Comments on: Using Your iPad on Sprint’s Network With a Virgin MiFi http://gigaom.com/2011/03/07/using-your-ipad-on-sprints-network-with-a-virgin-mifi/ Mon, 20 May 2013 07:17:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Rob http://gigaom.com/2011/03/07/using-your-ipad-on-sprints-network-with-a-virgin-mifi/#comment-606616 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:30:16 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=305473#comment-606616 It seems that it stops working when it is charging. Every morning, without exception, I plug it in and it works for about 5-10 minutes and stops working and I have to reboot.

Today, I ran it off battery and it is still working. I seem to have far less problems running off battery.

]]> By: Dave Greenbaum http://gigaom.com/2011/03/07/using-your-ipad-on-sprints-network-with-a-virgin-mifi/#comment-606002 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 01:11:55 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=305473#comment-606002 Excellent points Rob and spot on. I too found the problem with reboots and disconnects-but I hadn’t heard of others having the problem. Ad yes, it asked me to re-setup my account multiple times, but I assumed this was because it was a demo unit.

I also was annoyed with it staying on while charging. I just told the devices to forget about the MiFi after testing.

Turning on only happened to me once, but what was funny was it was in the car, and I got a Facetime call and was able to chat via Facetime. Ok, the other person saw me but I wasn’t driving with my phone in hand. I couldn’t figure out why it was working over 3G until I realized the MiFI had turned itself on.

Thanks for commenting and adding to the article.

]]> By: @W8ingonanipad http://gigaom.com/2011/03/07/using-your-ipad-on-sprints-network-with-a-virgin-mifi/#comment-605926 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:55:42 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=305473#comment-605926 Hey anyone that will be waiting in line for an ipad2 that has a twiter, follow @w8ingonanipad and see pics and stories from all over of how it’s going everywhere else where other people are waiting. Just for kicks and giggles.

]]> By: Rob http://gigaom.com/2011/03/07/using-your-ipad-on-sprints-network-with-a-virgin-mifi/#comment-605917 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 21:33:09 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=305473#comment-605917 It is a good price, but it definitely has its annoying quirks. Here are some issues most reviews don’t cover.
I’ve been using the Virgin MiFi with my iPad a few months now. I use it because the AT&T signal is very weak where I work. I am thinking of dropping it in favor of the Verizon iPad.
It has worked OK for the most part, but the past few weeks, it’s been very flakey. It’s had some flakey spells in the past, but not like this. I’ve had to reboot it about 6 times a day recently. It’s got a built in web page to administer it and to check its status. It says it is connected, shows 5 bars, and it’s got an IP address, but it just doesn’t work. Reboot gets it going again.
In the past it would occasionally stop working. When I checked the status it would say “disconnected” without an IP address. Reboot solved that too.
Even more rarely, a reboot would not work. I would have to go through the setup wizard as though it was brand new to get it working.
For the price, the occasional problems I can deal with. But I’ve been rebooting constantly the past few weeks, and that’s getting very old. I just want trouble free internet access, and it’s not delivering that.
There are a few more minor irritations. First is that cannot charge it with it turned off. As soon as you plug it in, the power comes on. At home this is a problem, because my devices want to connect through it instead of my home WiFi. My 3G signal is very weak at home and it is much slower than my home WiFi if it even works at all. So I charge it in the car or at work to avoid this.
Second, it’s hard to turn off. Press the button, the green light goes off, and then it immediately turns back on by itself. It doesn’t matter how long you press the button. Press it again and then it stays off. It sucks when I leave it in my car charging or it has come back on without me noticing it. Then my iPad can’t get to the internet because it’s connected to the MiFi instead of my home WiFi. I’ve got to get off the couch and go downstairs to the garage to turn it off.
A friend of mine has one also, and his experiences are the same as mine.

]]> By: Will http://gigaom.com/2011/03/07/using-your-ipad-on-sprints-network-with-a-virgin-mifi/#comment-605904 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 20:57:26 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=305473#comment-605904 I’m with Shogun on this. I’ve never felt the need to invest in a data plan, since I exclusively use my iPad offline when on the go. But still, this iPhone hotspot update sounds interesting…

]]> By: Shogun http://gigaom.com/2011/03/07/using-your-ipad-on-sprints-network-with-a-virgin-mifi/#comment-605891 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:52:57 +0000 http://gigaom.com/?p=305473#comment-605891 My view is that anybody who pay for data plan are simply fools. I have Ipad for a year. It is wifi model, I do not feel limited in any way to wait until I am home, or near free hotspot. If companies like sprint and other want my money, it is going to be unlimited data for 5 bucks or less per month. If more would adapt this attitude, the prices would be much, much cheaper. Let’s face it. They robbing us blind!

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