HP Compaq nc6400 with Built-in EVDO

Michael

This thread will be used to discuss the HP Compaq nc6400 with EVDO and specific issues related to this laptop and how it works with EVDO. Other forums can be used to discuss coverage, service, etc.

For someone that has this, I am most interested to know how well it receives signal compared to a PC Card, AND if there are any external ports for EVDO antennas or signal amplifiers (I am guessing there is not).

If you just got one of these laptops, we can quickly activate your Embedded Verizon EVDO card for you.
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JGriggs · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 6:17 pm Post subject:

I currently use a KPC650 card with my existing notebook.
I do have one of these NC6400s coming, so I may be able to do some comparisons.

However, I have never swapped service from card to card before.
I know it can be done online.
Is there any significant lag?
Can it only be done only a certain number of times?
Fees?
Any gotchas?

The NC6400 will of course be coming with the HP EV2200, which is in fact really the Sierra Wireless MC5720. ( a rev-0 complaint card, like my KPC650). I don't know how reception will be, but HP does advertise two diversity receive antennas built in.

Also, does anyone know if the VZ manager will support more than one card being present?
I would like to set the notebook in one location with one of the two cards active, take measurements, and then switch the activation to the second cards to avoid moving things as much as possible. Any catches here?
(There seems to be different utility versions.)

In the long run, I figure if the built in system is horrible, I can still use my KPC650 (or its future replacement).

Jon

JGriggs · Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 4:52 am Post subject:

O.K.
I finally got switched over to the internal card earlier this week.

There is no antenna port on this.

The dB signal meter reads consistently lower than my KPC650 in the same area (and at the same time). It (obviously) reads significantly lower with the tombstone antenna attached to the KPC650. HOWEVER, the internal card connects is rooms and places that the KPC650 never did. In addition, I never was able to pull in more the 440 kbps with the KPC650. The first speed test was a little more than 1 mbps downstream.

Maybe I had a bad KPC650, but in comparison, this notebook with EVDO rocks!

Jon

seamlessbroadband · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 28 Dec 2006 Posts: 20

I'm also thinking about the HP6400 with embeded evdo, JGriggs may I ask where you are getting those speeds & how do you like the 6400?

JGriggs · Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:48 pm Post subject:

I'm on the northern edge of Indiana, right in the middle.
(The towns are Elkhart, Goshen, Mishawaka, and South Bend.)

I saw great speeds in the Minneapolis airport this weekend.
Las Vegas was not as good the first night, but I think it was because someone had a COW setup right next to my hotel and it was screwing data up somehow. Driving a few miles elsewhere and it was responsive.

I love the NC6400.
My biggest complaint is battery life.
However, mine has the separate graphics.
I did purchase the extended battery, which I think is fantastic.
With this battery, I get about 9 hours online and about 5 with the CPUs fully engaged.
I have heard that the latest firmware (Version 5) has a speedstep bug where speedstep is not scaling the processor back right. There is supposed to be a version 6 soon to address that. (Although that is a rumor until I see it happen.)

If you have any other questions, I'll try to answer them...

Jon