needed my laptop on a jobsite. You might want to install an amplifier and a roof top antenna to enable connection when far away from the cell tower. There still will be many areas where cell service is only a wish.Enjoy your travels.Larry
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #4 – February 24, 2010, 01:09:29 pm Yahoo Message Number: 110402Hi guys I will second that, we use the "tethering" plan also, it works well on our extended trips. We have found that it is faster and more available many times than WIFI. If you can get a Verizon signal you can usually pull up the internet.
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #5 – February 24, 2010, 10:55:23 pm Yahoo Message Number: 110422Hi All, I've been meaning to post on this. Bruce has provided the impetus. What now seems so simple was quite confusing at first. So maybe this will help someone else who was
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #6 – February 24, 2010, 11:17:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 110424Great information, Terry! Thanks for explaining everything so clearly. Some of you might be hesitant at the idea of buying a refurbed cell phone (or even a new one) from eBay, since by far the majority of phones are purchased from cell carriers like Verizon. Let me say that I've bought phones on eBay a number of times with no problems whatsoever. (Of course the usual eBay precautions apply: carefully check the seller's feedback ratings, avoid brand new sellers, and never send money via check, money order, or wire transfer--always use PayPal or a credit--not debit!--card. Also, make sure the eBay listing specifically states that the phone will work with Verizon, since not all phones will.) Once you have the phone, all you have to do is call up Verizon from a different phone and tell them the new phone's device ID number (be prepared with a magnifying glass; it's in VERY small type!). Within about two minutes they will transfer your number and activate the new phone. That's all there is to it. As Terry pointed out, buying from eBay is a good way to get exactly the phone you want, save money, and avoid a full-time data contract if you'd rather go with a tethering plan that can be turned on and off at will.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #7 – February 25, 2010, 02:00:23 am Yahoo Message Number: 110426"I'll plug the Cradlepoint router into the 12v outlet on my bike, plug my cell phone into the Cradlepoint and I'll have a Wi-Fi hotspot."Terry I wonder why Apple doesn't unlock the iPod Touch's Bluetooth device so it can communicate with a Bluetooth phone? It would eliminate the necessity of lugging a router around just to make the connection between a cell phone and the iPod, something most laptops have no problem doing. I guess is that a iPod touch, linked to a cell phone, would have most of the features of an iPhone, something that Apple's contract with ATT probably prohibits it and it might hurt sales...maybe. A lot of Verizon users would be interested in linking an iPod to their Verizon phones…hand up here. Irritating to have such a nice feature locked out when it could so easily be turned on.Larry
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #8 – February 25, 2010, 08:14:34 am Yahoo Message Number: 110428Quote Hello Group, My personal solution to e-mail and internet, when wi-fi is not available, is verizon's "tethering" plan. ... Anyone else using this? Or even heard about it? It seems perfect if, like me, you are not full time and already have a smart phone. We use this method also. It's good enough that I'll keep using it, but for me there have been a few problems. When in one of Verizon's Extended Service areas I have experienced frequent incidents of losing the connection through the phone. Another problem I've experienced is that sometimes documents that I have downloaded are not actually downloaded. Everything I'm used to seeing when at home with my normal internet connections is taking place, but the document is not really there. I'm not tech savvy enough to know whether this problem is related to the tethering connection, my laptop, or the server from which I'm downloading.Clarkie
Travelling Internet Reply #9 – February 25, 2010, 09:52:52 am Yahoo Message Number: 110430BruceI strongly recommend you take a look at this Yahoo Group:http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByCellPhone/?yguid=29973248It is a fantastic resource for learning a LOT about this approach to internet access.Ted H.'05 RB NE-13@ Destin Army Rec CenterMy personal solution to e-mail and internet, when wi-fi is not available, is verizon's "tethering" plan. I am not full time, only two weeks or a month max, and I already have a verizon smart phone. Their plan allows me to tether my smart phone, via USB cable, to my laptop. I wish it was bluetooth! The smart phone becomes my modem. Anyone else using this? Or even heard about it? It seems perfect if, like me, you are not full time and already have a smart phone.Bruce[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: Travelling Internet Reply #10 – February 25, 2010, 10:26:42 pm Yahoo Message Number: 110450Larry, I agree. I spent an hour or so trying to determine if Bluetooth Dial Up Networking might somehow be available on the Touch. It's not.I found an Apple support document that lists the Bluetooth profiles available on the Touch. DUN is not among them. Bluetooth on the Touch is only for things like headphones. So I can connect my MacBook to my phone but not a Touch. This will likely all change down the road somewhere as various alliances
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