Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Remote Access While On Vacation

I have not personally tried this but looks intriguing.

Foxfi enables wifi or blue tooth by tethering onto the 3G Verizon and creating a hotspot.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CEoQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffoxfi.com%2F&ei=C-ImUM77DcObiQKMsoGgCg&usg=AFQjCNEd6kFtamwAJE69l5x7giamxdAfww

I did the free download and was able to enable the hot spot and get right onto the internet with my wife's Ipad quite easily. I did not check the download speed myself but (we don't have 4G yet) a recent Foxfi 3G user said it is about 1.5 to 2. Have not tried my laptop running AC/Updox yet.
Of course it is best if one has the unlimited data plan, and also if one has 4G. But it does give one a mobile hot spot that is quite easy to use.

PDA.net will do likewise. I can tether to my Droid smartphone. It is a drain on the battery so best used while plugged in.

I use PDA.net on both our Mac and PC laptops, just no Linux binaries

With a 4G/LTE phone like the Samsung Galaxy SIII, I'm seeing 22M down, 6M up.

One trick we use when mobile is to plug in a voltage converter strong enough to keep the laptop charging , tether the phone, and then the phone charges over USB even as you are using it as as modem. It will get warm.

I have thought about this thread for some time. I was originally going to post and then didn't and, of course, time went on.

I am blessed with a "get a way" place about 2 hours away in the country. It is surrounded by farms and forest. Getting any non wired internet is a challenge. My iPhone will sometimes register 3G but then drop down to walking speed, which is OK to answer a googled question, if I am standing in the right spot. We are about 2 miles from the highway and that is probably where the 3G signal is tweaking my phone.

We do have a land line. WOW, when was the last time you tried 56K. It is SSSSLLLOWWWW. Even my iPhone without 3G seems faster. Of course it varies with the content of the website but even AC UB, which is not heavy in visual content is slow.

I suppose I could get land line internet there, but I'm not sure it's worth it. The point is to get a way not transfer it to another place. Besides, the kids would try to become connected and that's really not what I would prefer.

I take call via my iPhone and pages are transferred to text. Often my NP may cover on the weekends I get away. Taking call's not a problem and even easier with AC on call app, since I do have some information available.

I don't worry about not checking in for a weekend. If I did, then I COULD go to a wifi spot. BUT I don't.

I do check in at the office from home on a regular basis, and sometimes do work that way, but when I get away, I don't.

When I am on true vacation, like at the ACUC conference, then I make sure I stay at a place that has FREE internet access and I do check in and often check messages.

Sometimes it's good to just get away. It has been a very long time since I was completely away and not at least connected for more than a couple days.

Wendell,

I am still trying to fine tune remoting in to the office, so I can maximize my ability to get refreshed and minimize workload when getting back to office. This weekend for instance, I remoted in on Friday, since I took the day off and got things tidied up and spent 45 minutes with LMI and left the house by about noon. Took the 81 vanagon close to the largest wilderness area in the lower 48 called the Bob Marhsall wilderness, set up camp which by luck, had it nearly to ourselves, and the next day drove 20 miles to my partner's cabin (Dr Mel on the user board) and camped there which abuts the Scapegoat wilderness and earlier today had a refreshing endorphin producing hike to one of the most spectacular views of Crown mountain. I did remote in for about half hour this evening when I got home, just to clean things up from Friday so Monday won't be so overwhelming. However, I agree with you. You have to make the time to get the kids and yourself away from any internet or phone access and just spend family time. Even though it was from Friday noon till Sunday PM it was nice not to think about work and appreciate the beauty of the Wilderness with family and friends, and not even have the option to use the internet or have phone access.