best mobile broadband dongle

[newsgroupmonkey]

fon relies on other BT users sharing out their broadband. As a BT user, you are also sharing your interweb connection for others to use.

Mobile broadband is a different beast. If, like us, you spend much of your summer in fields in the far reaches of Britain, there aren't houses about to share with.
In addition, in business areas (industrial estates, central cities and so on), there often aren't Fon hotspots about - if there were, they would be hammered and end users wouldn't be able to effectively use their internet connections.

In urban areas, however, it's a fab idea. I actually signed up for fon in the early days.

You don't have to be with BT to use it either. A one off charge of €39 means you don't have to pay BTs over inflated charges.

In case anyone is interested in BTFon (or Fonera as it is properly called).....

http://corp.fon.com/en/products/simpl

[mrs maggot]

i am not sharing my connection as such - that makes it sound scary, as if people are using my home hub, they just share part of the incoming connection - and it is safe, not like when people leave their connection unlocked and anyone can use their connection - but yes as newsmonkey says you can join via fonera if you dont have BT itself

[bigj2552]

so basically, i need to share some of my bandwidth with others, ok, be it only tiny bit but, i,m not to happy or safe with that tbh.
I game a lot as well and dont really fancy opening up my bandwidth to others just so i can get free wifi.....thanks but not for me.

nice idea tho.

[GoonerGary]

The idea that you are opening up your bandwidth isn't really an issue. You open up the BT openzone/ FON map and see the hundreds of spots in your area. Log into your BT account and you have internet access. It's great because I can visit family who don't have internet and go online, keep an eye on the online business etc...beats watching Eastenders! It's a life saver and reliable.

[mrs maggot]

BigJ, thats what i was worried about was that you would read it wrongly(as put by NGM) - you are NOT openly sharing YOUR bandwidth personally, they do not have and cannot have access to anything of yours, the access they have is on the bandwidth capability not on what you are using, and its a teeny tiny little bit, but its the strength of all of those little bits that add up to a big bit. Hopefully GoonerGary's post will help you to understand a bit better

[bigj2552]

BigJ, thats what i was worried about was that you would read it wrongly(as put by NGM) - you are NOT openly sharing YOUR bandwidth personally, they do not have and cannot have access to anything of yours, the access they have is on the bandwidth capability not on what you are using, and its a teeny tiny little bit, but its the strength of all of those little bits that add up to a big bit. Hopefully GoonerGary's post will help you to understand a bit better

yes it does - have since read more into this - seems pretty neat and there are loads of FON users, if that the right saying, in my wee town.....interesting

[GoonerGary]

they do not have and cannot have access to anything of yours,

...although security warnings do flash up stating that it is a public network. The nervous types probably wouldn't log into their bank account, doesn't bother me.

[mrs maggot]

Gary, worth pointing out thats as a user out and about rather than a home donator of the service as it were

[bigj2552]

i,m the nervous type then - esp with bank details

[mrs maggot]

after what happened no wonder, but i dont go on my bank when i am out and about, i have one of those bank token things, and it never leaves the house, and without it i cant log on anyway