T&T: Aircards-More Info please

[Jeffrey Siegel]

> This is a special router - WRT54G3G-ST.
> 
> All-in-one Internet-sharing Router, 4-port Switch, and 
> Wireless-G (802.11g) 
> Access Point
> 

These aircard-to-802.11 routers are interesting devices.  If you're going to
connect MULTIPLE computers across your cellular data plan and want to easily
make voice calls at the same time, I can see their value.  But remember that
you'll need another cellular data plan, a cellular aircard, and the special
router.  That's an expensive way to go.

And there are other options.

I'm a big fan of using the single mobile phone for everything.  That way,
once you amplify it (and you'll eventually want to amplify it on your boat),
you get the amplifier for voice and data together.  Having it all on the
phone means that you can use phone applications themselves to get weather,
navigation, tides, currents, web access, etc.  It's too big of a benefit.
Frankly, it mostly what we use when we're on our boat - rarely booting up
the PC - we found that we didn't need to use it nearly as much.

So what do you do if you want to share your mobile phone internet connection
with multiple computers?  Unfortunately, that does happen on our boat (it's
unfortunate because we should be enjoying other things than using our
computers).  Here are a couple of ways to share the connection directly from
your mobile phone:

1. Use one of the computers as a gateway.  You connect the mobile phone to
the PC and use built-in software on the PC to share the connection with
other PC's.  Here are some articles about how to do it:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306126
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/

Both of those articles use Windows XP.  There's probably a way to use Vista
with ICS too but I haven't looked into it.

2. If you really want to spend extra money, there is at least one device
that allows you to connect your mobile phone directly, and then acts as a
wireless gateway (much like Ron's referenced WRT54G3G-ST):
http://www.cradlepoint.com/ctr350/ctr350.php


I plan on experimenting with this device later in the year (it came out
since our last cruise).


I still think, overwhelmingly, that it is a mistake to use an aircard on a
boat.  You're either limiting your capabilities or putting yourself in a
situation where you need to spend a lot more money to get the same
capabilities has having a higher-end mobile phone.  The only situation where
it might be better to use an aircard is when your company is paying for it
and you can use it on your boat for free.


==================================
Jeffrey Siegel
M/V aCappella
DeFever 53PH
W1ACA/WDB4350
Castine, Maine

www.activecaptain.com
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