Presently I'm camped out in the Rockies of Colorado and I'm looking at the DataConnect 3G Hotspot from AT&T here:
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone- ... -plans.jsp I need an external antenna to get my cell phone to work. So I'm pretty sure I'll need the "mobile hotspot" (I think that's the correct term) to accept an external antenna.
Unfortunately, all the mobile hotspots available from the carrier (AT&T) manufactured by Novatel do not accept an external antenna. Customer service said I could get another make of hotspot and just put the AT&T sim card in it and it should work.
The type of mobile hotspot is also described here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_router It can also be referred to as a "compact", "integrated", or "embedded" cellular router. Customer Service over at AT&T referred to it as a GSM router. Note this is not the kind of router that takes a USB cellular modem or aircard to make it work.
I've been looking all over eBay, and I can't find anything with an external antenna.
My questions:
Do you know of any such mobile hotspot that will take an external cellular antenna?
I know that AT&T and T-Mobile use the same frequencies and that phones can be "unlocked" and made to work with either carrier. Can I take a T-Mobile mobile hotspot, "unlock" it and then make it work with an AT&T sim card to be an AT&T mobile hotspot? I found a T-Mobile mobile hotspot with an external cellular antenna:
http://cgi.ebay.com/D-Link-Wireless-G-R ... 2a12264357Also, I've seen these antenna cables that attach to a cell phone with an adhesive. I've never tried one and have been pretty sceptical about whether they would work or not. Do you think it would be worthwhile to try attaching one of those to the hotspot?
And, I'm sure I won't do this, but I'd be interested in your answer. Do you think sticking one of those "gen x" sticker antennas:
http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Internal-Cell-Ph ... 3ef5427620 would do anything? They've worked on some of my cell phones.
It would be so awesome to get internet out here!