Options for internet access in the boonies

Chip Sylverne said:
This is exactly what we do at our farm. Works great, only problem is the 5 gb data limit. Means no watching full length netflix movies or tv off the web, and updating foreflight can also eat up a lot of data. VZ emails at 50%, 75% and 90%. All do by law now, I think. Can always download updates at the airport, or a local Mickey D's with free wifi.
Nice to be able to put the wifi in your pocket for web access on trips too.
The wifi dongles for the pc' can be had off ebay for under $10 ea.
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Just FYI, not all WiFi at Mickey D's is free. The one nearest us charges for it.
 
Everskyward said:
You can probably also use Personal Hotspot on your iPhone this way as long as you don't think you're going to use too much data. The limit is 4GB/month or you will be paying more (I'm not sure how much more).

http://www.macworld.com/article/158556/2011/03/personal_hotspot_att.html
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This is what we finally decided to do, so today we changed our AT&T iPhone plans and now both our phones can be tethered to up to 5 devices (not that we will actually do that many). :) We lost our unlimited plans, but now we will each get 4GB/month.

I was surprised to find out that my desktop computer DOES have wireless capability, so the only change we have to make is to Tom's desktop computer. Although, he can just plug his iPhone into his computer and it will provide internet service to his computer that way.

Tom now has an iPad 2 that one of his students gave him last week as a token of his appreciation, so we can connect to that one too. We are wondering if we still need the separate 2GB plan that he just started for that iPad? We were surprised at how much data was used in the first few days that he had it. Wonder if it had anything to do with Foreflight?
 
...that depends on whether or not you want your internet access to be limited to when Tom is at home WITH the iPad......
 
Diana said:
This is what we finally decided to do, so today we changed our AT&T iPhone plans and now both our phones can be tethered to up to 5 devices (not that we will actually do that many). :) We lost our unlimited plans, but now we will each get 4GB/month.
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I'm sorry to hear this because it sounds like a terrible tradeoff.

I have Sprint Unlimited 3G/4G service and routinely pull 30-50gb a month through the air.

4GB, I don't know how anybody does it unless all they do is check emails. :confused:
 
I love my Virgin Mobil plan. $40/month unlimited data and 1200 minutes of talk. And you can tether full time. Uses Sprint towers. I think it is now $45 for new users.

They have a couple of nice Android phones..........and no CONTRACT!
 
MSPAviator said:
4GB, I don't know how anybody does it unless all they do is check emails. :confused:
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I tether my iPhone an average of one week a month and I don't even approach 4G. I think in October I used it about a week and a half worth and I used 1.2G. If I used it full time it might be close to 4G. But I'm not careful about how much I use it either.
 
bbchien said:
...that depends on whether or not you want your internet access to be limited to when Tom is at home WITH the iPad......
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We set it up so that we can tether both iPhones, but Tom has the older iOS4 version so he can only use Bluetooth or plug his phone into his computer to get internet access. Bluetooth works good on his iPad everywhere he takes it. We may run into a problem with a new gadget he just ordered for his new iPad. It's the XGPS150 and it will use Bluetooth, so I wonder if the iPad can use two things on Bluetooth at the same time?

After reading all the problems with updating the iPhone 4 to the iOS5, we are going to wait to update his phone to enable it to become a wireless personal hotspot. We will likely tackle that next week, unless someone iSmart stops by the farm before then.
 
MSPAviator said:
I'm sorry to hear this because it sounds like a terrible tradeoff.

4GB, I don't know how anybody does it unless all they do is check emails. :confused:
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We now have 8GB between us. Our study of past usage indicates that will be enough for us. We don't download videos or movies here at the farm. However, when he downloads Foreflight stuff on his iPad, he will likely do it somewhere else, like at the library in town. Evidently, that is a huge file.
 
Diana said:
We now have 8GB between us. Our study of past usage indicates that will be enough for us. We don't download videos or movies here at the farm. However, when he downloads Foreflight stuff on his iPad, he will likely do it somewhere else, like at the library in town. Evidently, that is a huge file.
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Yep. I updated Foreflight charts and IFlightGuide and it was over 12gb. Fortunately my Verizon 4G is unlimited.
 
Diana said:
We now have 8GB between us. Our study of past usage indicates that will be enough for us. We don't download videos or movies here at the farm. However, when he downloads Foreflight stuff on his iPad, he will likely do it somewhere else, like at the library in town. Evidently, that is a huge file.
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The size of the Foreflight data updates can be minimized by only selecting those states that he (or you) is likely to fly in.
 
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