QLVR Version 0.7.0

I spend a bit of my morning at Starbucks juicing up on Java and working on tasks that generally require Internet access. I could easily go the WiFi route and pay only $30-40/mo for unlimited access or I could give myself an option to not always be around a WiFi hotspot.

With this goal in mind I set out to find the best (current) option for wireless data access. The solution to this problem must:

1. Work on Macbook Pro. Sadly, support is not ubiquitous yet. Sure, it’s much better than Linux but nowhere near Microsoft’s OS
2. Have the widest range of “fast” access available. In other words - give me the fast stuff in my location of Central New Jersey. I previously subscribed to Ricochet from 2000/2001 and loved the service on my Linux based laptop at the time. It was much faster than GRPS and even EDGE speeds unsuitable for today’s pages. They’re much larger and richer…

From the criteria above, I decided that EVDO access from either Verizon or Sprint was the way to go. The option of using HSDPA was not chosen since it’s very limited in the States through AT&T/Cingular. I was really not interested in paying for HSDPA access and receiving much slower EDGE, or worse yet, GRPS access rates.

I then compared Verizon and Sprint. I chose Sprint for the following reasons:

1. Do not cap their “unlimited” service like Verizon does. Verizon’s cap of 5GB/mo is great but it’s still a cap. While I don’t plan on running a server it’s the concept that bothers me.
2. From cursory research on the Net, I noted Sprint’s data network is better than Verizon’s. It’s hearsay because I don’t have a way to prove it but I’m not a huge fan of them. Besides, that “Can you hear me now” jingle annoys the crap out of me.
3. Sprint will eventually roll out WiMax with or without Clearwire. I figure it may be an upgrade path but who knows.

I did have some concerns about Sprint’s service from comments in various forums including evdoinfo.com. Luckily, the issues noted in the forums were non-existent and I had a great experience at the local Sprint Store in Union. The store manager helped me get setup quickly and easily after I made my decision on which device to purchase. I chose the Novatel Merlin EX720 because it was an Express PCI card and not a fragile USB key that could break off when I put my portable space heater/MacBook Pro in my lap.

Steps for Purchase and Installation

1. Download & install the drivers *BEFORE* you get the card. The downloads are available at http://www.sprint.com/downloads. As of January 9, 2008 the direct link is here
2. Purchase a card online or in the store. As noted in the article, I purchased a Novatel Merlin EX720. I know this one works on my MacBook Pro!
3. Next, activate the card on the premises. There may be some values that are required that are not prepopulated on the activation. I highly recommend doing this if you’re in the store. If you purchased online then contact Sprint via phone. I did not have to do this but you could start with (866) 866-7509 (found on their page.)

That’s it! It’s a fairly straightforward process. On with the screenshots…

Screenshots

The activation and Location Based Services applications:

General Usage

Once your card is setup correctly, you can connect quickly by clicking on the Sprint utility present in your Menu Bar as noted in this screen shot:

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If you are interested in the what that Network Preferences looks like then take a look at this screen shot:

Location Based Services / aGPS integration

One of the nice perks of the Sprint network is the aGPS (Assisted Global Positioning System) that uses cell tower triangulation. If you want to use this application located in your Applications folder, then you must opt in. The opt in terms and conditions:

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Once you accept the fact that you can be tracked and your location has been found, you are provided some options for what you may be looking for including:

• Custom search
• Find Nearest Sprint Nextel Store
• Find Nearest Restaurant
• Find Nearest Bank
• Find Nearest Hotel
• Find Nearest Gas Station
• Find Nearest Coffee House

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Considering I’m in New Jersey, I’ll search for the state food , pizza, in the search box above. Executing the search, I receive a Google Maps listing of the nearby pizza places:

This is great but I’m more interested in the closest one and I’m also a bit curious on how accurate my location has been pinpointed. Zooming in, you can see that the Starbucks I’m in is accurately shown and that Saporito’s in Springfield, NJ is a hop, skip and jump away. The screenshot:

Speed Test Results

I tested the card against two different services took place on the morning of January 8th, 2008 from the Starbucks in Union, New Jersey. I did not compare the results against T-Mobile’s hotspot since I’d think that would be a bit unfair.

When I grabbed the screen captures, I was a bit disappointed with the speed this day. Previously, I had seen between 800 kbps and 1.2 Mbps down. As you can see in both screenshots below, there’s a bit of a delay hitting the gateway (110ms on up) so don’t expect to use this for voice. No issues using a remote shell (SSH) but forget gaming/other interactive traffic. On with the results…

Speakeasy - NYC

• Down: 724 kbps
• Up: 497 kbps

Speedtest.net Results

• Down: 759 kbps
• Up: 497 kbps
• Delay to first hop/gateway: 110 ms