This weekend I decided to try and solve a recurring problem when using our older HP Laptop (came from factory with wireless adaptor) through our Cradlepoint 1000 router with Verizon aircard.   The coneection to the wireless network was very poor or non-existent.    Yet when we use the new Acer netbook it worked great.

I had called 3G Store tech support a while back and they had told me to get a new wireles adaptor card to upgrade from b to n.   Of course I didn't do that thinking it had something to do with settings since the router shows it is backward compatible to b.

Well I wasn't able to solve the problem.

So here's where I'm at.  I really like the laptop so it's not time to get a new one.  I don't like have to plug in stuff to get access.  I would like to replace the adaptor inside of the laptop.  I've found "how to" articles, but have been unable to find a source for the internal adaptor.  Any ideas where I might be able to get one ?

And would it be a mistake to open up the laptop and replace the adaptor.  I'm handy and have fixed electronics and computers and put them back together and they worked, eventhough I had a few leftover parts.....

If the best choice is a plug in adaptor, the reviews tend to opt for a Linksys WUSB600N.
Any experience with one of these ?

Or best choice to go with ?

Question 2-
And while I'm on the router subject.  Will the Cradlepoint 1000 be able to connect to a free or pay WI-FI site at a campground or do I use the laptop card to access the WI-FI.

It would be great if I could access either the aircard or WI-FI directly from the router.  If it's possible how do I setup the router to grab both as needed.  

The goal is to use the campground WI-FI to save usage time on my aircard whenever we are setup in a site with free or low cost WI-FI access.

Any help will be appreciated.





-- Edited by thebearII on Monday 13th of April 2009 03:52:26 PM

If you can tell the difference between a b card (11mb/s) or a g card (54mb/s) or an n card (600mb/s) - they are generally backwards compatible - WHILE connected via an AirCard of any type, I'll personally eat your old wireless adapter and I might just do it at the next RVD rally. In this case, your throughput is limited by the AirCard and the elder laptop, not the wireless connection to your router/AirCard. Read on...

I have a MotoSat dish and I still connect to it via a b-wireless network. I've tried a g-card and saw positively no change in throughput. Again, my limiting speed, like yours is the connection itself (MotoSat is about the same as an AirCard) not your wireless connection.

Your slowness is the laptop. How much RAM is installed? What type/speed of CPU does it have? It is not the wireless card. Read on....

From the Verizon website for the AirCard-- Rev. A Capable: Typical download speeds of 600–1400 Kbps and uploads speeds of 500–800 Kbps* -- take special NOTE of the speeds where they use a "k" as in kilo (1000) for the speed of the AirCard to the internet. Even the SLOWEST wireless (the b card) is in the "m" as in mega (1,000,000) range. Here's the crux of the issue - your "crappy" b card connects to the AirCard at more than 10 to 1,000 times FASTER than your AirCard (on a perfect day) could even hope to achieve.

Save your money and don't buy a new adapter (although a Linksys adapter is top flight - made by Cisco) instead, buy more RAM from www.crucial.com


-- Edited by RVDude on Monday 13th of April 2009 06:11:37 PM

You have to go into the Cradlepoint setup and select "Basic" and then "Wireless (WI-FI) Settings. Down a bit you will see "802.11 Mode" (at least that is what it says with my MBR1000). Set it to mixed mode with "b", "g" and "n". Then save the settings. That should work.

Edit: Also older adapters only support WEP encryption so if you are using WPA or WPA2 then it won't connect.  With b I would use WEP 128bit.    If you want a USB adapter I would go with a high gain Hawking unit instead of Linksys.  You can add a 10 t 15 foot USB extension cable, put the adapter up high (outside if the weather is nice) and catch weak wi-fi signals.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Tuesday 14th of April 2009 09:54:37 AM

Edit again:  You can't use the Cradlepoint to hook to campground wi-fi's or it won't work like you think.  Some wireless routers can be put in repeater mode, but there are restrictions to how repeaters work, lots of incompatibilities and mostly it is not worth the trouble.  Making it work is not for the casual user, it is somewhat geeky.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Tuesday 14th of April 2009 09:59:17 AM

RV Dude and Bill, Thanks for the info. I'll give the suggestions a try this weekend and see what happens. I got close to solving using an adaptor last night, so I think it might be the router settings.

Does the HP laptop connect with campground WiFi ok? Do the laptops need to be networked together for any reason? Depending on the age of the HP laptop you probably won't be able to find an upgrade for the wireless adapter and compatible drivers. Working on a laptop is a very different animal from a desktop, the small size provides a lot of opportunity to break something. Just not worth it if you ask me.

I looked at laptops for sale on line and decided it's time to replace. I'm leaning towards a Toshiba Satellite or anothe HP Pavillion, both are under $700. I'd like a Mac Book since I do a lot of video and audio work but can't justify the $2100. The current laptop will go in the kitchen for the Mrs to use, I'll just have to hard wire it to the router.

I would go for Toshiba over HP any day. HP is just not very consistent in quality while Toshiba is. I like Dell's because I can configure them just like I want (I buy Vostros from the Small and Medium business section and they good choices under $700). Another good brand is Lenovo, which used to be IBM Thinkpads.

My old Dell notebook I run Linux on has been giving me fits with some hardware issues so Diane suggested I start looking for another computer running Vista so we could know how to help family on Vista issues. The machine would run both Vista and Linux. While looking we noticed Costco was selling an Acer Aspire 4730Z for $480 ($479.99) and it was better configured than I expected. We bought it and tested it with Linux live CDs to make sure it would work. Plus we actually made sure we could change out the hard drive and memory if needed. It is a nice machine and with the 3GB of RAM and an Intel Core 2 Duo it runs Vista fine. Now we might have a clue when relatives ask us about Vista. I even found a website listing all the Windows XP drivers by using Google and "acer 4730z".

Bill, Looks like a nice laptop with a great price. I will have to take a look at it. The reviews I've read indicate it works great on a wireless network. Thanks for the info.

We are new out on the road (sold the house bought a travel trailer). We have a wireless laptop (Dell) and an ATT Aircard. Our TV is DTV and the antenna is not very strong. Most areas we can barely get any reception for the TV. The Aircard is a joke. We upgraded with ATT and a new Globe Trotter Aircard but in 2G areas we are limited. We can't view anything on Youtube. It is to slow. Even in a 3G area we have problems. Is there an adapter or booster we can use on our antenna and/or laptop. At this point we can't afford DISH yet. Any suggestions? www.displacedtravelers.com Thank you, Glenda

3GStore.com and MaximumSignal.net have external antennas and amplifiers for your aircard. You put the external antenna, normally a "trucker" model, on a pole (often made of PVC pipe) and then bring the wire inside to the amplifier which then connects to your aircard via an adapter cable. Most aircards have a place to plug in the adapter cable, but each is different.

I hate to tell you that AT&T is way down the list on aircard speed, above T-Mobile but both Verizon and Sprint are much better.

I also need to warn you that all aircards have a 5GB per month limit and you can get there fast by watching a lot of video.  Most Rvers use less than 2GB per month, but video and grandkids can increase the usage faster than you can believe.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Thursday 18th of June 2009 09:57:05 PM

-- Edited by bjoyce on Friday 19th of June 2009 09:13:25 AM

Take a look at my website in the Communications section and that may help you. www.jackdanmayer.com 

As fulltimers, if you are travelling around you will find that ATT is not the provider you really want. Sprint or Verizon will give you far better coverage. For voice, Verizon is the best. For data, Verizon or Sprint.

Have any of you heard or read about the MIFI and would it take the place of the air card?

The MIFI device would take the place of an Aircard / Router Combo.  In our case the Verizon Aircard and a Cradlepoint 350. 

Now I like having the two pieces because when I have to go into a customer site I want to be able to use the Aircard but some customers network folks would freak if I fired up a WIFI hot spot in the middle of their datacenter.

But if you haven't sprung for the combo then the MIFI may be an option for you it is though just that an option.

Mallo

There are limits to the usability of that device for most RVers or fulltimers. It may work fine for some, but I much prefer the flexibility of separate devices. The Cradlepoint routers providea lot of flexibility and capability that the MIFI does not. My suggestion is to read about the its use on the 3GStore site. IMO for RVers a conventional cellular router and aircard is far superior - unless you have a special need that the MIFI supports.

Also I have heard the MIFI does not have an antenna port, so you can't boost the cellular signal with an external antenna and/or amplifier like you can with aircards.

Wireless is more convenient, but basically just boosts about as much as the external antenna hard wired, while a wired amplifier boosts much more. I know, my Wilson wired amplifier boosted my in-laws signal much more than their wireless amplifier did off their trucker antenna. Jack has tested these configurations, you should read what he says on his website which he referenced.

OK, the MIFI can be amplified using a wireless system. But one point is the internet performance of aircards does improve as you improve the signal, so having the extra boost of a wired amplifier can and often does improve your internet performance. Does the MIFI automatically update roaming (like "*228" on a phone) or do you have to hook it up with USB to a computer every once in a while to do so? If you get a Novatel aircard, like a 720, 727 or 760, the newer firmware on a Cradlepoint router can update roaming without putting it in a computer. I have a UM150 so I have to put my aircard into a computer every once in a while to update it and twice now it has improved my experience. With the Alltel towers coming online over the next few months with Verizon I expect to have to update again. My in-laws do not have an aircard but have both an AT&T phone and Verizon phone and only one has an antenna connector. By using a wireless amplifier and trucker antenna they can use both phones in some marginal areas. My father-in-law can't stay still and loses the connection sometimes as he moves his upper body while talking since he gets too far from the amplifier. (Bluetooth would help here but we won't go there.)