Recipe
- 3G USB Modem with external antenna connector
- Pigtail cable from USB modem to external antenna
- DrayTek 2820n 3G/ADSL/Wifi Router
- G-Spotter Broadband Antenna
- Optional : Big Wifi Antenna
Commentary
I've used an Optus E169, and Telstra Sierra Wireless 301 USB modems in pre-paid mode to maintain great, permanent 3G connectivity in places where the service is unreliable via a 3G handset.
Both of these dongles have an external antenna connector.
I use an external antenna mounted on a tripod.
3G Long Range Antenna
http://www.broadbandantennas.
To share the 3G connection I use a Draytek Vigor2820n. This ADSL/Wifi router also has a USB port and displays the 3G radio reception signal strength in the browser. It redials the 3G connection on demand, if required.
Draytek Vigor2820n
http://www.draytek.com.au/
This was my setup while travelling recently. Using it I can scan the horizon for the strongest signal (much like peaking a satellite dish). In some remote places where there is no GSM service on phones I can at least get a GPRS service to the outside world.
If you can get a 3G service, adjusting the directional antenna can optimise it.
There's no webpage on either carrier showing you how much trafficyou've used with prepaid, you have to put the dongle in a laptop and (optus: send an SMS with their software, Telstra: use the connection app to query the balance).
The latency on both 3G services I used was fine for my use. I conduced multi-party (8) videoconferences with US and EU endpoints. Skype video fine, YouTube fine. No sweat with the 4Mbps connection I'd usually get. As a test, I was watching the recent Broadband Futures event streamed live to my beachside cabin – it worked fine.
<BEWARE>Re-charging a Telstra prepaid connection takes (some time? - 48hrs). If you use the service before the credit is made to your account, the usage on the re-charge you bought is billed at the maximum price. Only after <some time> does the billing rate adjust to what you've just paid for.</BEWARE>