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General discussion

Wi-Fi in a box?

Feb 23, 2006 5:41AM PST

Here's an article from the NY Times about a box that provides a Wi-Fi hotspot no matter where you go. No more searching for an internet cafe, coffee house, airport, or hotel. Though it requires the use of a Cellular PCMCIA card to work, it's perfect for those who have their PCMCIA slots full, or who don't have one at all (a la Mac Book Pro laptops).

http://tinyurl.com/qsnor

-Terry

Discussion is locked

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Great but Apparently a Violation of Usage Agreement
Feb 23, 2006 7:08AM PST

These are great products, but apparently Verizon at least is starting to crack down on folks using them. Much like the early days of DSL and cable modem, the wireless folks want you to pay $60 for each machine you are using, so using a device like this to share the connection is a violation of the usage agreement.

I suspect this will eventually go the way of the fantasy the cable folks had that they would charge you $40/month for *each* computer on your network. Only a Dodo would do that (hee hee, I made a Darwin funny).

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Hehehe .. dodos are always funny.
Feb 23, 2006 7:47AM PST

Yeah, I remember the days of the cable companies' delusion of charging for EVERY computer connected to their high speed internet. Hopefully the Cellular companies will see through this delusion as well.

But if you bought the box with the intent of being the sole user of the internet (I'm a hog like that; why share my internet that I pay for so someone else can use it for free?), is it really violating the license agreement?

-Terry

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NS
Feb 23, 2006 10:40AM PST

If you bought one and only used it yourself you'd technically be fine. But remember, the telcos (and the content industry) start by assuming their customer are criminals trying to steal from them. So if you own one you clearly mean to use it to steal.

They probably think that because the telco (and content industry) leaders are criminals trying to steal from their customers.

Now if, as Tom mentioned, the telcos actually offer these as perks, that will help some. I'm sure they'll rent it to you for $40 a month, make you buy a special plan that is 70% more than the regular one, or something equally stupid.

Oh, and they'll complain that the devices don't sell better because everyone is stealing from them.

Do I seem bitter? Wink

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Nah, not bitter at all :)
Feb 23, 2006 12:13PM PST

Silly me, and I always thought that people were innocent until proven guilty, and not the other way around.

Maybe it doesn't apply to cable companies, cell companies, and movie and music production companies.

Nope, I'm not bitter either .. Happy

-Terry

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I saw this at CES
Feb 23, 2006 10:08AM PST
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Linksys?
Feb 23, 2006 8:03PM PST

Linksys have something that they call a mobile router. I have thought about getting one of these fore a while. They have a slot for a data card, provided by your telco and use the 3G data networks (3G - that?s what well call it in the UK anyway).

I see the device being really quite cool. For example, if you are in a WI-FI hotel but you cannot get a cellular signal, you could buy the net access from the hotel and then share it with all those in your party as opposed to having to buy a subscription per user.

Another net feature, the ability to reduce the range of the wireless by reducing its power. Even though it is encrypted, it?s another security feature to prevent access to the network to those outside the hotel room.

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That sounds really cool?
Feb 23, 2006 11:15PM PST

Ross,

Can you dig up a link to that? I'd like to read some more about that.

-Terry