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I tether with my cell phone. It's not that expensive. This type of thing has been implemented before. It never took off. Look up FON.
How reliable is tethering with a cell phone? Do you need one of those Wi-Fi sharing devices, like the one that T-Mobile just came out with?
Also, aren't there devices that gather all the signal leakage iin an area and give the device-holder a good signal to be able to use the internet? They're called USB wireless adapters, one is made by Alfa.
How reliable is tethering with a cell phone? Do you need one of those Wi-Fi sharing devices, like the one that T-Mobile just came out with?
Also, aren't there devices that gather all the signal leakage iin an area and give the device-holder a good signal to be able to use the internet? They're called USB wireless adapters, one is made by Alfa.
Tethering is as reliable as your cell phone signal. I don't use it as my primary internet. I only use it when I am on the road. For my phone (Palm Treo 800W), I don't need any additional devices. I just connect the phone to my laptop via USB cable. It works through bluetooth too, but bluetooth is slower than 3G.
USB Wireless Adapters only apply to WiFi and not cell phones.
Most newer cell phones can be tethered via an application called PDANet. I've never used it since I don't need it though.
Tethering is as reliable as your cell phone signal. I don't use it as my primary internet. I only use it when I am on the road. For my phone (Palm Treo 800W), I don't need any additional devices. I just connect the phone to my laptop via USB cable. It works through bluetooth too, but bluetooth is slower than 3G.
USB Wireless Adapters only apply to WiFi and not cell phones.
Most newer cell phones can be tethered via an application called PDANet. I've never used it since I don't need it though.
So sorry...I think my reply was to your private msg...my phone is a T-Mobile Comet android. T-Mobile has a new device called "T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot". From what read, it must create a 'network' of up to 5 computers or other products that use a wifi signal? The signal must go to the hotspot device? and then it can send it to 5 other devices? Does a hotspot draw in a better signal strength? I can barely get 2 bars on my Cricket stick...lots of times, it's only 1 bar. I'm just trying to figure out the best WiFi set up for me where I live. I'm in a black hole area w/Cricket. With my T-Mobile phone, the signal is usually between 2 and 4 bars.
You can actually do traffic engineering on your router using DD-WRT and other Cisco-level enterprise grade hardware where there are two networks (SSID's in technical sense) where one of them is WPA2-AES for security/full speed and the other is open but there is an authentication page where you are directed to a disclaimer there they are not legally liable and you can rate limit per IP session to like 512k or 1Mbps if you have a bandwidth resource problem.
This is how enteprises and coffee shops do it, but doing this requires custom engineering on site and some semi-expensive AP hardware (>$200) or custom firmware/software (e.g. DD-WRT).
The solution is there, it's just not in consumer devices or is in consumer devices but the support for the 'average' user won't happen because you can't teach this stuff to tech support and either the person is smart and researches does it himself/IT experience or hires a contractor to do it.
I have done these setups.
Also the economic sense. Why the hell should I open up SOMETHING I pay for to someone else?
I only give my passward's to friends and relatives.
And the legal aspect is BIG, it's still not unresolved.
That's why @ a coffee shop there is a authentication gateway page where you have to click "I agree" when you say the infrastructure provider DISCLAIMS ALL LEGAL OBLIGATION from their IP address/network address when you use their network in case they get a lawsuit because it can be traced back to the physical origin location.
This is more legal and manpower for the average user than anything else.
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