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Travelling with a computer

Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 09:17

OREJAP

Hi all, We have a laptop PC with a prepaid telstra stick . We would like to use the Internet at times but as we all know reception isn't available everywhere. I would like to know what other members use when away camping (travelling). Friends of ours have an aerial (magnetic type) that sits on top of their C/van which has a "patch lead" that plugs into either their laptop or phone. Where we all camp they can access the internet but we cannot. Telstra tells us that the $149 Telstra "stick" we have is no use as you cannot plug into it with a lead. The NEW Telstra stick has that provision & is priced at $179. The other alternative is to connect to a mobile broadband @ $44.99 for 12 months & then it doubles in price for the next 12 months (obviously we must sign up for a 2 year contract) We are obviously new to this experience & both my wife & I are not very computer literate at all apart from accessing E Mails & searching the "net" for articles, news etc... I am sure there are numerous members who belong to this forum that can help me cure my head spin with a suitable solution. We are not travelling all the time we are just weekly campers probably 3 or 4 times a year at this stage. Any advise would be much appreciated.
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ThreadID: 73586 Replies: 4
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AnswerID: 390347   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 09:37

Member - John and Val replied:

We use a prepaid Telstra 3G phone which can function as a modem, and buy "data packs" as needed. By far the most economical of these provides 100 MB for $10 and lasts for a month. 100MB is ample for our purposes - email, banking, BOM, etc but would disappear very fast with image intense use, eg Google Earth. Check the Telstra website for details. We find this satisfactory in areas of reasonable signal. We haven't had any success with an external aerial, maybe should have gone to a more expensive one.

Cheers

John
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J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
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FollowupID: 658115   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 09:50

bruce posted:

John and Val...I have the same setup as you but with a Samsung phone on a $20 mth plan with $15 free calls , and "my free hour" and get 150mb for my $10..I have an external aerial that we use in places of lower signal...works very welll...cheers
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 658120   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 10:58

Member - John and Val posted:

Thanks Bruce,

There are lots of options, but since we rarely use the phone unless on one of our annual trips, pre-paid with 12 months to use the credit works well - no $ per month, just top up when necessary and use within a year. Suits our usage pattern. Sounds like you have optimised for your usage pattern.

What external aerial are you using? Ours is about 1 foot long and doesn't seem to improve the signal strength at all.

Cheers

John
Indian Ocean sunset Middle Lagoon
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J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 390352   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 10:57

Member - Graham H (QLD) replied:

You have found out what I did that the 7 series USB stick is nowhere as good as Telstra would have you believe.

I have a 5 gig $89 Data pack and I bought a Bigpond Home modem which had been unlocked.

Put the sim card in it and it will connect anyewhere there is phone reception.

This cost me $85.

After lots of trouble Telstra finally gave me a refund on the USB modem

Perhaps the data pack with the phone would be best if you arent able to set up what I have.
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Reply 2 of 4
AnswerID: 390357   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 12:01

Kumunara (NT) replied:

Orejap


I pay the $89 per month for the Telstra 5 gig plan.

I do however travel for work a lot and use my laptop at work.

I find it handy as I can access the internet / email in about half the places I travel to.

I recently did a trip to Ngukurr, Minyerri, Wugularr and Barunga. Minyerri was the only place I did not have mobile phone coverage and couldn't use the internet.


Tjilpi
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Reply 3 of 4
AnswerID: 390377   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 16:01

Member - Jan B (VIC) replied:

Hi Orejap,
We have just returned from 3 months away and found after a bit of trial and error the best we found was Telstra 21 as you can put an ariel on it, used a 6.5 db broom stick eith a patch leed and splitter box for the phone as well it worked really well as in the kimberlies ans pilbra we found long range reception even from the communities, if you require any info give us a yell we are in the dandenong ranges

regards Peter & Jan
Jan & Peter
Reply 4 of 4
FollowupID: 658163   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 21:05

Member - Graham H (QLD) posted:

I was prepared to swap to a 21 series but they reckoned while it was faster the reception MAY NOT be any better.

I realize you can put an external aerial on but I wasnt prepared to fork out for a maybe better.

My little modem sits under the table on the wheel arch and hooks up in some places my phone isnt too good so for $85 I am really happy.

Cheers.
Our new home away from home
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Another Kiwi that flew the coop

FollowUp 1 of 4
FollowupID: 658174   Submitted: Saturday, Nov 07, 2009 at 22:25

Member - lyndon NT posted:

We have the new 21mb card, only used it at home so far. I guess it will be similar to our older sierra card. We have a phone car kit which unscrews under the dash and we hook in a patch lead, takes 10 seconds to connect, the modem is then getting the signal via the phone Ariel. We find it works well.
Offcourse if that isn't up to what your after you can go for Bgan, we find it is excellent, but at $12 a MB it would want to be. Works anywhere on the earth’s surface and can be used for voice or data.
Cheers Lyndon

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Decide now what you will,
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FollowUp 2 of 4
FollowupID: 658195   Submitted: Sunday, Nov 08, 2009 at 01:11

SteveL (WA) posted:

For anyone who is really keen you can make your own yagi (directional antenna)
which will give even better reception.-Steve
Homemade NextG antenna
FollowUp 3 of 4
FollowupID: 658513   Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 10, 2009 at 08:38

OREJAP posted:

Thanks everyone for the advice.
FollowUp 4 of 4
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