Alternative to buying Verizon MIFI….

CaptainCarl · Aug 2, 2009

We use our Verizon 720 wireless card in conjunction with a 3G Mobile Broadband Wireless Router made by NETGEAR .. MODEL MBR624GU . Can be bought at some Best Buy stores, Fry’s Electronics and many online web stores.

Netgears wireless route MBR624GU creates a WiFi hot spot same as the MIFI and works with a variety wireless USB internet access cards from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon.

We like the router solution for it has both Ethernet connections as well as the WiFi hot spot creation solution.
Capt Carl

dieseldiva · Aug 3, 2009

This sounds like a really cool option, is this the same thing as adding a router in your home and feeding several computers off of it?? I'm tech challenged so sorry if the question is a goofy one.

CaptainCarl · Aug 3, 2009

Yes the router will allow up to four ethernet connections and as many WiFi wireless connections as you have computers. You would want to keep in mind that the speed of access/connection to the internet (kb rate) your wireless internet card is capable of providing, will be shared across how many computers are requesting data.

In simpler terms, three or four computers performing average internet browsing demand will be happy with the MBR624GU.
Capt Carl

dieseldiva · Aug 5, 2009

I'd have to add that we've noticed no difference in internet speed with mulitiple computers/i pods connected tot he mifi.

MentalGiant · Sep 19, 2009

Well, at least until one or more computers start to download a big file or start watching a streaming video file from the internet. Then you might start seeing a difference in the speed. Because there is a limit to how fast you can consume data and if you have two or more computers connected to your mifi and everybody is downloading a lot of stuff, some one will see a difference in speed. Not trying to burst your bubble, but it is the facts of it.

The other thing I have notice also dieseldiva, you have not said if you have setup a WPA password for your router, if you have left it open, anybody can connect to it and steal bandwidth from you, which in turn, if they are trying to download files continuously, that will slow your speed also.

dieseldiva said:
I'd have to add that we've noticed no difference in internet speed with mulitiple computers/i pods connected tot he mifi.

dieseldiva · Sep 19, 2009

MentalGiant said:
Well, at least until one or more computers start to download a big file or start watching a streaming video file from the internet. Then you might start seeing a difference in the speed. Because there is a limit to how fast you can consume data and if you have two or more computers connected to your mifi and everybody is downloading a lot of stuff, some one will see a difference in speed. Not trying to burst your bubble, but it is the facts of it.

The other thing I have notice also dieseldiva, you have not said if you have setup a WPA password for your router, if you have left it open, anybody can connect to it and steal bandwidth from you, which in turn, if they are trying to download files continuously, that will slow your speed also.

The first situation you mentioned wouldn't be the norm for us.

Yes, it's password protected out of the box.

MentalGiant · Sep 19, 2009

Ok, just wanted to make sure it was password protected. There are a lot of people out there, especially at truck stops that would take advantage of your wifi being opened to being use.

dieseldiva · Sep 19, 2009

MentalGiant said:
Ok, just wanted to make sure it was password protected. There are a lot of people out there, especially at truck stops that would take advantage of your wifi being opened to being use.

Boy no kidding, we've had neighbors here at the house that have tried that when we were still on Roadrunner! In this case, each mifi comes with it's own password printed on the device.

MentalGiant · Sep 19, 2009

Yeah, most of those wifi routers sent out by the DSL and cable companies are not setup to be password protected from the start and a lot of people don't realize they have the option to do so. So, they usually just connect everything and start using it and not worrying about their neighbors and other people using their bandwidth to do what ever they please illegally and not have to worry about get caught, because it was all done on your ip address, which is connected to your name and address.