Mobile Internet

[RodeoJoe]

We got any computor gurus here? I want to be able to send/receive faxes or email while on the road from the truck. We pass lots of wifi spots 'tween here and where we go, can they be used for fax/email? What kind of hardware and or software is required? Anyone doing this now?

Ole RJ wants to join the 21st Century.................

[ralph]

If your laptop is not an antique it should have a program that searches for wi-fi signal. Do you have a coffee shop close by that has free wi-fi that you could try your computer with? Then you would know whether your laptop is wi-fi compatable.

Free internet is great...I'm useing my neighbours signal and I have for the last 3 years!!

[bikerboy]

I always used flying J wi fi, had to pay but it worked good.
Iowa rest areas all have free wifi for like a half hour, then u gotta pay i think

The peace bridge duty free on canadian side has free wi fi, the signs say, i never used it tho

Iowa 80 truckstop has free wi fi and so do bosselmans and sapp bros i think!

If you carry a scanner in truck you can always scan stuff and then email it wherever, there are likely pay websites that would provide you a fax number that other people could send faxes too, and then you could log on and read them or print them anytime you want.

I think flying J also has a fax service, you can get a fax number, and then pick up your faxes at any flying J driver kiosk

I think if you want internet anywhere, anytime tho, the best thing to get is a aircard from verizon or sprint, then u have internet anywhere there is digital cell signal, for about 80 bucks a month.
Not sure if any canadian cell companies have this service yet or not, bell didn't last time i asked them.

[Coyote_NB_CA]

i use a telus unlimit contract ca/usa 120ca ink tax/ mon

at the moment is i think only alltel.com a provider with a unlimit ca/us
price 99 us/mon

for the w-lan user look for vistastumbler
i use it in euro and my 1year at ca/us

for a better reciving from the signal is a usb w-lan adapter with a 3m extension cabel of beneficial.

[Pipeman]

Starbucks and some McDonalds also have WIFI

[beastr123]

Joe:
head to walmart and pick up a cheap all-n-one scanner/printer.
Then signup with MYFAX or something similar (myfax is 10.00/month)
you get a toll free fax # and 100 faxes per month.
you sign into you email and your faxes are emailed to you.

expect to replace the scanner about every 12 to 18 months as the shaking
will ruin the alignment (hence the cheap walmart unit) depending on the roads you drive

this is dependent on you having wifi access as the other posts state
if you spend most of your time in the US consider a broadband card for US only
CAN access is not cheap!

I have myfax and a flying j fax account, the j is quicker but not always where I need it
I use it for permits and load confirmations

[Tiki McFelt]

Actually, Canadian WiFi is actually quite cheap through Rogers. The only reason I use MTS instead of Rogers for my Canadian WiFi is that I usually stop for the night in or near Thunder Bay, and Rogers doesn't work there at all.

[Coyote_NB_CA]

Joe:
head to walmart and pick up a cheap all-n-one scanner/printer.
Then signup with MYFAX or something similar (myfax is 10.00/month)
you get a toll free fax # and 100 faxes per month.


hi,

sorry but myfax is expensive!

i use OneSuiteFax (https://www.onesuite.com/products_OneSuiteFax.asp), i pay for unlimited incoming Fax 1$/Mon
for send a Fax i use PamFax (http://www.pamfax.biz/en/). i pay 0,13$ /page

i think for a driver who not send more as 80pages/mon is it a good deal.

we share the incoming fax now with 4 drivers the way:
sender > OSF convert to pdf > email to a Prosponder > reciver

rg fred

[Arob]

Hey guys, truckers

I'm new here and I posted here yesterday about Virgin Mobile Canada Broadband2Go which now offers an internet stick (http://www.virginmobile.ca/broadband2go) for $149 that allows consumers to get mobile internet access on Canada's largest 3G network.

I put all this in a new thread with pictures but it got clipped - too advertorial I imagine

but I have to put it here as a reply to your question because this really is the answer - this is the perfect solution for truck drivers wireless internet needs in Ontario, indeed all over Canada.

Here is one little picture...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/4168666771_dccf13e007.jpg (http://www.virginmobile.ca/broadband2go)

[Maxx]

The customs broker I deal with most of the time asked me to convert documents, both computer generated and scanned into .PDF file (Adobe Acrobat) and email them to her instead of faxing. She can print them same as faxing, and I understand she can email them to others as well. Its supposed to be easier for them and my computer has an option to "print" or "convert to a .PDF file" so its as easy as choosing one or the other, no special programs required.

I email invoices along with scanned copies of manifests too instead of using the mail. Some I send right after I deliver instead of waiting until I get back. Hopefully it will result in getting paid sooner.

Don't know if this option will work for you but its real easy.

That broadband thing looks interesting but I've got several free WiFi hot spots I can use from free ... good enough for now.

[Highway Flyer]

same here when i was driving just about everyone i had to deal with fax wise i usally got an e mail address and e mailed them my paperwork, just as previsoly mentioned got myself one of thoes multi printer scaner jobbies from walmart and scanned what ever i needed converted it to pdf and e mailed it, same as reciving and would only print what was needed plus i was able to keep all recived files in a nice little tidy folder on my laptop's desktop

[Road_Hammer]

I just got one from telus and the first month is unlimited just so you can guage your usage then take the plan that suits you but i havent found one that does both i might try verizon while i travel in the US and keep telus for while i'm in canada

[Coyote_NB_CA]

I just got one from telus and the first month is unlimited just so you can guage your usage then take the plan that suits you but i havent found one that does both i might try verizon while i travel in the US and keep telus for while i'm in canada



hi RH,

there is only alltel.com at the moment with unlimited for 99us/month
its good for us and canada Ontario > east and som big citys west.

rg
Fred

[Gummiente]

I'm using Bell's Turbostick and their Flex Plan; $35 per month gets me up to 500MB and usage anywhere in the US costs $3 per MB. Anywhere there is cell phone reception I can get internet and so far I have yet to find an area where I couldn't connect.

[ralph]

I'm using Bell's Turbostick and their Flex Plan; $35 per month gets me up to 500MB and usage anywhere in the US costs $3 per MB. Anywhere there is cell phone reception I can get internet and so far I have yet to find an area where I couldn't connect.

Have you seen a bill yet for US consumption? I have a friend who needs some US coverage, he's scared to use his Bell as he saw WILD roaming bills years ago and is unsure whom he should deal with as a US provider, he is leaning towards Verizon.

[Gummiente]

Have you seen a bill yet for US consumption?
I've been keeping track of it online, so far it's been pretty reasonable. But I don't spend a lot of time on the laptop, usually just check email once every couple of days and a quick browse of one or two of my favourite forums.

[bikerboy]

i had 1GB of usage a month from bell anywhere in canada or usa for around $100 a month.

but bell has discontinued that program, they must have lost money on it. I think the $3 MB is the only option they now offer for US usage.

Now i would get a 35 buck deal from bell for canada, and likely verizon for around the same cost for USA.


actually maybe i would just get a smart phone and browse the web that way. i really am thinking of getting an Iphone or Palm Pre or something similar.

I want something tough, but small enough to fit easily in my pocket, so i am still thinking about what i want.

[bikerboy]

I've been keeping track of it online, so far it's been pretty reasonable. But I don't spend a lot of time on the laptop, usually just check email once every couple of days and a quick browse of one or two of my favourite forums.


that might change once you get your own truck and get stuck sitting somewhere for a day or two, and there is nothing good on tv.

you might spend a few hours or more online, and those MB can really add up fast, i know someone who got $800 bill from bell for US roaming, he didn't know the US roaming was not included in his monthly plan.

i think i was averaging around 16 mb a month, not sure if that was US or canada and US, but i had the plan for coverage for both places anyway.

[ralph]

i think i was averaging around 16 mb a month, not sure if that was US or canada and US, but i had the plan for coverage for both places anyway.

Bell doesn't offer "packaged"US coverage anymore.

[bikerboy]

Bell doesn't offer "packaged"US coverage anymore.

yes i know and posted that above

[Mr Bee]

When it comes to gigs and megs and bites and stuff, How much does a person need if you were to average 2 or 3 hours a day on the puter. I spend most of my time on youtube, if that helps.

[bikerboy]

try this to see how many bytes each page you view is

You can check yourself also. If you're using IE, right click in the page of your choice and choose 'properties' to see the size of the page...you also have to view the properties of any images on the page and add them together. In Firefox you can right click and select 'view page info' and click through the tabs to add up page size.

1 GB = 1000MB
1MB = 1000KB
1 KB = 1000 bytes

i am getting around 28 kb on some youtube pages, compared to about 17 on this website

[liner]

I use Virgin Mobile in the US.NO contract to sign,no monthly fees,just pay as you go.I get 250 MB for $20 and that will last me a month .It's no bargin for 250 MB's but it's all I need.Just regular web surfing uses around 10 mb per hour I believe,(as long as your not watching videos)so that gives me about 25 hrs a month.Works any place you have a cell siganal.

[liner]

When it comes to gigs and megs and bites and stuff, How much does a person need if you were to average 2 or 3 hours a day on the puter. I spend most of my time on youtube, if that helps.


You tube will burn up the mb real quick so you will need a good plan with lots of KB's.

[Mercenary]

Hey folks. I am looking at signing up with Telus for their mobile internet. I am trying to decide which plan to go on. Right now you can get 5 gigs for 65 bucks a month but I am not too sure if that is going to be too much or not enough. The 5 gig plan is their most expensive.

Is anyone on a plan like this? What kind of usage/how many gigs are you going through per month?

[Tired Driver]

I have the 5gb Telus stick. From Aug to April I have used about 17gb in total upload and down loads. I have stopped using the TV and only watch online TV at my time frame. Depending on how much time spent online viewing streaming video can add up fast if laid over. Average TV show is only 40-45mins of viewing, this is only about 120-150MB's roughly. I use free spots when they are truck accessible, this helps in savings.

Future Shop has free WIFI
If heading north on hwy 5 just north of Valemount pull into the pullouts just north of town. You can access the irvin's RV wifi in those pull outs. Never tried the south bound side but can get good signal on the north bound side.

A friend of mine uses the Wilson Cell phone antenna set up and he puts his Telus stick on the pad to increase his range and signal strength for the 3G.

[Mercenary]

I think I will start with the 65 dollar plan and go from there. I like watching TV online and I know that will add up quite quickly but if I try and limit it to a couple of shows a week and then utilize free wi-fi when I can I should stay under the 5 gig limit.

If it is too much then I can always change the plan to a cheaper one.

[Tired Driver]

You can keep an eye on the MB's per use and restrict your use based on when and how you use the stick to view things. I'm always online and watching TV when ever I'm sitting waiting for my trailers. Right now I'm piggy backing on a free wifi at the pullout south bound in Leduc AB, right across from the Schwabs RV lot.

If you are running State side you might want to look into the Verizon stick or go 50/50 and reduce both down so you can max in each Country with out going over or getting caught with a large per use bill.

[Mercenary]

I don't think I will be getting down to the states but I guess it isn't out of the realm of possibilities. I'll mainly be working in Northern Alberta and Northern BC. If I have to go stateside I need to suck it up and turn the damn thing off to avoid all the roaming charges.

[Tired Driver]

I figured if I started to drive down into the States I would lower my size of the plan to about 1-2GB and pick up a Verizon one for down there. Verizon doesn't say if theirs has the roaming added on on their stick but default to the idea they will stick it to you just for fun. lol

[mc94xr7]

Hey guys, truckers

I'm new here and I posted here yesterday about Virgin Mobile Canada Broadband2Go which now offers an internet stick (http://www.virginmobile.ca/broadband2go) for $149 that allows consumers to get mobile internet access on Canada's largest 3G network.

I put all this in a new thread with pictures but it got clipped - too advertorial I imagine

but I have to put it here as a reply to your question because this really is the answer - this is the perfect solution for truck drivers wireless internet needs in Ontario, indeed all over Canada.

Here is one little picture...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2536/4168666771_dccf13e007.jpg (http://www.virginmobile.ca/broadband2go)
2 words: ROAM-ING

[mc94xr7]

Vt rest areas got the wifi in the rest area parking lot.