Internet Access

Firefly · Guru

Internet Access

tonyd · Guru

Sadly (cos I hate 'em) Telstra's the go.
Get a $149 dongle modem, plug it into your laptop and away you go for reasonable wireless internet speeds wherever you can get Telstra phone reception (which includes some fairly isolated places).
Only catch is remembering to update your payment every month (which rolls over any credit you have for another month). Otherwise, you lose what credit you have. You can set up a direct debit to avoid this problem.
You don't get a generous allowance (it's Telstra!) but if you just want to check emails and do some banking etc on the road, $20 a month should see you well catered for.
Cheers, Tony

Carolyn · Newbie

I have been very happy with my Telstra dongle except as you say for the fact if you dont use it and dont top up you loose it. I dont go to extremely remote areas but have yet to find it didnt work long after the mobile had shut down.

I wonder do others use Skype and if that works well, I thought it might be able to be used as an emergency phone if necessary.

A lot of Gloria Jean coffee shops also are hot spots.

sgntbilko · Senior Member

I have the Next G hookup with Telstra (Bigpond) and although expensive, I have found it very good when in remote areas. I also purchased a small antenna and it also works very well in places where there is next to no signal. The system works very well.

Unfortunately there does not appear to be anything out there which will give you the coverage you need apart from this and to have no competition is sad.

I do all my paying of bills etc via the computer when I am on the road which is about 9 months of the year and also keeping in contact with family. This service provider has, to date, never let me down.

Good luck.

jimricho · Guru

Like Sgntbilko I use Telstra's Next G for internet access when "on the road". Yes it is not cheap but requires no up-front payments provided you already have a next G phone and the software, provided by the phone supplier, to interface to the PC via (usually) through the USB. You can also turn the plan on or off as required. I also have "DU meter" installed (registered version) to keep tabs on my usage. Those GNs who are on the road permanently may find other options more appropriate.

I also download all my virus and windows updates before setting out and only download those updates that are a critical to the security of the PC whilst "out and about". I also save any large email attachments until I get back home. I use a gmail email address so that the inbox doesn't "choke up" with attachments. I sometimes take advantage of a free wireless connection when available to "catch up" with the downloads.

I also have a "private" email address which I only use for "private and confidential" emails.

DU meter can be downloaded from http://www.dumeter.com/

I must commend the convenors of this site for keeping it simple, easy to navigate, and not wasting megabytes of download data making it suitable for use on the road.

Jim

-- Edited by jimricho on Monday 27th of July 2009 07:36:29 AM

dave06 · Guru

I had Satelite broadband for a while, dont bother, too much hassle, I would go with telstra if I was to try to get broadband out there, only because it has the widest network system and is the most reliable

jon7360 · Veteran Member

I've been thinking along these lines too Dave .. I have decided to do the same and go with Telstar and NextG, and using an external antenna to give me that little bit extra when its needed.
Not sure which 'plan' yet as my son seems to think that I would be able to use an email address under his own account. He has about 3 already and by simply getting another one on his account (for me), that overall there is a considerable discount given for an account of this size ..

I hope he's right .. maybe you good people out there know a bit more about this sort of thing too .. be nice to know

Jon

dave06 · Guru

we had satellite broadband hooked in with a "TV" parcel when we did the great ocean road, trees are a problem, hills are a problem, Dave is a problem, by the time we set up the satellite system to sit down and muck about with our email it was time for bed so we didn't get much "on air" time, i think we used it twice in two weeks, never again

if one was to be out in the bush and had time to "set up" and time to use it then it would possibly be okay, we had ours on a trial basis, cant even remember who it was through but I canceled it on return, still got our free to air telly sat system though we don't use it

the fellow who camped just up from us on the g.o.r. had his lappy on a "3g" dongle, he was on the net in two minutes, I was still trying to find out where bloody north was to point my satellite

I'm no expert and my advice on this should be chucked away immediately after reading but if I was going to use INTERNET "out there" it would be by this method, (3g and dongle through telstra) how you buy it, what it cost, how you set it up I will leave to the experts, far more knowledgeable people on here than me

Firefly · Guru

Thanks heaps everyone, that has been very helpful.

We are with Telstra Next G for our phones and Telstra internet at home so it should not be a problem. The dongle sounds good but the other half will look through these and work out the best way to go.

When we travelled last year, we picked up a number of spots when we were in van parks, I do think we were inadvertently stealing someone elses though. smile

We have found the next G has the best phone coverage by far and we have picked it up in some very remote areas, the Kimberly for instance.

jimricho · Guru

A quick clarification to my earlier post, one does not need to be a Bigpond customer to use the Next G network for Internet access. I'm with Exetel not Bigpond.

whoppa · Veteran Member

Hi all,
We were using Macdonalds wifi to ,but it is limited and can be slow at times and you get sick of mackers real Quick.

We now use $100 Telsta zte t6 prepay phone as a modem, why buy a dongle if you already have a cell phone??
Install join me software and connect phone via usb cable all supplied with phone and you are in business.
just start the software connect to the phone and hit internet button on screen then connect button then start you email or browser.
A log will tell you how much you have used and you get a txt reminder when running low also it expires at the end of the month and you will need to buy another browser pack.
(you need to buy at least a plus10 browser pack from testra first or it will be very expensive,
to do this you txt "browserplus10" without the speech marks to 1257587 this will give you 100mb for $10) You can buy bigger packs if required
this is heaps for emails and minor browsing but you have to aviod all the jokes with big videoclips attached etc or it will be gone in no time ,I sugest you go to web mail and delete all the big jokes and videoclips.
Also it helps with wireless connections if you are in line of site with a telstra cell phone tower and if you still have trouble remove and refit your cell phone battery as this will reboot your phone and clear any bugs.
This is the cheapest way to go at $10 a month as far as I can see

Wombat 280 · Guru

While we are on the subject of wireless internet can anyone explain why the plan costs are so high compared to landlines and why there is bugger all difference between the various Competitors "and I use that term under advisement" It seems to jump from 200 MB to 5 gigs and very little in between . 200 Mb is hardly worth switching the unit on to stay in touch with the relo's . Five ( 5) Gig is a complete waste unless in to downloading music or movies. Then there is the snail speed of some plans , but lets not go there that's a topic for another time

I'm told by the quiz kids in the field that wireless is much cheaper to provide than landline services so why the high cost.

I think we as a nation are just so complacent in accepting the cost of a new service without even thinking about how they justify the costings that the providers just stick a price on and that's that.

I went on to a service available to DVA pensioners but supplied by an independent ISP contractor just to find out the costings and download allowances .

The sales pitch was 1Gig for $20 but when I read the small print it was up to 1 Gig. The true allowance was 200 Mb for $20 and an additional charge for each Mb up to 1 Gig then the system shut down , so if using a full 1Gig it worked out to be not $20 as per the stated plan but $49. Before signing up read the small print on all of the internet contracts I almost got caught

-- Edited by Wombat 280 on Monday 27th of July 2009 07:31:06 PM

Rolly · Guru

Telecommuncations is, was, and probably always will be a scam.

Even the old P.M.G. was profiteering massively from timed 'non local' calls.
The actual cost of the calls themselves was virtually negligible once the infrastructure had been paid for.

Successive governments were happy to turn a blind eye and collect the revenue generated.

Selling off Telstra effectively robbed the treasury of a valuable 'Milch cow' and provided salaries for incompetent senior company employees that they could never have achieved in the public service.

Wombat 280 · Guru

Rolly wrote:

Telecommuncations is, was, and probably always will be a scam.

Even the old P.M.G. was profiteering massively from timed 'non local' calls.
The actual cost of the calls themselves was virtually negligible once the infrastructure had been paid for.

Successive governments were happy to turn a blind eye and collect the revenue generated.

Selling off Telstra effectively robbed the treasury of a valuable 'Milch cow' and provided salaries for incompetent senior company employees that they could never have achieved in the public service.

Your right they are over paid for the very little they put in.

I had a sign which I hung in my office for years ' "There is not such thing as a dumb question just dumb silence"

Cruising Granny · Guru

Hi Caroly, and welcome to the Nomads.
Everyone else has addressed the internet questions, so I thought it was my duty to say "welcome". I hope your enjoy your stay.
There's a lot of experience and wisdom on The Grey Nomads, and most of the time, a lot of laughs in the transfer of information to fellow Nomads.
Safe and happy travels. Cheers Chris

Stefan · Veteran Member

Hi
Do a search on google for broadband plan comparison.Try this one .

http://broadbandguide.com.au/choice
http://www.broadbandbuddy.com.au/search
-- Edited by Stefan on Monday 14th of September 2009 07:25:50 AM

-- Edited by Stefan on Monday 14th of September 2009 07:33:40 AM

-- Edited by Stefan on Monday 14th of September 2009 07:35:33 AM