Which Verizon 4G USB modem works?

[Loganfilm]

I want to set up my ex as a wireless hotspot. Anyone know exactly which Verizon 4G Modem works. Specifically Verizon.

Thanks!

 

[donm527]

I have a verizon mifi 4510L that the Ex had no problem in finding and connecting to and setting up as a hotspot and then connected to it with my iphone 3gs.

Of course the 4g LTE mifi is already a mobile hotspot. but i just wanted to see how easy it was for the Ex to connect to it.

I want to set up my ex as a wireless hotspot. Anyone know exactly which Verizon 4G Modem works. Specifically Verizon.

Thanks!

 

[Loganfilm]

Awesome. That's the one I wanted.

Thank you!

Can't wait to have my ATT iPhone use the Verizon network...

 

[Sgt1411]

Awesome. That's the one I wanted.

Thank you!

Can't wait to have my ATT iPhone use the Verizon network...

Why not just use the iPhone HotSpot feature while driving?

Skip SYNC MFT all together

 

[Loganfilm]

Apparently, you didn't catch the ATT admission.

I want it to actually work.

 

[Sgt1411]

Apparently, you didn't catch the ATT admission.

I want it to actually work.

OK got it now......

Mine works perfect

 

[GregV8]

Just to clarify the Mifi 4510L is a hotspot in itself, i.e. does not rely on the car's infrastructure to create a hotspot.
It will work just fine, but there is nothing special about the Explorer in this scenario. It would work the same way in any other vehicle. All you need to do is power it.

To answer the original question, I have tested pretty much all 4G USB sticks on the market and none of them worked.

FYI, I am tracking all related knowledge in this thread. Asked one of the admins to make it sticky but got no response. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=316474

 

[donm527]

au contraire... there is something special about the Explorer in this scenario...

with the verizon mifi 4510L you can only connect 5 devices to it at a time.
so if you have 6 passengers with you and they all have devices, ones left out.

if you connect your mifi and allow the MFT to be the hotspot...
voila, all six of your passengers can connect to their devices
At least that's I think it's possible... I don't know if the MFT has a limit too.

I just wanted to see if the MFT would connect and then create a hotspot thru the MFT using it and it does.
I'd recommend people get the mifi and forget usb... hate installing usb wireless to laptops, etc.

One thing I noticed, it looks like you have to connect your mifi to your MFT manually everytime you restart and you also create the hotspot again at restart?
I was hoping that it just detect/connect to the mifi at every start and maintain a hotspot connection I create unless I manually disable it.

Just to clarify the Mifi 4510L is a hotspot in itself, i.e. does not rely on the car's infrastructure to create a hotspot.
It will work just fine, but there is nothing special about the Explorer in this scenario. It would work the same way in any other vehicle. All you need to do is power it.

To answer the original question, I have tested pretty much all 4G USB sticks on the market and none of them worked.

FYI, I am tracking all related knowledge in this thread. Asked one of the admins to make it sticky but got no response. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=316474

 

[amigodana]

They are only 4g upgradable, and there are no 4g towers working right now. Ask the rep. yourself. So please be cautious when buying these, as you will not get the speed increase you think, yet.

 

[donm527]

they are rolling out all the time... if you are in the area it'll fly. if not, then it's just regular 3g

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/verizon-rolling-out-lte-coverage-in-21-additional-markets-on-ju/

They are only 4g upgradable, and there are no 4g towers working right now. Ask the rep. yourself. So please be cautious when buying these, as you will not get the speed increase you think, yet.

 

[Loganfilm]

au contraire... there is something special about the Explorer in this scenario...

with the verizon mifi 4510L you can only connect 5 devices to it at a time.
so if you have 6 passengers with you and they all have devices, ones left out.

if you connect your mifi and allow the MFT to be the hotspot...
voila, all six of your passengers can connect to their devices
At least that's I think it's possible... I don't know if the MFT has a limit too.

I just wanted to see if the MFT would connect and then create a hotspot thru the MFT using it and it does.
I'd recommend people get the mifi and forget usb... hate installing usb wireless to laptops, etc.

One thing I noticed, it looks like you have to connect your mifi to your MFT manually everytime you restart and you also create the hotspot again at restart?
I was hoping that it just detect/connect to the mifi at every start and maintain a hotspot connection I create unless I manually disable it.

So.. If you went with a USB modem that is directly connected to MFT, would that negate the need to recreate the connection every time you fire up the car? There has to be a way to automate this.

 

[donm527]

I dont know since I only tried with the mifi. i actually have a new verizon usb at work but havent played with it. in the past I hate having to install older usb verizon cards into laptops cause you change laptops you have to bring the sw and install and in my experience had bad luck with these things. as a matter of fact the first mifi i got was DOA and the second they overnighted i had to call support for an hour before they jump started it.

the mifi rocks... all new devices have wireless so just have whatever device detect, connect, and surf.

dunno the exact model but its the new verizon usb that has some carbon fiber looking antenna you rotate but when I saw the mifi's were available, I had our department order one for me since it cost the same for us and threw the usb in my drawer.

I can look into installing it for the heck of it and see what happens.

So.. If you went with a USB modem that is directly connected to MFT, would that negate the need to recreate the connection every time you fire up the car? There has to be a way to automate this.

 

[Loganfilm]

Cool. I'd appreciate it. I want to know if it reconnects automatically. That may sway me from the mifi.

Thanks!

 

[amigodana]

they are rolling out all the time... if you are in the area it'll fly. if not, then it's just regular 3g

http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/23/verizon-rolling-out-lte-coverage-in-21-additional-markets-on-ju/

Yes, your ad says it exactly, not until June 16, one company and extremely rare service. Even though that date is right around the corner, will it work without problems even then. As far as I am concerned I don't have money to be throwing away on something still so lacking.

 

[donm527]

not to mention you'll need 110 plug to charge the thing (does the Limited console where the usb/sd slot is located have a 110 plug?). the battery lasts 4 hours which i've confirmed. but the usb cable provided is only for connecting to pc to update firmware, i dont believe it can be used to charge.

Cool. I'd appreciate it. I want to know if it reconnects automatically. That may sway me from the mifi.

Thanks!

 

[donm527]

i agree with ya. for me, i got it from my work.

Yes, your ad says it exactly, not until June 16, one company and extremely rare service. Even though that date is right around the corner, will it work without problems even then. As far as I am concerned I don't have money to be throwing away on something still so lacking.

 

[GregV8]

I have the Pantech UML290 USB stick on Verizon LTE. Was downloading at 22 Mbps earlier today. But you're right, coverage is spotty. But it's improving every day.

Just ordered one of these units:
http://us.zyxel.com/products/details.aspx?PC1indexflag=PDCA200920&CategoryGroupNo=PDCA20108

It basically turns any USB modem into a hotspot - exactly what a Mifi is inside... or for that matter, exactly what Ford MFT promises to do. The difference is, most USB modems are not compatible with Ford. But they are compatible with this Zyxel router.
Since Ford does not publish the list of compatible hardware, I just went with Zyxel because they do.

Now you might be asking why get a USB modem and a separate router when I can just have a Mifi card? The reason is, the two 4G Mifi models (Samsung and Novatel) only offer Wifi connectivity. They cannot act as a USB modem without Wifi. Unfortunately for me, the company I work for does not allow Wifi hotspots inside the office (yeah..I know). So if I want to use my private laptop, I have to get online using USB. The Verizon/Pantech stick does this perfectly on 4G.
I will keep the Zyxel box in the car. This way I can plug the Pantech modem either into my laptop at work, or into the car. No MFT needed.

 

[Loganfilm]

Does your Pantech USB Stick work directly with MFT?

Again... Does anyone have a Verizon USB modem that actually works?

Thanks!

 

[GregV8]

Does your Pantech USB Stick work directly with MFT?

Again... Does anyone have a Verizon USB modem that actually works?

Thanks!

No and no.

Like I said above. No 4G modem seems to work with MFT as of now.