[Electronics-talk] Mobile hot spot question

Mon Sep 15 22:46:11 UTC 2014

Yes, in Japan, some companies rent wifi devices, too, and when we don't know 
we pay more.
If you have a cable connection you can connect a small wifi device to it for 
free. I don't find any problem with that and I don't know, but I don't 
think, that it might be illegal to do so in the U.S.
Check the contract with your provider, just in case, to be sure, but such a 
restriction might be legally unacceptable and they have no way to control 
it, I think.
There are many such devices made by several manufacturers available on the 
market.
They might be called "wireless LAN router". Be careful because there are two 
types: one type that connects to the modem and another type to be able to 
use wi-fi with your pc in case your pc doesn't have wi-fi connectivity 
(something like a codeless phone for the main unit). The main unit connects 
to the modem and the other unit to some port of your pc (if you need this 
other unit), because, as long as your devices have Wi-fi connectivity (like 
the iPhone), you just need the main unit.
Check out that you are buying the main unit, because the other unit seems to 
be much cheaper, but it won't connect to the modem.
I bought a device made by Planex and sold by Amazon in Japan (a model 
exclusively sold by Amazon Japan) for about USD40 and I use it everyday; it 
works wonderfully.
Another thing you should check is how many devices can be connected to it at 
the same time.  The device I bought allows for 4 connections, I think. We 
tested it: my daughter watched Youtube and my wife and I listened to some 
radio programs on the internet at the same time without any problem.  We 
were connected to the fast connection, because it has a fast connection (5) 
and a slow one (2.4). It's illegal to use the fast connection outside the 
house here.

Try to learn about all these things before buying a wifi device (wireless 
router) to buy the best one that suits your needs and get the most of it.

HTH
George

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
To: "George" <osocalmo at yahoo.co.jp>; "Discussion of accessible electronics 
and appliances" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 9:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Mobile hot spot question

>I have a question about one thing you brought up.
>
> There are much better ways to use wi-fi, by buying a small device that you
> can connect to the modem of your internet cable; you will have many more
> ports and no more charges than the price of the device, probably $30 or 
> $40.
>
> What exactly are you referring to? I had a device through A T & T, but 
> they
> charged each month for it depending on how much data was used. I haven't
> ever heard of a device that just has a one-time charge associated with it.
> More explanation would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
> sherri
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "George via Electronics-talk" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> To: "Linda" <waterinmyroom at gmail.com>; "Discussion of accessible 
> electronics
> and appliances" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, September 12, 2014 5:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [Electronics-talk] Mobile hot spot question
>
>
> Hi Linda,
>
> I'll answer to your questions and give you my advice based on my latest
> experience.
>
>> I want to make sure I have the proper understanding of what a mobile hot
>> spot is before I give up my landline and internet service.
> It's just a wi-fi connection via your smart device or your iPhone.  Your
> iPhone will act as a Wi-fi transmitter and will give access to the 
> internet
> via your iPhone internet connection if you allow it.
> It's a wi-fi connection using your iPhone.
> There are much better ways to use wi-fi, by buying a small device that you
> can connect to the modem of your internet cable; you will have many more
> ports and no more charges than the price of the device, probably $30 or 
> $40.
>
>> I heard that a smartphone can somehow be connected to my iPad so that I
>> will still be able to use it or my laptop.
>
> Yes, but you will need to have internet connection on your smart phone and
> your laptop needs to have wi-fi connectivity. You might have it if your
> laptop is a rather new one.
>
>>
>> Is this tru?  Is it easy to connect to the mobile hot spot?
> Yes, it's easy to connect if you can read the ID and password displayed on
> your iPhone settings; generally, you'll need them only once for each 
> device:
> the next time devices probably will connect automatically.
>
>>   I have never been without a landline, and want to make sure I'm doing
>> the right thing in getting rid of it.
>
> Well, from my experience, I can't advise you to do that.
> Cable is more secure (it's much more difficult to intersept a line than
> waves flying in the air), faster (measured in data amount per second 
> between
> your device and your provider) and more stable (the connection will never 
> be
> cut no matter the distance from your modem unless you cut the cable) than
> wi-fi.
> I have recently bought a wi-fi device and stopped tethering: I had to pay 
> a
> fee each month for tethering.
> My daughter used an iPad and connected to the internet via my wife's 
> iPhone.
> Her connection would be cut if she is not in a certain distance from the
> phone. Other electronic devices might interfere, too.
> The main problem was that, in Japan, where we live, they make your
> connection very slow after you used 7 GB of data and, if you want to have
> fast internet connection again you have to pay like $20 for each 
> additional
> GB of data until the end of the month.  The next month you will have fast
> internet connection until you get to the 7 GB.
> Our daughter used Youtube for a few hours at the beginning of the month 
> and,
> after that, my wife couldn't use internet comfortably: not only Youtube, 
> but
> also she had a very bad time even navigating on the internet and sending
> emails (everything was terribly slow).
> They say that they do that to limit data traffic by waves.  On cable, 
> you'll
> never have that limitation.
> They might implement some similar restriction in the U.S. some day, or 
> they
> might have it already, I don't know.
> Also, in case of a natural disaster, internet cable is much reliable; you
> might become unable to communicate by talking or by email on your smart
> phone; we had that problem right after the big earthquake and nuclear
> accident of 2011.  Internet cable worked much better.
>
> If you want to use tethering, try it first for a few days before getting 
> rid
> of your internet cable and check with your mobile company about costs 
> before
> using it.
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> George
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Linda via Electronics-talk" <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> To: "Discussion of accessible electronics and appliances"
> <electronics-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2014 2:38 AM
> Subject: [Electronics-talk] Mobile hot spot question
>
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I want to make sure I have the proper understanding of what a mobile hot
>> spot is before I give up my landline and internet service.
>>
>> I heard that a smartphone can somehow be connected to my iPad so that I
>> will still be able to use it or my laptop.
>>
>> Is this tru?  Is it easy to connect to the mobile hot spot?  Thanks for
>> your assistance.  I have never been without a landline, and want to make
>> sure I'm doing the right thing in getting rid of it.
>>
>> Linda
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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