My hubby and I are going back over the road after a 2 year break. We are getting a laptop, and want to get internet access where ever we may be without having to use WI-FI at the truckstops. We want to use a card, do you know who the best is to use, and do you have to use your cellphone with the wireless internet card? Is there a phone connection needed and you must use your cell phone?

So stupid when it comes to things like this. Any help is appreciated.

Kim(CJ's Wife)

 

No, you don't need to use a phone. Just get an aircard from Verizon, Sprint, or whatever and sign up for an Internet plan. Keep in mind that newer laptops have Express-type PC card slots and several of the wireless carriers only have the older Type-2 cards. Verizon has an Express version of their card and that's who I went with.

Also, it'll be cheaper if you already have a cell phone plan with whichever carrier you choose. I have phone service with Cingular, but 'net service with Verizon so it's costing me more, but it's gotta be better than being tied to the truckstops and their lousy wi-fi.

 

I have a cingular phone with bluetooth and my laptop has bluetooth as well instead of buying an aircard I got the software off the cingular website for my phone and installed it on my laptop subscribed to my internet plan through cingular and my phone now acts as my aircard. Alot simpler to use and actually saved me a few bucks too!

 

I use a Verizon aircard. It costs me $59.99 per month.

One thing to make sure of is that the air card that you get fits your laptop. They are phasing out the old PCMCIA card slot, and going to an Express34 slot. They are the same size, but the pin placement is different.

The Express34 cards are much more expensive.

 

If you have windows vista...make sure the card you are going to buy will work.....I bought a new laptop and the card I bought from
Alltel wont work with vista.....I called customer service and they said none of their cards will work with vista......so, im having vista removed and xp installed.....

 

Just bought a Sprint air card, had to get the USB card. Sprint is compatible with Vista.

 

I have the Sierra Wireless 595 that Sprint offers. There's no Vista drivers for it yet, or any of the Sierra Wireless modems from them. However, Sierra does have the Vista drivers on their web site, but only for Verizon...

 

i have the U720 Sprint Mobile Broadband USB modem (just reading what the box says). Works just fine with Vista

 

There are a number of services available. Check with Verizon and Sprint. You use a pcmcia card siilar to the ones you use at the TS except they are a long range card that works on the cell phone towers. From what I have seen, the services run about $70/month and are available where ever you can get cell service. Another thing to look for is WIFI at state rest stops. I know that Washing and Oregon offer free service at most of the rest areas on the major freeways. By the way the new card will also work with regular WIFI.

Good luck with your serach!

 

I finally got my Verizon wireless card and even though here at the house the service is flaky, it's still about 3x faster than dial-up. Hopefully it'll work well for me out on the road. Maybe now I can finally give up on the truckstop wi-fi. 8)