Rocky Point Talk archive

Trying to figure out Telcel USB Modem

Started by Miakko · Nov 6, 2012 · 36 replies
Miakko
Telcel tells us they don't have available lines to hook up internet to our house so we've gotten a Telcel USB modem. My spanish isn't great but if I understood correctly, I need to go to Oxxo to buy a card to somehow add data to the modem to keep using it? Does this sound right?
jerry
yes or a telcel office...better to get the 18 month contract ..more data for the buck
Miakko
They told us the monthly rate for 6gb of data would be about $381 a month. Is the 18 month contract pricemuch better
jerry
Miakko said:
They told us the monthly rate for 6gb of data would be about $381 a month. Is the 18 month contract pricemuch better
I think (unless it has changed) you had to get that long a contract...ours (we split with the house next door) comes to less than forty bucks a month..if you stay away from video...10 gb lasts a long time
GV Jack
OK, let me kick in my 2 cents here.

Miakko, do you have the Tecel AMIGO USB Modem stick? If so, here is a web page where you can sign up for various amounts of Data Usage.

https://www.recarga.telcel.com/TelcelMXExternalWebAnonymous/enter.do

On this page you put in your phone number, which is for the stick, and put a dot for a comparison page, submit and it will give you a page with a
number of options. During my last trip we used 1 gig in six days. That is roughly 1021 MB. There was no streaming video in that usage. As Jerry
said, that will eat up tons of data in a very short time. I have found the AMIGO stick to be very good most of the time. We go to Las Conchas, down
on the beach and the service is mostly good. Not as fast as cable here, but good. On a rare occaission it really slows dow, but not often.

Now, I'm not sure what Jerry is refering to as far as sharing with his neighbor and all that. I suspect it is not the AMIGO stick, but as has happened
a few times in my life, I COULD be wrong. The one I am using is good for short stays. If I were to have a place, I would certainly switch to a more
long term deal.

I hope this helps.

GV
jerry
jack you can get a dlink wireless router you can plug the stick into..costs 29 bucks on amazon
GV Jack
Really, that's intereresting. I've got to believe the Amigo stick would work on that.

An 18 month deal wouldn't be too good for me. I only get down about 3 to 4 times a year.

If I let everyone else hook up their devices to that the MB's would fly away. :rofl:
Miakko
We do have the Amigo USB Modem stick. Had no idea that it would work plugged into a router - will certainly check that out. I figured that I will use roughly 12gb every 30 days; no video just work related.
GV Jack
I did some searching on the router deal and wasn't able to find a router that would take the USB stick. They all seemed to take the ethernet plugs.

Wow, 12 gigs every 30 days. That's gonna cost. That's about $60.00 a month. Hope it's deductable..; )
mis2810
There's probably an adaptor that fits the USB to conver it to the ethernet plug, but good luck trying to find that in Mexico. But then again, what do I know. I tried to install a wireless router in the condo I stayed in last month and completely screwed it up.
GV Jack
Mis, I bet you got something there. An adapter might do it. That'll give me something to search for tomorrow.
GV Jack
Bingo..here it is.
Female USB A to Male Ethernet RJ45 Plug Adapter New

Try Amazon or Best Buy.
GV Jack
Oops.. the whole thing went down the drain.

The USB stick needs power and the only place it gets it is from the Laptop/PC.

So unless someone has abetter idea, your stuck using it in the computer without a router.

What Jerry must be talking about is an ethernet cord coming from a powered modem into the router. Right Jer???
mis2810
Well Jack, we tried! :grin:
jerry
Well i own one dlink makes it...discontinued and only 30 bucks I'm packed up to go home but will get you the link
playaperro
usb - How to connect my modem(Cricket Broadband) to my router(Netgear g54)? - Super User
GV Jack
Thanks,Playa. There is an adapter available but I was concerned about powering the USB Broadband once it's connected to the router.

It struck me last night that the router has power so now I wonder if that would power the stick. So many questions, so little time.
jerry
dLink 412 Amazon.com: d-link dir-412
Miakko
jerry said:


Thank you so much for sharing the link; I'm ordering one tonight.
Dezracer
If your end goal is to have Wifi without a router....you can do this with your laptop or desktop computer provided that you have a Wifi card already and you are running a OS higher then XP.

Simply go to your wireless setup screen and create an ad-hoc network. Plug your Telcel USB into the computer and others can use your internet thru your ad-hoc network
GV Jack
Dez, Your post just goes to show that even an old dog like me can learn something.

I had never heard of the "ad-hoc network" before and that does look interesting.
The only problem that I can see is the other computer needs to be within 30 feet of
the original. That would eliminate the concept of whole house usage a router provides,
but for my use when visiting RP, it would work great for anyone else with me.

I assume the other computer would just search for an open network and connect directly
to the host. I'll for sure try it when I'm down there.

I thank you for the input...good stuff.
jerry
dlink 412 gives you range
Dezracer said:
If your end goal is to have Wifi without a router....you can do this with your laptop or desktop computer provided that you have a Wifi card already and you are running a OS higher then XP.

Simply go to your wireless setup screen and create an ad-hoc network. Plug your Telcel USB into the computer and others can use your internet thru your ad-hoc network
GV Jack
You bet. Just about anywhere in the house or maybe even outside.

The 3G Dlink is set up so you can just plug in the USB and don't need an adapter.
Dezracer
Not sure about the 30 foot range but I have my Telcel hooked to my laptop and use the iphone on wifi. I get a connection any where in my house and when in my yard.

Also by using a iphone... You limit the amount of data you use when compared to a laptop. I have discovered on fault... Android phones don't work on a ad hoc network
GV Jack
Thanks Dez...more good stuff.
Dezracer
I have now switched from iPhone to Android...and apparently Android does not support Ad-Hocs networks.

GV Jack...your Dlink modem...how does it work. You plug you Telcel 3G modem into the Dlink, but then what? How do you access the Telcel program to login?
jerry
Just switched to a telcel wireless modem with 10 gb,a nice Lg smartphone with an additional gb,500 minutes,60 text messages for 80 bucks a month. The process was like water boarding and not the fun type but things work well
GV Jack
Hi Dez...I didn't buy the DLink Modem. I Went a different route and it took a bit to program it but here's what I did.

I purchased an UNLOCKED AT & T Novatel MIFI 2372 wireless router. (About 60.00 USD) I took the SIM Card from the USB Modem, recharged it and put it in the router.
I was heartbroken when it didn't work right off. It took me to the AT & T MIFI Landing page. I kept messing around and found a section for Internet properties.
I remembered a web page someone had posted and it had the properties required for Telcel Data.
How to get Mexican TELCEL service on Unlocked Cellphone | Home on the Highway

I entered the data the AT & T Landing page asked for and my MIFI lit up like the 4th of July.

It was good all over the house, including, I'm embarassed to say the bathrooms. The service was fast and
usually around noon each day it would drop for a few minutes, but then come right back. Ross could use his
computer and I could use my tablet and or lap top at the same time.

One thing is the unit's battery is good for about 4 hours. Make sure you get a charger cord that will run the
unit while it's charging.

Good Luck.
fjrjon
Here is a Netgear 3g/4g router.
Netgear 3G/4G Mobile Broadband Wireless-N Router
Netgear MBRN3000 3-Plus Mobile Broadband Wireless-N Router
There is also a brand called Cradle Point that I have used in the past. It works great and has a lot of controls to manage bandwidth and data usage.
If you search google for a 3g/4g router you will what is out there.
jerry
I found the dlink one I had you put the stick in just stopped working...Telcel is pretty sneaky about keeping users on the plantation
GV Jack
jerry said:
I found the dlink one I had you put the stick in just stopped working...Telcel is pretty sneaky about keeping users on the plantation


Yep that's a fact Jerry. The stick I had that I used on the lap top stopped working even though it was recharged. A message came up on the computer saying the software had expired.
Never heard of that before. Took the stick and the lap top in to the main office last week and they said they would exchange the software. Forty-five minutes later. out it came all
fixed. Funny, because once I got the MIFI tuned in I didn't hardly use the stick. I love that office. About thirty counters and if lucky three people working them. I had to wait about
fifteen minutes to get a clerk. Oh well, What else did I have to do except eat shrimp and drink Tecate and/or Sol.
k_graham
I spotted this thread via Google and am hoping you folks know the answers.

I do have a older USB modem from Telcel but could only get it to work with a Windows PC as software needed to be installed, I had a dual booting PC and was trying to run it under Ubuntu which I could not get it to do, are the new ones standalone, as you indicate using them with routers directly?

When I last used the USB Modem with the PC, I tried using Skype and it appeared to work for a second then cut out, like Telcel was blocking Skype. Do you use your Telcel USB units and communicate with Skype or is TelCel blocking Skype?

My location while in Mexico is poorly situated for signal, I have to put the 3G device on the roof, therefore I am currently using an older iUSACell wireless router which has a USB port I think for diagnostics and a hardwired ethernet connectors out which an Ethernet wire to a Ethernet Switch downstairs and distribute everything via wire. Unfortunately USACell bandwidth is very overloaded here so Skype is often unacceptable, I would love to switch to Telcel if I could confirm

1) Telcel allows a Skype connection

2) I can use my USB stick or buy a newer one that will work with a router that also has at least one hardwired ethernet out.

3)I would also be happy to buy a router that supports the Telcel USB modem as long as it has a ethernet wire out capability. If any could be recommended?

Thanks,

Ken
jerry
I just signed a new telcel contract(18 months) a few weeks ago. For around 50 bucks a monthI get 10 gb ,a wireless router that reaches most areas in my little house(1200 sq ft) and it does have ethernet hardwire out....I also got a nice lg smartphone with a gb a month 400 minutes and 50 texts for under 30 bucks.
k_graham
jerry said:
I just signed a new telcel contract(18 months) a few weeks ago. For around 50 bucks a monthI get 10 gb ,a wireless router that reaches most areas in my little house(1200 sq ft) and it does have ethernet hardwire out....I also got a nice lg smartphone with a gb a month 400 minutes and 50 texts for under 30 bucks.


Excellent, could you tell me if telcel still blocks Skype?

Thanks,

Ken
GV Jack
I was down there two weeks ago and used Skype through a MIFI hooked up to Telcel Amigo.

Also, a friend and I Skype when I'm up here and he's down there. I'm pretty sure he's on Telcel.
Miakko
Don't know about Skype but we use our Telcel USB modem with MagicJack without issues.
jerry
Miakko said:
Don't know about Skype but we use our Telcel USB modem with MagicJack without issues.

Not sure about Skype but Google voice and telcel seem to have problems.On the other hand with a Hughes Sat Internet Google voice works great...I think it reads it as still in the USA