i have a macbook and an ipod touch, when no wifi signal is available how can i gain internet access? any reputable cards that i would be able to use on both items to connect to the internet for email and browsing?
hamma <ha...@bda.net> wrote: > i have a macbook and an ipod touch, when no wifi signal is available how > can i gain internet access? any reputable cards that i would be able to > use on both items to connect to the internet for email and browsing?
[Reposting my prevous answer from comp.sys.mac.hardware, as it is more likely to be read and commented on here.]
If you are in a location where you have access to an Ethernet socket through which you can access the Internet, the MacBook can use that.
Otherwise if there is no WiFi network to which you can connect, you will need some kind of external device which allows the MacBook to connect to the Internet via an appropriate cellular network, or a similar long distance wireless technology (e.g. satellite modem, WiMax).
The MacBook has no slots in which you could install any kind of "card", so you must use an external device. Your main connection options are Bluetooth or USB.
Some possibilities:
- An iPhone can do USB or Bluetooth "tethering" and provide Internet access, but only on some cellular networks (AT&T doesn't allow this, for example).
- Some cellphones can be connected to the computer and provide Internet access in the same manner (USB and/or Bluetooth, depending on the phone). I have done this with a Sony Ericsson cellphone. This may have the same issues with the network provider not allowing tethering.
- There are specialised cellular modems you can buy which allow connection in the same manner. They plug in via USB. This may require a separate account from your cellphone, and charging is handled differently from cellphones doing tethering, so your network operator should be fine with this. Main problem is likely to be ongoing monthly costs, so this is expensive if you only want to use it occasionally.
The iPod Touch can't access the Internet without a WiFi network. I'm not aware of any Bluetooth or USB device which would allow this.
Your only option there would be some solution which allowed your MacBook to connect to the Internet, then use the MacBook to create a WiFi network. Your iPod Touch could then connect to that network and access the Internet while near your MacBook.
In article <OOWdnRPM0r1YeVbXnZ2dnUVZ_vmdn...@giganews.com>,
hamma <ha...@bda.net> wrote: > i have a macbook and an ipod touch, when no wifi signal is available how > can i gain internet access? any reputable cards that i would be able to > use on both items to connect to the internet for email and browsing?
The MacBook has an ethernet port. If you are in a place where there is a wired network, you can use that to connect to the network. That is the still most secure, most reliable and fastest connection to a local network, faster, more secure and more reliable than wireless. I normally have my MacBook connected that way to my Airport Extreme router, and other computers connected by wireless.
To connect to a landline phone for dial-up connection (the really old fashioned and really slow but still useable way) you can get a USB modem from Apple, plug that into a USB port on your MacBook, and hook up to the phone line. of course you have to know the phone number to call to connect via the phone line to your ISP.
To connect to a cell phone network, there are USB devices that you can get that allow your MacBook to connect to a cell phone network. Those are probably about as slow as a dial-up modem, and maybe slower and less reliable, I don't know.
thanks for the responses, i should have stated that i am trying to gain access while traveling, my ethernet and wireless connections at home work fine. during my last trip i found myself without a wifi signal and noticed another person with a windows laptop with a small gadget that appeared to be attached to the usb, approx 1x2 inches with leds blinking. i was not able to find out what that person was using but i would like to try the same means if available for my macbook.
hamma wrote: > i have a macbook and an ipod touch, when no wifi signal is available how > can i gain internet access? any reputable cards that i would be able to > use on both items to connect to the internet for email and browsing?
On 2009-10-06 17:45:56 -0700, hamma <ha...@bda.net> said:
> i have a macbook and an ipod touch, when no wifi signal is available > how can i gain internet access? any reputable cards that i would be > able to use on both items to connect to the internet for email and > browsing?
If you have good 3G cell reception where you are you might want to look at the MiFi, some of the carriers (Verizon, Sprint) have them. You'll probably get stuck into a 2 year contract though. The MiFi is a cell device that provides a wireless Wifi network.
In article <NdSdnVahHOsraVbXnZ2dnUVZ_uSdn...@giganews.com>,
hamma <ha...@bda.net> wrote: > thanks for the responses, i should have stated that i am trying to gain > access while traveling, my ethernet and wireless connections at home > work fine. during my last trip i found myself without a wifi signal and > noticed another person with a windows laptop with a small gadget that > appeared to be attached to the usb, approx 1x2 inches with leds > blinking. i was not able to find out what that person was using but i > would like to try the same means if available for my macbook.
Sounds like a USB wireless modem, aka mobile internet or mobile broadband. It uses an internal cell phone, so it works anywhere you can get a cell signal, but requires a service plan which can be expensive.
Check the major cell phone and internet service providers. If you already have a cell phone, you may be able to save money by getting your wireless modem and service plan from the same provider.
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