lurob
Well-Known Member
Is it possible to access the internet on 2 laptops simultaneously using a single USB modem via some sort of splitter or adapter?
USB modem
- Thread starter lurob
- Start date
AntarcticPilot
Well-Known Member
Establish an "ad hoc" wireless network between the two lap-tops.
Set up the USB modem connection on one of them
Share the USB network connection from the one with the USB modem.
If no wireless, a CROSSOVER network cable between the two will do the job as well.
Jeannius
Well-Known Member
If you have Windows 7 then download Connectify ( http://www.connectify.me/ ). This creates a 'virtual wifi' access point and the other PCs connect to that.
I haven't used this with a USB Modem but I believe it will work.
I haven't used this with a USB Modem but I believe it will work.
njamesphoto
Well-Known Member
we use our iphone with a greek sim in it as a hot spot and our laptops and other phone just login as you would at home with a password.
maxi77
Well-Known Member
We have a natty wifi box our dongle fits into which allows us to connect every ting to tinternet though the one dongle. We got it on offer from Optimus in Portugal. It is a Huawei D100
sailinglegend420
Well-Known Member
I'm afraid I wouldn't recommend it yet - great when it does work - BUT.
We have tried this two or three times and had severe problems - sometimes worked and sometimes not - even after downloading the latest software. When we moved to a USB modem from WiFi we couldn't get the USB modem software to work. After hours in the WIND shop in Greece we had to go back to a restore point that was created when Connectify was installed and all then worked.
sailinglegend420
Well-Known Member
I'm afraid I wouldn't recommend it yet - great when it does work.
We have tried this two or three times and had severe problems - sometimes worked and sometimes not - even after downloading the latest software. When we moved to a USB modem from WiFi we couldn't get the USB modem software to work. After hours in the WIND shop in Greece we had to go back to a restore point that was created when Connectify was installed and all then worked.
lurob
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the replies everyone. They're very helpful suggestions, now that I'm suitably armed with knowledge, my Luddite brain and I will continue to strive towards success!
Martin_J
Well-Known Member
oops.. only just seen this thread.
If you've not got one already then why not go for a MiFi instead of a USB dongle... It is basically the size of a mobile phone... the SIM card fits inside and it provides a small wireless network for up to five wireless laptops.
I used to use a USB 3G dolngle but the USB drivers/connection were not always great and it didn't connect first time every time. With the MiFi you just switch it on.. enable wireledss on your laptop and connect via wireless. A small display on the MiFi shows whether it is GPRS or 3G connected and how many devices are on Wifi.
If you need further pointers then just ask... It saves messing around in windows and needs no extra software..
If you've not got one already then why not go for a MiFi instead of a USB dongle... It is basically the size of a mobile phone... the SIM card fits inside and it provides a small wireless network for up to five wireless laptops.
I used to use a USB 3G dolngle but the USB drivers/connection were not always great and it didn't connect first time every time. With the MiFi you just switch it on.. enable wireledss on your laptop and connect via wireless. A small display on the MiFi shows whether it is GPRS or 3G connected and how many devices are on Wifi.
If you need further pointers then just ask... It saves messing around in windows and needs no extra software..
MailASail
Well-Known Member
the MailASail Red-Box...
OK, you will find some single purpose "3G routers" if you search Google. However, please look out for the new "Red Box" from MailASail and available very shortly
We started with the lowest power, 12V router board we could find, the software onboard is then custom and we proceed from there. The simplest description is that you can feed in your long range wireless, your 3G sticks AND any satellite phones you own (ie basically everything). This is then shared and repeated locally over wifi around the boat. ie Essentially you can plug all your long range comms into one router and access all of them from multiple PCs/iPad/iPhone/etc.
Additionally you can feed in instrument data via NMEA. This is also repeated over wireless (and wired) around the boat. So you can repeat your instrument data to all the cool iPad/iPhone (and Android) apps that are quickly appearing on the various app stores
We also supply a USB GPS and we log that data. It's then pushed up to our blogging site so you can always monitor where the boat is (we have some ideas to take this further with things like anchor monitors, theft watch - but we are starting simple)
Finally we are integrating our web/email acceleration technology. For sure this is less interesting if you have a fixed price wifi deal, but it's helpful if you are on roaming abroad, or a satellite phone
Watch our website for more release info (sorry, nothing up there at the moment, but we had more info at the Southampton boatshow stand)
It also pairs nicely with our very long range "Wifi Bat" wifi adaptor. We have one customer apparently getting slightly more than 10 miles out of one to a BT Openzone hotspot... Details of that are on the website.
(However, as I say, for a simple single purpose device then search google for "3G router" and you will find a bunch of options)
OK, you will find some single purpose "3G routers" if you search Google. However, please look out for the new "Red Box" from MailASail and available very shortly
We started with the lowest power, 12V router board we could find, the software onboard is then custom and we proceed from there. The simplest description is that you can feed in your long range wireless, your 3G sticks AND any satellite phones you own (ie basically everything). This is then shared and repeated locally over wifi around the boat. ie Essentially you can plug all your long range comms into one router and access all of them from multiple PCs/iPad/iPhone/etc.
Additionally you can feed in instrument data via NMEA. This is also repeated over wireless (and wired) around the boat. So you can repeat your instrument data to all the cool iPad/iPhone (and Android) apps that are quickly appearing on the various app stores
We also supply a USB GPS and we log that data. It's then pushed up to our blogging site so you can always monitor where the boat is (we have some ideas to take this further with things like anchor monitors, theft watch - but we are starting simple)
Finally we are integrating our web/email acceleration technology. For sure this is less interesting if you have a fixed price wifi deal, but it's helpful if you are on roaming abroad, or a satellite phone
Watch our website for more release info (sorry, nothing up there at the moment, but we had more info at the Southampton boatshow stand)
It also pairs nicely with our very long range "Wifi Bat" wifi adaptor. We have one customer apparently getting slightly more than 10 miles out of one to a BT Openzone hotspot... Details of that are on the website.
(However, as I say, for a simple single purpose device then search google for "3G router" and you will find a bunch of options)
Bobobolinsky
Well-Known Member
+1
mikehibb
Well-Known Member
+1 from me. Been using a mifi for last 6 months now, currently using as I type now in Istanbul, with SWMBO also using it for her Ipad.
Also they are rechargeable so you can go walkabout with it, I get 4 to 5 hours out of a charge dependent on usage.
