Opinions, Please....Keep my MiFi 2200 or "upgrade" to FiveSpot?

I've reached the upgrade capability of letting go of my MiFi 2200 or keeping it. Lately it appears to "freeze", even though the indicator on my laptop tells me that my connection is "excellent". At which point I have to restart the MiFi (which can be difficult, sometimes it won't turn off easily). Generally when I'm on the Internet the MiFi indicator light is blinking, however when it freezes the light is on continually. It seems also as if connections are slower or maybe I'm getting more impatient!

After looking at the coverage map I know that I am in a 3G covered area so I thought I'd upgrade to the FiveSpot. However, I'm not sure it will necessarily do me any favors. I've spent some time looking at the forums this morning & decided that I'm way to underinformed! I ended up with more questions then answers & apparently there are a lot of people out here that know a lot of technical stuff that can advise me!

We only use the MiFi to read emails & Facebook. I might surf to get recipes or look for something on Amazon. My husband looks for motorcycle or car parts. We don't download movies or generally watch streaming videos, although we occasionally view videos on YouTube, which can be painful with the MiFi since it takes a while to load completely.

Frustration can be the name of the game, so I'm trying to decide if the FiveSpot will help my speed & connectivity. Since we don't have 4G in our area that unit seems to be the only option, IF upgrading will even make things better!

My laptop is a 2006 Toshiba Satellite, running Windows XP, with whatever patches & upgrades Microsoft recommends.

I'd appreciate opinions & suggestions, please!

Accepted answers

wmhjr

In response to Arnett, I would only say that I would never, ever, ever, possibly consider purchasing a 4150L given another choice. While there are certainly reports of people having success with them, there are simply far too many reported issues, and frankly my experience in locations literally spanning this country and even after having replaced the device have been totally frustrating, and unreliable. Additionally, I would categorize the LTE network (which to be quite clear is not actually 4G) is being relatively high performance. Is it faster than 3G? Sure. Sometimes. Is it even remotely like a true broadband physical connection? Heck no. Not even close. I would echo that given a choice to have a product which supports LTE even if you're not routinely in an LTE network would be an advantage - assuming that the product is reliable and well supported. I can make neither claim or observation about the 4150L. Reliability is poor, and the only real support I've experienced thus far has come from this forum - and has not solved any of the core defects.

All comments

ddog613

I know this is a little late to reply but I went from the 2200 to the fivespot and have had nothing but issues. The first month seemed ok but since then I have not been able to get a decent signal. I am always watching the wheel go round and round. I have to do whatever downloads I need to do somewhere else because the signal is so unreliable. I would recommend roadrunner or something from a hard line. I am about 1 more lost connection from tearing this thing to pieces.

tbint62

I upgraded to the mifi 4510L external antenna. I'm 8 miles from towers two different directions. No problems yet. I only connect to the 3G but that's fast enough. mifi 4510L is a wireless router, Can not hard wire with out other equipment. But all in all I do not see going back to mifi 2200.

ArnettH_VZW

Good morning dixiegrace,

Usually I try to resist providing my personal opinion on the forums but I just couldn't resist on this topic. Both of the devices that you are referring to are dedicated to 3G connectivity. Like ttb_62 stated, the mifi 4510L is a more versatile option. This is a 4G mifi device that can also access 3G data if needed. May I ask have you had the opportunity to experience the blazing fast speeds of our 4G network? It is absolutely amazing! I have been addicted to 4G speeds since I had my mifi and I couldn't imagine living without it. If you would like more information on our 4G LTE network, coverage, speeds, and device then feel free to visit the links that I have posted below.

http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/4g-network-verizon-wireless

http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/coverage

If you have already made your decision as to what device to go with then congrats! All three are great devices and will provide you with the wireless connectivity that you need.

Thank you...

ArnettH_VZW

wmhjr

dixiegrace

Thanks for the input. Obviously I'm not on the computer at home much!

My situation has changed to a certain degree because if all goes as planned & we get Comcast I'll will be leaving Verizon for my Internet needs.

I will say that I have been very frustrated (you should hear my husband, or not!) with the service that the MiFi 2200 has been supplying me. Extremely inconsistent & unreliable, it appears to freeze for no discernable reason. I thought for awhile that maybe it was getting too warm, but that hasn't panned out as a guarantee of when it will happen.

Due to the fact that we live in an area surrounded by trees, which we have no intention of cutting down & we just purchased a new TV that is HiDef capable we have found it necessary to switch from Direct (which I have been thoroughly content with) to Comcast.

Way too much info, but I'd like to thank everyone who stepped up & supplied me with info. Thanks, folks!