MiFi lets you share your portable Internet connection
A remarkable new networking gadget from Novatel Wireless Inc. seems to have gotten everything right except the name. It’s called MiFi, a catchy but inaccurate moniker for such an unselfish product.
Anybody with a BlackBerry or an Apple iPhone knows what it’s like to carry the Internet around in a shirt pocket. But what about the person sitting next to you? Perhaps you’d like to share your cellular data stream with friends, family members, or business colleagues. Novatel’s found a nearly painless way to do it: a tiny black rectangle about the same size as a business card case that acts as a portable Internet hotspot.
MiFi is presently available to customers of the Verizon Wireless cellphone service. A version for Sprint Nextel Inc subscribers will go on sale next month. The device combines a 3G cellular data modem with a compact Wi-Fi router. When switched on, it automatically connects to the 3G network, then relays data to laptops, netbooks, or even handheld game machines via a short-range Wi-Fi network.
Imagine the possibilities: A team of office workers, laptops blazing, can share documents and images during an off-site meeting. Or a family on a summer road trip could carry MiFi in the car, allowing each of them – except the driver, of course – to use a different Internet service while barreling down the Interstate. Suddenly, my 3G Internet connection isn’t just for me anymore. This isn’t MiFi. It’s OurFi.
But 3G sharing carries an hefty price. The MiFi device costs $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate, but you must also sign a two-year contract for Verizon cellular data service. For $59.99 a month, you can send and receive a total of five gigabytes of data per month, or you can pay $39.99 for a mere 250 megabytes. An alternative plan might appeal to infrequent users. You can buy a MiFi for the full retail price of $269.99, then pay $15 for unlimited access for 24 hours.
When it’s switched on, MiFi looks to your computer like just another Wi-Fi hotspot. Punch in a password, and you get secure encrypted access. Laptop computer users may want to install the MiFi control software. There’s no fussing with CDs; the program is built right into the device. To install it, just plug MiFi into the computer with the USB cable that comes in the package. The device carries software for Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh computers. Surprisingly, the Windows version is a little easier to install.
