Check the coverage maps for Sprint data, http://coverage.sprint.com/IMPACT.jsp?INTNAV=ATG:HE:Cov, at those two spots. If Sprint has 4G at both locations then the Millenicom unlimited plan would work for you. You would then need a wireless router to put the USB modem in to share the signal. Sprint 3G is probably not fast enough for you.
Next check the Verizon data coverage, http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController, and see if Verizon has 4G data at the two locations. The Millenicom hotspot plan, with a 20GB per month limit, is on Verizon. You better watch the usage closely with that plan, since it would be easy to go over 20GB. That means you should probably buy a uml290 USB modem, a SIM card adapter to move the SIM from the hotspot to the 290, and a router so the router can monitor your usage. The WiFiRanger and Pepwave Surf SOHO can both monitor your usage.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Saturday 3rd of August 2013 09:43:16 AM
jd31mc said
03:49 PM Aug 3, 2013
Everyone is speaking Greek to me on all of these product. Here is my situation I will be stationary in one location in southern MD. I may move from one spot to another within 30 mins of each other. I will be using about 15-20GB per month give or take. My kids have an Xbox 360 I have 3 laptops that they use. What would be my best solution?
NWescapee said
04:45 AM Aug 4, 2013
Bill - I did not know that WiFi Ranger can monitor our data usage on the Millenicom plan. Any hints on how we review our data usage??
bjoyce said
04:08 PM Aug 4, 2013
I don't have a WiFi Ranger, but the latest firmware is supposed to be able to monitor data usage. Contact WiFi Ranger to find out how. My Cradlepoint MBR95 can also monitor usage and I use it.
Jack Mayer said
07:15 PM Aug 4, 2013
The WFR monitors all data passing through the router. It has limited reporting - the Pepwave SOHO has much more detailed reporting. Al of the routers that do bandwidth monitoring are only estimates...the final say is the cellular provider, so you STILL have to check there to be sure.
I have a review of the Pepwave Surf SOHO that compares it to the WFR Go and the Cradlepoint 95 here. It does talk about bandwidth monitoring.
bjoyce said
11:08 AM Aug 5, 2013
Compared to weekly status from Millenicom, it is nice to have the router tracking usage in real time. We have had a few times where we were running on campground wifi or our AT&T hotspot for a week, where we could compare the MBR95's usage numbers to Millenicom and they have been within 5%. I figure if we stay under 19GB on the router, we are probably safe, and since our highest Millenicom usage has been 12GB, the router usage info is good enough for us.
We are using our AT&T hotspot right now since there is no Verizon service here at the La Conner, WA Thousand Trails, but there is AT&T 4G service (not LTE). Two miles away there is solid Verizon 1X, 3 miles 3G, a few more miles and it is 4G. At some campsites you can pull in a weak Verizon signal with an external antenna and amplifier, but not where we are.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Tuesday 6th of August 2013 08:28:30 AM
NWescapee said
03:37 AM Aug 6, 2013
Interesting, we're trying to monitor our usage and trying to figure out the best way to balance this is tricky. Our current campground has free WiFi but this morning it was soooo sloooow and given that I've taken my corporate job on the road with us, it just wasn't cutting it for me. Switched to our Verizon hotspot from Millenicom and it worked great all day. Now we're back on the "free" WiFi at the campground.
We had originally thought we would just add the Verizon data plan to our current cell phone plan but the first day we had the router I blew past 0.5GB in one day (an unusually long and data intensive work day) but that told us really quick that the 10 GB Verizon plan was not going to work for us.
Figuring this out one day at a time right now and loving the freedom!!
nightsky said
10:22 PM Aug 12, 2013
I use a program called DU Meter to monitor my bandwidth usage, and have done so for several years. I have satellite internet at the S&B and using DU Meter saved me several times from getting FAP'ed. It only works on PC's as far as I am aware.
I used Networx on my main computer, which is much like DU meter. But, with multiple computers and tablets I needed to monitor everything and the router does that. If you do not have a router, the Pepwave Surf SOHO is supposed to have the best usage monitoring.
http://www.technomadia.com/internet/ and http://www.jackdanmayer.com/communication.htm#Internet on the Road are good links to learn more. Mobile Hotspot and MiFi are the same thing, a combination cellular modem and wireless router.
Check the coverage maps for Sprint data, http://coverage.sprint.com/IMPACT.jsp?INTNAV=ATG:HE:Cov, at those two spots. If Sprint has 4G at both locations then the Millenicom unlimited plan would work for you. You would then need a wireless router to put the USB modem in to share the signal. Sprint 3G is probably not fast enough for you.
Next check the Verizon data coverage, http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/CoverageLocatorController, and see if Verizon has 4G data at the two locations. The Millenicom hotspot plan, with a 20GB per month limit, is on Verizon. You better watch the usage closely with that plan, since it would be easy to go over 20GB. That means you should probably buy a uml290 USB modem, a SIM card adapter to move the SIM from the hotspot to the 290, and a router so the router can monitor your usage. The WiFiRanger and Pepwave Surf SOHO can both monitor your usage.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Saturday 3rd of August 2013 09:43:16 AM
Everyone is speaking Greek to me on all of these product. Here is my situation I will be stationary in one location in southern MD. I may move from one spot to another within 30 mins of each other. I will be using about 15-20GB per month give or take. My kids have an Xbox 360 I have 3 laptops that they use. What would be my best solution?
The WFR monitors all data passing through the router. It has limited reporting - the Pepwave SOHO has much more detailed reporting. Al of the routers that do bandwidth monitoring are only estimates...the final say is the cellular provider, so you STILL have to check there to be sure.
I have a review of the Pepwave Surf SOHO that compares it to the WFR Go and the Cradlepoint 95 here. It does talk about bandwidth monitoring.
Compared to weekly status from Millenicom, it is nice to have the router tracking usage in real time. We have had a few times where we were running on campground wifi or our AT&T hotspot for a week, where we could compare the MBR95's usage numbers to Millenicom and they have been within 5%. I figure if we stay under 19GB on the router, we are probably safe, and since our highest Millenicom usage has been 12GB, the router usage info is good enough for us.
We are using our AT&T hotspot right now since there is no Verizon service here at the La Conner, WA Thousand Trails, but there is AT&T 4G service (not LTE). Two miles away there is solid Verizon 1X, 3 miles 3G, a few more miles and it is 4G. At some campsites you can pull in a weak Verizon signal with an external antenna and amplifier, but not where we are.
-- Edited by bjoyce on Tuesday 6th of August 2013 08:28:30 AM
We had originally thought we would just add the Verizon data plan to our current cell phone plan but the first day we had the router I blew past 0.5GB in one day (an unusually long and data intensive work day) but that told us really quick that the 10 GB Verizon plan was not going to work for us.
Figuring this out one day at a time right now and loving the freedom!!
www.hageltech.com/dumeter/about
I used Networx on my main computer, which is much like DU meter. But, with multiple computers and tablets I needed to monitor everything and the router does that. If you do not have a router, the Pepwave Surf SOHO is supposed to have the best usage monitoring.
Note: For anyone still using Hughes.net satellite, http://www.datastormusers.com/hnFAPAlert.cfm , is a good solution since it checks the usage directly with the modem.