do all modems need a sim card?

[David]

Do all modems for wireless internet need a sim card?

If so can you copy a sim card you already have and use that?

What I wish to do is to be able to connect to the net wirelessly while I
am out and about. I have an account with BP but the modem is a bit big
to carry around so want to use a different modem while I am away from
home, but on the same account (no way I could afford two accounts)

But I really do not want to have take the sim card out of my home modem
each time I go out - hence the need for a second sim, unless I can find
a modem (with WiFi) that doesn't need a sim

Any ideas most welcome

David

[George]

David wrote:
> Do all modems for wireless internet need a sim card?
>
> If so can you copy a sim card you already have and use that?
>
> What I wish to do is to be able to connect to the net wirelessly while I
> am out and about. I have an account with BP but the modem is a bit big
> to carry around so want to use a different modem while I am away from
> home, but on the same account (no way I could afford two accounts)
>
> But I really do not want to have take the sim card out of my home modem
> each time I go out - hence the need for a second sim, unless I can find
> a modem (with WiFi) that doesn't need a sim
>
> Any ideas most welcome
>
> David

There are but it won't help you. At least here in the US both Verizon
and Sprint are CDMA. No SIMs are used and each device has an ESN burned
in. You need an account for each device.

Why not get the smaller modem and retire the big one?

[David]

In article <h9g6c6$chr$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
George <george@nospam.invalid> wrote:

> David wrote:
> > Do all modems for wireless internet need a sim card?
> >
> > If so can you copy a sim card you already have and use that?
> >
> > What I wish to do is to be able to connect to the net wirelessly while I
> > am out and about. I have an account with BP but the modem is a bit big
> > to carry around so want to use a different modem while I am away from
> > home, but on the same account (no way I could afford two accounts)
> >
> > But I really do not want to have take the sim card out of my home modem
> > each time I go out - hence the need for a second sim, unless I can find
> > a modem (with WiFi) that doesn't need a sim
> >
> > Any ideas most welcome
> >
> > David
>
> There are but it won't help you. At least here in the US both Verizon
> and Sprint are CDMA. No SIMs are used and each device has an ESN burned
> in. You need an account for each device.
>
> Why not get the smaller modem and retire the big one?

Because I live in a rural area (in NSW Australia) and the closest tower
is about 15km away. In Oz we abandoned CDMA a few years ago and now
there is only the old digital (but not where I live) and 3G.

A good idea if I was in an area with good signal strength, and there
were smaller modems with WiFi available - but I haven't been able to
find one. In the US you guys have great little portable WiFi units but
they do not work here (according to their mgs)

But thanks for your reply

David

[atec 7 7]

David wrote:
> In article <h9g6c6$chr$1@news.eternal-september.org>,
> George <george@nospam.invalid> wrote:
>
>> David wrote:
>>> Do all modems for wireless internet need a sim card?
>>>
>>> If so can you copy a sim card you already have and use that?
>>>
>>> What I wish to do is to be able to connect to the net wirelessly while I
>>> am out and about. I have an account with BP but the modem is a bit big
>>> to carry around so want to use a different modem while I am away from
>>> home, but on the same account (no way I could afford two accounts)
>>>
>>> But I really do not want to have take the sim card out of my home modem
>>> each time I go out - hence the need for a second sim, unless I can find
>>> a modem (with WiFi) that doesn't need a sim
>>>
>>> Any ideas most welcome
>>>
>>> David
>> There are but it won't help you. At least here in the US both Verizon
>> and Sprint are CDMA. No SIMs are used and each device has an ESN burned
>> in. You need an account for each device.
>>
>> Why not get the smaller modem and retire the big one?
>
> Because I live in a rural area (in NSW Australia) and the closest tower
> is about 15km away. In Oz we abandoned CDMA a few years ago and now
> there is only the old digital (but not where I live) and 3G.
>
> A good idea if I was in an area with good signal strength, and there
> were smaller modems with WiFi available - but I haven't been able to
> find one. In the US you guys have great little portable WiFi units but
> they do not work here (according to their mgs)
>
> But thanks for your reply
>
> David
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linksys_WRT54G_series
add an external and there is an interface for a suitable
Au phone sim
ask here http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/

[alexd]

John Navas wrote:

> On Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:48:41 GMT, David
> <postings@REMOVE-TO-REPLYconfidential-counselling.com> wrote

>>A good idea if I was in an area with good signal strength, and there
>>were smaller modems with WiFi available - but I haven't been able to
>>find one. In the US you guys have great little portable WiFi units but
>>they do not work here (according to their mgs)
>
> Most all USA Wi-Fi units should work fine in Australia.

Perhaps he means the compact model he'd like to use isn't GSM.

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Qua illic est accuso, illic est a vindicatum

[David]

In article <sdvnb5d886r7m8fsuitpin3u63of8kh7t0@4ax.com>,
John Navas <spamfilter1@navasgroup.com> wrote:
> >
> >A good idea if I was in an area with good signal strength, and there
> >were smaller modems with WiFi available - but I haven't been able to
> >find one. In the US you guys have great little portable WiFi units but
> >they do not work here (according to their mgs)
>
> Most all USA Wi-Fi units should work fine in Australia.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_WLAN_channels#2.4.C2.A0GHz_.28802.11b.2Fg
> .2Fn.29

I had a look at that site but am not sure what it all meant. The
problem as advised to me by 2 mfg of those portable WiFi units was the
Australian NextG USB wireless modem wouldn't suit their unit

Was that what those tables were about?

David - appreciative of the reply

[Peter Pan]

"David" <postings@REMOVE-TO-REPLYconfidential-counselling.com> wrote in
message news:postings-E6334F.11583926092009@news.bigpond.com...

>
> David - appreciative of the reply


have you considered something like a mobile router that works with
both/either cdma and/or gsm, takes data cards, tethers to some cell phones,
may use certain usb modems, and can be purchased online and shipped to you?
(essentialy what you have seen but NOT battery operated)
Kyocera KR-2 Mobile Router
http://www.kyocera-wireless.com/kr2-router/

fraid you'll have to check the specs to see if it will work with your unamed
phone/carrier/etc....