Broad Band options, Help!

jdbower · Jun 26, 2007

Hopefully this may help with some of your latest questions:

PCMCIA is also called "PC Card" because it stands for People Can't reMember Computer Industry Acronyms.

Verizon also offers a USB version, but a friend of mine who has it doesn't like it much since it's clumky and fragile. The benefit of USB is that you don't have to open your computer, but if you don't mind you can install something like this to use the more compact PCMCIA version. For a mostly stationary computer I'd get an external antenna (the Verizon store should sell them). There is also a new smaller standard that seems to be supplanting the PCMCIA cards, but I don't know that you'd see a benefit with this form factor other than a smaller size.

EV-DO is the technical term for Verizon's BroadBand Access product name. Their cell phone service is CDMA (as opposed to AT&T and T-Mobile's GSM), you really don't need to worry about the technical terms but they're interesting to people like me

anojones · Jun 26, 2007

I haven't used the cell phone wireless networks, but the basic idea is you purchase a PC card designed for a laptop computer like this one:
Amazon.com: Verizon Wireless v740 EVDO Rev A ExpressCard (Verizon Wireless): Cell Phones & Service
Probably purchase it directly from verizon so they can tell you which one to get. You then put an adapter in your desktop computer like this:
Amazon.com: StarTech.com CardBus/PCMCIA to PCI Adapter Card - PC card adapter - PCI ( PCI2PCMCIA1 ): Electronics
You then can use the PC card designed for the laptop in your desktop. I don't know anything about either of these products specifically, so you might want to talk to Verizon about what they reccomend. The router above looks intersting as well, just put the laptop PC card into it.

riptides · Jun 26, 2007

MarkV said:
Jimbrown, texbaylea, MikeZ, Help me here, EVDO I don’t know what that is? Is there more than one type of wireless service from Verizon?

Yes. Let us say for simplicity sakes that Sprint and Verizon are now offering a pure digital cell service. Over that digital cell service runs voice and data. The service protocol is EVDO. the digital signal. EVDO is being upgraded now to EVDO-rev A.

If your in an area where you have good cell service, you may want to check out either verizon or sprint coverage maps.

Then if your in a signal area, think about what device you want to use. Phone, card, USB device or a Router.

Do you want to use your cell phone for voice and data (internet)? Maybe upgrade your EXISTING phone for a new model that is EVDO ready.

Do you want to use a desktop or laptop for data (internet)? Get a new access card or USB device that supports EVDO Rev A.

Do you want to buy a new laptop? Some manufactures offer embedded EVDO in their product now.

Or, do you want to connect your house with wireless ability? In that case you can get an access card or USB device and an EVDO wireless router.

HTH.

-Mike Z.

Perhaps a visit to this store front will help. No affiliation on my part.

3Gstore.com, Verizon & Sprint EVDO Modems, Antennas, Amplifiers, Routers

MarkV · Jun 27, 2007

Thanks guys, the information has really been helpful. I would have made some big mistakes without your coaching.

Thanks to the links posted I did some more searching in my area and found that Verizon, Sprint and Cingular all have service in my area. The best news is that Sprint has EVDO Rev A in my coverage area and it offers some pretty respectable speeds. The funny thing is that they don’t show their Cell phone coverage to be as strong as their Broadband coverage where we live. I would have thought with the upgraded EVDO Rev A coverage the Cell phone would also be strong. We will go talk with Sprint and see what the local office has to say.

MarkV

Soundguy · Jun 27, 2007

I'm not sure I've seen a desktop with pcmcia card slots.. anyone else?

edit: Wow.. when did those PCI adapters become available? A few years ago i was looking for this same thing to use some of my wifes PCMCIA cards on a desktop and couldn't find anything like it...

Soundguy

MarkV said:
Thanks everyone, you have offered a bunch of information I didn’t know about. Let me see if I can answer a couple of questions and ask a couple.

Dan, I would not have known about the VPN problems with satellite. As it turns out her company has switched from a VPN, which was a constant problem, to an internet based system. Now they have so much security with it that it isn’t working very well anyone. Hopefully they will solve some of the start up problems soon.

Mike, I don’t know what PCMCIA stands for but at least now know what to ask for. We only us a desk top so linking two computers is not an issue for us.

Anojones, well done, you explained that in a way I could understand. Any idea how hard it is to set up a desk top with the PCMIA stuff?

Jdbower, No need for multiple computers, we have enough trouble with one. My wife works for an airline so she does travel weekly but is too busy bringing back wine from Europe to bother carrying the extra weight of a lap top. It is good to know we could link two if needed in the future.

Jimbrown, texbaylea, MikeZ, Help me here, EVDO I don’t know what that is? Is there more than one type of wireless service from Verizon?

Thanks all, keep the information coming.

MarkV

jdbower · Jun 27, 2007

Soundguy said:
edit: Wow.. when did those PCI adapters become available? A few years ago i was looking for this same thing to use some of my wifes PCMCIA cards on a desktop and couldn't find anything like it...

I was first introduced to them when I bought a Netgear "PCMCIA" wifi adapter back when wifi was new and unusual. They cheated and rather than build a PCI card (like they do now) it was just a PCMCIA card bundled with one of those adapters. I guess they figured it wasn't worth the development time because who'd even use wireless on a desktop?