Verizon Broadband and Wifi Router?
onlymiah
Newbie

My Aunt lives in an area where she cannot subscribe to DSL or cable internet. She relies on Verizon Wireless broadband for her internet access. I set up a Netgear N150 wireless router for her today so she can print wirelessly from her PC and her iPhone.

Here is the problem. Since her broadband adapter connects via USB her router naturally says she has no internet access (because there is no network cable connected to the WAN port). So in Network Connections (Windows XP) I told her VZW Broadband to share connection with other networks. This allows her PC to access the internet. If I uncheck this option she has no internet access. Her PC assumes that since there is a cable connected to her LAN port on the PC that it should be able to access the internet that way.


The second half of the problem is this: When I tell her VZW broadband to share it's internet connection she cannot print wirelessly. I have to go back in and uncheck share connection. Then she can print wirelessly.

Is there ANYWAY to avoid having to do this? My aunt is not very tech savvy and this flummoxes her. I would think there should be a way to setup wifi access with her VZW broadband without having to upgrade to a Mifi device. Does anyone know if there is a way to do this?

I am a Mac user (after YEARS of using Windows) and I know of no way to tell Windows to prefer the VZW network connection over the LAN network connection for internet access.

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Re: Verizon Broadband and Wifi Router?
Not applicable

The only way I know to do this is with a CradlePoint router with the Verizon USB adapter plugged directly into the router.

http://www.cradlepoint.com/products/small-business-home-office-routers/mbr1200b-small-business-mobil...

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Re: Verizon Broadband and Wifi Router?
John_Getzke
Champion - Level 1

All you need to do is enable the Hotspot feature on your Aunts iPhone and hook it up to a wireless repeater.  That way all devices will be connected and able to communicate with each other.

Sample Diagram:

iPhone ))))))) Repeater )))))) Printer

iPhone ))))))) Repeater )))))) Computer

)))) = Wireless signal

With this kind of setup your computer and printer are always connected to the repeater.  When the iPhone is within range the printer and computer will have internet access too.  When the iPhone travels out of range/powerd off then they will only have LAN access. 

There are many products out there that will perform the repeater features that you need automatically.  I personally use a device called the Pepwave Surf and it works great.  However you can purchase similar devices from Netgear, CradlePoint and a few others as Jim suggested.

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