wco81

I ordered one on eBay for about $120 shipped from Hong Kong. Looks like a number of sellers have bought them up and then unlocked it and are selling it on eBay, some in the UK and many in the Far East.

The Mifis look nicer and there is also an E5 Huawei model which someone said has 5 hours of battery life instead of 4 hours but it's over $150 before shipping and the Novatels are closer to $250.

I did see this video comparing the Novatel with an older Huawei:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrZD-UxJIR0

Looks like the Huawei has some more latency, slower to load web pages.

Oh well, for the price difference, it's worth a shot. If I couldn't find anything under $200, I would have looked at getting an unlocked Android or Nokia phone to run hotspot software instead. For that kind of money, it needs to do more than be a 3G to Wifi router.

frankdds

Ok - please bear with me - I'm starting to get a bit confused. I have been reading all these threads with great interest. I started looking at Novatel's website about the different models.


As one who travels overseas quite a bit - this looks like a great device to have.

My question is - if I am looking at spending @$250 or so on one of the mifi devices - would I just be smarter to purchase a newer smartphone with hotspot capability?

I have been looking at the new Motorola Atrix 4g. As a subscriber to AT&T - already - why would I not want to do this? I am assuming that I can just purchase a SIM data card in whatever country I am in and it would work. Is this correct?

Or is it wiser to pay just a bit more & get an unlocked version of this phone?

Sorry if these are super nubie questions - hopefully someone can provide some good insight for me.

Thanks in advance


Frank

pred02

Following up on the thread, I am still a bit torn for the device to use in our summer home in Croatia (where we intend to have a T-Mobile Croatia 3G connection).

One option is the unlocked Huwai E585 MIFI router which is about £60 pounds. The advantage is that it is light and I can take it everywhere including the beach / boat if I have a 3G signal and then use it with my iPhone or iPad. Disadvantage is that it has to be charged and can only connect up to 5 devices.

The second is the Zoom 3G travel router. which is also about £60. The advantages are that this can take multiple connections. Disadvantage is that it's not super portable and I cannot confirm the comptability with the T-Mobile USB dongle.

Both are around the same price I am leaning towards the Huwai modem - the ability to take the portable device and have access to data on the boat or small islands is tempting.

wco81

You can use the E585 while charging.

You just have to connect it to a cable that has a standard USB plug in one end so I've been hooking it up to my MacBook Pro mostly. But there are AC chargers with USB ports so that would work.

Also I bought an additional battery for like $8 shipped from a vendor in Hong Kong.

MAN Pax

Well - I have the Zoom 3G router + the Zoom MiFi.

I bought the MiFi as 1) No new gadget for some time and 2) The form factor. Being able to stick it in a pocket appealed as I will, no doubt, end up with a tablet in the future and will want to go out and about. (To add - I have a company supplied data SIM with unlimited international roaming that was negotiated at an excellent corporate rate)

If you want a device with the most flexibility, go for the router. You can plug it in and leave it to provide a network for your house. With a USB extension lead you can move the Dongle to the best position, if it's not convenient to site the whole unit - taped to an upstairs window?
The MiFis is great for its form factor and slip into the pocket portablity, but the router should give you the flexibility you need and should work with the T-Mobile dongle - the Frequencies used are in the Dongle, no the router. With the Mifi you're stuck to the frequency range of the MiFi.

pred02

Great. Would it be possible for one quick favor and check to see if the AD adapter that comes with the router (4501) has input for 110v-240v (or is just 110v) as I am going to order one and could not find this detail anywhere in the specs.

Thanks!

MAN Pax

100-240, 5v @ 2A.. Mine is a UK Plug format, YMMV.....

Terminates in a hollow pin plug - should be easy to find a replacement if necessary.

pred02

Thank you! ordered...

FedUp2

I would be very interested in such a solution and will be grateful for some detailed How-to notes about the modus operandi. Being somewhat technically challenged, I could not find a way to do this on my own; BTW, I am on a Windows 7 platform.

bukzin

[QUOTE=wco81;16135320]I've heard some Mifis won't work while being charged?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I have used the rental units from Xcom from California.

Battery life is maybe 3/4 hours tops. You must have a 2nd battery
ready to go.

As I recall the unit worked while attached to a cigar lighter jack in
our rental car but not when using the wall wart at home.

There is a mod out there which can be found with Google
which requires simple re-wiring of a USB cable.

gobluetwo

My Verizon mifi 4510L (made by Novatel) works when plugged in to the wall or car charger. However, it will not work when plugged into a laptop and being charged via USB.

bukzin

I just order the 4510 MiFi box from Millenicom for month to month (no contract)
Verizon service in US.

Have you used yours international? I am hoping I can purchase, or rent,
local SIM cards for data in Mexico and France, etc.

Anyone had luck using this model MiFi with Sim box?

bukzin

What is the 'AD adapter' ?

Thanks

Dubai Stu

I don't think it can work in France. I don't think it supports GSM (HSPA). IUSAcell using compatible EVDO, but I don't Know how you are going to activate a device requiring an LTE uSIM. Telcel is about to (or has just) launch/launched LTE in Mexico, but I don't know whose frequency range. ATT and Verizon have different frequency ranges. I can't speak to Mexico, but None of Canada's three LTE providers went with the same range as Verizon. All three matched ATT. Telcel's GSM technology matches AT&T and they are the largest Mexican provider. My guess is that they will follow AT&T's lead.

bukzin

Thanks


I have rented MiFi boxes from Xcom for use in France and
have been pleased.

I would now like to buy my own hardware and either use
local SIM cards or buy/rent an international one.
(although, might be much easier to buy and activate before
leaving the US)


I assume this is do-able.

Which model MiFi boxes (for international) would you consider?

And the same for SIM cards.


Thanks for your thoughts!