[mgkimple]

This is probably because I have not figured out cell phones yet, but where do I start to find info on wireless internet providers. There is a lot about connecting at Starbucks or wherever, but where is the advertising for home connections? Is it not affordable? It should be simple with a mac, but all I can find there is about wireless home networking. And I am certainly not going to sign up with anyone (Altel seems to have something going) until I understand what is what and how much it is going to cost me. Most of these folks don't know a Mac from a hole in the ground.

I am assuming Airport comes in here somewhere.

I refuse to deal with the cable company and we cannot get DSL. I have done some standards based webdevelopment that works just fine with dialup, but the internet has left me behind and it is getting impossible to use most websites with dialup. Not to mention the problems of downloading files-- I have no way of getting updates from Apple, essentially.

Is there a simple answer out there that I am missing? Thank you for any assistance.
mgk

[minischneides]

mgkimple said:

This is probably because I have not figured out cell phones yet, but where do I start to find info on wireless internet providers. There is a lot about connecting at Starbucks or wherever, but where is the advertising for home connections?

I am not sure as to why there is not much advertising for the internet, maybe they assume it isn't worth their marketing budget, or maybe they assume most people already have internet.

Quote

Is it not affordable?

Internet is very affordable, however how much you pay depends on how fast the connection you are paying for. The speed of the connection you get has to do with how fast you NEED your internet to be, and if you are going to be downloading a lot.

Quote

It should be simple with a mac, but all I can find there is about wireless home networking. And I am certainly not going to sign up with anyone (Altel seems to have something going) until I understand what is what and how much it is going to cost me. Most of these folks don't know a Mac from a hole in the ground.

There really is no internet which is made specially for a Mac. You basically sign up with someone, they come in, and give you a modem. The modem will most commonly plug into the phone jack in your wall on one end, and on the other end have an ethernet port, where you can plug in an ethernet cable. What you do with the ethernet cable is up to you. You can plug it directly into your Mac, if you Mac never moves around your house, and is next to where the modem will be. Or you can set up a wireless network.

Quote

I am assuming Airport comes in here somewhere.

This is where Airport comes in. Apple's "Airport" is just a name they have given their wireless router. In order to get wireless for your laptop you do not need to get an Apple router, you can get them from a variety or names such as Linksys, or D-LINK to name two. What router you decide to get is up to you, though the Airport is likely the easiest to set up, and comes with a USB port, allowing you to print wirelessly to a printer.

Of course in order to use a wireless network your computer will need and "Airport Card", but all recent Mac models have them, so unless your computer is very outdated it will likely have one.

Quote

I refuse to deal with the cable company and we cannot get DSL. I have done some standards based webdevelopment that works just fine with dialup, but the internet has left me behind and it is getting impossible to use most websites with dialup. Not to mention the problems of downloading files-- I have no way of getting updates from Apple, essentially.

The switch is definitely worth it, as it makes the internet process a lot less agonizing, and opens a new door of possibilities.

Is there a simple answer out there that I am missing? Thank you for any assistance.

There really is no simple answer, you just have to do the research, and decide what you feel is best.

[smax013]

It somewhat depends on what type of wireless connection you are talking about...the two main types are WiFi and mobile broadband (aka wirelss through cell phone companies).



WiFi in general is rather limited in range/coverage. It is what place like Starbucks will have, but also what you can set at home using some sort of wireless router (such an Airport Basestation). WiFi is basically just a "short hop" wireless network that eventually connects to some sort of wired broadband Internet connection, such as a cable modem or DSL...or some more extensive potentially in commercial environments, such a T1 line. For home use, you would still have to get an Internet connection through DSL, cable, satelite, or some other mode. You then deploy a wireless router/access point to "attach" a wireless network to your Internet connection. As pointed out in another post, such things are not Mac specific or Windoze specific. The Mac will just "see" a "typical" network. This is the most common way to get a fast wireless connection for home use. As to cost, it will depend on the type and speed of the connection. Some DSL connections cost about $25 per month for speeds of about 768 kbps...and it goes up from there if you get higher speeds. Cable modem connections will vary, but I believe that they are typically around $40 to $60 a month. I honestly don't know how much satelite service costs per month.



Mobile broadband is a whole different ball of wax. This is a wireless connection through a cell phone company and their "cell" towers. It will require an adapter for use with your computer. Some adapters are USB based, while others are PC Card (i.e. ExpressCard) based. Such adapters require a driver to be installed on the computer. And this is where Mac support can be a problem. Not all adapters supplied by all mobile broadband providers have drivers for Macs. As such, Mac support for such connections can be a little more "spotty". As to cost, you typically have to buy the adapter, which can be up to a couple hundred of dollars but they frequently have deals if you sign a contract. Monthly costs can sometimes be on a per megabyte basis or sometimes a monthly plan with unlimited data. I want to say that I have seen monthly data plans for about $60 for unlimited data.



So, you first need to determine what kind of wireless system you think you are talking about.

[minischneides]

I think that the original post is referring to getting an installed internet connection in their home, and then potentially Wi-Fi. This is because he/she mentions advertising for home networks, and talks about Airport.

While mobile broadband is not really for the "everyday" home user. As well they have mentioned using Dial-up, which would lead you to believe that this is in their home.

[smax013]

minischneides said:

I think that the original post is referring to getting an installed internet connection in their home, and then potentially Wi-Fi. This is because he/she mentions advertising for home networks, and talks about Airport.

While mobile broadband is not really for the "everyday" home user. As well they have mentioned using Dial-up, which would lead you to believe that this is in their home.

It was not clear that the original poster knew what they were after. They were not even sure what Airport was.



I will also note that the OP mentioned that they would not choose cable and could not get DSL. If so, then their choices are basically down to either satelite or mobile broadband (if you cannot get DSL, then you most likely cannot get fiber from some phone company) in order to get a connection that is faster than dial-up (although, I suppose there are ways to attach a WiFi network to a dial-up connection).



And I will note that there is nothing that prevents someone from choosing to use a mobile broadband connection as their home Internet connection. In fact, I know of someone who does precisely that.

[mgkimple]

It would appear that mobile broadband is what I probably want. Does anyone have any experience with this, or with particular providers? I think Alltel is one but I can't tell much from their site and can't get anyone on the phone. I also would like to know how it compares cost-wise.

Once I get a connection, then I figure out Airport.

Thanks,
mgk

[minischneides]

smax013,

My apologies, you seem to be right about the mobile broadband. I suppose I misinterpreted what the original writer wanted, and so I was close minded enough to assume they would not want mobile broadband.

[smax013]

minischneides said:

smax013,

My apologies, you seem to be right about the mobile broadband. I suppose I misinterpreted what the original writer wanted, and so I was close minded enough to assume they would not want mobile broadband.

Not a problem. It was a little unclear as I am not sure the original poster really knew what they were after...which is why I covered my bases. :)

[smax013]

mgkimple said:

It would appear that mobile broadband is what I probably want. Does anyone have any experience with this, or with particular providers? I think Alltel is one but I can't tell much from their site and can't get anyone on the phone. I also would like to know how it compares cost-wise.

Once I get a connection, then I figure out Airport.

Thanks,
mgk

I know that one of the moderators on MacWorld's sister site PCWorld using Sprint as his mobile broadband provider. I will drop him a note to see if he is willing to drop in over here offer some thoughts...or you could drop in over at PCWorld. Note that he is only doing it with Windoze machines at this time...I have yet to covert him to the light and get him on a Mac...but I am working on it! ;)



As to cost, I believe that Sprint's unlimited data plan for mobile broadband cards is $60 a month, which is fairly comparable to my monthly cable modem bill. I pay $46 a month for cable modem service for Comcast, but I get a $15 "discount" because I also have cable TV through them...thus, if I did not have cable TV with them, I would be paying about $61 a month.



If you go this path, you will definitely want to check out the coverage of the provider that you plan on using to make sure that your are in their area of coverage.

[dcpics]

If DSL is not available to your home and you do not want to use the cable company, as noted in the original post, then getting faster-than-dial-up access is left pretty much only to mobile broadband from a cell company. However, you need to make sure you get coverage where you live. If you can't get DSL there is a chance you are too far from a cell tower with the right speeds for you. Check http://evdomaps.com/ for cell towers near where you live to see what level of service is available from mobile broadband.

Sprint, Verizon and AT&T all have decent mobile broadband networks, do some research to find the best in your area. Unlimited access can run you $60 or more a month after paying for the card modem, either USB or Express Slot. USB is better if you have a desktop.

There is an easy way to connect once you have everything, without having to worry about drivers, dialers and a way you can share the connection with more than one computer. A wireless broadband router. Cradlepoint makes several models that take USB modems and one that takes Express card modems. I've used two of their models that use USB modems and they work well. The newer MBR1000 is better for home use as it has more range and a greater variety of card support than the smaller more portable models. With a wi-fi router like this you can also move it to where you have the better signal for the mobile broadband modem, so if your computer is located in the basement or center of the house, you can put the wi-fi unit with modem in an upstairs window to get a stronger signal.

With these routers you just plug in your card broadband modem and it makes the connection for you and then you connect your computer(s) wirelessly to them and surf the web. In a strong cell area the speeds will rival DSL but not cable or fiber.
It also gives you the option of carrying the card with you when you travel so you get Internet access anywhere without paying the hotel or Starbucks or anyone else for daily access.

[smax013]

dcpics said:

There is an easy way to connect once you have everything, without having to worry about drivers, dialers and a way you can share the connection with more than one computer. A wireless broadband router. Cradlepoint makes several models that take USB modems and one that takes Express card modems. I've used two of their models that use USB modems and they work well. The newer MBR1000 is better for home use as it has more range and a greater variety of card support than the smaller more portable models. With a wi-fi router like this you can also move it to where you have the better signal for the mobile broadband modem, so if your computer is located in the basement or center of the house, you can put the wi-fi unit with modem in an upstairs window to get a stronger signal.

Thanks for that information. While I don't have mobile broadband (I kind of do...I can use my Treo 755p with Sprint in tethered mode, but don't do it too often), it is something that I might consider in the future, so this is good information to know. I had thought the only way to "share" a mobile broadband connection was by setting up an ad-hoc network on the computer that had the adapter attached. This provides another nice option.

[MPHEnterprises]

smax013 said:

I know that one of the moderators on MacWorld's sister site PCWorld using Sprint as his mobile broadband provider. I will
drop him a note to see if he is willing to drop in over here offer some thoughts...or you could drop in over at PCWorld. Note
that he is only doing it with Windoze machines at this time...I have yet to covert him to the light and get him on a Mac...but > I am working on it! ;)


As to cost, I believe that Sprint's unlimited data plan for mobile broadband cards is $60 a month, which is fairly comparable > to my monthly cable modem bill.

>
>


Hi MGKimple. I am the person to whom SMax referred. I use two internet connections, one of which is the Sprint Mobile Broadband connection. He is absolutely right. The price is comparable to other broadband connections, especially if you already have a Sprint wireless phone account.

Currently, I use this the Novatel Wireless Ovation U720 as my mobile broadband device. Here is a link to Sprint's website about this device:

http://www.sprint.co...lPcsPhones.html

Now, if I am not mistaken, Sprint is moving away from this device but the principle is still the same. It is very easy to use. You would simply install the software and drivers, restart the computer, connect the device to an available USB port, and connect to the internet. That's it. Granted, the device is oversized and you will lose the use of one an additional USB port but that is minimal.

As far as speed, you will not have cable or FIOS type speed. If this is a factor for you, I would not advise you to get this service. The speed is comparable to DSL. When I say comparable, I normally get download speeds around 1.2-1.3Mbs/s.

If you do have a Sprint account, let me make one suggestion. Contact Customer Service and ask for a discount. Depending on your payment history and account level, you may qualify for a discount for having multiple lines. I was able to get $10 per month discounted just because I already have a Sprint wireless account. I would also suggest asking for a discount every six months based on a good payment history.

[dcpics]

smax013 said:

>
> I can use my Treo 755p with Sprint in tethered mode

>

Several phones can be hooked into the Cradelpoint routers via USB cable and server as the Internet connection that can then be shared by several users via wi-fi. I believe the Treo is compatible. Check their site.

[Tom_Diola]

you'llprobablywanttoget3Gonthephoneforthissortofinternetconnectionbutyou'llstillpayabout$40forthisservice.