# wireless mifi hotspot



## Toni (Feb 16, 2012)

I've been reading all the posts about Fire, and see that it doesn't have the same wireless connectivity that my Kindle 3g has.  We have a place in Northern MI, in the woods.  Lots of our neighbors there have been getting mifi hotspots for internet and cell phone connection.  They are very happy with their connections.    My kindle 3g works there fine altho a bit slow, but I am going to get a data jack for laptop connection.    Just want to clarify that the Fire won't work with that.  If it would, I'd be getting a Fire, but that's one of my primary locations to use my Kindle.
t


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

If what you are asking is whether or not  Fire will connect via a MiFi -- the answer is yes it will.

Data connections speeds may be slow and streaming may be affected depending upon the carrier/network the MiFi rides on.

Not sure what you mean by "get a data jack for laptop connection".


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## Toni (Feb 16, 2012)

Data jack is a mifi wireless card that is not affiliated with a major cell phone company, has no contract and you can change your program according to what you need. I have a Verizon cell phone, and to get the verizon hotspot I would have to pay a fee of $60 per month, sign a 2 yr contract and not be able to change my plan if I needed to. The DataJack mifi is exactly the same one that Verizon cells but it's cost is much less. I have borrowed one from a friend and tried it in the remote location where we have property in MI and got a speedy and stable internet connection with my laptop. Prior to that, the only access we had to internet service was with Hughesnet satellite internet service, bad service, and cost was $79 per month, with a 2 yr contract.  Plus I had to pay an installation fee of almost $300. Datajack is $89. plans compare to those of the major cell phone companies. No contract. If I don't have a big enough plan, I can call them and change it. It also serves up to 5 items. That's why I was hoping that Kindle Fire would be one of them. Thank you for giving me the info on this, now I think that I know what I will do.

http://www.datajack.com/

t


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## B.A. Spangler (Jan 25, 2012)

yes a mifi will work.

basically the mifi would act as your 3g part since Fire is only offered in a wifi version.

you will still have to pay a data plan for use of the mifi.


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## Kelly (Michigan) (Dec 29, 2009)

Do they work outside of the US?


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## Tip10 (Apr 16, 2009)

Toni said:


> Data jack is a mifi wireless card that is not affiliated with a major cell phone company, has no contract and you can change your program according to what you need. I have a Verizon cell phone, and to get the verizon hotspot I would have to pay a fee of $60 per month, sign a 2 yr contract and not be able to change my plan if I needed to. The DataJack mifi is exactly the same one that Verizon cells but it's cost is much less. I have borrowed one from a friend and tried it in the remote location where we have property in MI and got a speedy and stable internet connection with my laptop. Prior to that, the only access we had to internet service was with Hughesnet satellite internet service, bad service, and cost was $79 per month, with a 2 yr contract. Plus I had to pay an installation fee of almost $300. Datajack is $89. plans compare to those of the major cell phone companies. No contract. If I don't have a big enough plan, I can call them and change it. It also serves up to 5 items. That's why I was hoping that Kindle Fire would be one of them. Thank you for giving me the info on this, now I think that I know what I will do.
> 
> http://www.datajack.com/
> 
> t


Definitely *NOT* trying to change your mind -- not my intent at all -- have no interest in what or how you do things.

Just make sure you do your homework!! And you compare apples to apples.

From what I saw with a quick look at Verizon's website shows a 2 year contract for a MiFi as free for the device and $50 a month of 5 GB of data. Yeah it has a 2 year contract. But this is also for a 4G device -- it will run much faster than the 3G device.

Datajack looks like it shows $90 for the device and $50 a month for that same 5 GB of data.... For a 3G device. No contract. Sure you can get lesser data packages BUT....

Seriously 5 GB of data may seem like a ton but can easily be ate up by streaming -- something you definitely will be doing with the Fire. If I am not mistaken something like 10 minutes of High Def video streaming a day totals up to something like 10 (yes* TEN*) GB a month....

A MiFi will work with the Fire but data rates can very easily eat your lunch.

Like I said -- DO YOUR HOMEWORK -- make sure you understand what you are getting AND what you are using. For cellular connections data rates can kill you!


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## Toni (Feb 16, 2012)

Tip10, you're right, and my first choice was going to be to go with that Verizon model.   The problem is that many of the people there in that area have said that since it's 4G and there isn't 4G offered there, they sometimes have some trouble with the hotspot trying to switch back and forth from searching to 3G and 4G.   As I said, this is a very rural area.   A few have the Sprint 3G mifi, and are happy with that.   My original intent was to be able to use it for internet service when we are there on weekends.   Not every day use.   Hopefully it would be enough for that.   But thank you for the tips, I appreciate that and will research carefully.
t

Forgot to mention that our location is seasonal, we can't get to it between November and April.  (most years) So not having a contract means that I can cancel my service at the end of deer hunting season, and then renew it in the spring with no fees or problems. Only pay for the time we're using it.    That's one of the biggest attractions to this model for me.


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

Be sure to check out the Virgin version of the mifi, it rides on top of sprints network. I think best buy has a couple of others pre-paid now too.


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## Toni (Feb 16, 2012)

Tracey, checked out that Virgin mobile site.  I am hoping that maybe something better may be out there than the Data Jack.  Did find this.... "Virgin Mobile reserves the right, without notice, to temporarily limit throughput speeds when monthly data usage on the $50 Broadband2Go Plan exceeds 2.5GB. More..."    
This is even tho the $50 Plan is actually for 5 GB.  Didn't see the same statement on Data Jack.  While extremely high speed isn't a deal breaker for me (after all, I'm out in the woods, with not a lot else to do) I still don't want to get slowed down any more than I have to.  With Hughesnet I was working with dial up sped most of the time.  It gets frustrating after a while.  I'll keep looking before I buy, and I really do appreciate the advice you are all giving me.
t


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## TraceyC/FL (Mar 23, 2011)

Data throttling is happening everywhere - I have "unlimited" for my iPhone with Verizon, but after 2gb they will make it slower!


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## PinkKindle (Sep 10, 2009)

I have the Verizon MiFi 4G and I can confirm that the Fire, the K3 (Kindle Keyboard) wifi, and the Touch all work perfectly with it.  Put in the password at initial setup and done -- works perfectly.  I had the 3G MiFi model for about a year and a half before upgrading to the 4G when eligible, and that also worked perfectly with the K3 (the upgrade was before the Fire came out, but I don't see why it wouldn't have worked with the Fire too).  We are in a 4G coverage area.

The device itself works great, nice fast internet connection, and I haven't had any problem with it with any WiFi device.  Even works great with the XBox 360.  However, I will also agree that you really have to watch your usage.  Doing stuff like email, reading forums, shopping online doesn't take much data at all.  However, if you start watching movies or TV shows on it you are really going to fly through the data.  I upgraded to the 10 GB plan ($80 per month), and really that's not enough for us -- my month ends tomorrow and I'm at 9.79 GB!   And that's without playing on XBox Live (we really just use it for download content, closely monitored and rationed per month) or watching any full-length movies or TV shows, but I think my husband has downloaded some music this month and he also does watch videos on ESPN.com and game trailer videos and such.

If I could get an unlimited plan for the MiFi it would be absolutely perfect -- I really don't have any complaints about it other than that I need more of it!   We're not in as rural an area as you're describing, but we are unable to get cable or DSL and I didn't want HughesNet, so this was the only option besides dialup.


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## fuschiahedgehog (Feb 23, 2010)

Toni said:


> Tip10, you're right, and my first choice was going to be to go with that Verizon model. The problem is that many of the people there in that area have said that since it's 4G and there isn't 4G offered there, they sometimes have some trouble with the hotspot trying to switch back and forth from searching to 3G and 4G. As I said, this is a very rural area. A few have the Sprint 3G mifi, and are happy with that. My original intent was to be able to use it for internet service when we are there on weekends. Not every day use. Hopefully it would be enough for that. But thank you for the tips, I appreciate that and will research carefully.
> t
> 
> Forgot to mention that our location is seasonal, we can't get to it between November and April. (most years) So not having a contract means that I can cancel my service at the end of deer hunting season, and then renew it in the spring with no fees or problems. Only pay for the time we're using it. That's one of the biggest attractions to this model for me.


Check the specs of the device - you may be able to force it into 3G mode. My phone has the option of forcing it into lower modes.


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