Rural EVDO advice needed

Hankinator · EVDO Newbie Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 7

Hello all...been lurking for a long time. Long story short...I need some kind of broadband...out in the boonies and currently have dial return satellite.

I am out of the Sprint and Verizon EVDO coverage zone but I can get EVDO bars on my Verizon cell phone with an external antenna. For reference…my zip is 47353 but live @ 4 miles from the Ohio state line on US 27.

I can tether at work (in Cincinnati, OH) and get EVDO through my phone to my laptop but can only get 1xRTT from home. I can force my phone into data only mode (EVDO only) and can get a steady -90 to -80 signal but can’t connect to the EVDO network. Again..getting 2-3 bars. I think I am just to far from Verizon’s coverage area or my “hacked” phone doesn’t play well with that tower. or its my antenna set up (see below) ..its just for testing anyway.

I am interested in trying to haul in a sprint signal as the EVDO coverage area is closest (@ 3 miles…I can see the tower from my house..all flat farmland) but the tower that I suspect is Sprints only has antennas on it that face opposite of me.

How would I go about testing Sprint or Verizon short of purchasing the package and then returning if it doesn’t work?

I know I would need an antenna at a minimum…(I can build or purchase that) Currently for testing purposes I have a Primestar dish focused on a radio shack panel cellular antenna (not even sure it passes 1900mhz) connected to my cell phone.

I would be using EVDO service as my primary internet for my home. I am looking at the Sprint service with the Franklin USB to use in my desktop.

Ideally if I had a buddy with either service I could invite them over and see if I could get signal…but I don’t. Any volunteers?

Anyone else pulling in EVDO from outside of a mapped coverage area?

Any advice or suggestions?

Also.. I am not afraid to get dirty or Frankenstein a solution. as long as it fits my budget and gets fair speed but is reliable.

What I was thinking…..get the Franklin USB and Sprint EVDO service…smack it in a weatherproof enclosure on the primestar dish. Use a good cat5 USB extension (maybe even a remote power supply or hub at the enclosure) to get the signal into my house.

I have read a lot and am mildly obsessed with getting this to work but I do not want to waste $ just to find out it has no chance to work.

Thanks for reading…great forums.
Later,
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Hankinator

vpnavy · EVDO User Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 91

I was also "out of the area" but got a few bars on my cell phone. I bit the bullet and got the service and I have had no problems for the past 3 years (even being out of the area!).

The neat thing about Verizon (don't know about Sprint) was you could subscribe (and get the card) with a 15 day "no questions asked" trial. I'm sure 3Gtore will provide the same option (as they did for my daughter).

Michael · Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:58 am Post subject:

Hello,

If you send your address, city, state, zip to sales at 3gstore dot com, we can compare Verizon & Sprint coverage and see how far away you are and make some recommendations (or tell you that you don't have a shot).

Be sure to include the information you posted in this thread - as it will be useful to know.

Thanks!
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