Saturday, February 11, 2012

Verizon Air Card -vs- MiFi

While in Yuma the Mossmans upgraded from the aircard to MiFi so they could have hot spot for an Acer Tablet.  I got caught up in the euphoria and upgraded also - I’m hoping for a tablet in my future sometime.

Instead of switching completely to the MiFi I asked if I could use the AirCard SIM card in the MiFi so I could go back to the AirCard if chose to.  Sure, I was told.

So I have been using the MiFi, not really enjoying the fact that you have to recharge the MiFi about every 6-8 hours…it’s annoying. Most times we boondock and recharging requires us to start the generator or plug it into the invertor.

Then when we got to our gate guarding gig, we found we only got one bar on the MiFi and the majority of the time that wasn’t enough to get on the Internet.  I was not happy.  If you listen to my DH I’m addicted to the Internet.  If you listen to me you know I just like to know what’s going on and I like to search a lot of things.

My last post was published by the side of a bar in the tiny town, more like a hamlet, of Whitsett.  It isn’t the most comfortable way to surf the net sitting on the passenger side of the truck trying to angle the laptop screen to reduce some of the glare so you can see what you are typing.

Jim, bless his heart, suggested we change the SIM card from the MiFi back to the AirCard, as we could get on the internet with one bar on the AirCard.  We did that and low and behold we got two bars and CAN get on!!!  Yes, I’m using my little, inexpensive Radio Shake antenna, but I can get out.

Now we can use the Internet from our RV and my nights will go by more quickly and I’ll stay awake more easily.  I can surf all I want - Yippppeeeee!!!!!

So my opinion is to stay with the AirCard and not switch to the MiFi unless you need the hotspot it provides.  If you stay around good-sized towns you can probably use the MiFi reliably.  But we stay in out of way places and it doesn’t fulfill our needs.  I’ll keep it, but will probably go back to using the AirCard; at least I don’t have to recharge IT.

Remember, you are loved.

4 comments:

  1. I understand the problem as the place I spend the summers has limited cell phone and air card coverage. I purchased a wifi router from the 3G STore that will take my Verizon air card in its USB port and has the comm software resident in the router. That way I have my own hot spot. Also I have a Wilson antenna for outside and an amplifier to help when signal is low. It works great even in low signal areas, and works with the router too to amp up the air card signal. :D

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  2. When we were in Deming I was able to get on line with the air card while you could not get on with the MiFi. From talking to others it only seems to work well close to the towers. Good post.

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  3. Thanks for the information, as we too have thought about changing over to the MiFi, but have been sort of having second thoughts, due to the re-charging, and then again for it appearing to have the signial that the Verizon air card has,,,,,so thanks for letting us know we are better to keep what we have,,,,,the grass is not always greener on the other side,,,,,lov ya

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  4. [I just like to know what’s going on and I like to search a lot of things.] A woman after my own heart! We have the WiFi Ranger so don't need the MiFi. If we ever get a stick, I will use that to set up the hot spot.

    Hate the 2 word verification thingy you have now.

    Mike and Dee White
    www.gonerving.blogspot.com

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