internet and computers

G'day tommytomato,

I'm travelling from Hobart to Cairns and back using the trusty laptop for the same things you want to.
Using the telstra nextG mobile wireless broadband USB stick.No antenna,just plug it in and away it goes.

Haven't had any trouble with it at all. Think it was $129.00 for the stick with 10MB included.Is more expensive than some of the others ,but from what I've heard it works just about anywhere.
I'm sure there are other more experienced users out there who can advise about those out-of-the-way spots.

We have travelling 2 1/2 years using telstra next g card. Just plugs in, install software from the disk and away you go. Can get it as prepayed or on contract. Ours is $89 a month for 5 GB of download. We use it for heaps, emails, checking accomodation, attractions, keeping up with news and of course ExplorOz. Coverage is very good. Basically if you have phone service you have internet.

Josh

tommytomato

If you stick close to the major towns (like up/down the East Coast) you won't have a problem. Try the same thing in, say the centre of NT you won't get much reception.

External 3G antennae will certainly help extend the range.

Also, don't discount your own 3G phone (if you have one). Just signup for a datapack, plug phone into USB port and your away. No need for separate USB 3G Modem.

WARNING!!

Depending on what you spend per month (and it can quickly add up). Don't sit there on the computer like you do at home. Prepare everything in advance.Logon, then cut and paste and send. Grab your emails and logoff. Read the emails offline. Answer them offline then, depending on urgency, next time you logon you can send the emails.

HTH

Malcolm

Hi Karl,

If you already have a NextG phone then I wouldn't waste my money on the USB sticks or cards. We have a Nokia 6120 with the car kit and aerial and anywhere we could get phone reception, we had Internet. We travelled for 6 months last year, around the West coast up to NT and back down the Centre. While we still had times with no recpetion, it was a hell of a lot better than others using Optus etc.
We installed the Nokia software and plugged the phone in the laptop with a camera cable (normal USB connection one end and mini-USB connection the other). It works exactly the same as the sticks and cards, which you normally have to pay extra for.
Then we bought casual data packs. Although they were expensive, when we got back home we had no contract so just went back to 'normal' Internet. We were updating a webpage as we went so needed the speed and coverage NextG offers. If you look at coverage maps, most of the other Internet providers only have range in metro and large regional areas - this was useless to us last year!
We could also use the phone while connected to the Internet, something we found out by luck!

Cheers,

Mark.

In marginal areas you can get a couple of bars by sticking a high gain antenna on a 3 metre pole.
It doesn't get much , but all of the vans at Yardie Creek Station at Ningaloo had these antennas up as ther eis a range between Yardie and the cell.

I could get reception half way down the entrance road via my good ol ZTE252 with a 4DB ( 50MM antenna) hard wired car kit. But I had none in the park itself.

First time I have seen such a widespread use of external antennas.
Regards Philip A

Hello,

It has to be Telstra by the way. Forget Vodafone or Optus. I'm on Vodafone and had no signal after Dubbo all the way to Alice Springs. I went through Birdsville and Boulia. I was at least expecting service in Nyngan or Bourke but none. Same thing down to Adelaide from Alice, Port Augusta was next service.

No phone service means no internet. Thats why Telstra charges an arm and a leg for their data plans compared to the others.

Mike

Hi I inquired from Telstra about using my mobile as a modem. I am not with Big Pond but with an independant carrier. I was told that I would be charged with the amount of data I down loaded, I have a prepaid card, I explained to them that I was already being charged by my server for the amount I downloaded and that I thought that they were double dipping. I've not used it yet and am reluctant to do so.
In my humble opinion the infrastructure should have been left in the hands of Telecom and Telstra just set up as a marketing company.