Mobile Broadband in Western Queensland - <span class="highlight">Antenna</span> needed ?
Submitted: Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 11:14
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Holden4th
I have a Telstra NextG Turbo USB wireless broadband modem. On the trip out west with the school group I'd like to take my laptop and utilise the modem to keep in touch with the school. My Samsung blue tick phone works
well out there (nothing else does) but I'm not sure whether my modem will. According to Telstra's coverage map it should work easily as we traverse major highways all the way. However, one salesperson in JB HiFi said it might not and gave a set of reasons that didn't make sense. Something about switching from 3G to 2G to receive coverage - I thought it was the other way around.
As I said, I'm taking my laptop (which also has a wireless modem inside) but I'd like to be able to use the Telstra WiFi modem in
Mitchell,
Longreach,
Winton and
Barcaldine. Has anyone had any experience of coverage in this area and can advise me whether or not I need to use an external
antenna?
All replies appreciated
Reply By: workhorse - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 11:38
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 11:38
You might find that an active usb cable (different from a normal usb cable) will give you a better result with less signal loss. You plug your usb into it and then position it for best reception. I live in rural nsw and have a coaxial cable linked to an antennae about 5 metres on the roof but the 20 cable length leads to signal length whereas the active usb cable dangles out the window with the usb modem on it and works a treat.
Hope that helps.
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Follow Up By: Holden4th - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:08
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:08
I use the cable that came with the device - not sure if it's active or not.
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Reply By: Tjukayirla Roadhouse - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 12:33
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 12:33
G'day were 40km's out of
Winton on a Station there, and when the nextg internet came out, we got one of them usb jiggers, and it worked fine.
We still have one that we use around the country, with no probs at all.
Cheers
Al
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Holden4th - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:07
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:07
Thanks for your reply - it's exactly what I needed.
BTW, I stopped into the
Tjukayirla Roadhouse in May '07 for morning tea and the bloke running it called it by it's nickname - the 'Chook House'. Wasn't you by any chance?
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Follow Up By: Tjukayirla Roadhouse - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 14:16
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 14:16
No, wasn't us, we were were still in the NT then.
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Reply By: MrBitchi (QLD) - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 12:33
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 12:33
In my experience, using the USB modems work better with the USB cable supplied, rather than plugging it directly into the laptop. The cable acts as an antennae.
Other option is to use your Samsung phone as a modem.
You say your laptop has an internal modem.. That means its 3G capable? with it's own SIM? (just checking your terminology) If that's the case just use that. That's what I use these days (3g enabled Acer) and I get as good if not better coverage than anyone else using any other method.
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Follow Up By: Holden4th - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:11
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:11
Thanks, that firms up what the previous post talked about.
The modem in the laptop (belongs to work) seeks out wireless networks which I suppose would include Telstra. However, accessing the Telstra network might be a different story as there is no place for a SIM card with this and my broadband USB modem is a prepaid.
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Follow Up By: MrBitchi (QLD) - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 22:21
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 22:21
That means your laptop has standard wireless networking. It does not have a modem inside; it has a wireless network card. It can connect at wireless hotspots (maccas etc) but not to Telstra. That requires 3G, or your USB modem.
Cheers,,
John
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Reply By: Member - John D, Wandong (Vic) - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:15
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 13:15
On our trip last year we travelled through the area's you have mentioned including on to
Boulia, Mt Isa and on through NT & WA, I used the Telstra NextG Turbo USB wireless broadband modem also, just plugged it into the laptop and it worked fine, we found Telstra's signal coverage map to be a very good guide.
Cheers,
John
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Patrol22 - Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 14:49
Saturday, Jul 02, 2011 at 14:49
I have one of
these Telstra Next G aircards that also came with an extra plug in antennae. It works very
well normally and with the plug in antennae even better in the reception fringe areas.
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Reply By: Holden4th - Sunday, Jul 03, 2011 at 07:32
Sunday, Jul 03, 2011 at 07:32
Thanks everybody, it looks as if you've saved me spending $30 for an
antenna.
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Reply By: craig pukallus - Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 17:38
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 17:38
would love to know how you went with signal??
Don't worry most phone sales staff i find do not understand
antenna's
The way I see it is line of site the higher the
antenna and the higher the DBI gain the better signal pick up.
I have a mate Pete, professional fisherman who states he gets reception 160km off the coast with his 9dbi
antenna.
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Follow Up By: Holden4th - Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 19:00
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 19:00
Hello Craig
We leave on Weds next week. I've been into a couple of Telstra shops and you're right, they are only sales staff and have no idea. They do what I'd already done and pull up a coverage map. They are there to sell, not answer customer queries. I went to the
shop where I bought the device and insisted that as a customer that they provide me with the necessary
feedback but they were unable to do that.
I'll leave the
antenna and report when I get back.
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Follow Up By: craig pukallus - Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 19:14
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 19:14
spoke to pete the fisherman he says google telco
antenna
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Reply By: Member - hopbush - Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 17:46
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 17:46
I use my next G rural phone as a modem for my netbook all the time when travelling to send emails and photos to family and friends and always have the phone plugged in to my next g aerial....it makes a difference of 2-3 bars in reception and is the difference between a reception and no reception in fringe areas.
Tony
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Holden4th - Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 19:02
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2011 at 19:02
2-3 bars is a huge increase - I might just get bone for my phone.
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733377
Reply By: Holden4th - Saturday, Jul 30, 2011 at 04:12
Saturday, Jul 30, 2011 at 04:12
Hello Everybody - reporting back.
I had no issues with using the Telstra USB dongle so their covearge maps are fairly accurate. I used the dongle in
Mitchell,
Longreach,
Winton and
Barcaldine and the worst reception was 3 bars. I hope this helps other people. What I did find out was; if my telstra blue tick phone works then so will the USB modem. I even managed to use it while moving, achieving 5 bars along the Bruce highway south of Benaraby
AnswerID:
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