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kiwifidget

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#304422 2-May-2023 14:21
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Hi, 

 

I belong to a non-profit community group (genealogy) which holds monthly meetings with an average of 25 attendees.

 

Our meetings are designed to be a combination of research and education.

 

Internet connectivity is thus a primary requirement.

 

I've been asked to look into wireless broadband options to reduce dependence on others' internet connections.

 

The regular wireless broadband plans offered by Spark, One, 2D etc seem attractive but are not supposed to be taken from one location to another willy nilly is that right?

 

Also, can you have one installed at a location that already has its own wired internet connection? eg sharing a premise with another club.

 

I checked out Wireless Nation's offering but that is a bit spendy. Anything else similar but cheaper?

 

Thanks.

 

Edit: I think maybe Spark has a portable broadband solution but their site is down at the moment, so if anyone knows anything about that...





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wellygary
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  #3070489 2-May-2023 14:37
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What is your typical data usage?... Is it daily, weekly monthly meetings 

 

If you are moving sites frequently then fixed wireless is probbably not going to work for you 

 

A regular rollover pre pay mobile plan and a 4/5G hot spot might be the easiest option, with 25 people a couple of bucks per meeting gives you north of $50 a month to play with...

 

 


 
 
 

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wratterus
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  #3070519 2-May-2023 14:55
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Spark have the basic 40GB option which is pretty cheap & I think portable. Depending on data usage requirements, that might be quite a good option. 


kiwifidget

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  #3070533 2-May-2023 15:34
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wellygary:

 

What is your typical data usage?... Is it daily, weekly monthly meetings 

 

If you are moving sites frequently then fixed wireless is probbably not going to work for you 

 

A regular rollover pre pay mobile plan and a 4/5G hot spot might be the easiest option, with 25 people a couple of bucks per meeting gives you north of $50 a month to play with...

 

 

 

 

Meetings are monthly, of 2 hour duration.

 

Data usage is not high but the connection needs to have legs, keep 25 people accessing Ancestry etc at a reasonable pace.

 

Usually we rent the same room every month, but that room will be unavailable in a month or few due to renovations.

 

We are going to be homeless for a bit and meetings will be wherever we can find a place or possibly not at all until the room is available again.

 

We can be more flexible about where we hire a room if we have BYO internet.

 

I have a small portable hotspot with a 2D sim, but it wont accept more than 5 connections.





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wellygary
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  #3070537 2-May-2023 15:44
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kiwifidget:

 

I have a small portable hotspot with a 2D sim, but it wont accept more than 5 connections.

 

 

If you can get the group to chip in something like this could suit you... up to 64 connections, 

 

https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/NETTPL4600/TP-Link-OneMesh-Archer-MR600-4G-LTE-Cat6-Wi-Fi-Rou

 

 


kiwifidget

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  #3070573 2-May-2023 18:13
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Thanks @wellygary , nice to have another option.

 

Still wondering about this issue though:

 

If a location already has a copper/fibre connection, can a standard wireless broadband solution from a same or different ISP also be implemented?

 

 





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RunningMan
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  #3070577 2-May-2023 18:38
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No reason you can't have multiple connections at one location.


kiwifidget

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  #3070779 3-May-2023 11:06
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Are Spark still having issues??

 

I'd like to know more about this...(I googled portable broadband nz)

 

 

 

 

But when I click on that all I get is this, all yesterday afternoon and still today...

 

 

Does anyone know what the portable broadband is all about?





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wratterus
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  #3070789 3-May-2023 11:52
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That's what I recommended earlier in the thread. Think it's probably perfect for you. 

 

 

 

The Smart Modem 2 they supply is a decent bit of kit and should handle that many wireless clients, adding a second AP is pretty easy if you need to spread the wireless load over two devices. It would be more about it getting a decent mobile signal to ensure there is enough bandwidth to go around. 


kiwifidget

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  #3070795 3-May-2023 12:08
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Thanks @wratterus , when Spark have finished fixing things I'll take a better look at that.





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K8Toledo
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  #3070818 3-May-2023 13:57
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kiwifidget:

 

Hi, 

 

I belong to a non-profit community group (genealogy) which holds monthly meetings with an average of 25 attendees.

 

Our meetings are designed to be a combination of research and education.

 

Internet connectivity is thus a primary requirement.

 

I've been asked to look into wireless broadband options to reduce dependence on others' internet connections.

 

The regular wireless broadband plans offered by Spark, One, 2D etc seem attractive but are not supposed to be taken from one location to another willy nilly is that right?

 

Also, can you have one installed at a location that already has its own wired internet connection? eg sharing a premise with another club.

 

I checked out Wireless Nation's offering but that is a bit spendy. Anything else similar but cheaper?

 

Thanks.

 

Edit: I think maybe Spark has a portable broadband solution but their site is down at the moment, so if anyone knows anything about that...

 

 

Where are you? Is there a strong signal?

 

If the various locations are in the vicinity of one or towers it should be OK. Just don't travel round the country....

 

Also 25 connections.......would that require a dedicated AP? 

 

 

 

 

 

 


  #3070968 3-May-2023 18:47
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Also, can you have one installed at a location that already has its own wired internet connection? eg sharing a premise with another club.

 

It's not practical to piggyback off theirs; i.e. arrange to share costs? Or ask the venue to take over it and provide WiFi?


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