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+--- Thread: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) (/showthread.php?tid=11244)
Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) - papercup - 05-13-2006
I will be bouncing around the country on business, is the T-Mobile HotSpot service (prepaid wifi service at "T-Mobile HotSpots") any good? The other alternatives are trying to find free service (in SMALL towns) or exorbitant prices in hotels.
Any opinions?
Looks like 40.00/mo. for my trip.
Re: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) - Drew - 05-13-2006
It could be tax deductible. Have you checked to make sure they have HotSpots in the towns you're going to be in? I live overseas and sometimes go to the US on business. I usually get a HotSpot account during that time. However, a couple of times I've gone to a Starbucks that has a HotSpot expecting to get some work done, only to find out that it wasn't working that day and the staff didn't know much about it. It was working the next day, but it was a bit annoying. Other than that, the speed seems quite good. Also, you can send and receive mail from your own e-mail software without having to change the SMTP settings. That's important for my situation.
Re: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) - nwyaker - 05-13-2006
You might try this app. / database. Free and works for me. Using the map link while connected and saving screenshots of likely future locations is helpful.
Re: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) appended - nwyaker - 05-13-2006
Whoops ! forgot the link.
http://www.jiwire.com/hotspot-locator-laptop.htm
Re: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) - chopper - 05-13-2006
What a guy needs is a web site with all the FREE Wi-fi spots in a city listed. Sure you can wheel into a Starbucks and pay for access, however, for example, in my town there's Starbucks and then ...4-5 other small independent coffee shops (and a public library) that offer FREE FAST wireless. Why pay?
Just wish I could find the definitive site to locate all these FREE WIRELESS places for road warriors.
Chopper
Re: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) - M A V I C - 05-13-2006
A couple things to be aware of:
1. It's an open wifi network. This means people can read what you send and receive. I've seen people parked outside the local starbucks doing a little more than surfing the web. Keep in mind things like your POP email password are sent in plain text. So use a secure mail service.
2. Make sure you join the official network. How you make sure of this, I'm not sure. But for a long time I've known that creating a false network there just to grab information is a major vulnerability. Recently I was at an airport that had a t-mobile hotspot. When I got on the plain, I still saw the same hotspot. Well, it wasn't a hotspot, but someone's laptop setup to try and get people to connect to it. With Windows, it will force you to connect to the strongest signal.
IMHO, you're probably better off getting a cell phone plan that allows you to access the net through their network. If you use Verizon it will likely be as fast as a hotspot (in some areas.) Sprint would be a little slower but still decent. Cingular would be even slower but possibly still work well.
I pay an extra $10/mo for unlimited data, but I'm grandfathered in as now they usually require a second line for that connectivity. That's still about the same price as the t-mobile hotspots. It's secure and you have more flexibility.
Re: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) - Ken Sp. - 05-13-2006
If you have SBC/ATT DSL you can use their WiFi Hotspots at McDonalds, Barnes & Noble, and UPS spres for $1.99/month.
Many hotels have free wifi now, and with a small amount of "war driving" I can usually find an open wif signal that is usable.
MacStumble.com has a great utility for finding sigals (doesn't work with MacBook Pros)
There are also a few wifi widgets.
Re: Any T-Mobile HotSpot users or comments? (WI-FI) - Drew - 05-14-2006
M A V I C Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A couple things to be aware of:
>
> 1. It's an open wifi network. This means people
> can read what you send and receive. I've seen
> people parked outside the local starbucks doing a
> little more than surfing the web. Keep in mind
> things like your POP email password are sent in
> plain text. So use a secure mail service.
What is a secure mail service? One thing I like about Hotspot as opposed to just wardriving and finding an open Wifi channel is that I can send from Entourage as normal without having to know the SMTP settings. If I stumble across an open
Wifi network I often can't send. Is Entourage secure?
I could also use a web mail system. My server uses Squirrel Mail. With Safari, is Squirrel mail secure?
Thanks.