Coworkout

So the plan, when we’re not within WiFi range, is provide Internet access to Coworkout participants that don’t have their own cellular data card with one of these — a Verizon V740 EvDO card:

…plugged into one of these — a Kyocera KR-2 EvDO to WiFi router:

…with the actual internet connectivity provided on a daily basis by the friendly folks at RovAir. RovAir can “light up” your card on a DAILY basis, not a monthly or yearly contract. So you can get a card for cheap on eBay, then just have them connect it when you need it. It’s just about the best thing ever, and they’ve been really helpful. I depended on a cellular card for five years when commuting daily from West Chester to NYC, and I’ve really missed having Internet absolutely anywhere you go. Using RovAir, I’ve got the best of both worlds — no usurious monthly contract, plus I can get data in a haunted revolutionary fort if I need to. Hurrah!

Kathy at RovAir hooked up my card today as a test. I skipped the step of installing the VZAccess Manager software, and instead just plugged the card into the ExpressCard slot. It didn’t work — until I remembered to option-click the item in the status bar and select “Activate Card.” Now it’s working, and I ran a few speed tests:

First test, data from Parsippany, NJ:

Second test, data from New York, NY:

Third test, from Toronto, ON:

That’s not a heck of a lot of bandwidth for four or five people to share, but I’m hoping that, when hooked up to the KR-2, it’ll at least be slow and steady. Latency seems pretty good (I’m on the card now, and the ping time is much faster than I’m used to.)

Apparently, the ghosts at Fort Mifflin don’t like consumer electronics. Or that could be due to the powerful radar emissions from the nosecone of the landing planes. But we’ll just have to see how well it works!

PS. Next step after getting this all working is to power the KR-2 off the motorcycle battery, so we can basically have the Internet in a self-contained box that doesn’t require any wires. Mike from MikeGyver is already working on that. Of course, we’ll want to stuff it all in a Pelican case, naturally!

UPDATE: The Kyocera KR2 router arrived today, and I plugged the Verizon EvDO card into it. Here’s the setup, sitting on a desk behind me:

The EvDO card, on the left side of the router, has a big green light that flashes constantly when you’re connected to the Internet: “YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE: EVERYTHING STILL OKAY FLASH FLASH FLASH.” It’s hell on earth when that light is two inches from your left hand on a MacBook, but it’s actually kind of useful on the router.

Here’s the result of the speed test from Verizon EvDO –> KR2 router –> “coworkout” wifi access point:

First test; data from Parsippany, NJ:

Second test, data from New York, NY:

Third test; data from Toronto, ON: