Question for Asus netbook owners

desertgrandma · 10-17-2009, 09:39 PM

I have a 1000HE......I've been able to connect wirelessly wherever there is free wifi......but I also have the ability to purchase a card from my cell company (verizon), that allows me internet access anywhere I am, right?

Does anyone else do this? Do you have any opinions, pro or con? Does verizon (or whatever provider you have) provide the card or do I have to buy it?

Is there a name for the particular data package I should ask for? I know there will be a monthly charge in addition to my phone bill.

Thanks for any help here....wondering if its worth the cost.

phenomshel · 10-17-2009, 11:06 PM

We've avoided this option so far; and we're on Verizon. The reason we've avoided it is, it's expensive. So far, it really hasn't been an inconvenience...our one and only laptop is older and bulky so we don't take it anywhere. I suppose though, if I had a netbook or a tablet it would be handy. What we asked about was the modem that uses your cell phone for internet connectivity. That was the option that was "ouch". I think something like another sixty dollars a month, here. But as I understand it, Verizon prices differently depending on region so it might be different where you are. Worth asking about, anyway.

DiggerG · 10-17-2009, 11:32 PM

I have the same Netbook. I use a card (actually its a USB stick) from ATT. I have connected from cars and all manner of locations where there is no wifi. The card is free in return for a 2 year contract which costs $60/month for 5GB of data. Remember all downloads (even web refreshes) and all uploads count as data. Having said this, I have never come close to my monthly allotment. Speeds are slower than wifi but still very usable. ATT works well for me both on my mobile and on this aircard. I live in South Florida.

Dylrob · 10-17-2009, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

We've avoided this option so far; and we're on Verizon. The reason we've avoided it is, it's expensive. So far, it really hasn't been an inconvenience...our one and only laptop is older and bulky so we don't take it anywhere. I suppose though, if I had a netbook or a tablet it would be handy. What we asked about was the modem that uses your cell phone for internet connectivity. That was the option that was "ouch". I think something like another sixty dollars a month, here. But as I understand it, Verizon prices differently depending on region so it might be different where you are. Worth asking about, anyway.

It's $60 here in Nevada as well (for 5GB per month). Or $30 if you use a smartphone with an existing data plan as the modem.

desertgrandma · 10-18-2009, 12:05 AM

Thanks. Thats what I wanted to know.....for what I need, the price is on the high side!

wodin · 10-18-2009, 04:15 AM

I have an Asus eeePC 1000HE, and I use a USB modem on my local no contract provider. The modem, on a no contract basis is a little under $200, but the service is only $35 per month. That's $25 less than the big four, and as you can quickly calculate, payback is only eight months.

The downside is that I cannot roam to other states with it. It's only a home town deal.

Where I work, there is no Wifi, and our corporate network has so many restrictions and blocked sites that I need an independent internet access. So I have my office desktop sitting on my desk, and my Netbook right beside it for when I need to access some blocked content.

Works for me.

HarryT · 10-18-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Thanks. Thats what I wanted to know.....for what I need, the price is on the high side!

Are there no "pay as you go" USB modems available in the US? Here in the UK I have a Vodafone 3G "pay as you go" device. It costs £15 (US$25) for 1GB of data transfer, and never expires. You can get much cheaper rates on a monthly contract, but then there's that monthly charge even if you never use it. The PAYG deal is perfect if you just want it for occasional use, as I do.

If you're in an area with 3G coverage (most large towns and cities) speed is great - it's actually faster than my ADSL line at home!

owlrigh · 10-18-2009, 07:14 AM

Relevant for Australians only, most likely:

My netbook's an EEE PC 1000H and I've a Huawei E169 USB modem, locked to the Optus network (in Australia), which I've been using for a while now. I'm on the 6GB plan at $59.95 a month, and usually go over it, although you can set things up to get an email and SMS sent when you hit 80% and 100% of your data allowance. Both download and uploads are counted towards the quota, and once you hit 100% you get charged by the megabyte. You can go up or down in your plan once a month, or can do the pre-paid route.

Before that I used my Telstra NextG phone to use the internet, before the largest "BrowsePlus Pack" went from 2GB to 750mb ... for the same price! Rip-off! However, since then I realise that the Telstra wireless at the uppermost is $120 for 10GB, after which you are shaped and not charged, and seeing as I go over my data with Optus to the tune of twenty dollars or so, I should have just gone with Telstra in the end.

Keeping the browsing speed up -- I use Opera as a browser, and I find the new "Turbo" setting of version 10.x to be very useful, in the images loading -- toggling of images is quick and easy too, and one can set videos to not automatically load upon webpage opening.

Pretty happy with what I've got; I don't have a landline, or a fixed address, and so the portability of a netbook and wireless broadband is very nifty indeed.

kazbates · 10-19-2009, 03:51 PM

When I first got the netbook, I looked into getting a broadband card. The price was about $60 per month, which seemed a little high for how often I thought I would use it. However, I wish I had had one this past week when I was in Ohio for the funeral. The hotel (a Hyatt) did not have free Wifi and I had to purchase a T-mobile hotspot account for $9.99 per day. It adds up pretty quickly when you are there as long as I was. On the other hand, if you only needed to connect a few times a month, I'm wondering if maybe T-Mobile has something like HarryT said, a pay as you go plan.

AnemicOak · 10-19-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Are there no "pay as you go" USB modems available in the US? Here in the UK I have a Vodafone 3G "pay as you go" device. It costs £15 (US$25) for 1GB of data transfer, and never expires. You can get much cheaper rates on a monthly contract, but then there's that monthly charge even if you never use it. The PAYG deal is perfect if you just want it for occasional use, as I do.

If you're in an area with 3G coverage (most large towns and cities) speed is great - it's actually faster than my ADSL line at home!

The only one I can think of off the top of my head is Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go however it appears quite a bit more expensive than your service...
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/mobile-broadband

desertgrandma · 10-19-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazbates

When I first got the netbook, I looked into getting a broadband card. The price was about $60 per month, which seemed a little high for how often I thought I would use it. However, I wish I had had one this past week when I was in Ohio for the funeral. The hotel (a Hyatt) did not have free Wifi and I had to purchase a T-mobile hotspot account for $9.99 per day. It adds up pretty quickly when you are there as long as I was. On the other hand, if you only needed to connect a few times a month, I'm wondering if maybe T-Mobile has something like HarryT said, a pay as you go plan.

I was wondering for much the same reason......spending time waiting in the hospital would have been so much easier if I had had access to the internet........at least I could have visited with you guys.......

Looking up the various terms/treatments/medications they threw out would have been a godsend.

kazbates · 10-19-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I was wondering for much the same reason......spending time waiting in the hospital would have been so much easier if I had had access to the internet........at least I could have visited with you guys.......

Looking up the various terms/treatments/medications they threw out would have been a godsend.

It was similar for me. Sure I could search as long as I was sitting in my hotel, but if we were at the church or at the funeral home, I really needed a mobile card. To be honest, I was shocked that I had to pay for Wifi while staying at a Hyatt. I've stayed in much less expensive hotels where Wifi was included.

daffy4u · 10-19-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

I was wondering for much the same reason......spending time waiting in the hospital would have been so much easier if I had had access to the internet........at least I could have visited with you guys.......

Looking up the various terms/treatments/medications they threw out would have been a godsend.

I ran across a company that will rent the card to you short term (no contact... yay!). It's a little pricey but for short term it might work out well.

I just canceled mine but it will still work until Nov 2. You want to borrow it?

desertgrandma · 10-19-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I ran across a company that will rent the card to you short term (no contact... yay!). It's a little pricey but for short term it might work out well.

I just canceled mine but it will still work until Nov 2. You want to borrow it?

Very generous of you duck.....but I don't think I'll be needing it. Right now we're home and don't expect to be going anywhere for a while. (she said optimistically)

desertgrandma · 10-19-2009, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazbates

It was similar for me. Sure I could search as long as I was sitting in my hotel, but if we were at the church or at the funeral home, I really needed a mobile card. To be honest, I was shocked that I had to pay for Wifi while staying at a Hyatt. I've stayed in much less expensive hotels where Wifi was included.

Hyatt needs to get with the times. Apparently they aren't business customer oriented, eh?

10-17-2009, 09:39 PM	#1
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Question for Asus netbook owners I have a 1000HE......I've been able to connect wirelessly wherever there is free wifi......but I also have the ability to purchase a card from my cell company (verizon), that allows me internet access anywhere I am, right? Does anyone else do this? Do you have any opinions, pro or con? Does verizon (or whatever provider you have) provide the card or do I have to buy it? Is there a name for the particular data package I should ask for? I know there will be a monthly charge in addition to my phone bill. Thanks for any help here....wondering if its worth the cost.

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10-17-2009, 11:06 PM	#2
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	We've avoided this option so far; and we're on Verizon. The reason we've avoided it is, it's expensive. So far, it really hasn't been an inconvenience...our one and only laptop is older and bulky so we don't take it anywhere. I suppose though, if I had a netbook or a tablet it would be handy. What we asked about was the modem that uses your cell phone for internet connectivity. That was the option that was "ouch". I think something like another sixty dollars a month, here. But as I understand it, Verizon prices differently depending on region so it might be different where you are. Worth asking about, anyway.

10-17-2009, 11:32 PM	#3
DiggerG Member Posts: 18 Karma: 21 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Florida, USA Device: Kindle (world)	I have the same Netbook. I use a card (actually its a USB stick) from ATT. I have connected from cars and all manner of locations where there is no wifi. The card is free in return for a 2 year contract which costs $60/month for 5GB of data. Remember all downloads (even web refreshes) and all uploads count as data. Having said this, I have never come close to my monthly allotment. Speeds are slower than wifi but still very usable. ATT works well for me both on my mobile and on this aircard. I live in South Florida.

10-18-2009, 12:05 AM	#5
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Thanks. Thats what I wanted to know.....for what I need, the price is on the high side!

10-18-2009, 04:15 AM	#6
wodin Illiterate Posts: 10,279 Karma: 37848716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: The Sandwich Isles Device: Samsung Galaxy S10+, Microsoft Surface Pro	I have an Asus eeePC 1000HE, and I use a USB modem on my local no contract provider. The modem, on a no contract basis is a little under $200, but the service is only $35 per month. That's $25 less than the big four, and as you can quickly calculate, payback is only eight months. The downside is that I cannot roam to other states with it. It's only a home town deal. Where I work, there is no Wifi, and our corporate network has so many restrictions and blocked sites that I need an independent internet access. So I have my office desktop sitting on my desk, and my Netbook right beside it for when I need to access some blocked content. Works for me.

10-18-2009, 07:14 AM	#8
owlrigh Bibliomanist Posts: 99 Karma: 26 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Australia, somewhere Device: [past:PRS-700, PRS-505, PRS-T2] Now: Kobo Glo HD, Samsung G7 Edge	Relevant for Australians only, most likely: My netbook's an EEE PC 1000H and I've a Huawei E169 USB modem, locked to the Optus network (in Australia), which I've been using for a while now. I'm on the 6GB plan at $59.95 a month, and usually go over it, although you can set things up to get an email and SMS sent when you hit 80% and 100% of your data allowance. Both download and uploads are counted towards the quota, and once you hit 100% you get charged by the megabyte. You can go up or down in your plan once a month, or can do the pre-paid route. Before that I used my Telstra NextG phone to use the internet, before the largest "BrowsePlus Pack" went from 2GB to 750mb ... for the same price! Rip-off! However, since then I realise that the Telstra wireless at the uppermost is $120 for 10GB, after which you are shaped and not charged, and seeing as I go over my data with Optus to the tune of twenty dollars or so, I should have just gone with Telstra in the end. Keeping the browsing speed up -- I use Opera as a browser, and I find the new "Turbo" setting of version 10.x to be very useful, in the images loading -- toggling of images is quick and easy too, and one can set videos to not automatically load upon webpage opening. Pretty happy with what I've got; I don't have a landline, or a fixed address, and so the portability of a netbook and wireless broadband is very nifty indeed.

10-19-2009, 03:51 PM	#9
kazbates Wizard Posts: 2,627 Karma: 406616 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Northern Virginia Device: SurfacePro, SurfaceBook 2	When I first got the netbook, I looked into getting a broadband card. The price was about $60 per month, which seemed a little high for how often I thought I would use it. However, I wish I had had one this past week when I was in Ohio for the funeral. The hotel (a Hyatt) did not have free Wifi and I had to purchase a T-mobile hotspot account for $9.99 per day. It adds up pretty quickly when you are there as long as I was. On the other hand, if you only needed to connect a few times a month, I'm wondering if maybe T-Mobile has something like HarryT said, a pay as you go plan.

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