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From: Geoffrey S. Mendelson on 23 Jul 2010 02:39
krishnananda wrote:
> You mean like "Magic Jack" <http://www.magicjack.com/5/index.asp> ? It
> has a USB plug on one end and a RJ-10 socket on the other for your
> telephone. Claims to do VoIP even if your provider doesn't.

Magic Jack, is a analog telephone adaptor with a USB connection. It allows
you to connect a regular telephone to the USB port of your computer.

It does not do much else, all of the processing is done with a "softphone"
program running on your computer. Their original business plan was to sell
you the device with bundled service and then every time you used it,
put up advertising on your desktop.

Things got so bad that they closed their user support forums and there are
several websites people put up to give a voice to their customer complaints.

I stopped paying attention when I found out they "astroturf", i.e.pay
reporters to write folksy, grassroots postints to mailing lists about
"this wonderful thing I found".

One posted to a Jerusalem mailing list that it was good for home calls but
not "commerical grade". I emailed him and asked which ISP, what line speed
he used, etc, he very nicely told me he was in New York and had never used it
here in Israel. :-(

At one time there were five different people selling them here ranging in
price from $50 to $100. Most of the advertised as free calls to the US, and
not that you had to pay them up front.

That was a while ago, and I have not followed them. Some people here claim they
work well, others claim they work so poorly they are unusable.

There are lots of VoIP providers around and IMHO you either want to use
SKYPE, which is everywhere and cheap, but has almost no support, or pay the
extra money and get one that has support where you are.

That is a big problem here in Israel, 90% of the VoIP companies that sell
US based services have little or no support or even worse, people sell their
product with no real connection to them, and once you buy it, you are on
your own.

If you want a cellular USB modem, you'll have to find one that is sold and
supported by your local cellular providers. If you have a language problem,
find someone to help you who does not, or pay the money for a consultant.

Cellular contracts are an easy thing to sign up for a lot of money over a long
time with no way out.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
To help restaurants, as part of the "stimulus package", everyone must order
dessert. As part of the socialized health plan, you are forbidden to eat it. :-)
From: Wayne C. Morris on 23 Jul 2010 15:16
In article <krishna-94007A.21481922072010(a)62-183-169-81.bb.dnainternet.fi>,
krishnananda <krishna(a)divine-life.in.invalid> wrote:

> In article <1jm1rcd.hv706wklk5c0N%pf(a)porkain'tkosher.oink>,
> pf(a)porkain'tkosher.oink (Paul Fuchs) wrote:
>
> > Tom Harrington <tph(a)pcisys.no.spam.dammit.net> wrote:
> >
> > Well, I hsven't got into it too deeply, and then there is the language
> > barrier. My Spanish is pretty rudimentary. I just know that they are
> > offerred by the cell phone companies here and they plug into the USB
> > port of your computer. And it works where ever the cell phones work.
>
> You mean like "Magic Jack" <http://www.magicjack.com/5/index.asp> ? It
> has a USB plug on one end and a RJ-10 socket on the other for your
> telephone. Claims to do VoIP even if your provider doesn't.

No, what he's talking about is a cellular modem in a USB stick. Just a USB lug,
no other sockets (except maybe for a SIM or memory card). It's sometimes called
mobile broadband or mobile internet. It gives you internet access over a
cellular data network. Some have Wi-Fi too so you can use Wi-Fi hotspots, but I
doubt it'll act as a hotspot for other computers.

<http://ca.tech.yahoo.com/experts/tedkritsonis/article/1304>

And to answer Paul's original question, yess, there's a device that lets you
plug in your USB mobile internet dongle or a compatible cell phone to provide a
personal Wi-Fi hotspot.

Or you can buy one that has its own cellular data modem built in.

Here are reviews of two such devices:

<http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/cradlepoint_phs300_personal_wifi_hotspot>

<http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/verizon_wireless_mifi_2200_intelligent_mo
bile_hotspot>
From: Wayne C. Morris on 23 Jul 2010 20:38
In article <wayne.morris-3B1856.14160723072010(a)news.eternal-september.org>,
"Wayne C. Morris" <wayne.morris(a)this.is.invalid> wrote:

> No, what he's talking about is a cellular modem in a USB stick. Just a USB
> lug,

Oops. lug -> plug
From: Paul Fuchs on 23 Jul 2010 20:58
Wayne C. Morris <wayne.morris(a)this.is.invalid> wrote:

> In article
> <krishna-94007A.21481922072010(a)62-183-169-81.bb.dnainternet.fi>,
> krishnananda <krishna(a)divine-life.in.invalid> wrote:
>
> > In article <1jm1rcd.hv706wklk5c0N%pf(a)porkain'tkosher.oink>,
> > pf(a)porkain'tkosher.oink (Paul Fuchs) wrote:
> >
> > > Tom Harrington <tph(a)pcisys.no.spam.dammit.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > Well, I hsven't got into it too deeply, and then there is the language
> > > barrier. My Spanish is pretty rudimentary. I just know that they are
> > > offerred by the cell phone companies here and they plug into the USB
> > > port of your computer. And it works where ever the cell phones work.
> >
> > You mean like "Magic Jack" <http://www.magicjack.com/5/index.asp> ? It
> > has a USB plug on one end and a RJ-10 socket on the other for your
> > telephone. Claims to do VoIP even if your provider doesn't.
>
> No, what he's talking about is a cellular modem in a USB stick. Just a
> USB lug, no other sockets (except maybe for a SIM or memory card). It's
> sometimes called mobile broadband or mobile internet. It gives you
> internet access over a cellular data network. Some have Wi-Fi too so you
> can use Wi-Fi hotspots, but I doubt it'll act as a hotspot for other
> computers.
>
> <http://ca.tech.yahoo.com/experts/tedkritsonis/article/1304>
>
> And to answer Paul's original question, yess, there's a device that lets
> you plug in your USB mobile internet dongle or a compatible cell phone to
> provide a personal Wi-Fi hotspot.
>
> Or you can buy one that has its own cellular data modem built in.
>
> Here are reviews of two such devices:
>
> <http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/cradlepoint_phs300_personal_wifi_h
> otspot>
>
> <http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/verizon_wireless_mifi_2200_intelli
> gent_mo bile_hotspot>

Thanks Wayne. The Cradlepoint is just the type of device I may be
looking for if I go with 3G instead of satellite. As to the other
link, for better or worse, we don't have Verison in Argentina.


--
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth
becomes a revolutionary act.
George Orwell
From: Fred McKenzie on 23 Jul 2010 21:37
In article <1jlzjgu.1rih7y0e3yuacN%pf(a)porkain'tkosher.oink>,
pf(a)porkain'tkosher.oink (Paul Fuchs) wrote:

> Is there a router device on the
> market where you can plug a USB dongle into it and it will give you wifi
> in the house?

Paul-

Yes. I have two: One I use as a portable WiFi hotspot. The other
provides wireless printing in addition to internet access at my Mom's
house.

Both are made by Cradlepoint. The one I have here is a model MBR900.
See www.cradlepoint.com for more info. It was purchased at a Best Buy
store in the U.S.

I think that Netgear and Linksys both have models that support a USB
cellular dongle, but I haven't come across them in stores.

Fred
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