New to the wonderful world of wireless

[hvnsbane]

Here's the story:

I've just inherited an Ipaq H3600 with an expansion sleeve. It's running PPC Version 3.0.11171. It's ROM is 2.14.03 with a date of 10/03/01.

Being young and naive, I listened to people who said that getting internet access thru my PDA is fast, easy and free ... particulary with WIFI. The assumption is that I can go around and find "hotspots" where I will be able to grab a signal and suddenly find myself surfing on the net, checking my web based e-mail and instant messaging my friends. With that kind of story, my eyes grew big and my mouth watered with the posibility. How much truth is in this story?

Regardless, what do I need to get an internet connection wirelessly while on the go? And though this is not a question for this forum, while at home on a hard wire (I have DSL and a hard wired router to my computer)?

Thanks ever so much for any information you can provide!

- A girl on the go

[Jason Dunn]

It really depends on where you live, and whether or not there are open hotspots in the places you'll be. You'll need a WiFi card for your iPAQ, and they range in price from about $50 up to $150 (depending on the brand). My personal favourite is the Socket WiFi (http://www.mobileplanet.com/private/pocketpcthoughts/product.asp?dept%5Fid=5040&pf%5Fid=MP580127&bs%5Fid=MP580127&listing=1) card, mostly because it's so small.

[easylife]

If you already have a router, all you need is a WiFi access point to connect to your router that is compatable (or backwards compatable) with the type of WiFi you install in your PDA. (Which will most certainly be the 802.11b flavor which shares compatability with the 802.11g flavor. :way to go: ) This is how to set up your own little hotspot with your Internet connection.

This is also how others set up theirs - and why you've heard stories of roaming and finding hotspots - these are locations that other people (or businesses) have set up for their own WiFi use. There are ongoing debates of the ethics behind tapping into someone else's WiFi connection if they have left it unencrypted, which is what you're talking about. I would caution you about relying on finding these networks as your only means of connecting to the Internet because people may not want you on their network and finding a spot is almost pure luck. 8)

[easylife]

Consequently, if you want to get a more reliable (albeit slower) Internet connection on the go I suggest you get a Bluetooth card and a GPRS Bluetooth-connected cell phone. The two common models are the Sony-Ericsson T68i and the Nokia 3650. Verizon and TMobile both have GPRS (sometimes called GSM) networks. I have heard rumors about a CDMA Bluetooth-connected phone, but as of now I can't confirm anything. :( Sprint uses a CDMA network.

My suggestion to you is if you want to be truly mobile, you'll want both the GPRS and WiFi connections. There are plenty of places that sell WiFi access such as Starbucks and Borders (thru TMobile) where you can surf the Internet at great speed. For places where you aren't near a commercial or residential hotspot you can use a connection thru GPRS. :way to go:

[easylife]

Some numbers for you:

WiFi (802.11b): 11Mbps
WiFi-G (802.11g): 54Mbps
GPRS: 300 Kbps
CDMA: even slower! :lol: seriously, does anyone have an approximate number? :?

Bluetooth: 1Mbps
Cable/DSL: 700Kbps - 1.5Mbps

So you see that the WiFi bottleneck is the Internet connection speed (not WiFi speed) and the Cellular bottleneck is the cell connection itself, not the Bluetooth bridge.

These numbers are the maximum potential speed and may not reflect actual usage. (Gosh, I sound like an advertizement! :roll: )

[JustinGTP]

Jason, do you know of any hotspots in Calgary?

I didnt know we were "tech enough" to have any.

-Justin

[Jason Dunn]

Jason, do you know of any hotspots in Calgary?

We have one of the largest single access points in the world: it's downtown and goes from the public library, to the munipical building, to the east end of Steven Avenue. It's big. :-)

[JustinGTP]

Really? So when accessing the network do you have to pay a charge or how does that work?

-Justin.

[Jason Dunn]

Really? So when accessing the network do you have to pay a charge or how does that work?

-Justin.

Right now it's free, but sometime in 2004 it will end. It's a sponsored project - a sort of experiment. My wife worked on the team that helped launch it. :-)

[JustinGTP]

I wonder if it will start up again or just continue, all the exec's are going to use it on their PDAs and Wireless capable laptops.

:D

-Justin.

[easylife]

I wonder if it will start up again or just continue, all the exec's are going to use it on their PDAs and Wireless capable laptops.
I think what he means is that they might start charging for the service in 2004. :way to go: