I write this to you from somewhere in the Caribbean while I complete the fifth and final Lucozade Challenge. Yesterday, Ben wrote about one of his new favourite pieces of kit – the Mi-Fi.
The Mi-Fi, for those of you who missed Mr Smith’s write up, is a nifty little gadget that creates an instant wi-fi hotspot wherever you are. Unlocked out of the box, all you need is a data SIM and you’re away… However, the device/service that Ben is currently reviewing is the 3 service and it would seem that this particular device is locked to their network.
Crapsticks.
As I’ve mentioned before though, I don’t think that these super-connected wonders are for everyone. I personally always carry around a data dongle for my MacBook Pro and when that doesn’t work, I have the rather fantastic, Joikuspot.
Coming back to the dongle part of my story, I spent most of last weekend playing around with all the various pieces of mobile tech (as well as their respective SIM cards) that I thought I might take away with me for my next trip.
Crashing through the cupboards full of old 3310s and old school Nokia chargers I happened upon an old o2 dongle that I used to have to use in a previous life. The end was missing and it still had it’s old (and now defunct) o2 SIM inside it and yet, I had a sneaky feeling that it might still work.
So at this point, you could be thinking:
“Awesome, all I have to now is go out and get a cheap o2 data bundle and hurrah! We’re away!”
Not so fast.
Turns out that that isn’t necessary. It turns out that an o2 SIM isn’t needed at ALL in fact. You see, when Lucozade asked me what essential piece(s) of kit that I needed for the Energy Challenges, along with my N86, I requested a super-reliable Vodafone data SIM. Something that could keep me online and in touch, wherever I was in the world.
I popped said SIM into said dongle, placed the dongle into the side of my mac and voila! It worked immediately! I thought I might have to install some kind of Vodafone specific software or at least have to add in the necessary information, but nope. The Sierra Wireless Watcher that was already onboard the mac found the SIM, downloaded the settings and within seconds I was up, running and online.
Awesomeness.
I’d wondered for sometime now if the networks went so far as to lock their own dongles, I can’t speak for any others but I can tell you now that the o2 one works fine.
Give it a go, would love to know how you get on..
My ZTE MF627 dongle from 3 is locked to their network. As with mobiles, there’s a thriving market in unlocking them.
Mind you, I did win it in a competition from them, so I shouldn’t grumble 🙂
I have a couple of dongles from 3’s network, both came locked. One of them I’ve reflashed with new firmware to unlock just for the hell of it, since it was a freebie.
My Vodafone Dell Mini 9 came with software that only worked with Vodafone, although generic software was available from Dell’s website.
I unlocked my 3 dongle with software that’s available free online. I use an o2 sim which effectively gives me unlimited data for free. Don’t use it much as I have an iphone on vodafone now but it’s handy to have in the bag for when I’m out and about with my laptop.
fwiw, OS X will let you plug in internet of any kind and generate a wifi cloud from it. it can be very very useful.
My ZTE MF627 dongle from 3 is locked to their network. As with mobiles, there's a thriving market in unlocking them.Mind you, I did win it in a competition from them, so I shouldn't grumble 🙂
My ZTE MF627 dongle from 3 is locked to their network. As with mobiles, there's a thriving market in unlocking them.
Mind you, I did win it in a competition from them, so I shouldn't grumble 🙂
I have a couple of dongles from 3's network, both came locked. One of them I've reflashed with new firmware to unlock just for the hell of it, since it was a freebie.My Vodafone Dell Mini 9 came with software that only worked with Vodafone, although generic software was available from Dell's website.
I have a couple of dongles from 3's network, both came locked. One of them I've reflashed with new firmware to unlock just for the hell of it, since it was a freebie.
My Vodafone Dell Mini 9 came with software that only worked with Vodafone, although generic software was available from Dell's website.
I unlocked my 3 dongle with software that's available free online. I use an o2 sim which effectively gives me unlimited data for free. Don't use it much as I have an iphone on vodafone now but it's handy to have in the bag for when I'm out and about with my laptop.
I unlocked my 3 dongle with software that's available free online. I use an o2 sim which effectively gives me unlimited data for free. Don't use it much as I have an iphone on vodafone now but it's handy to have in the bag for when I'm out and about with my laptop.
fwiw, OS X will let you plug in internet of any kind and generate a wifi cloud from it. it can be very very useful.
fwiw, OS X will let you plug in internet of any kind and generate a wifi cloud from it. it can be very very useful.
Looks like Antigua.
Don’t you people know it’s bloody hot down here in the summertime???
Looks like Antigua, it is in fact St Maarten.
Close though 🙂
Of course, (upon clicking Lucozade link), Great Bay.
What a coincidence…I do maintenance work on the 12 Metre Challenge boats.
In fact, I was working on them last week!
Sorry I missed you (and your N86.)
Looks like Antigua.Don't you people know it's bloody hot down here in the summertime???
Looks like Antigua.
Don't you people know it's bloody hot down here in the summertime???
Looks like Antigua, it is in fact St Maarten. Close though 🙂
Looks like Antigua, it is in fact St Maarten.
Close though 🙂
Of course, (upon clicking Lucozade link), Great Bay.What a coincidence…I do maintenance work on the 12 Metre Challenge boats.In fact, I was working on them last week! Sorry I missed you (and your N86.)
Of course, (upon clicking Lucozade link), Great Bay.
What a coincidence…I do maintenance work on the 12 Metre Challenge boats.
In fact, I was working on them last week!
Sorry I missed you (and your N86.)
Wow, we must’ve really only *just* missed each other. Ask Rob about the six lunatics he had over on the Lucozade Challenge. I’m sure he’ll have a story or two… 🙂
Wow, we must've really only *just* missed each other. Ask Rob about the six lunatics he had over on the Lucozade Challenge. I'm sure he'll have a story or two… 🙂
Wow, we must've really only *just* missed each other. Ask Rob about the six lunatics he had over on the Lucozade Challenge. I'm sure he'll have a story or two… 🙂