Mi-Fi

[Corabar Entertainment]

I mentioned this briefly on another thread, but promised I would write more once I'd had the chance to test it out properly....

For those of you who don't know what it is, the blurb from Three is:-


Create your own Wi-Fi hotspot.
Get wireless internet whenever you want with MiFi®. Our mobile Wi-Fi dongle works with anything Wi-Fi enabled, connects up to five devices at once, and fits in your pocket. Take it everywhere.

It's a little portable wi-fi modem (to give you an idea of size, it happily sits in the palm of my hand....the following image is CONSIDERABLY bigger than life-size)) http://regmedia.co.uk/2010/06/11/e685_1.jpg

It's a doddle to connect up to, the battery life is good (about 5 hrs+ for continuous use), but can also be used whilst plugged in and charging.

£15 + VAT per month gives you 15GB of data!!!

I have now tested it in many different situations/location/with different devices, and it has performed superbly - including yesterday when we were in a location where our phones couldn't get any network coverage (2 different mobile phone networks). The Mi-Fi did struggle a little bit (took about 30 seconds longer than usual), but did manage to hook up and I was checking a couple of things out on the net whilst sat in my car in the middle of nowhere.

At home, the connection is better than with my standard wireless modem!

Much less faffing and faster than a USB dongle.

So far, it just hasn't missed a beat (even with several computers and a printer connected up to it and all running at the same time), and I'm very impressed.

[Marc J]

That looks like a great deal :)

Pity it's on a 2 year contract for that price / package...2 years is a long time! Still, even PAYG would be handy to have in emergencies!

[Vectis]

I have one of those as my 2nd backup.

My main link to the world is your common-or-garden TalkTalk ADSL which on a good day manages about 2Mbit/s and drops out about a dozen times. That's using a router that's rated best for long lines (Billion) and the special BT faceplate thingy and is still about 1.5Mbit/s faster than both neighbours with their standard kit. 7 miles of overhead cables to the exchange means I'm kinda stuck.

First backup is an 8Mbit/s WiMax doodah from Wightcable but with a 10GB usage cap and a 300ms typical latency it's great for batch jobs but not so hot for general browsing.

Second backup is the MiFi - I bought the original with a 12 month PAYG deal but recently switched to contract and went for the HSDPA+ jobbie and am pulling about 7Mbit/s down and 2Mbit/s up with a 3-bar signal and typical latency of between 100-120ms which makes it useable for pretty much anything (except Farmville, I'm informed... whatever that is).

In fact I'm so impressed with the MiFi I'm considering junking the WiMax link when it comes up for renewal just after Christmas.

Having had an iPhone 4 and an iPad 1 both on 3's unlimited data plans prior to the MiFi I knew we'd get good service and I've not been disappointed. Before anyone mentions jailbreaking and link sharing I need to do a lot more than port 80!


OH - AND ONE MORE THING. If you do go down the MiFi route get it via Quidco for £100 cashback :) Sweetens the deal somewhat.

[Larry B Entertainment]

(except Farmville, I'm informed... whatever that is).


Its a face book app.

I still cant believe you have backup internet Vectis. Is there anything you dont backup lol

[Jiggles]

Anyone thought of buying one of these on the likes of eBay, getting threes awesome oneplan and using that with it's all you can eat. Better deal than the £15 a month way? I just use my iPhone as the base station and works just as well. :).

[Vectis]

Its a face book app.

I still cant believe you have backup internet Vectis. Is there anything you dont backup lol

It's where I make my living, and I choose to live in the sticks, so it's a necessary evil I'm afraid :o

I also have a 3G iPad with all the essentials on it that I need for server management, and my inlaws live about 5 miles away and they have 2 x 24Mbit/s ADSL services - one at their house and another at their holiday let round the corner. If the let is in use, I have the WiFi SSID and password and can park outside :D

Never needed them yet, but there's always a first time :(

[katman]

I have BT Total Broadband @ around 16meg. First backup is my 3G Dongle but I also have the Mifi as well, which incidently uses a different part of Three's network as I found the other week when my original dongle wouldnt work for a couple of days but the Mifi did.

Secondary backup is any of the other BT Openzone routers I can see from my house.

Tertiary backup is drive along the seafront and pick up Wif from one of the unsecured guest houses/hotels :)

[Dr Spin]

I had the original 3 mi-fi unit, which was awkward to use (but I understand that the new one is far better).

I've now moved to T-Mobile (they call it a "pointer") and it seems to be faster, plus it's cheaper per month.

As I live in a rural area, the broadband is so slow (because the exchange is 6 miles away) I use the pointer all the time. Uploading photos is a bit slow, but otherwise it's good enough.

[SC Events]

Just to add, I think these are excellent.

We use one at the Radio station when we do a outside broadcast.

They send the audio and webcam pics back to the studio, where it is then broadcast/uploaded, plus we can connect a laptop to it to get the weather etc.

Never had a problem yet and the 3G has been more than capable of doing the job.

[Vectis]

As an update to this, I've now allowed the data contracts on my iphone and ipad to expire. Instead, when I'm out and about I just slip the MiFi into a pocket. It also works off a standard USB/5V car charger.

So now I'm SAVING money and have the backup it was originally intended for :)

[wensleydale]

Are these faster than just using your phone as a tethered hotspot?
I've used my Samsung Galaxy in this way and been very impressed with it- even had 4 laptops connected at once in the office one day when the internet went down.

[Vectis]

Are these faster than just using your phone as a tethered hotspot?

If the phone handles HSDPA+ then no, it's unlikely to be much faster than tethering. However when I tried tethering an iPhone 4 I had a few problems with certain port numbers and the phone battery lasted about 2 hours max (and couldn't realistically be used as a phone in the meantime).

Therefore phone tethering is a good substitute if you're just looking for occasional backup or roaming web access.

[surround sounds]

I have to agree these things are brilliant..
I was told to buy one and have the 5gb on a month to month contact for £15.. After the first month phone them up and ask to cancel the contact..They will ask you Why?
Tell them that you are impressed with it but a big expensive at £15 a month..They then reduce it to £8 a month..
I tried this and guess what? It worked i now get 5gb for £8 a month,great bargain..
You can connect up to 5 items at the same time,iphone,ipad or computers

[Corabar Entertainment]

I still love mine to bits, and can't praise it highly enough.
5gb on a month to month contact for £15..

... i now get 5gb for £8 a month,great bargain..Did you see my OP? 15GB for £15+VAT per month. :) :) :)

[surround sounds]

I still love mine to bits, and can't praise it highly enough.Did you see my OP? 15GB for £15+VAT per month. :) :) :)

yes i seen it but you on contact?
i can cancel anytime

[Corabar Entertainment]

Ahhhh, right! Gotcha. I didn't pick that up from your post

[surround sounds]

Ahhhh, right! Gotcha. I didn't pick that up from your post

Maybe because i did not include it in my post :D Sorry

[Corabar Entertainment]

:lol:

[Twinspin]

Ive had the Mifi from Three but i ended up getting rid of it becaue they ripped me off. I originally had a three usb dongle and at the end of my contract i rung them up to ask them to cancel it.... they said 30 days notice for cancellation which is fine. Next month i get yet another bill from them. Ring them up and they havent cancelled it. So they tried charging me.

When my contract was up on the normal broadband i went onto the MIFI but after they tried charging me on my other expired contract i cancelled that with them as well and again they are trying to take more money from me after i paid them the final amount i owed them.

So if its any use to anyone i have a three MIFI dongle here which i wont be using. Its hardly been used. But i wont ever go back on three for anything so its just not doing anything.


Even after 2 months of cancelling it they are still trying to take money off me i dont owe them.

They are even supposed to be refunding me some money they took out of my bank. But instead they sent me a bill wanting more money from me.

[Twinspin]

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/400548_10150425891385957_512570956_8836533_1902255 395_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/400049_10150425891600957_512570956_8836535_2994911 19_n.jpg

The dongle was bought outright which was £40 new and was on a one month rolling contract. Unfortunately the sim is not active because i cancelled it but would be ideal for anyone that has one and wants a spare.

[Vectis]

Should point out John that the E585 is the older HSPA model. This has been superceded by the E586 HSPA+ model which has a download speed up to double the old one (IIRC something like 7Mbit/s as opposed to 3.5-ish).

The E585 is still available which is why some folks might get confused.

[Twinspin]

I didnt know. I got that mobile wifi dongle end of august i got it so i only had it a couple of months before i cancelled.

probably not worth much that older one. But someone else could probably put it to better use than me.

I have looked at getting mobile broadband again on any other provider apart from three. But havent bothered renewing it.

I have got an Iphone 4 for my Mobile Phone on 02 so i might think about getting tethering eventually whenever ill need mobile broadband again.