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8:04 am
August 5, 2017
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Random question, I want to check connectivity in a specific area on one of the mobile hotspots before I invest in one. Wondering if someone might have one that is active on AT&T that I can borrow for a test?
Jamie & Damaris 
11:41 am
Club President
April 2, 2003
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I had one but returned it to my work. Sorry.
They are free from my work - does yours offer the same?
Kathleen and Brad
3:56 pm
August 5, 2017
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No, they don't offer anything like that for us. I'm just trying to test one out to know if it will work for me before I invest in it and then can't use it.
Jamie & Damaris
5:41 pm
Club Trailmaster
March 13, 2015
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I have one from KNV solutions. Their sim uses ATT towers and has unlimited data for $130 a month. 30-50 Mbps in the canyon at my house with 1 bar of LTE. Enough to stream 1 TV in full HD and run a SONOS in another room. Not sure what data rate would be with full LTE signal. $20 cheaper than hughesnet, twice the speed, basically zero latency.
12:46 pm
August 5, 2017
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Yeah, if I can get 4G the hotspot seems the way to go over HughesNet or Viasat, these are my fall back plan. I have a test plan for AT&T hotspot and Verizon which looks to have better coverage in the area, will take a look at your service Kris, appreciate everyone's help!
Jamie & Damaris
1:41 pm
Club Member
December 14, 2018
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Hey Jamie,
What are you trying to accomplish for the hotspot?
Are you just wanting to hook up a laptop to the internet or provide a hotspot for other wireless devices?
I use an app called PDANet that I bought about 9 years ago for my android phone. It was only a one time cost of $8 and it allows me to use my cell phone as a USB connection to my laptop for internet connection. You do have to install a client on your laptop for the connection. I use it because DOJ does not allow connections onsite to their network for non DOJ laptops. I have moved it to 3 other phones when I replaced them and did not have to purchase another license.
The app does have a wireless hotspot capabilities but I have never tried it.
Food for thought.
John
3:16 pm
August 5, 2017
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I was trying tofigure out if signal was strong enough at a location that I would be able to use it as primary Internet access. Verizon showed full 4G coverage on their map and AT&T showed borderline 4G on theirs so I was trying to do a test with the hotpots, TMobile has zero signal. I am on AT&T for mobile and I found someone on Verizon who did a test with me on our phones and neither had good enough signal to connect a computer to them as a hotspot. I suspect the hotspots would not be appreciably better so sounds like not an option for primary internet. I think the only option is going to be HughesNet/Viasat until Starlink is availible.
Jamie & Damaris
10:39 pm
October 10, 2020
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Some libraries have hotspots that can be checked out. We checked one out from the Sacramento Public Library when a tree took out our fiber optic and power lines. It operated on the AT&T system, so that would give you an option to test. However, the reception was no better than with our phones, so if your phone was receiving a weak signal, the hotspot would be the same.
4:53 am
August 5, 2017
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Thanks for the idea on the Library! And thanks for confirming on the phone vs. hotspot, it is what I suspected. Sounding more an more like I am going to be stuck with Viasat or HughesNet until Starlink expands in the area, they are saying a year or more.
SMcCutcheon said
Some libraries have hotspots that can be checked out. We checked one out from the Sacramento Public Library when a tree took out our fiber optic and power lines. It operated on the AT&T system, so that would give you an option to test. However, the reception was no better than with our phones, so if your phone was receiving a weak signal, the hotspot would be the same.
Jamie & Damaris
8:08 am
Club Trailmaster
March 13, 2015
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How does the signal compare inside vs outside the house? I ran a cell booster at my old house that worked ok with a yagi antenna on a 20ft pole above the roof. Can also connect those antennas into the dedicated cell modems. 1 bar of LTE on my ATT phone gets 5-10 Mbps but the indoor router antennas get 30-50 Mbps in the same location.
12:23 pm
August 5, 2017
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All around the outside of the house I was at 1 bar LTE on the AT&T phone and unable to get an internet connection on my laptop through it. Same on Verizon phone. I did not realize you can get modem routers, thanks for the suggestion! Interesting you mention the booster & antenna, I just found a local company called Allcom Telecom that comes out and surveys the site to figure out your best option with similar solutions (boosters, modems, antenna) and he also has a point to point solution but that might require some kind of tower to be erected but would likely be the fastest solution. I am gong to make a call tomorrow and have him come out to survey.
kris_olof said
How does the signal compare inside vs outside the house? I ran a cell booster at my old house that worked ok with a yagi antenna on a 20ft pole above the roof. Can also connect those antennas into the dedicated cell modems. 1 bar of LTE on my ATT phone gets 5-10 Mbps but the indoor router antennas get 30-50 Mbps in the same location.
Jamie & Damaris
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