Access broadband account from another home

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potsiea

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#110650 13-Oct-2012 08:20

We have a holiday home with poor mobile broadband reception. Only one good place for reception which is not close to where the PC is used. Currently I use my smart phone (motorola defy) as a wifi router when there which works well but this fries the battery and the phone overheats.

We are not there enough to warrant a monthly plan naked broadband connection and currently we do not have telephone wiring to the house but I would consider connecting the landline if any of the ISP companies let you access your home broadband account from another location (holiday home).

Is anyone aware if it is possible to access one broadband account from dual locations?
If not, any ideas on a better way to set up mobile broadband whilst away that won't fry the phone?

Thanks

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#700506 13-Oct-2012 08:33

No, not without paying for a broadband connection on that line.

If you don't want to use your phone for data there are plenty of WiFi hotspot devices that use 3G data.

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potsiea

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#700507 13-Oct-2012 08:42

Thanks.
Plenty of data on the phone so happy to use it but don't like the overheating.

No wifi spots in our area to use

johnr

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#700511 13-Oct-2012 08:52

What location is it?

potsiea

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#700513 13-Oct-2012 08:55

Kuratau - South west end of Lake Taupo

cyril7

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#700515 13-Oct-2012 08:58

Hi, sounds like your location is on the edge of coverage thats causing the phone to use higher than normal Tx power to gain access. I use my Galaxy S quite a bit for hot spotting and yes it runs warmer than when just idling but not enough to say there is a problem, I also leave mine on the charger if using it like this for any period.

Based on your location response, it might be worth either getting an external antenna and using a coupler to increase the power to/from the phone to the cell site, or invest in a dedicated 3G router with a vodem etc to do this task.

Edit, ahh Kuratau, we spend a lot of time at a family batch back up near the exchange on Omori rd, both XT and Voda can be troublesome, JohnR might be able to advise the best direction to aim an antenna.

Cyril

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#700517 13-Oct-2012 09:05

Check out the RBI page new coverage might be planned

http://www.vodafone.co.nz/about/media-centre/rural-broadband-initiative/coverage/

potsiea

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#700518 13-Oct-2012 09:08

Thanks Cyril. The antenna could be a good idea. I have taken my wifi router up there and put my phone SIM card in a t stick which worked ok but then the phone is out of use. Could buy another sim but want to use existing data planes if possible

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#700519 13-Oct-2012 09:09

potsiea: No wifi spots in our area to use

Sbiddle was talking about a dedicated 3G device that provides instant WiFi access - or as cyril called them "3G router". You can then use its own SIM card or move your phone's SIM to the device while using data (no calls come in obviously).

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potsiea

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#700522 13-Oct-2012 09:24

Final RBI coverage according to the map John

potsiea

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#700524 13-Oct-2012 09:27

freitasm:
potsiea: No wifi spots in our area to use

Sbiddle was talking about a dedicated 3G device that provides instant WiFi access - or as cyril called them "3G router". You can then use its own SIM card or move your phone's SIM to the device while using data (no calls come in obviously).

Is this one and the same as the wireless router i have at home that has a USB port to plug a tstick into, or is it something different?

DonGould

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#700526 13-Oct-2012 09:30

I've found my LG p450 gets very warm when operating as a wifi hot spot as well, even when it's within 100m of the 2Degrees tower.

It doesn't get warm when I'm just using the phone as a wifi device.

Like has been suggested, I try to run the device on mains when I'm in AP mode.

As for two sims, 2Degrees have a simple answer to this. For an extra $5 a month and $1 per device (iirc) they allow you to share your data plan across your devices. I don't know if your provider has such a plan as well.

History seems to suggest that what one provider does the others will do eventually. So in the short term, I wonder if a 3G router (as suggested above) on a separate plan with a small data allowance, would be the answer?

The other option is to call forward your calls to another phone while you're using your sim in the 3G router. You could even forward them to a VoIP provider and then just use a SIP client on your phone in wifi mode (assuming the phone will run at all without a sim in it).

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#700528 13-Oct-2012 09:40

DonGould: I've found my LG p450 gets very warm when operating as a wifi hot spot as well, even when it's within 100m of the 2Degrees tower.

It doesn't get warm when I'm just using the phone as a wifi device.

Like has been suggested, I try to run the device on mains when I'm in AP mode.

As for two sims, 2Degrees have a simple answer to this. For an extra $5 a month and $1 per device (iirc) they allow you to share your data plan across your devices. I don't know if your provider has such a plan as well.

History seems to suggest that what one provider does the others will do eventually. So in the short term, I wonder if a 3G router (as suggested above) on a separate plan with a small data allowance, would be the answer?

The other option is to call forward your calls to another phone while you're using your sim in the 3G router. You could even forward them to a VoIP provider and then just use a SIP client on your phone in wifi mode (assuming the phone will run at all without a sim in it).

Some excellent ideas thanks Don. I will explore them further and at the same time workout what a SIP Client is!

DonGould

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#700542 13-Oct-2012 10:08

potsiea: Some excellent ideas thanks Don. I will explore them further and at the same time workout what a SIP Client is!

You're welcome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Session_Initiation_Protocol

I use a VoIP (Voice over IP) provider - 2talk, for my phone phone. What this means is that my calls are then sent over the internet, a bit like Skype.

At home we have a thing called an ATA which we just plug our normal cordless phone into.

I also have a bit of software that runs on my smart phone (it's called a SIP client) which is a bit like Skype, but is a 'client' for my phone providers server. It basically turns my 'smart phone' in to a 'cordless phone' running over my wifi network.

The benefit of all of this is that I only pay local/fixed line call rates to use my number on my smart phone (plus obviously what ever data it uses if I'm on the 3G network rather than my wifi at home).

The other benefit is it makes access to my 'phone number/service' more flexible.

When I go away to my parents house, we take the ATA and cordless phone with us. Even though we're in Wellington, we've still got our Christchurch phone line with us. This makes my wife very happy.

I can then divert my mobile number to our home number or the other way around, if I want to.

Because I'm doing more in software, I have more flexibility.

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#700552 13-Oct-2012 10:31

potsiea:
freitasm:
potsiea: No wifi spots in our area to use

Sbiddle was talking about a dedicated 3G device that provides instant WiFi access - or as cyril called them "3G router". You can then use its own SIM card or move your phone's SIM to the device while using data (no calls come in obviously).

Is this one and the same as the wireless router i have at home that has a USB port to plug a tstick into, or is it something different?

They're different. Usually not much bigger than a mobile phone and no ethernet ports at all, only WiFi.

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Zeon

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#701943 16-Oct-2012 10:48

In case you want to consider DSL some providers will allow you to share dataplans over multiple connections. E.g. with Unleash we pay for a data plan and then pay just a naked connection only cost for each location that connects.

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