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The most versatile mobile Internet connection provides a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, since nearly every mobile device can communicate via Wi-Fi. Coming in second is any cell phone that can share its Internet connection via Bluetooth with any computer or PDA that also uses a Bluetooth Internet connection. (Note: most laptops can do this, but not all Bluetooth-enabled handheld devices have this capability.)
In last place is a wireless card that connects directly to your laptop. You can use your laptop to share your Internet connection over Wi-Fi to your other gadgets, but since this requires your laptop to be running at the time, this is not nearly as mobile a solution. -
The only option in the United States for a portable Wi-Fi hotspot is the Verizon MiFi; you can use this to provide wireless connectivity to any other Wi-Fi-enabled device you're carrying. This convenience comes with a price: MiFi plans require a two-year contract, and charge $60 per month with a 5-gigabyte cap. (The cheaper $40 plan offers a 250-megabyte cap; this is dangerously low for anyone who intends to use their service regularly.)
All major providers--Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile--offer cell phone data sharing over Bluetooth, which is called either "tethering" or "Bluetooth DUN" (for "Dial-Up Networking"). To use this, you'll need a cell phone that can create the tether, a receiving device which can listen in on this connection, and an add-on to your existing plan that enables tethering. This add-on is in addition to the fees you're going to paying for cell data in the first place, and typically runs between $20 and $40 per month, with a 5-gigabyte cap.
Alternately, you can skip using your cell phone entirely and get a wireless card or USB adapter that connects your laptop directly to the cellular network. Be careful purchasing any connector that does not use USB; you want to avoid needing to purchase a new card when you get a new laptop. USB devices are likely to be useful for years to come, but laptop card standards change more rapidly. Standalone data service is usually in the $30 to $50 per month range, and again comes with that 5-gigabyte cap.
It is worth checking out competing plans from Boost Mobile, Cricket and Virgin Mobile, provided you are in their relatively smaller service areas. These companies typically provide more for your money, or provide the same service on month-to-month plans. For example, Virgin Mobile has a pay-as-you go broadband service, allowing you to pay between $20 and $60 for 30 days of broadband (depending on how much data you need), all with no ongoing contract.
Comments
mizzshady said
on 9/24/2009 Thanks Ill try it. 5*