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OT: Temporary Wireless Hotspot

S

ScarletRunner

Senior
Aug 17, 2001
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Hey folks,

Want to see if anyone had insight/advice on this... I have some folks coming to visit from overseas and we're planning on some road trips around the states. I thought it would be a good idea to get a wireless hot-spot for the car so everyone could log in with their iPads/iPhones etc (the group includes kids).

I tried looking at Best Buy and contacting Verizon, but it seems like their options largely involve me needing to buy a (somewhat) expensive device and/or signing up for a 1-2 year contract.

Anyone have suggestions here or other ideas for providing reasonably inexpensive, somewhat-flexible connectivity for everyone without breaking the bank?

Thanks in advance.
 
Is there a reason you can't just use your phone to create a hotspot? You'd certainly need a sufficient data plan, but that would be the case regardless of what device you use. At least by using your phone, you don't need to buy a new device or buy a new 4G plan for that device.
 
Speaking as someone who does it pretty frequently, phones make notoriously poor hotspots We had a corporate directive a few years back (around the time 4G LTE device penetration reached 100%) that we could no longer requisition portable hotspots and had to use our phones, instead. Performance was so poor and the outcry among the field resources was so deafening that the decision was reversed.

To OP's question - other than the rather suspect performance of a tethered phone, there really is no other way.
 
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RU4Real said:
Speaking as someone who does it pretty frequently, phones make notoriously poor hotspots We had a corporate directive a few years back (around the time 4G LTE device penetration reached 100%) that we could no longer requisition portable hotspots and had to use our phones, instead. Performance was so poor and the outcry among the field resources was so deafening that the decision was reversed.

To OP's question - other than the rather suspect performance of a tethered phone, there really is no other way.
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I use mine for business connections all the time.
I even have clients where I'll be on-site but they will not allow my outside PC to connect directly into their network. I'll use my phone as a hotspot and connect my laptop to their VPN. Works fine as long as there is a cell tower nearby. Of course, when doing this, one wonders why I made the trip at all.
 
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I’ve had a MiFi for the past eight years or so, and use it very rarely. But when I need it, or when I travel and don’t want to use an airport’s or hotel’s WiFi, I like to have it. I think it costs $10/mo. (possibly $20, but no more than this) on my current Verizon plan, so after paying for the thing (don’t know how much it cost since it’s always been built into a contract), it’s been a good and relatively inexpensive thing to have. Also, given that you’re gonna have kids and adults using it as their primary source of connectivity, I’m not sure how powerful a single MiFi would be. It might be able to handle the traffic, though I'm not sure as the most users I’ve had on mine at one time is two. But if you can imagine a use for it after your friends’ visit is over, it’s not the worst thing to have.
 
I use my phone but have recently found that places like starbucks are using methods to block it sometimes and try to force you into their own hacking network lol and they now what users to provide email name etc and such to log in.
may have to look into mifi as well
 
You want to use your cell phone as a wifi transmitter, but you need some help to speed it up. Have all of your passengers wear something like below. It is important to have the built in hat antennas to boost the signal to their devices.
aluminum-foil-creature.jpg

This will also stop the radio waves that are penetrating your brain from the corporate masters and the government brain intrusion strategies ........You are welcome!!
 
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Sort of along the lines of what others said, but are you able to get a 'loaner' hotspot from your IT department (because you need to make sure you can connect to check on work emails, etc and cant trust your data/regular phone connection) and then just use that (for free)?
 
fischy5000 said:
Sort of along the lines of what others said, but are you able to get a 'loaner' hotspot from your IT department (because you need to make sure you can connect to check on work emails, etc and cant trust your data/regular phone connection) and then just use that (for free)?
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Isn't this technically...stealing? Just because it's not a physical thing...
 
RUSK97 said:
Isn't this technically...stealing? Just because it's not a physical thing...
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well i guess it depends. Personally i am always checking work when I'm away so would welcome the hotspot whenever going somewhere extended where i know I'll be out and about and not just working while in the hotel room. If it could do extra to help in other ways (like helping in the car ride), then its just bonus.
 
fischy5000 said:
Sort of along the lines of what others said, but are you able to get a 'loaner' hotspot from your IT department (because you need to make sure you can connect to check on work emails, etc and cant trust your data/regular phone connection) and then just use that (for free)?
Click to expand...
The problem with that is you now have no excuse not to check your email regularly. If you are using a company resource I sure the company would want to see work done.
 
RUSK97 said:
Isn't this technically...stealing? Just because it's not a physical thing...
Click to expand...

It really depends on company policy. I once worked for a company that considered it stealing if you used their telephones to make personal calls, even if it was to call home to say you're working late. I've also worked for companies that have policies that allows use of company computers for personal purposes, such as placing an order on Amazon or posting on Rivals, as long as you weren't doing anything illegal.
 
The straighttalk plan above seems pretty good. Keep in mind you may need to think out your device charging needs. Maybe a combination of USB ports that plug into lighter sockets and some USB/battery thingies. Always be charging something while driving. More devices need charging than you have ports available?.. hand them a charged battery to draw from.

I use google fi and recently bought a camera (REOlink) for my sisters RV that uses a google fi data-only sim card. seems to work well.. and I only pay the data used at $10/GB... and the data only sim was free.. but I had to buy a cheap adapter to make the tiny sim seat into the camera... like $7.

If I were the one in your shoes, I could look for a hotspot device that takes sim cards. Here's a reddit thread on it..

This info is only tangentially useful to you. You might want to look for used hotspot devices compatible with whatever bands your carrier (Verizon) supports. Then when you are done with trip, sell it.

Verizon and the major carriers do have some issues there.. milking every dollar they can.
 
PSU_Nut said:
The problem with that is you now have no excuse not to check your email regularly. If you are using a company resource I sure the company would want to see work done.
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Alot of us check work emails and work itself, no matter where or what we are doing. I can't remember a vacation in 30 years where it wasnt that way. I remember clients asking me many times why I am answering their calls and emails when I am in Italy or Hawaii...
If I were able to go somewhere and know I didnt have to check on work and clients, I would galdly live without internet...
 
yesrutgers01 said:
Alot of us check work emails and work itself, no matter where or what we are doing. I can't remember a vacation in 30 years where it wasnt that way. I remember clients asking me many times why I am answering their calls and emails when I am in Italy or Hawaii...
If I were able to go somewhere and know I didnt have to check on work and clients, I would galdly live without internet...
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I want to go to Italy.
 
yesrutgers01 said:
It’s ok- just bring an ID that says you are Mr Screw...if they question you, act like you are napping and didn’t hear them
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Good call, but I've been doing that for five years now. Turns out nobody wants to deal with me, yet for some reason they still wish me well. Standard interaction:

Agent: Alright there, Mr. @RUScrew85, take your shoes and belt off and place it in a bucket and onto the conveyor, then walk through the x-ray machine when directed.

Me (pretending to be Mr. Screw): Attica!! Attica!! Attica!!

Agent: Oh, you again. Let him through.
 
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RutgersRaRa said:
Good call, but I've been doing that for five years now. Turns out nobody wants to deal with me, yet for some reason they still wish me well. Standard interaction:

Agent: Alright there, Mr. @RUScrew85, take your shoes and belt off and place it in a bucket and onto the conveyor, then walk through the x-ray machine when directed.

Me (pretending to be Mr. Screw): Attica!! Attica!! Attica!!

Agent: Oh, you again. Let him through.
Click to expand...

There's pictures of me getting the pat down because I refused the special X ray machine.
 
ScarletRunner said:
Hey folks,

Want to see if anyone had insight/advice on this... I have some folks coming to visit from overseas and we're planning on some road trips around the states. I thought it would be a good idea to get a wireless hot-spot for the car so everyone could log in with their iPads/iPhones etc (the group includes kids).

I tried looking at Best Buy and contacting Verizon, but it seems like their options largely involve me needing to buy a (somewhat) expensive device and/or signing up for a 1-2 year contract.

Anyone have suggestions here or other ideas for providing reasonably inexpensive, somewhat-flexible connectivity for everyone without breaking the bank?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Just have everyone go to a T-Mobile and get a sim. For like $40 you get everything you’ll need plus Calls back home
 
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RUSK97 said:
Isn't this technically...stealing? Just because it's not a physical thing...
Click to expand...

No. Because we all check emails, make travel arrangements, etc., outside of normal work hours the line between "business" and personal" has become irrevocably blurred. I used to use my hotspot on vacations, it provided half my neighborhood with internet access post-Sandy. And my employer takes over our mobile phone contracts when we're hired - if we choose, we can continue to use our mobile numbers for both business and personal use and they pay the bill.
 
Thanks for the input everyone! It never ceases to amaze me what a great resource this board is for information on a wide variety of topics.

I ended up going with the $20 Straight Talk option suggested by Bleed Scarlet. Thanks again.
 
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ScarletRunner said:
Thanks for the input everyone! It never ceases to amaze me what a great resource this board is for information on a wide variety of topics.

I ended up going with the $20 Straight Talk option suggested by Bleed Scarlet. Thanks again.
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So true. Only a handful of things that can’t be discussed around here:
1) politics (that CE board is a cesspool that brings out the worst in the best of posters
2) the proper name of that Jersey pork product in rolled form
3) the proper name for the geographic areas of NJ
4) car advice (it always devolves into a Honda Accord convo)
 
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