www.iFourWinns.com

I've got a new toy providing internet access on the water. It's a Verizon 5750 EV-DO (rev A) wireless data card plugged into a Linksys WRT54G3G-ST router. The linksys has a slot for the PMCIA wireless card. I had to update the firmware in the router to the latest version in order for it to recognize the Verizon card. This was easily done while setting it all up at home. Once on the boat I plugged it into 12v power (using a cable I'd made for another router). Now I'm connected via WiFi from my laptop to this router and then onto the internet via the Verizon card. Works pretty well.

It's really overpriced. I searched and found one for $218 shipped. Most places have it for $250. Considering it's not much more than what a regular WRT54G has in it, circuit-wise, that's a steep increase in price. Is it worth it, yeah since it really makes it brain-dead-simple to make an internet connection anywhere on the water (here on the chesapeake anyway).

Supposedly this router can also be used with Sprint and Cingular wireless data cards, provided appropriate firmware gets loaded on them.

We have the data card since the admiral travels a bit and hates playing around with trying to find usable WiFi in the airports and hotels. The EV-DO card can be plugged straight into her laptop when she's traveling. The monthly plan for the card is $60 and supposedly includes "unlimited" use. I've heard rumors otherwise. If you pull down "too much" data they may have a problem with it and "might" terminate your service. But given we'll only be using it this way on the weekends I doubt it'll raise and red flags on overuse.

Now we just pop the card into the router, power it on and we've got internet connectivity.

I may experiment with arranging fall-back or other routing setups to use the existing wifi stuff I've got installed. But as long as we've got this card and it's got signal it won't really be necessary to use free wifi.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Bill,

That is a slick setup for sure!

I've been using EV-DO for about two years now. I hacked the firmware on my Verizon phone to enable DUN Tethering and I can toggle back and forth between 1xRtt or EV-DO when I feel like it. I've used it on the water and it works great.

I also deal with EV-DO at work, I've set our "higher ups" up with both the PCMCIA EV-DO cards and also Tethered Blackberries for DUN to Laptops.

I've not yet experianced any of our important people getting shut off by Verizon and they routinely use it heavily.

My useage costs me nadda, I even called Verizon to see if I was "allowed" to do it.. Because I do not have, what Verizon considers to be a Smart Phone (I have the LG Chocolate) and it just uses airtime rather than data minutes.

Your setup sounds slick!

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Brett DiMichele

Thanks, I've had a chance to use it for the past couple of days and it's been absolutely great. Just turn it on and it connects within about 30 seconds. No fuss at all.

At some point I want to get things configured so I can map signal strengths against GPS coordinates. It'd be interesting to see a map of what sort of signal it gets when traveling out across the Chesapeake. It worked great up in Havre de Grace, over in Still Pond and back in Eastport.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista