What do you think Hot Spot/ USB Tether isssues

[sillyrabbitt]

i have a new i7 MBA 256 11" and i use my droid inc's hotspot feature while i am on a moving train. it doesnt work well at all but it used to work fine with my macbook.

i decided to do a test and i dl pdanet and i am using the USB tether option with the same phone and it works PERFECT.

where is the breakdown and how do i make it work without the usb cable/wire?

thanks

 

[Cynicalone]

I've been in hotels where I can't get the MacBook Air to connect to the iPhone 4 Hot Spot on wi-fi but can get it to connect fine using USB.

As best as I can tell it seems like when the 3G signal is weak OS X will not connect to it over wi-fi. And if it does connect it drops off randomly.

In areas with a strong 3G signal 4 or 5 bars I never have a problem.

 

[IngerMan]

I have done both.

Verizon 4G usb for 3 weeks. Every time you plug it in, a process starts in which it checks software, etc. You are lucky if you get on in the net in 2 to 3 minutes. And if it sleeps, again, starts all over. Not to mention a huge USB sticking out the side.


Iphone 4 tethering,

No comparison since I have been tethering my phone the last 3 months. Night and day on ease and speed from start till on the net. In fact if I turn on my hot spot and power up my MBA, it connects during the power up.


Thumbs down for USB internet and big Thumbs up for tethering. IMHO

 

[sillyrabbitt]

I've been in hotels where I can't get the MacBook Air to connect to the iPhone 4 Hot Spot on wi-fi but can get it to connect fine using USB.

As best as I can tell it seems like when the 3G signal is weak OS X will not connect to it over wi-fi. And if it does connect it drops off randomly.

In areas with a strong 3G signal 4 or 5 bars I never have a problem.

thanks for that info because its been the only painful experience with the MBA. its weird though since PDAnet is working so well you would figure the hot spot should too. I am hot spot wise pages refused to load even this site but with it connected flies so fast

I would still like to figure out a wireless solution maybe I could do bluetooth tether with PdaNet.

I have done both.

Verizon 4G usb for 3 weeks. Every time you plug it in, a process starts in which it checks software, etc. You are lucky if you get on in the net in 2 to 3 minutes. And if it sleeps, again, starts all over. Not to mention a huge USB sticking out the side.


Iphone 4 tethering,

No comparison since I have been tethering my phone the last 3 months. Night and day on ease and speed from start till on the net. In fact if I turn on my hot spot and power up my MBA, it connects during the power up.


Thumbs down for USB internet and big Thumbs up for tethering. IMHO

Are you saying a wired tether option is best or a wireless tether? i dont have an iphone though.

 

[IngerMan]

I tether my iPhone and prefer that method 3 fold over when I used the USB wireless stick.

But if you do not have a smart phone capable of tethering then that is not even an option for you.

As far as cost, I believe the tether option is an extra $25 a month on the iPhone but I already have a data package as well. Since I need the data package for work, my cost was $25 tether of $50 wireless USB stick.