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Viability of Mobile Broadband For Home Use?
Posted by
timothy
on Wed Apr 29, 2009 03:42 PM
from the does-the-question-answer-itself dept.
from the does-the-question-answer-itself dept.
mighty7sd writes "I am about to be released from my contract with Time Warner for my home internet service, and I am evaluating alternatives to my current cable modem setup. I would love to use AT&T U-Verse or Verizon Fios, but they are not available in my area. I have a good idea of the costs and limitations of Cable and DSL service, so I am considering using mobile broadband for my home internet connection. Most providers seems to cap the connection at 5 GB of data transfer per month. I am a relatively heavy internet user using streaming video and a web server, so I need decent down/upload speeds and a large data transfer cap. Has anyone in the /. community had a good experience using mobile broadband cards at their home, specifically with lots of streaming video or a home server? What has happened if you have gone over your data transfer limit? Cricket Wireless is available in my area for $40 per month with 'unlimited' service, but I am skeptical that it is truly reliable and unlimited. I also found products that act as a WiFi router for mobile broadband services, but it seems that this is against most carriers TOS. Can they really detect these, and are they comparable to a wired broadband router?"
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Signal strength check (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Signal strength check (Score:5, Informative)
Unlimited 5mbit costed 30e/month and worked quite well, tho pings in online games were around 250-400ms (usually 50ms or so). After the 3 weeks period I had used 48GB of bandwidth.
The only issue is prolly the latency, which isnt so nice in multiplayer games. I live in scandinavia, so I dont know how its in USA tho. But for people in here, its a great alternative.
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
The FIRST thing to do is look at their TOS. Almost every mobile carrier's TOS says "everything we implied in the advertising is a lie". Almost all of them prohibit gaming or large file transfer, yadayada.
The new WiMax critters like Clear seem to understand they have a market opportunity there though with their "no holds barred strictly on tiers of GB" policy.
Re: (Score:2)
Or, you can look for Wi-Max providers, which are few and far between, but much, much faster than 3g wireless. Of course, you need to really study the TOS and fine print, especially if that provider is Clearwire.. Maybe approach some regional ISP's about it, or heck, go for it yourself...
WiMax vs. 3G vs. 4G Speed Mythologies (Score:3, Insightful)
WiMax can support very high speed connections and very long distances, and has great hype with it. But in reality, it can support very high speeds over short distances, or moderately low speeds over long distances, and ISPs have to make some tradeoff in between based on how many customers they can get in the cell around a given antenna, and by the time they're done, it's no longer spectacularly shiny. (4G doesn't really exist yet, so of course it'll be really really cool when it gets here, while 3G was re
Contact your city management! (Score:3, Insightful)
Tell them about what is going on in N.Carolina and tell them that it will produce friendlier and more regular income to the city than traffic signal cameras. You may get fiber at your door with high speed up and down instead of slow up and fast down.
Works for some (Score:5, Informative)
I did it for a number of months using Sprint and a USB Sierra Wireless Compass dongle (not sure of the model number, but it did work in Linux).
It worked for me, but there is a 5Gb/mo cap and would probably not fit your usage. Reliable, reasonably fast for what it is, worked flawlessly in XP and Ubuntu, and really gave me nothing to complain about.
Re:Works for some (Score:4, Informative)
I did it for over a year, and actually experienced service termination due to a bandwidth cap. Verizon terminated my contract (waiving the early termination fee) after I downloaded over 20GB in one month. I believe 20GB is the *real* cap. However, Verizon was later sued in a class action for false advertising. As a result, I believe they temporarily stopped terminating people.
As for stuff like streaming video, running a server, or using P2P, that's all prohibited by the TOS but not enforced. In real life they will only terminate you for bandwidth use.
This info is all slightly out of date though, it's been a year or so since I used this stuff. Up-to-date info about Verizon and Sprint's actual practices (as opposed to what the TOS says) is available on many web forums like EVDO Forums [evdoforums.com].
Parent
Bad latency. (Score:2)
A friend of mine has a Verizon card. Latency's pretty bad (comparable to dialup), and the software is sorta crappy -- it doesn't lose signal, so much as the USB device suddenly unprobes and reconnects, always defaulting to the wrong network setup.
Re: (Score:2)
I would love to have "dialup" latency on my satellite connection. :P
No (Score:5, Insightful)
Has anyone in the /. community had a good experience using mobile broadband cards at their home, specifically with lots of streaming video or a home server?
I'm almost certain that running a server would be against the ToS, and yes it is fairly easy to detect. Hmmm...incoming Port 80/443 traffic...
I know a couple people who've switched to mobile broadband for their main link, but they are not heavy users. Checking e-mail, searching Google, general web browsing, yes. Frequent streaming media? Not unless it is postage stamp sized.
And Cricket's data plan isn't 3G so it would be a dog.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm almost certain that running a server would be against the ToS, and yes it is fairly easy to detect. Hmmm...incoming Port 80/443 traffic...
Verizon FIOS doesn't seem to care that I'm running port 69 for http (they block 80, meh, I can append :69 and I'm out of outrage for the time being) and 443 and 8443 for https (one for apache_mod_svn, for the inquisitive). I've gotten no complaints whatsoever, despite moving 13TB outbound over the past 6 months, according to my RRD server. If they are trying to detect and enforce TOS violations, they are doing a really poor job of it.
Judging by what you've written, you need to stay on TWC's teat for a littl
Re: (Score:2)
I'm almost certain that running a server would be against the ToS, and yes it is fairly easy to detect. Hmmm...incoming Port 80/443 traffic...
I don't think it was DynDNS that let you do this, but there are services around that let you host a server on a different and possibly including dynamic port other than port 80/443 traffic between you and the the gateway.
You still violate your TOS, but it can be done... *coughs* not that I know anything about that.
Re:*coughs* (Score:2)
And I forgot the link:
http://www.no-ip.com/services/managed_dns/free_dynamic_dns.html [no-ip.com]
*coughs*
Don't know nothing about doing this either...
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The ones I've looked at in Britain give you a 192.168.x.x IP address, so no-ip isn't going to work whatever you do.
Re: (Score:2)
My dad's verizon has EVERYTHING against the TOS as far as i can tell :( Pretty sure streaming video is in there too....and gaming...and audio...and BT...and...
Wouldn't a web server be connected all the time? You think they will like that? I am guessing your card connected 24/7 would clue them in. They assume over xG per month and you are doing something you shouldn't, so i would bet the same would apply if you are always connected.
I've seen the Cricket commercial where they use it for home. Pretty sure that
Re: (Score:2)
A "home server" would not need any incoming ports open via the broadband card.
I'm sure the OP meant to use the mobile broadband card as the EXTERNAL nic of a NAT router, with the other nic being either wifi or wired, serving other machines in his household.
These are harder to detect, (sometimes impossible), and I see no reason why they should be prohibited as long as he lives under the cap or pays the fees.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
For home use?? (Score:2, Insightful)
The 5 GB cap will kill you cable seems to be the b (Score:4, Informative)
The 5 GB cap will kill you cable seems to be the best that you can get for now.
Sounds like you've already worked out... (Score:2)
...that it isn't viable but you're posting in the hope someone will aid you in continued wishful thinking.
It sounds to me like your best solution would be 2 broadband accounts. 1 wired and 1 wireless.
No (Score:5, Funny)
Terrible idea. Just steal your neighbor's wifi.
How about asking your neighbor? (Score:2)
I do it with a neighbor. I have 'commercial' ISP subscription, so servers are okay.
They hardly use any bandwidth and pay less than they would if they got service on their own.
We both get a good deal out of it.
Why stop at wifi? (Score:2)
Title Answers Itself? (Score:2, Funny)
>> Viability Mobile Broadband Home Use
>> Mobile Broadband Home Use
>> Mobile Home
Hulu / Youtube unwatchable as streams (Score:4, Informative)
I have mobile broadband for work / support issues, and it does not do well with video streaming. ( watch 3 minutes, wait 3 minutes, repeat )
Audio streaming is just able to keep up most of the time.
I can certainly confirm the latency issues are noticeable, but for ssh / remote support it is use-able. buy a host site plan from a friendly web provider, and just remote admin the info.
Er, why are you considering this? (Score:5, Insightful)
If you are on the road most of the time, or need an ISP now, not in three weeks when the cable guy gets off his ass and install, then fine. But why would a self described heavy user even consider going with it for home use?
Experience with Sprint (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
>slower than wired(of similar price, I'm not talking netzero dialup).
Agreed. Ive used EVDO broadband cards many times at my last job and, frankly, theyre barely passable as mobile solutions and they make terrible fixed solutions. Ive noticed:
At any moment the card may want to switch you to a different tower. Say goodbye to any established session.
At any moment youll drop to dial-up speeds because the card decides it doesnt have enough signal to maintain EVDO and drops to 1X.
Serious throttling. I have yet
I use Sprint (Score:2)
The issues to consider - I have a fairly small pipe size - Hulu is pretty rough due to not being able to buffer enough - and latency - I can't really do FPS over this connection because I can't get under the 100ms ping barrier. However the GF plays WOW on it just fine.
I pay about $60 per month which is a bit steep for what I'm getting, but it sure beats dialup. We had a wire
Re: (Score:2)
i have used and recommend cradlepoint routers [cradlepoint.com], which are in the $140-$150 range. they have 2 models, so choose accordingly for pcmcia or usb cards. before purchasing one, call them and verify their router will work with the brand/model of aircard you're purchasing, there are a few that don't work now (but i've been told they're working on drivers).
For ATT (Score:5, Informative)
Aircards: Sierra Wireless 885, 881, 881u, Option GT Ultra, Ultra Express, Quicksilver
5 GB/month
60 Dollars / Month
700kbps-1.7 mbps down, ~200 ping to google (on 3g)
75kbps-125kbps down, ~300 ping to google (on 2g)
When you go over 5 gigs, data useage is charged at half a cent per KB, but service will be turned off as soon as it is detected by the switch (which can take anywhere from an hour to a week, or forever)
Coverage map:
http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/ [att.com]
Phone support: 1-800-331-0500 (24 hours).
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
I have a GT Ultra with ATT for $62.98/month. I almost always go over 10GB/month and have never been charged an overage fee for data and I have never had my service cut off.
Verizon (Score:2, Informative)
Using verizon in a metro area. I get 2.5mbps down and 512kbps up. Lowest ping time is around 80ms but usually around 100ms. If you idle a few seconds the modem will stop talking to the tower. The next packet out will wake up the modem and the initial ping will be around a second. and then back down to 100ms
I have a USB type modem hooked into debian. Have to plug the dongle into a windows box every so often to track my usage with the software they provide.
Go over and they charge me 25 cents a MB!
Sprint wants
huh??? (Score:5, Insightful)
I have a good idea of what the costs and limitations of Cable and DSL service,
So you are...considering getting something even more expensive, even slower, and with even tighter caps than the worse cable caps?
???
Mobile broadband is not "broadband" (Score:2)
In Norway, there is an interesting discussion whether one can define Mobile broadband as "Broadband". The Post and Telecommunications Authority has defined what may be called "mobile broadband":
"You should have seen a download speed of at least 640 kbps for the operator to be able to call the service "mobile broadband". The upload rate should be at least 128 kbps."
(Source) [google.com]
According to my tests, 640 kbps is hardly archived anywhere in Norway, and I guess it's pretty similar in the US.
My only major advice: (Score:3, Informative)
Be wary of some of the wireless providers, because they seem to impose even more restrictions on Internet usage than wired providers.
Wireless home providers.... (Score:4, Informative)
I had some good success with Verizon Wireless. Really, it depends on where you are , to how good the service will be. I've had better than 1Mb/s down while driving. Then again, I've had what felt like double digit bytes per seconds in not so great areas.
After one move I had a problem. The DSL provider said they could service the house. We gave them two weeks notice to get the new line ready. They were "provisioning" it for 3 weeks, until they finally said they couldn't do it. {sigh}
So we put in an order with the cable company. It took 2 weeks for the "install package" to come in, and 3 more days after I plugged it in for it to actually work. During that period, I had a PC with my Verizon Wireless air card up, and it acted as my NAT for the other computers. It wasn't a great area for cell service, because of the mountains. Even the wireless service was hit and miss. I swear, when it got windy, the service would go down. More likely, trees were blowing between my card and the tower, but I still blame the wind. :)
I highly recommend getting a card that has a jack for an external antenna. It makes a HUGE difference in service quality. Check out evdoinfo.com [evdoinfo.com] for good information on the card offerings from Verizon and Sprint.
The Verizon card gave me one thing that you can't get from a residential or business provider. I had my laptop running on a cross country drive, feeding telemetry (GPS data and video) to my web site, so friends and family could see what I saw and where I was. I got a call in the middle of the desert, asking if I was ok. I showed to be about 20 feet off the road, not moving, and facing desolate nothing. In reality, I was tired, pulled off into a rest area, parked the car facing away from the only building there, and was taking a nap. The rest area was new, so it didn't show on Google Maps yet, which is what I was using to show my location. I hadn't looked when I stopped, I just saw a place to sleep so I took it.
I opened one eye enough to look at the screen, saw where I was on the map (100 miles from nowhere, parked 20 feet off the road), confirmed that's where I was, told them it's a rest area now, and went back to sleep. :) After a couple hours, I woke back up, checked my email, did a little online recon to see what was ahead (not a damned thing), and then started driving again.
Sure there were some dead spots. My phone would drop, and the Internet connection would usually follow behind by about a minute. The card's antenna was suction cupped to the windshield, so it had a better signal than the phone. That was very intermittent though. Most of the time I had at least some sort of service. :)
Cricket limitations (Score:2, Informative)
You cannot use the service:
* As a router or web server
* To initiate VOIP conversations
* As a web hosting or email service
From my experience (Score:2)
My Experience (Score:2)
I have Alltel data service as I live in a rural area where the only alternatives are 24-36Kbps dialup or 400-700k satellite. I pay about $60 per month and Alltel is "unlimited," however with the Verizon takeover I'm not sure how this will affect things. I typically get speeds between 400-800Kbps, but have gotten up to 1Mbps on occasion. If you want more information about the various services look at www.evdoforums.com. Note that like any wireless technology, the total bandwidth at the tower is shared by all
Re: (Score:2)
Also, I forgot to mention my ping times are usually between 200-400ms, but can get up as high as 8000ms (yes 8 second ping times) under high load. I do live down in a valley and have no line of site to the tower and need a 15dB antenna to get decent signal.
I'm on a boat (Score:4, Informative)
No really. I'm on a boat. I live aboard at the marina. Can't even get a POTS line, let alone DSL or FIOS or cable. But I have a very strong 3G signal at the docks, and even out in the Catalina channel.
I've lived aboard my boat for the past 8 months with Verizon Wireless as my only internet access. I play Xbox360 games, EVE Online, and download songs and the occasional video from iTMS. It's got better performance than the WiFi ISP that covers the marina. They charge $40/month and rate limit to 1Mb/sec download. I usually get at least that, and often up to 2200kb/sec. Latency is OK, 100-200ms. Fast games do not seem to lag.
I use the CradlePoint CTR-350 router on the boat, and carry a PHS-300 battery-powered hotspot with me on the commute to work which I use to listen to Pandora or surf the web on my iPod touch.
I have a grandfathered unlimited data plan for $59.95 that I've been using for three years before moving onto my boat.
Fido's stance (Score:2)
Fido is a cell phone service provider, here in Canada, and they called me asking whether I wanted their 3G USB dongle for my computer. It went along these lines:
Fido: Sir we would like offer you a USB stick to allow 3G connectivity from your computer
Me: Sounds interesting. How much is it?
Fido: 30$ a month for 1GB
Me: Do you think I'm crazy?
Semi-OT (Score:2)
Can you get U-Verse as just internet -- no TV?
Sprint via tethering for over a year (Score:4, Informative)
I used my phone tethered exclusively for over a year and was satisfied.
However I didn't do much with videos, just Second Life and streaming music there and the like.
Download rates from DSLReports ran about 750 down at my tower (below average), if I drove down the highway I could get 1100 down from neighboring towers. I forget what the upload rate was, maybe 250ish?
SL daily plus music streams was tons of data, but I had Sprint's unlimited plan.
The only other issue was when it would reconnect, which happened fairly frequently and was only an interruption of a sec, but disrupted SL and would need a reload if a page was in the midst of loading. There were a couple outages impacting just my local tower, once for a week. However all outages still provided dialup speeds, only the EVDO was out.
It was possible to watch streaming video if you let half the video download first.
IMO the needs specified are greater than what EVDO will provide.
Re: (Score:2)
Are you sure it wasn't two hundred cents?
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
"...for your Windows Mobile phone..."
fixed that for you.