We've been following Novatel's MiFi with bated breath since its
December announcement, and the totally pocketable 3G / WiFi router has finally graced a US carrier. Though it'll ultimately come in a variety of physical designs, bands, and radio technologies for different carriers and parts of the world, the MiFi 2200 for Verizon naturally packs CDMA with EV-DO Rev. A, which means uplink speeds should be reasonably speedy to go along with your 1Mbps-plus downloads. Obviously, the concept of a credit card-shaped object connecting up to five WiFi-enabled devices to high-speed internet from wherever the road takes you is an incredibly intoxicating one -- but does the MiFi 2200 deliver? Let's have a look.
Our MiFi came "unactivated," meaning that although Verizon is aware of the device's ESN and has it registered to the correct account, it can't be used to connect to the internet until some specific communication occurs between the box and the carrier (the same is true of any modem on Verizon or Sprint -- the MiFi isn't alone in this minor annoyance). Fortunately, this is a one-time process, but it's kind of a pain; you'll need to cable up the MiFi to a Mac or PC to do it, which steals some of the fun you've undoubtedly envisioned of pulling the modem out of the box, firing it up, and immediately connecting to it over WiFi (you can actually do it if you like, you just won't get 'net access).
When you connect the MiFi to a computer using the included micro-USB cable, two cool things happen: one, the MiFi begins charging, and two, a drive mounts to your machine (strangely, on the first Mac we tried, we were never able to get it to mount -- we're not sure whether it was the machine's fault or the MiFi's). This drive contains Windows and Mac versions of VZAccess Manager, which you'll install and use to run through a quick wizard for activation; afterwards, you can continue using it for controlling your MiFi while it's tethered to the computer just as you would any other modem. Personally we find carrier-branded connection managers annoying and avoid them at all costs; the MiFi makes this easy with its WiFi capabilities, but there's no harm in keeping Manager installed just in case.
Now that you've got the bad boy activated, the cable comes unplugged -- and this is where the real magic begins. Using the MiFi couldn't be simpler; pressing the power button on top swings the device into action, exposing a cloud of WiFi that can connect up to five devices at once. By default, the network is protected by a WPA password printed on a sticker on the back of the device, but this can be changed by logging into the web-based admin console along with a host of other options -- basically everything you'd expect to see from a basic wireless router for your home. You can change the SSID and toggle its broadcast, choose between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 encryption, use 802.11b, g, or both, set MAC filters, port forwarding, and so on.
Connecting was a breeze. It'd generally take fifteen seconds or so from power-up before we were able to see the MiFi's network, and we never once had trouble attaching to it. Once you're connected, the box takes care of the nitty gritty details of dialing into Verizon's airwaves, and you can just go about your business as you would connected to any other hotspot.
We saw about 1.5 to 1.8Mbps down and 350 to 400kbps up while using the MiFi in downtown Chicago, with virtually no difference between WiFi and tethered mode (of course, you'll see these figures drop as you share the network with your friends). These numbers are more or less in line with what you'd expect from a Rev. A device, and it doesn't appear that you're taking any hit from using WiFi or from the overhead of routing -- in other words, traditional modems are starting to look a little endangered to us here. Battery life is never an issue, because you can always just cable up and recharge while you continue to work.
Wrap-up Put simply, our hats go off to Novatel and Verizon on this one. The MiFi is drop-dead awesome in basically every meaningful way, and we'd be shocked if every top-tier carrier in the world wasn't actively looking into adding it -- or a device very similar to it -- into their lineup. Unless you have a very specific, compelling reason that you require an ExpressCard or a USB stick style modem, the MiFi's simplicity, flexibility, tethering capability, and no-compromise performance make it the way to go for your mobile data needs.
posted May 13th 2009 12:01PM
I know you can always plug it in, but how long does it last unplugged? Let's say you don't wanna kill your laptop's battery?
Manual says ~4hrs on a full charge at 75% utilization.
Does the packaged service still have a cap at 5gb/month with overage charges after you exceed 5gb? I'm guessing so.
Found the answer on Verizon's website:
$39.99 monthly access for 250 MB monthly allowance and 10 cents per megabyte overage
$59.99 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance and 5 cents per megabyte overage
Customers can also use the MiFi 2200 with Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Broadband DayPass for $15 for 24-hour access when the device is purchased at full retail price without a monthly service plan.
Hmm, thanks but no thanks.
Verizon's site pretty clearly reads 25 cents per megabyte overages in both cases for me. Could it vary by location?
For me it says the same thing.
250 MB $39.99 $0.10
5GB $59.99 $0.05
*Mobile Broadband speed claim based on our network tests with 5 MB FTP data files without compression. Actual speeds and coverage may vary. Other data services (Quick 2 Netsm dial–up connections) at $0.25 per minute.
Does it fit in your wallet?
Read the very first sentence, "..the totally pocketable 3G / WiFi router.."
Oops my bad. Wallet != Pocket. Wallet < Pocket.
downside?? 5 devices sharing a 5GB cap....holy cow!!! lol
It is pretty handy. I've had a demo unit for a week now I can't really find a fault with the hardware. The service is a bit pricey, but not much more so than any other aircard.
The best feature is the range. I connected my iPod from well over 250 feet away with full signal strength. The connection seems to idle just a little too quickly for my preference, but I havent waded through all the menu settings to see if i can alter that yet.
All in all, a great device. It is amazingly small.
The device can go 4 hours. It cannot fit in your wallet, but it can fit in your pocket.
David Pogue did a more comprehensive review in the NY Times last week.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/technology/personaltech/07pogue.html?_r=2&em
coolio!
Why would I trade in my USB stick for this? I am missing the advantage. I don't frequently use 2 devices at the same time while on the road.
You wouldn't.
You wouldn't. It's really for a group of people on the road needing to share a connection where regular WiFi to WAN source is not available.
Sales reps at trade shows who do not want to pay the usually extortionate rates the said shows charge for an Internet connection, but don't want to get a separate connection for each computer.
When in buildings, walking around with a USB stick in your laptop often causes dropped connections. I solved this by sticking my USB 3G into a Cradlepoint router that is about the same size as the Mifi. It actually works very well, even where I work in (fairly) rural Iowa.
"Yeah WmWifiRouter is the best thing since sliced bread."
Requires Windows Mobile = EPIC FAIL
A USB stick from Verizon has unlimited data no stingy 5GB limit.
my data card is capped at 5gb all new data cards as of last where went into a cap at 5gb
If you're just looking for internet for yourself there's no pressing reason to throw away your existing EVDO Rev.A device. I think they're saying if you were in the market for a new Verizon/Sprint device, why not get the one that has WiFi was well in case you need it.
I saw this at CES and it's really awesome, the problem is American Cell Carriers will ruin it by charging too much for CAPPED service, defeating the whole point of it. If it was $80 a month for unlimited service it would be a very cool device.
When will it actually be available for purchase from Verizon?
phonearena says Sprint will have thier's next month
Sprint announced their MiFi today actually-
http://newsreleases.sprint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=127149&p=irol-newsArticle_newsroom&ID=1287934
Am I the only one who just doesn't find this that exciting? We've had mobile data cards forever, which do the same thing for a single computer .. and it's trivial to use your computer as a wifi bridge to accomplish virtually the same thing (although of course it requires running your computer the whole time and the associated power consumption...)
I mean, I'm sure there's a market for it, but it seems like something that should have been out 4 years ago.
My thoughts exactly. I've been sharing both my verizon and at&t interwebs over wifi from my laptop for ages (read 3+ years). Why do I need this?!
It's trivial to broadcast wifi from a connected laptop without any special hardware? Could you explain how (or provide a link)?
Rob: Google "Cradlepoint 3g router." I've been using one, along with a 3g Verizon USB card, for 3 years. It's plug and play and requires no configuration, except the WPA or WEP settings that you like.
In Windows or OS X you should just be able to turn on internet connection sharing. Sorry, don't know exact steps for Windows off the top of my head or care to Google something just to copy and paste it. It's in there somewhere.
The reason I've been interested in it is: all of those mobile wifi only devices, (or for the ones that have a 3G option: not having to have N accounts for them).
I have an UMPC, a netbook, a Nokia tablet, and a phone with wifi (and a limited 3G network: the G1 ... half of my area is T-mobile 3G, half is not; but all of my area is Verizon and AT&T 3G). None of those have an Express Card slot, and the only one that could reasonably use a USB dongle is the UMPC ... which I probably wont be carrying after I get my netbook up to speed (a USB dongle on the netbook would be awkward, given the placement of USB ports on netbooks). So, I can't really add 3G to the netbook (not supported on the ubuntu model), nor the Nokia tablet. This device gives me 3G on the UMPC, netbook, and NIT, and a backup/extended 3G service for my phone.
(I don't care, either way, about the option to use a laptop to share my 3G connection: I don't carry dinosaur sized equipment, so a laptop isn't on my horizon)
I'd prefer to see it on AT&T over Verizon, but I'll take Verizon if that's all I can get (I don't consider Sprint to be an option at the moment; plus my workplace has deals with AT&T and Verizon, so I might be able to get them to pay for it).
For laptop users, especially ones with Express Card slots: this device isn't a win, unless you also want to be using/sharing your internet with your pocketable devices while the laptop is shoved in the bag and asleep. Then it might be a win.
For CradlePoint users: it's only a win if you want both a battery and to not have to worry about a USB dongle breaking off (or getting tangled if you have it on a cable). If the PHS model had an express card version, then that would be better than the Mifi, IMO... because the Mifi ties you to a carrier, where the CradlePoint devices don't.
So, without a CradlePoint that has both an express card slot AND a battery, I consider the Mifi to be a compelling way to deliver 3G to my family of mobile devices.
So here's how to make this wanted by everyone...
1) make it just a bit thinner... easier fit into a wallet
2) drop the 802.11b legacy support and just go 802.11g/n
3) make it so it can charge wirelessly... like the Pre's touchstone or my old toothbrush
Now you have an always on device that never needs to leave your wallet and you can just drop your wallet onto your charger next to your keys while you sleep at night so its always ready for use.
Conceivably, they might have a hard time doing this now, but if they drop the USB charging ports, it could be doable. Give it 3 to 5 years and everyone will have their own little wireless bubble bridging off of Verizon or AT&T.
Oh yeah, and most cellphones consume less power when on WiFi than on 3G. So now, instead of your phone needing to switch from 3G to Wifi and such, it just always connects via WiFi and the router handles the hand-off. And thus, your cellphone's battery life improves. So long as the MiFi could be active for +24Hours you'd be set...
So you would want something that has both wifi and cellular data chipsets, it'd also charge wirelessly and it'd fit in your wallet which implies it'd be the size of a credit card and about the thickness of one. Yea, everyone might want one then, and then no one would be able to afford one. Yea, that's a very sound idea.
Can you have it be connected via USB and still use it as a WiFi access point or does it revert to modem/charge mode when it's connected via USB?
You could use the micro usb wall charger and have it plugged in all the time and still act as Access point.
Right, but if there are no wall outlets available, as is often the case at airports, and the MiFi 2200 is low on battery but my laptop isn't, it would be nice to be able to plug in the MiFi 2200 to my laptop and have it still function as a wireless access point. [that way my iPod Touch could have internet access, and for some people, their work laptop might not allow them to install the Verizon software]
Hey Chris,
Thanks for the awesome review, but could you shed some light on the kind of latency one would be facing with full signal strength (and with not so full signal)?
There's no reason an iPhone or Wi-Fi enabled smartphone couldn't do this, but for carrier-imposed restrictions.
Is there a way to connect this to another wireless router as well?
If you have an iPhone, I suppose you can drop your AT&T contract and then with this gadget in your pocket along with the iPhone you can make phone call all over the world with a Skype account. You will also be connected wherever you choose to be and drop your fixed Internet provider at home. This may be a great solution actually.
Except that Verizon cripples Skype and Torrents on their 3g modems. It's in their terms of use.
Okay for grandmas, but I'll keep:
Sprint SERO + WMWifiRouter = $30/month Unlimited Incoming/Outgoing Phone Calls (Thanks Google Voice), Unlimited Data "Cloud" (identical function to MiFi)
:)
Wrong! Sprint has a 5GB cap too!!
http://newsreleases.sprint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=127149&p=irol-newsArticle_newsroom&ID=1287934
Did I say "Sprint Mobile Broadband"?
Did I say "Simply Everything"?
Nope. I said SERO.
I stream ORB all the time, so I've gone over 100gb and no charge:
http://twitpic.com/53w47
Yeah WmWifiRouter is the best thing since sliced bread.
Sounds positive. I'm one still using dial-up, my only other option has been the satellite service because I didn't want to be limited to one device only, with Verizon. With this system it sounds like I can access all 3 home computers and my ipod plus one guest.
Question: For a non-tech person can anyone explain the speed difference between Satellite internet and this 3G setup?
This is probably a bit cheaper and would have less lag time that satellite. When I go to my in-laws, in a small town in rural Iowa, I use my 3g Verizon card inserted into my Cradlepoint 3g router, which is essentially the same thing as the Mifi. I have to put the card/router up in the very highest window on the curtain rod and I get around 50-75% of the max 3g speed, which is better than dial up by a long shot.
If you liver in a rural area, make sure you are able to get a 3g signal, and if you are going to use this as your main internet, once you get explore where you get the best signal and park the Mifi router in that spot, usually in a window up high.
Another benefit is that it doesn't matter what OS you are using. I had a Linux netbook that I could not configure to reliably work with the 3g USB device but works flawlessly with the 3g Cradlepoint router. No special driver software is needed with a router like this.
It would be a great replacement if it weren't for the 5GB cap. I suppose I could track my usage to see if I actually do use 5GB per month, but I'm assuming with today's Flash websites and streaming videos, that's not hard to reach.