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DUE TO CHANGE OF HEART BY THE SERVICE PROVIDERS THIS EV-DO INTERNET OPTION IS NO LONGER PRACTICAL EXCEPT FOR EXTREMELY LIMITED USE. EV-DO is a wireless high speed Internet service available through the cell-phone network. Coverage is primarily in the major centers and along the larger highways. In NS it is available from Bell Aliant and Telus. Unlike Rogers' EDGE system, this one is actually affordable. Unlike WiMax, this one is actually available in more than just a very few areas.
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"Telus" and "Connect 75 Unlimited" (unlimited, ya right) are, or may be, registered trademarks (or servicemarks, or similar) owned by Telus Communications Company. Use of these terms is nominative, fair and reasonable because that's the company and/or so-called service to which I'm referring.
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"Telus" and "Connect 75 Unlimited" (unlimited, ya right) are, or may be, registered trademarks (or servicemarks, or similar) owned by Telus Communications Company. Use of these terms is nominative, fair and reasonable because that's the company and/or so-called service to which I'm referring.
All trademarks are property of their respective owners and are being used without permission. The publication of the trademarks has not been authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.
Copyright "Fair Use" Notice
This blog will contain occasional small extracts from documents and related material that may be copyrighted by Telus, or by other companies or organizations.
FAIR USE (FAIR DEALING) is claimed for purposes including but not limited to education, criticism, reporting and informed discussion of an important public policy issue.
All copyrighted material used in this blog (webpage) is property of the respective owners and is being used without explicit permission. The publication of the extracts has not been authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the copyright owner.
What is EV-DO?
It is a relatively new cellphone technology that provides high speed Internet with peak speeds of 3.1Mbps, and actual speeds of between 1 and 2 Mbps. This is true high speed (33 to 67 times faster than dial-up) and works well for almost any normal use.
Although created for the mobile market, it can provide high speed Internet to homes in certain areas where there is no other choice. If you can't get high speed at your house, then check out Telus and Bell to see if EV-DO is available for your location.
Telus NO LONGER offers a '75 Connect' plan that allows unlimited usage for $75 + $6.95 + $0.43 + taxes per month.
The performance is great.
Although created for the mobile market, it can provide high speed Internet to homes in certain areas where there is no other choice. If you can't get high speed at your house, then check out Telus and Bell to see if EV-DO is available for your location.
Telus NO LONGER offers a '75 Connect' plan that allows unlimited usage for $75 + $6.95 + $0.43 + taxes per month.
The performance is great.
Sierra Wireless 595U
This is a little unit that simply plugs into a USB port and provides access into the Telus EV-DO and 1x networks. It comes with 'Watcher' software if you want to use it plugged directly into a PC.
It has a little tiny built-in battery because sometimes it needs more power than available from a standard USB port (5 volts, limited to 0.5A).
In general, it works great.
UPDATE- there are newer products out there.
It has a little tiny built-in battery because sometimes it needs more power than available from a standard USB port (5 volts, limited to 0.5A).
In general, it works great.
UPDATE- there are newer products out there.
CradlePoint CTR-350
A mobile WiFi router that knows all about the Sierra Wireless 595U. You can plug the 595U right into the side of the CTR-350 and it automatically keeps you logged into the EV-DO network and creates a little WiFi hotspot that just simply works.
The LAN is WiFi only. The CTR-350 has a wired Ethernet port, but that is for the WAN side only (a modem, NOT your PC).
[UPDATE: New firmware allows Ethernet port to be used in either direction: WAN as before, or LAN.]
The WiFi antenna is built-in and so the signal is not the strongest, but it covers my house just fine. The reduced signal also provides some measure of security so I can leave it wide open and it probably doesn't go much outside my property.
The CTR-350 provides endless internal webpages of control. There are menus and menus and zillions of settings. But it works pretty good right out of the box.
The unit allows extra non-standard current out the USB slot so that the 595U is happy. They work very nicely together.
Again, they market this unit as a 'Travel Router', not realizing that it is also perfect for my house.
UPDATE- We updated the CTR-350 to work with Rogers. And then again to work with another Rogers USB 3G stick. CradlePoint does a FANTASTIC job keeping their firmware up to date for whatever sticks are in use, including in Canada. Finally we got DSL at our house, sold the CTR-350 to a nice gentleman and we lived happily ever after.
Should have kept the CTR-350 for use as a travel router for Wifi in wired Internet hotel rooms. As it is we have to drag our huge WRT-54GL along on trips.
CradlePoint is a good company.
The LAN is WiFi only. The CTR-350 has a wired Ethernet port, but that is for the WAN side only (a modem, NOT your PC).
[UPDATE: New firmware allows Ethernet port to be used in either direction: WAN as before, or LAN.]
The WiFi antenna is built-in and so the signal is not the strongest, but it covers my house just fine. The reduced signal also provides some measure of security so I can leave it wide open and it probably doesn't go much outside my property.
The CTR-350 provides endless internal webpages of control. There are menus and menus and zillions of settings. But it works pretty good right out of the box.
The unit allows extra non-standard current out the USB slot so that the 595U is happy. They work very nicely together.
Again, they market this unit as a 'Travel Router', not realizing that it is also perfect for my house.
UPDATE- We updated the CTR-350 to work with Rogers. And then again to work with another Rogers USB 3G stick. CradlePoint does a FANTASTIC job keeping their firmware up to date for whatever sticks are in use, including in Canada. Finally we got DSL at our house, sold the CTR-350 to a nice gentleman and we lived happily ever after.
Should have kept the CTR-350 for use as a travel router for Wifi in wired Internet hotel rooms. As it is we have to drag our huge WRT-54GL along on trips.
CradlePoint is a good company.
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