question about Internet on train

[sutton]

Hi guys,

I'll be taking my laptop on a couple of train trips. Obviously, since Amtrak doesn't have Internet connections, any recommendations for a satellite service to hook up with? Can you join for only a month? Any idea at all about costs? Who has done this?

Thanks for any info!

Scot

 

[Guest_orez latot]

I have done this before using my cell phone and a pocket pc. You 'll need a data-capable cell phone, as well as a usb-cell conversion cable, then the cell acts as a modem. I did it on the lakeshore limited and the southwest chief, using verizon service. It works in most metropolitan areas, but not so well in the wide open spaces of america.

 

[cbender]

I've also used my cell phone as a modem for my laptop, via a USB port. It works fine here on the NE corridor between NY and WAS. I have a Sprint phone - the throughput is pretty low (~20baud), although I think newer phones are faster. Regardless, the connection is sufficiently fast to read websites and to establish a telnet or ftp connection. It's a far cry from my broadband connection at home, but I find that when I'm stuck on a train I tend to be in less of a hurry.

 

[MrFSS]

On our Empire Builder trip last fall I had my wireless laptop and checked a number of times at station stops to see if any wireless signals were available. I was never able to find one. Would have been nice at the longer stops to be able to quickly check email, etc.

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee]

I don't use mine on the train very much, being I am busy most of the time. But I carry a laptop computer, and use an infrared enabled digital cell phone. The cell phone works as a standard dial up modem by communicating through my infrared port on my laptop. I simply use my dial up connection via the infrared connection and get online that way. It is very slow usually, not much more than 10mbps, but adequate to check e-mail, send and recieve IMs, etc. It works well wherever there is a strong cell phone signal but really slow in weak cell signal areas!

I use it mainly as a backup when there is no WIFI (wireless) signal available, or on vacation in the RV under the same circumstances. OBS...

 

[GG-1]

Aloha

The San Deigo Station has Service.

Might be nice if we could complile a list.

Mahalo

 

[sutton]

Thanks guys, I'll look into the cell phone idea.

 

[MrFSS]

It is very slow usually, not much more than 10mbps, but adequate to check e-mail, send and recieve IMs, etc. It works well wherever there is a strong cell phone signal but really slow in weak cell signal areas!

Question:

When you say 10mbps, are you meaning mega bytes per second? Not Kilobytes? 10 mbps is pretty fast compared to standard dialup of 33-56 kbps.

Also, what does it cost you, if I can ask, for say a 15 minute connection, which would allow email check and reply I would think.

Is the infrared phone a special one you have to buy as opposed to what most cell phone providers have in their packages the general public uses?

Thanks!!!

 

[Amtrak OBS Employee]

It is very slow usually, not much more than 10mbps, but adequate to check e-mail, send and recieve IMs, etc. It works well wherever there is a strong cell phone signal but really slow in weak cell signal areas!

Question:

When you say 10mbps, are you meaning mega bytes per second? Not Kilobytes? 10 mbps is pretty fast compared to standard dialup of 33-56 kbps.

Also, what does it cost you, if I can ask, for say a 15 minute connection, which would allow email check and reply I would think.

Is the infrared phone a special one you have to buy as opposed to what most cell phone providers have in their packages the general public uses?

Thanks!!!

A little typo there!! It is kilobytes per second! That darned "k" and "m" key are awful close together there....LOL! Anyway, I use a "Nokia 6340i" model cell phone which includes the infrared option. I have seen it only on some models of "Nokia" phones. I am sure they can be bought through other manufactures, too. I can still configure it to operate at the faster data transfer rates if I would (if I wanted to that is) order the cell company's data services. But going this route (in which I presently do) is the same as using a standard dial modem, though the cell phone becomes the modem with drivers which must be installed and a new connection created. But be prepared if you try to get answers to these questions at your local cell phone dealer, the majority of the time they look at you as if you are stupid and have no idea what your talking about! But if you talk about buying their data service plan then they seem to be able to help you. I would search the internet for the best options for you and your phone. Most phones have a data connection for a cable as well. It usually plugs into a communications port on the computer either a 9 pin serial deal, etc (I can also hardware it up via the cable I ordered from "Nokia" as well by using an adapter to convert the signal to USB but see very little difference in the speed).

As far as costs are concerned, it just uses my monthly plan cell (airtime) minutes. So I use it mainly during night and weekend time so as not to burn my peak minutes away. However, if I really need to I can still use it during peak time being I usually have enough minutes to spare every month. And with "Cingular" the unused minutes role over to the next month. OBS....

 

[cbender]

I'll chime back in here and provide some more info about Sprint (since that's what I use and know).

I ordered the data cable for my phone off of the Sprint website and added the 'wireless web' service to my plan ($5/month). Having wireless web seems to activate the 'data' service as well. Using the data service does not seem to use any of my normal minutes, so I don't have to restrict my useage to nights and weekends. I could theoretically be connected continuously and still only pay the $5/month charge.

At one point, I called Sprint and asked if I needed the wireless web service, since I never use that feature of the phone (I only use the data service). They said that the data service would work without wireless web, but that I would be charged ~$0.30 per minute during data calls, regardless of my voice plan.

Apparently they treat data minutes and voice minutes completely separately and there is no way to use my voice minutes to 'pay' for data calls. Then again, at $5/month for unlimited data, I'm hard pressed to complain.