Wireless Internet - Is it worth it?
 

Is the reception good? Are the downloads quick?

Am I better off just using truck stop WI-FI hot spots?

Or should I spend the $60 a month for Wireless Internet on my laptop? I'm considering the Cingular Wireless Internet service, which has really improved recently. I'm also already a Cingular customer, so that makes it convenient.

Here's my experience so far:

On a few occasions I have used TA's wi-fi...and generally have been fairly dis-satisfied with it. Sometimes it will work well, and other times not worth a flip. I sat in one TA with a direct line of sight to the antenna...and more than half the time I couldn't get a signal worth squat. On other occasions it was "spotty" and slow. Haven't tried Flying J's...don't go to them very often at all.

What I use...which is what I am using now is T-Mobile's GSM/GPRS service. I have a Sony/Ericsson GC-79 Aircard that is both cellular and wi-fi. My laptop is also wi-fi capable...a Winbook. The GSM/GPRS service has been more than reliable, and works quite well. I pay $29.95 + st...a total of $31.23 a month for unlimited service. About the only place that I can't use it is in N & S Carolina. Its not the fastest, but its as fast as most of the others and it has met my needs. I've been using it for about a year now, and probably will continue using it until they come up with something competitively priced but faster.

I am currently useing Sprints Evdo wireless service and I love it. when your in a highspeed area you can get average 700k download speeds.
out of the high speed area's I get around 2-3x what a 56k dialup would provide.
I pay 80 bux a month but that will go down once I switch my celphone company to sprint.
The card itself is free with a 2year signup.
Better then sliced bread.

Verizon
 

I use a verizon wireless card. I dont think ive been anywhere in the country that i didnt have net access, though im sure if i parked in exactly the wrong place it would happen. Im on it now in fact sitting in a TA in jacksonville. I literally leave it running wherever im at. Tried the TA/PILOT hotspot SCAM. Talked to a tech at one finally and he told me that in large areas the hotspots didnt actually work yet.... So I was out the 7 bucks a day or whatever i paid at each spot. Learned my lesson quick. Its DEFINITELY worth 60 a month. Id suggest verizon because of the coverage areas. Theyre moving to broadband and you get broadband now in Big cities, but most of the time you get national access which is Around 3x dialup speed. Fast enough for online games, web browsing, chat etc etc etc. If you do filesharing well.. not so much though you can let it run 24/7. When you do get a broadband connect its nice.

Very useful...I use it all of the time.

Re: Wireless Internet - Is it worth it?
 

Scottie, I have use the WiFi at Flying J, Pilot and TA. I prefer the Flying J but the down side to any of them is that once you leave their parking lot you don't have service. I tried a couple of dial up services and they are a hassle when you are on the road. There can also be additional fees if you connect at truck stops. I have had a Spring air card for about a year or so now. So far I have had decent service from it. I pay $60/month for the service with unlimited national access. Most of the major providers are in this range, except for T-Mobile who has offered the service for about half that amount. The primary advantage to having an air card is that you can use them anywhere you have a cell phone signal. I use the internet for searching for loads among other things. The anytime access is worth a little extra for me. If you do a search you will find much that has been written about the air cards and various services.

dam your signature kinda freaked me out HAHA

I was goin for the rifle :wink:

What I found out to be pretty cool is to be a truck stop, get out the old web cam, set it on the dash pointed out toward the front and show everybody at home what I'm seeing.... :roll:

the verizon service is only $59.99 if you have a verizon cell phone as well. if you dont its $79.99.

As far as the truckstop hot spots go, I've used them all, but prefer Flying J. The J has even set up antennas on some T/As! Pilot is still working on getting service after the downfall of truckstop.net... the new company, Sirricomm has good intentions, but I've had major problems with their service.

That said, I still have problems, and obviously I can't always get into a Flying J. I figure I'll eventually upgrade to a wireless card and break my truckstop tether.

tough to answer. i pay $80 a month for sprint. but i love using the net, so it is worth every penny just to be able to surf whenever i want. don't like staying in truckstops, i spend too much,lol. just shower, fuel, coffee, and audio books. how much do you use the internet? then judge if it is worth the price.

You can learn a lot about wireless cards at this site.


www.evdoforums.com

Pilot needs to get their crap straight, their service is slower then dial-up!
Flying J is the best for the moment.

I still have accounts at T/A's and Flying J's...

I also have a Cingular Wireless card, I don't have to use it. My current laptop has bluetooth and I connect to the internet with that and my Motorola V551. I also have Motorola Phone Tools 2.0 loaded on there. I'm on Cingular's GSM network with the phone so I get impressive speeds on it. I should say that Limewire and A*** works just fine with it.

Make sure to upgrade your phone package when you get it...Do you don't have $300 Cell bills

wireless internet
 

man its the greatest

i got a toshiba laptop from bestbuy with internal wireless modem

for 0% interest for a year

ie 75 bucks a month and it was paid off same as cash

t/a is working on their wireless

i check it with my modem to see if its ok then use my roadmiles to sign on

as other trucker said/some t/a locations suck

fly j is great but you cant use your roadmiles


now a secret

the petro in joplin mo and the fly j in west memphis ark

both have a hotel near their lot

a good wireless laptop can bump a free connection


download speed is usually very fast

if you drive through iowa on 35 or 80

you will be able to get 1 hr of free wireless internet at their reststops

be aware sometimes the antenna is down at a certain stop

just drive to the next reststop

if iowa reststops had showers and fuel i would never need a truckstop in iowa

Re: Wireless Internet - Is it worth it?
 

e="ScottieFL"]Is the reception good? Are the downloads quick?

Am I better off just using truck stop WI-FI hot spots?

Or should I spend the $60 a month for Wireless Internet on my laptop? I'm considering the Cingular Wireless Internet service, which has really improved recently. I'm also already a Cingular customer, so that makes it convenient.[/quote] yes verizon is the shit never have any proplem

I just upgraded my cell phone to a samsung a920. It is $39 a month for broadband instead of $59 for the laptop card. I just added a blue tooth usb dongle to the laptop and no wires are needed to connect now which lets ya charge the phone while online.

I also use microsoft streets with a gps to navigate and plan trips. I forget where i bought it but for $45 I got a pcmcia tv tuner card. Anything to lessen the junk in da truck is worth it's weight in gold.

Wireless aircards
 

Browsing using my cellphone is too small plus I want to watch TV.

Here is the solution I found. Thanks to my buddy who is a tech geek.

I am currently using Cingular for my cellphone provider. I bought this laptop card called Sierra Wireless 860 aircard on the internet ( www.unlockcellular.com ). It works perfect. I can connect internet and watch my TV anywhere also my Tivo programs thru my Slingbox (the best thing in the world). Connection is very fast over 1Mbps.

The card is only $99, no contract required, which is good. It is only $59.99 a month for Cingular data plan. It is unlimited.

The aircard can also works with T-Mobile (the seller told me it is unlocked card). T-Mobile data plan is cheaper though only $29.99 unlimited. But I like Cingular better.

PM me if you have any question.

Wireless Internet
 

I got real sick of the "truckstop tether" too.

I had much better luck with T.A. then I did witht the Pilot's sirricom.

Nowadays though, I use the sprint wireless card.

It cost $59.00 a month and i have been real happy with it..

It's a little slow in some spots, and occassionaly I will not get service( wayyy rural Wyoming type places)if you are travelling to fairly populated areas it's great.

Best wishes.

verizion
 

verizon works great, only a few spots it does not work. not high speed but acceptable. here is a great example, just a few days ago we were going through tx. and there was tornado warnings. logged on to the nws- ridge doppler site and watched the storm live. we were able to stop far enough away to let the tornado go by in front of us. would not have been possible if we did not have mobile wireless!

I'm using the Sprint U720 USB aircard. $59 and change per month. So far works well. One thing I like to use it for is finding a place to turn around after a wrong turn in someplace like Chicago. I just zoom in on the neighborhood with GoogleEarth and check out what's around.

I also used GoogleEarth in New Jersey. When the map doesn't show whether a road cross is an over/under or if it's one level with stop lights you can zoom in. You can also see if there's trucks on the road to verify a truck route.

So far I'm real happy with it.

I use T-mobile $29.95 a month unlimited,..its slow sometimes, but I just got a wilson cell signal amp. that should speed things up,...I'll let you know.
Right now I'm useing the air card in O'Hare because they want you to pay for their wireless signal,....cheap bastards.

I have acer , theres an antenna inside, never used cards lol.

Since I got my Sprint Aircard, I have not had any reason to use the WiFi at the trucks stops. It comes in handy when using GoogleEarth to look at an area or keeping in touch with friends and family when sitting at a jobsite for an early morning delivery. At 59.95 a month it is worth every penny. Oh, did I mention being able to get instant weather information, priceless.

I have a T Mobile card. There are areas where it dont work but for the most part have no problems with it.. Sure beats having to be at a truckstop. Can be at a customers dock for several hours and have service with it.

i did the flying j and i did the siricomm

nothing beats my sprint wireless novatel

except when you hit some dead spots and get download speeds of 8kbps

many times, i get over 100kbps downloads, i would say the average is about 50kbps

but those wifi's at the truckstops didnt work for me

plus you have to stop at THEIR truckstop, and sometimes, i drive late and there are no spots, so i am stuck at a rest area or other places

I've used Verizon aircard for about 2 years now. They're getting better service all the time. I don't have any speed or connection complaints at all. I love it. I use it all the time in the truck, loading, etc. I'll never be without it.

Is there nothing for cingular/at&t ? I mean, no one has experience using it with them?

I got an air card for USA - Verizon and one for Canada - Bell - and used them constantly on the road. Definitely worth it for me since I was the passenger so wanted to be online 24/7.

Have you guys ever thought of parking near hotels (if possible)? I know that some hotels have free WIFI.

I use AT&T formerly known as cingular/ I use the Sierra 875 duel band aircard w/ the Wilson antenna. I haven't found a real need to pony up the dough for the booster. My family cell phone plan is thru Cingular so my monthly bill for my aircard is around $80.00(with all taxes and fees)UNlimited-- it would be the $99.00unlimited plan if I didn't have my phone thru them.

The aircard isn't as fast as the LAN truckstop Wi-fi--for general use.

But, not being restricted(tethered) to a LAN is very great.

I'm setting a shipper right now.

The aircard is faster than a LAN wi-fi---if you're using a downloading- P2P program--simply because-- the wi-fi provider detects you're using high bandwidth(usage) and then THROTTLES back your bandwidth to be "fair"
to all the other girls and boys in the parking lot----so much for "unlimited"
service.

The TA wi-fi (Colubrus.com) there system plays havoc with Toshiba Computers or any other brand using a Athros Wi-fi card at 54Mbps---you'll get constant BSOD's(Blue Screens of Death) and will have to restart.

Pilot, Petro, Loves- are all on the same wi-fi ---siracom---which makes it the Best Buy wi-fi.

Flying J- for years, this was the best/only one I'd use-- it was almost always--Up, Strong, never broken----but, sadly now--they desided to start
rationing data usage---and claiming to cut your connection if you exceeded
your Ration in a 24hr period. So, they had to go.
I used to download --P2P like crazy----guess I was one of their "abusers" whom was "hogging" all the bandwidth in the lot------Sorry, but what part of "unlimited" was I not suppose to exploit?

I use the I phone when on the road.
 

I can e mail pix quickly has lots of storage 8 gigs, cost wise it is less expensive to use this just $40 extra on your regular phone bill. I have found net cards to be nearly $70 a month to use and besides the I phone is with you all the time you can use the maps to see true satellite pix of an area and secure parking when an area that has too many trucks at a truck stop or you can get information about a customer quickly. It is slow if you are use to fiber optic at home but if you dock it up with your computer it will have you favorites on it and it like having a real computer. I hate the keyboard it takes getting use to to type a messge or adress but it is possible besides I can get my information faster than the time it takes to unpack a computer. I have stored hundreds of pictures on it at a time and had tons of room for more. I don't really use it for the ipod music since satelitte has incredible programming.

It isn't perfect but it is the best I have found so far.

Headborg....You are using the same aircard as me....I was wondering, where did you find the adapter wire to connect to the Wilson antenna. I have been unable to locate one for the 875. I got the Wilson antenna, but have yet to beable to use it??

I think it was from a Pilot T/S. The package doesn't actually name the 875
but I believe it does say Sierra Aircard adapter. I'll look next time I'm at a pilot.

How much better is the signal using the Wilson? I have an aircard (can't think of the model right now). I'm going to upgrade my aircard to a USB model later this year.

Does the USB model have a way to plug in a ext antenna? I was thinking of getting one of those later too-- so I could plug it in the front of a desktop- instead of installing a PCMIA(card) to PCI adapter in the back(for AirCard)

Yes, I've noticed a 1-2 bar increase in signal strength when using the Wilson connected to my aircard-- especially when the single is soo week you keep losing connection-- it works wonders then.

@ Drew ,

Hey buddy, I found that adapter today -- 3 of them- 1 at ICC at T/A Eaton, Oh i70 ex 10 - $9.99, 2nd on shelf at T/A same location $14.99, and a third one here at T/A Jeffersonville, Oh I-71- $9.99

It's Wilson Part # 359912 the label reads:
Aircard
Sierra Wireless

it lists compatible with the 850 & 860 model it just doesn't list the 875
but it works with it-- hope that helps.

http://www.wpsantennas.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=166