Internet when there is NO "Wired" Available - What I have Worked Out So Far-More Help Needed

I posted earlier about trying to get phone and internet to rural spot where there is NO "Wired" connection available. This I have found out is most places, some of them not so rural even and "Wired" will even be less common a few years to come. The other thread seemed to get confusing w/ phone and net being 2 very different set ups w/ different needs. That conversation seemed to go more in direction of the phone and seems to be quite constructive that way. I have been doing some real research on the mifi solution and so have decided to start a new thread just on making that work in the safest possible way.

So the mifi device I chose is:   http://www.amazon.com/Novatel-Wireless-MiFi-Mobile-Virgin/dp/B004Y06GKU/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1446418707&sr=8-8&keywords=mifi+2200

The above link seems to have the most info on that model and I learned a lot from all the reviews. The 2200 I got is set up for verizon for better service.

So far I have found:

1. The unit works just fine plugging in the provided cable into a 10ft cat 5 USB extension, for testing purposes. As soon as the cable is inserted into the side of the computer the device turns itself on. Pull the USB out of the computer and the device turns off. Turn off the device while plugged into computer and it turns back by itself-this makes for the perfect ON/OFF switch!  [no need for any remote kill switches or to go to the device.

2.  The battery is NOT in the device. So all the bad reviews about the device getting hot or the battery overheating the device are all voided in this case.

3. The WiFi hotspot feature is disabled/OFF. Wifi can't turn on when tethered to computer by USB [the feature most hate, but I cherish]. I am able to use the net as usual tethered to my MACbook. Speed is slow, but not as many hang ups as my home DSL and pages and everything else seems to load faster.

4.  I am guessing from the many threads on here of DSL being a problem and worse at higher speeds that perhaps I am much safer w/ 3G vs the normally desired 4G for this type of device. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am guessing the slower speed would be less stuff pulsing. And I have heard many made very sick from 4G going to their area, when 3G was not an issue.

Where I am stuck:

Going to need a longer cable over 30 feet - 50 or more feet. Right now I am using it to test it at about 18 feet away, with me in the canopy and for short test runs only.

Need to PROTECT the unit itself from THEFT and WEATHER.  

Need a set up for the USB wire.  First some sort of conduit for weather protection and then to get it into my trailer.

The final thing: Verizon is the most dependable and most that have that have some sort of back up usually an AT & T device. So I will want to set up another mifi, so if the first device breaks or doesn't connect then I plug in the cable for the other device. Will probably go w/ T-mobile 3g device, as I know they will tether by usb and cheap.  So the second device will have the same requirements as the current.

Would love all the feedback I can get on this.



I am not a fan of giving our attempted killers any $$, but in this case seems to be the only option. Many super sensitives make trips to the library-I could not take that. Far worse than sitting on top of the current mifi unit I am testing-I am not on top for the tests, but 17ft away currently.

Here is a video of what I have tried last week, which is as far as I have used the device, before dumping back in the bag. It seems to have all the right properties to make it work remote like I want to. And this shows the meter readings in close proximity.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNnOjRzZbk

I found out today that a normal USB will not work if longer than 15 feet. If I want 100 feet I would have to use a booster cable as to not loose both power for the device and also other line quality loss. I did start searching and found after reading the reviews that half the booster/repeater cables won't power anything and some will.

I wonder about what the effects are of the booster or repeater cables. In the end of the line you are supposed to get the same signal as if you plugged the device in direct.

I just wonder about transmissions of this compared to a regular cable???????

> I found out today that a normal USB will not work if longer than 15 feet.

Yes, I think I said that :-) ... you need a special USB cable if you're going to exceed 15 feet.  But they do make such cables, and I've used them, and they do work.  Although for my needs in hotel rooms, 15 feet is plenty.  I don't recall them causing extra problems, but it certainly is a risk.

Converting to ethernet seems more ideal, but I don't know if there is such a thing.  I say that because ethernet can go 100 feet without doing anything special to it.

Marc

On November  7, "Marc Martin [via ES]" <[hidden email]> wrote:
> Converting to ethernet seems more ideal, but I don't know if there is such a thing.  
> I say that because ethernet can go 100 feet without doing anything special to it.

If cost was no object, you could do this without USB cables at all.  Get a Verizon or AT&T wireless router that converts cellphone signals to ethernet, and then use a 100 foot ethernet cable.  Problem is, the one I found costs $600 (although they do have older models that might be found used for less):

  http://ibr650.com/

Marc

I have the verizon device already w/ reasonable plan. I am going to want the same for back up under tmobile another reasonable plan. The RV techs that do mobile internet say to at least have one or 2 back ups on different networks to make sure you have internet most the time.

Yes ethernet sounds nice. The big key is that the USB connection powers the mifi device itself. It does have a battery but from the reviews it will overheat if I leave it on long with the battery in and then it would no longer be remote and it would require me to go to the device and turn the power switch off and on constantly. Will not work as most the time I am not able to be out of bed or barely walk.

So the issue is with changing it to ethernet: would the power still get through the ethernet cable to run the device?

I was asking about a particular cable on amazon, if it would work w/ mifi and a person answered to get one of these at each end to convert to ethernet. Again is the question of the ethernet carrying the power needed to run the device. If so this would be such an awesome solution as it would be easier to find all weather ethernet and cheaper.

Here is the device to commenter on amazon pointed me to. He said one at each end. Of course I would need a double sided female converter also at mifi end to connect the 2 male USB parts together.

http://www.amazon.com/Network-Adapter-Anker-Ethernet-Supporting/dp/B00NOP70EC/ref=sr_1_7?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1446947548&sr=1-7&keywords=usb+to+ethernet

Checked more. Just no way at this point to do ethernet conversion. Power can run over ethernet if it's hooked to a device that is plugged into an AC outlet. Would make all this more confusing. Some say the long USB  is not doable, but that is debatable, as there are some reviewers that are doing just that-have to read the reviews for each to find out what it can and can't do.

Here is one phone set up they did wiht POe:http://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=1745631&seqNum=2

Wikpedia info:  <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet</a>

I guess long USB w/ boosters is the only option. Could see where the extra electronics could be an issue. Hard to know on those things.

I also do not have a place here where I could test to see how long a distance I would really need to be OK.  Anywhere I could take the thing around here, I would pick up a lot worse RFs than the little disabled wireless mifi unit.

Last week I got this and was able to get to the point of this working.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtR2x1n2AcM



Beyond that I have had to just put on hold, as I need help coming up w/ and building a weatherproof structure and the cable is NOT weatherproof as they claim and need a pass through into my RV.  I have called all over to try to higher, but if you see my other post, I am being treated like a criminal and am being told I can't do this.