Colleen[5] Getting connected

[mdlbear]

Colleen's room at Kaiser has good cell phone reception, thankfully (number on the Starport web page, but no Wi-Fi.

I was thinking seriously about getting her an Amazon Kindle (using the money saved by not needing a second room for Loscon), but it doesn't appear to have a general-purpose web browser (you can download pages and email them...), and they quote a delivery time of 3-4 weeks. Scratch that idea.

A smartphone is really tempting. There are two possibilities there: add data to our current AT&T family plan -- really only an option if I'd be able to switch it from her number to mine after she's out of the hoosegow hospital. Or that G1 I've been lusting after... Still an expensive committment.

Actually, the price on a T-Mobile WiFi router looks really attractive. Except that as asavitzk points out, it's bridging in the wrong direction: VoIP-phone to DSL rather than a cell-to-WiFi bridge. Foo. I've seen the other kind, but neither T-Mobile nor AT&T is selling them.

Comments

[asavitzk.livejournal.com]

I thought that router allowed you to use a T-Mobile cell phone as a VOIP connection over a DSL/Cable connection? Pretty sure it doesn't give you cellular-based internet connectivity.

[mdlbear]

Looks like you have to pay extra for VOIP; as far as I can tell the data-only plan just gives you a cell-to-WiFi bridge. Which is all I'd want. Oh, grump. On second look, you're right. Foo.

[kyrielle]

I know that when you travel, there are places that will rent cell phones to you.

Is there a place that would rent her a cellular modem? It might be more expensive per month but cheaper than a long-term commitment....

[mdlbear]

I think the AT&T ones are available with pay-as-you-go plans. Will have to check.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

? My Kindle has a general purpose web browser--kind of bare bones, available under the "experimental" menu from the home page.

But I think she might like the full browser experience available with a laptop and a T-mobile wifi router better. The Kindle looses a certain jenny-say-quoits what with being greyscale and all. (2 bit color--it's an improvement over my first computer, which had 1 bit color).

[mdlbear]

I thought I remembered something about a real web browser, but didn't see it on the Amazon site. Can you fill in forms?

One advantage of the Kindle is that it's small and light -- she could hold it or prop it against the edge of her table. But the router would certainly be cheaper. The Kindle's price is comparable to a year's worth of data service; the biggest problem is the long delivery time.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

The one I have does have a web browser; it's unsophisticated, but useable as long as I'm not trying for fancily formatted web pages.

Regarding filling out forms: I rarely do anything sophisticated with it; I can go to the weather.com page and enter my zip code to get the local weather--is that a form? If not, if you can tell me a URL with a form on it, I will go to it and see if I can fill it out, if you like.

The delivery time took me kind of by surprise; the last time I looked, they could have it to you in 2 days. But yeah, now it says 3-4 weeks. I wonder if Amazon deliberately reduced their stock on hand because of the recession, or whether there was some kind of recent surge? I did hear that the Kindle was on Oprah a couple of weeks ago; I suppose that might have led to an unexpected frenzy of buying...

Anyway, best of luck solving Colleen's connectivity problems; let me know if there's anything I can do.

[asavitzk.livejournal.com]

If you can get a hold of a supported cellular pcmcia card I could ship you a sonicwall TZ190 firewall on loan.

http://www.sonicwall.com/us/products/cardsupport.html

Of course at that point, why not just put the card in the laptop I guess...

[mdlbear]

The laptop doesn't have a slot, but a USB dongle is a distinct possibility. Or I could borrow a lappy from work. It's looking like a good option.

wireless data options

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

AT&T is $60/mo for 5 GB of data.

details (http://www.wireless.att.com/businesscenter/popup/dataconnect-comp-table.jsp#laptopconnect?wtLinkName=LaptopConnectCard&wtLinkLoc=BDY)

T-mobile is $50/mo unlimited usage.

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Cell-Phone-Detail.aspx?cell-phone=Sony-Ericsson-GC89 (data card for $150)

"T-Mobile Total Internet for Data Cards gives you unlimited Internet access and unlimited T-Mobile HotSpot usage across the US."

I have heard good things about people tethering smartphones for modem-like connectivity with their laptops. This may be an inexpensive option for you.

You know

[capplor.livejournal.com]

the XO came with a year's free T-mobile. You don't have to use the XO on the account, either. (And I think it's from activation time, not necessarily the time your XO was delivered.)

Re: You know

[mdlbear]

Hmm. I'd forgotten that. But it's probably only hotspot access, so it wouldn't help. Would have saved me some hassle in Dallas, though...

[lemmozine.livejournal.com]

I'm using a doohickey which I think is called a compass 597 by sierra wireless with a plan through Sprint - I get a huge discount through work & while I'm an un-techie. I think it works pretty well, and it doesn't require anything but being in an area where cell phones work to get connected. One of my friends referred to it as a "thumb drive" - I think technically it's an EVDO or something like that. It's just a little teeny thing that plugs in to the side.

[mdlbear]

AT&T has some of those, too. I'd have to compare plans and see which dongles, if any, have drivers for Linux. No discount via work, though. :(

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

The right search term, apparently, is "linux aircard driver."

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm. Perhaps talk to the hospital staff; they might have some service options. You might even be able to just get DSL service in her room. Nth Air offers WiMax in San Jose, Sprint offers mobile broadband in San Jose; those might be other options. Beware of long-term contracts.

[mdlbear]

Talking to the hospital staff was the obvious thing to try first. Also second and third. Sprint mobile broadband is $60/month, making it about double AT&T's price.

[brmj.livejournal.com]

First of all, my original offer stands. Secondly, you can probably obtain a kindle quicker from a third party. Third, if there is wi-fi reasonably close elsewhere in the hospital and you can find places they would let you put them, one or more wi-fi mesh routers might work. Fourth, if there is no other way to get the Eee to work with the cell phone company's data service, a number of devices are available to create a wi-fi hot-spot using a cell phone or a PC card from the cellular company. Fifth, dial-up over the hospital phone or a cell phone. Slow, I know, but it is both cheeper and easier than many of my schemes.

I could go on listing solutions, but I've run out of ones that don't involve RFC 1149, acoustic couplers duct taped to walky talkies, or something equally absurd.

[mdlbear]

Thanks. RFC 1149 is actually about the equivalent of a T3 connection; it would be the ideal solution except that her window doesn't open, and I have no experience handling pigeons in any case. Sneakernet with a USB drive is a distinct possibility.

I know about routers and bridges using PCMCIA cards; cheaper to cobble one up using a laptop borrowed from work, and quite possibly the most practical solution overall.