Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with tmobile

T-Mobile: Stay or Go?/iPhone or No?

Xalf — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 08:33:13 -0800

I have had a reasonably happy relationship with my T-Mobile G2 (aka HTC Desire Z) these past two years, but my contract is up, and I have long coveted the iPhone, mostly based on its picture taking and video chatting capabilities. Should I just get one and take advantage of T-Mobile's new pricing? Or should I jump to a new carrier? An attempt to make this less open-ended is inside. I have been a T-Mo customer nearly as long as I've had a cell phone, and I really do like their service and pricing, especially the new scheme. I rarely make calls, but quality is normally fine. My impression is that my data service is slower than other carriers, but I don't really know how to judge what difference a new carrier and a new phone would make. I spend most of my time in Washington, DC and always have pretty good reception. So here is the main question:

How can I tell how much faster things would be if I switched to AT&T or Verizon?

Bonus overthinking about whether iPhone is right for me: I am happy with Android, but I don't consider it a member of my family. Also, I'm pissed at Google over killing Reader (which I do consider to be a family member). I mostly use the phone for web browsing, email, Facebook, NYT, and podcasts (using doggcatcher). It is rarely convenient for me to sync the phone with a desktop - would that impact my iPhone experience? I am willing to consider hot new Android phones, but I am not crazy about how enormous they are. And I like the idea of being able to use FaceTime with friends and family who also have iPhones.

Can I force Skype to use wifi on my unlocked Nexus 4?

oliverburkeman — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 06:15:20 -0800

I can't figure out whether it's possible to force Skype to use available wifi signals, rather than my data allowance, on my unlocked Nexus 4. I'm using a T-Mobile no-contract sim, and I can see why the carriers would like to discourage this, but since the phone's unlocked (bought directly from Google) I'm thinking it must be possible. Is it?

Tmobile android phone recommendations

lalochezia — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 23:01:17 -0800

Jumping into smartphone world for the first time.…..i) I would like advice on an android phone that works on T-mobile 4G for email/websurfing/productivity. ii) Would also like advice on buying used phones in general. I have the tmobile value plan which is cheap and requires me to bring a smartphone of my own...I want an android phone.

Phone advice - In order of importance
the phone must:

0) Be reliable hardware*

i) Run smoothly, without crashing, on at least some version of ICS (Android 4.0+). Don't need highest graphic speed/gee whiz, do need RELIABILITY and SMOOTHNESS (would rather have a basic visual interface that works quickly than one with the most cool UI w/beautiful animations). Can't deal at the moment with uploading/beta testing nightly builds.

ii) Is possible to use with 1 hand: I have a long thumb(!) and would like to be able to use w/ one hand. Either swiftykey's new gizmo or swype look like I could actually type on it with the thumb too.... so no giant 5" phones.

iii) Is international - works with UK sim cards and frequencies for phone

v) Has removable storage and removable battery

vi) Has a decent camera

---

Buying used phone advice

Advice request: I'm a little paranoid about buying an unlocked GSM phone off ebay or swappa (or craigslist!) only to find that IMEI is locked, or about to be locked, or the phone is a dud.

I have an active tmobile sim….

If you buy in person off craigslist, what simple tests can you do on the phone in person?

If buying online, what can you look for?

Bonus: Have the galaxy S3 handset death rumors been put to bed?

Is it a good idea to break a contract with TMobile to get a phone?

cowmix — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 09:27:16 -0800

I might go on and then break a TMobile contract to get Nexus 4 phone. Is that a good idea? Google has sold out of the Nexus 4 phone for the foreseeable future. Some TMobile stores still have the phone in stock for $199 *if* you go on contract with TMobile for 2 years. I'm reading that it costs $200 to break a TMobile contract. So, according to my calculations, I can get the phone for $399. (The phone, if it were in stock, is $350 direct from Google.)

What's wrong with this plan? Does anyone else have experience with this plan of attack?

You say Good Buy and I say Hello

tilde — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 06:30:21 -0800

TMobileUSA is merging with MetroPCS. Does this mean I can take my ATT iPhone4 or ATT iPhone4S to TMobile / MetroPCS now? While I'm not fond of the idea of losing my month to month unlimited data grandfathered plan with ATT, I don't lurve them enough to stay. I've got a choice between moving to a used iPhone4 or iPhone4S on my old GrandFathered plan (on a 3G) ....

The only reason I never went with Metro is that they didn't have the ability to use iPhones and didn't TMobile because they didn't have the coverage or rates really and I didn't want to bother ...

I'll pay you to NOT have a phone number.

InsanePenguin — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 16:07:19 -0800

El Sabor just posted an iPhone pre-order question, but I've got snowflakes. Please help! My wife and I want to switch from T-Mobile to Verizon and pre-order the iPhone 5 tomorrow. However, until the end of October, our ETFs are $200/line. After that they drop to $100/line, which I'm willing to pay. My current phone is broken, so I'm without a phone until we get our iPhones, which makes this difficult.

My plan is to:

1) Pre-order the iPhone 5 tomorrow
2) Port our old numbers over to Verizon
3) Drop our T-mobile service to the lowest tier that we can ($60)
4) Use the new phones on Verizon while continuing to pay the T-Mobile bill for a month, then cancel at the reduced ETF in November.

Anyone know if this will work? I feel like it can't, because T-Mobile will require two numbers on the account to let me keep paying them for a month. If this won't work....what's the best solution, in your mind? Keep in mind that I don't have a phone until I can get the iPhone.

Is t-mobile coverage adequate in the northeast

madajb — Fri, 25 May 2012 09:04:32 -0800

What is t-mobile coverage like in the northeast? I am considering converting from at&t to a prepaid monthly t-mobile plan.

While coverage is adequate where I am, I am about to go on a 3 week trip to the east coast.
I am wondering if t-mobile service has improved from its reputed spottiness on the east coast.
If it hasn't, I can wait until I get back, but it would be nice to have the data plan available while I am traveling.

I am mainly interested in voice/text but availability of 2g/edge is useful as well.
It doesn't need to be 100% continuous, but large areas of no coverage would be annoying.

I will be in and around:
Freeport/Portland, Maine
Saranac Lake, NY
The Mid-Hudson valley of NY.

T-Mobile prepaid in Brooklyn

akgerber — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:19:50 -0800

Now that the Galaxy Nexus is $399 unlocked, I'm thinking about buying one and getting T-Mobile's $30/mo. prepaid plan. I don't make all that many calls so the limited number of minutes is fine by me. I live and work in Brooklyn, and on account of that spend most of my time in the borough. There are some dated questions here that claim that service is spotty in Brooklyn— is that still the case? I currently have Virgin Mobile's $25/mo. plan with a Motorola Triumph (which uses the Sprint network), both of which I would rate as "acceptable," but I have the budget for a better phone and plan so I am thinking about upgrading. On the other hand, I don't feel any particular need to double my phone spending, and it seems like most non T-Mobile prepaid plans with decent data cost quite a bit, so I'm pretty much only looking at T-mobile.

No more 6am texts, I beg you!

srrh — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:53:30 -0800

I have an Android phone - T-mobile's MyTouch 3G Slide, to be more precise. How can I make it so when one particular contact text messages me, I don't get a sound or a vibration? I'm happy to download an app to make this happen, if there's not a native way.

How best to manage calling rates on a cell phone?

kalessin — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:12:22 -0800

I have this budding (temporarily) long distance relationship where we put a lot of burden on phone calls (and IM and e-mail). Due to numerous factors I will give detail about in the extended, I am looking for cheap short term alternatives to cut down on costs for long distance and would appreciate some advice. Until Summer-Fall of 2012, this will be a long distance relationship. We have been running hot and heavy on phone, IM and e-mail. IM and e-mail are free, but phone is not.

I have unlimited domestic US minutes on Vonage, which is awesome and works fine, but I'm travelling a lot and my cell phone is not on an unlimited calling plan. I'm loathe to change it because last time I tried, T-Mobile tried to get me to agree to another 2 year contract, which I want to avoid so I can switch carriers in August without paying the ETF.

So, I'm kind of behind the times with respect to phone rates, calling methods and different technologies. Reading some older AskMe questions it sounds like maybe Skype would be cheap (at 2.3 cents per minute). I have an iPad 2 that would work, right (assuming WiFi signal)? I'm assuming the Skype app uses the built-in microphone and speakers on the iPad.

Also Vonage has a feature called Extensions which they're pushing for international calls, but it looks like you can also use it to leverage your domestic calling terms? I've installed the Android app on my old Android phone and tested it and it seems to work but I fear that it's not avoiding billing my mobile minutes. I'll check my billing statements on T-Mobile and Vonage to make sure, but any advance information would be helpful about where the airtime charges go when using the Android app.

And then there's calling cards, I guess, but it seems like the cell phone would still use minutes if used at the wrong hours even with calling cards.

Does anyone have experience with this constellation of technologies and can give some advice about what logistics to consider?

Thanks as always in advance.

How much could go wrong by letting some random guy try to unlock my AT&T iphone for use with Tmobile?

victoriab — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:50:24 -0800

Could I potentially ruin my Iphone (which I love) if I take it to some guy suggested by T-Mobile to get it unlocked because AT&T won't give me the unlock code. I've had an ATT Iphone 3G (or maybe 3GS) for the last 4+ years work. My job has paid the $100 @ month (900 minutes + unlimited data) and I've loved everything about the phone except for the crappy phone reception. Now I've left my job and don't want to pay the $100 bucks a month considering I never come close to using up the minutes and the phone reception is so lame. I hate to give up the unlimited data but I never stream movies or do anything serious on my phone so I don't know how much value that really has for me.

So, I've been thinking about getting an Ipad (with no data plan) for the fun stuff and dropping my phone plan down to a bare minimum. I'd assumed my current ATT Iphone would become a glorified Ipod touch and I'd get a new phone through whatever non-ATT provider I chose.

T-mobile seemed to have the cheapest monthly rates and so I'm looking at the T-mobile pre-paid plan for $30 @ month that gives you 1,500 minutes/texts + 30 MB of super slow data. Since I'd primarily be using it to check email I don't think it would be a major issue. I was about to get the LG Optimus T phone when I asked if I could use my Iphone on their network. She said I could if it was unlocked and that I should call ATT customer care first and then she suggested this guy "Manny, who unlocks phones" if the ATT approach didn't work.

So, ATT won't unlock the phone because of "contract issues". My modem firmware is 05.16.02 so I can't use that ultrasn0w software that was mentioned in the Iphone thread from a few days ago. I'm not super technical so was hoping to get some guidance from Mefites
* Is it possible to unlock my ATT Iphone without too much risk?
* Is T-mobile going to be an improvement over ATT?
* Should I just buy the LG Optimus and let my Iphone revert to an Ipod Touch?
* Am I crazy to give up the unlimited AT&T data just as I'm about to get an Ipad? I would like to about $50 a month total and right now I can only get it down to $80 if I stay with AT&T.

I'm open to all scenarios or suggestions on how to cobble together the best system.

What newer T-mobile phone should I get?

icy — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:20:38 -0800

I am on Tmobile and need a new 4G cell phone. What are the great new 4g T-Mobile phones that have come out recently or are coming out in the next week? My old phone has a physical keyboard, so it would be great to get another, but that is not a requirement. Can't get an iPhone. I was looking at the Samsung Galaxy SII but I see the battery life sucks. Here are the general things I'm looking for:

4G
Android preferable
Newer than October 2011
Capable of creating a wifi hotspot (preferably)
Decent battery life

I will mostly be using it as a phone (making and receiving calls and texts), with some once-a-week surfing and the once-a-month using it as a wifi hotspot.

You can also throw in a separate 4g T-mobile phone suggestion if there is some other phone that is just mind blowing. Any links to reviews (on sites like tmonews) would be great, as well as any price information. Thanks!

Lost phone in Philadelphia

furious — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:46:22 -0800

A friend of mine lost her blackberry phone. What can be done on our end to get it back or get copies of the irreplaceable pictures of loved ones from it? Long-winded weepy details inside. Lost a blackberry two nights ago and really, really would like to get it back, or at least get copies of the pictures from it. We've been calling it - no answer. The phone is locked. On the lock screen (if someone pushes to make a call) is a working email address. No emails have been come, and the spam has been checked. The phone is on Tmobile. Tmobile had nothing they could do, they said.

We're fairly sure the phone was lost in a gym. Looked under the machines, called it, looked under more machines, called it. Nothing. The phone has a morning alarm, so it should be going off loudly over and over again.

The curious thing is at first it went straight to voicemail overnight. Then yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon it would ring a couple of times and then go to voicemail. During that time, we did more searches and calls at the gym.

Since then, it has been just going straight to voicemail. Does that signal someone having it and taking it places? We have looked everywhere - car, purse, jackets, laundry, fridge, the ground, craigslist, etc.

We've called the few places we were and have narrowed down the disappearance window to 90 minutes on monday. None of the few places have it. My last resort is about to be hitting the gym at closing time, calling it, and hoping it lights up in the dark under a machine somewhere. The battery of the phone was fine on Monday but by tomorrow the phone will likely be dead.

I saw a post online where someone had been using their phone's bluetooth with their laptop, so they just took around their laptop until it detected the phone. Anybody got any clever ideas like that? Is there a way to track it with Carrier IQ or some little known method of finding a missing phone?

I need any ideas you have for ways to find the phone tonight. Thank you!

What is a very simple cell phone that works well?

denverco — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:53:59 -0800

I am looking to simplify my life. What is a very simple, compact, and good cell phone that would work with T-Mobile. I am looking to kick the fancy functionality that ties me to my phone.

Can I move a T-Mobile SIM card to another T-Mobile device?

speedgraphic — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:03:09 -0800

Can I purchase a prepaid T-Mobile phone from, say, Walmart, activate it with a plan, and then put that SIM card into my older off-contract T-Mobile phone and expect it to work?

Move an iPhone 4 from AT&T to Tmobile?

idyllhands — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:43:48 -0800

I currently am on my parents plan with an iPhone 4 via AT&T for my phone/data. I would like to keep my phone and number, but move to T-Mobile on to my wife's plan. Is it true that 3G will not work as this article suggests? Can I use any other carrier beside AT&T without gimping my phone? Is there any chance in the future of compatibility with Tmobile? Also: would this nullify my unlimited data with AT&T? Is it possible to get off my parent's plan and on to my own without losing unlimited data? (I was told they no longer offer it..)

Trying to get Android OS 2.1 installed on myTouch 3G. Or, CyanogenMod?

rkent — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:12:41 -0800

Just bought a T-Mobile myTouch 3G. Can I actually get Android OS 2.1 (or even later) on it? Alternatively, what potential pitfalls should I be aware of if I install CyanogenMod? I finally wearied of my ancient G1 so I bought a myTouch 3G on ebay (didn't want to pay for upgrade to 4G service). I chose this path at least in part because, though I realize 4G is superior, I had read online that this device "just upgrades out of the box"* to Android OS 2.1 (Eclair), so I thought I would at least get something out of upgrading.

However, now that I've activated it through T-Mobile, which went fine, I see that its Android OS version is "DMD64" (apparently a T-Mobile specific strain of 1.5) and it says it is up to date - it is not downloading 2.1 or anything else for that matter. Lots of apps no longer work on Android 1.x; I wanted to upgrade at least PARTLY into the present. Is there any "official" way to get 2.1 onto my phone? I would prefer not to root it to get this working if I don't have to. I have been unable to find anything on the T-Mobile website, but it is rather confusing.

In the alternative, how is it to install CyanogenMod? I am not afraid of voiding any warranties per se, though honestly I want to minimize hassle with my new phone. Assuming the install process goes OK, is it going to "just work," or will I have to set up lots of things like email, apps, the market, etc? They warn that installing CyanogenMod may cause you to lose "all your data" - like what? Texts? The phone is new so there is nearly nothing on it. I have not put the old microSD card in it yet so I assume there is no possible way that could get erased. Perhaps most to the point, will my phone run up-to-date apps from the T-Mobile marketplace if I install CyanogenMod? I really do not care about the "cred" of running a rooted ROM on my phone and I only want to do it if it will run better apps.

Thanks for any advice.

(* Those comments were in the NewEgg forums for this device.)

Underground cell phone coverage on BART in SF

eschatfische — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:21:10 -0800

Do T-Mobile cell phones get decent reception underground on BART south of Civic Center station these days? I'm thinking of switching back to T-Mobile to utilize their $30/month 100 minute/unlimited text+data plan, but would hate to give up the relatively uninterrupted coverage Sprint has below ground throughout SF. In the old days, T-Mobile only had decent coverage between Civic Center and Embarcadero. Has that extended south to the Mission and Park stations?

Help me find an unlocked Android smartphone with a pre paid voice/data plan

WizKid — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 08:09:39 -0800

I’m looking for suggestions on an Android phone and pre paid voice plan and a pre paid data plan for occasional use. I have looked at the past threads but they get outdated quickly. I’m looking for suggestions on an Android phone and pre paid voice plan and a pre paid data plan for occasional use. I have looked at the past threads but they get outdated quickly.

Android phone
- Something which supports android 2.3 (support for cynogenmod will be an added advantage)
- Ability to root and unlock
- supports video chat (hence a front camera in addition to the back camera)
- GPS (prefers something that can work with downloadable maps that would work without a constant data connection)
- MicroSD card (or some kind of a expandable storage) support
- Wireless support with WPA2
- Preferably less than $300

Currently I’m looking at LG G2X, Motorola Atrix and HTC Sensation. Any other phone suggestions welcome. I’ve looked at Amazon, but most of the unlocked phones are been sold by 3’rd party vendors through amazon. How wise it is to trust them? or is it better to save the money and get it on ebay? I don’t mind used as long as it’s in good condition.

1) What phone should I be looking in to?
2) What would be a good place to purchase?

Voice/Data plan
- Currently T-Mobile offers 30mins per $10 (lasts 90 days) pre paid. That would work well for me since it’s only for emergencies.
- At home and work I have wireless Internet access, so don’t need a data plan. But when I’m travelling I would like to get some kind of a pre paid data plan (by day, week or only for that month) added.

3) Is my choice on voice plan is the best? any suggestions?
4) what pre paid data options are available?

Should I renew my TMo contract?

gnomeloaf — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:28:10 -0800

I'm a customer of a certain recently purchased wireless service. My contract (and my handset) are about to expire. Help me figure out what to do next. I'm a low phone, high data usage T-Mobile customer. Thanks to getting a plan years ago and not changing it by much, I pay about $20/mo less than comparable plans from other service providers. But I have a G1 handset, and I'm starting to really feel its age.

Under other circumstances, I'd simply renew the contract, keep my plan, upgrade my phone for a price I can afford, and continue on my merry way. But now, with AT&T's takeover looming, I'm concerned that this will bite me hard a year down the road -- either through a revocation of unlimited data, or smartphone replacement issues, or something else I just haven't heard about yet.

I would consider moving over to something like Virgin Mobile, but I really really like the idea of (finally!) having tethering.

Am I right to be worried about the Eye of AT&T finding me at last, or should I just go ahead and renew? Any insights are greatly appreciated.

Help me share my pictures of stupid stuff.

mittenbex — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 14:19:42 -0800

Why won't my facebook mobile uploads work anymore? I have T-Mobile. My handset is a Samsung smiley.

I update facebook via text message and use the 'personalized' email address to add pictures to the 'mobile uploads' folder.

This worked fine for the first few months of having this phone and then I think I must've 'filled' a folder and facebook created a new 'mobile uploads' folder and getting pictures to upload stopped working 90% of the time.

Sometimes if I send a picture a few times it will work. Others just never end up there.

Any idea how to fix this?

Free iPhone! Now what?

saladin — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 17:07:39 -0800

My girlfriend got a used iPhone for her birthday! Now what? My girlfriend was given a used iPhone 3G for her birthday. She's now trying to decide what to do with it. She definitely wants to use it as her primary cell phone, but isn't sure if she should try to get a contract with AT&T or perhaps attempt to unlock it and use T-Mobile instead, etc. (or choose some other option of which we're not aware). She doesn't anticipate making a ton of calls or using a ton of data capacity, and she's very much interested in the cheapest possible option. She currently has a no-frills, non-smartphone contract with AT&T, but she's far from thrilled with their service/pricing.

What should she do? If it matters, she's in New York City.

Phone contract’s done. And soon I will own my own cell. Now what?

Violet Blue — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:30:57 -0800

I just bought a Garminfone (T-mobile version) over ebay, open box, never used, from a seller with a near perfect rating. It will arrive in a few days, and I have a few questions about how to proceed. On the basis of extremely generous advice on “getting it all” on a cell phone from last week, and my own thoughts and needs, I scaled down my “phone greed” and prioritized. From everything I understand, the Garminfone is a great phone for niche buyers like me who want GPS options above all else: not only does it come with Garmin maps included (which don’t require a data plan to function), but it’s also a smart phone with an Android operating system, which means I have access to Google maps, too. The smart part works on wifi. And the phone part is supposed to work very well, too.

So….

* Are phones bought this way under warranty, and if so, by whom? (Tmobile? Garmin?) My guess is that may not matter too much since there seems to be a healthy market in used phones, and a very small but existent one in used Garminfones, and there wouldn’t be if they were unstable, right?

* Will the phone be locked? And if so, how do I unlock it?

* Will T-mobile know/care that I purchased this phone from someone other than them? Do I have to tell them?

(I will probably switch to mysimplemobile.com at some point, but for now I’m simply a disgruntled Tmobile customer who bought a phone outright because I was appalled that they were going to force a data plan on me were I to get the Garminfone through them, even though the Garminfone does not need them for mapping.)

* What about updates? How do I update the phone with or without T-mobile?

The Garmin uses the 1.6 (Donut?) version of Android, but apparently has just “leaked” 2.1 (or maybe 2.2) to test it before it actually releases it. (I hope I’m stating fact and not rumor when I say this, but I have read it a few places now. If, however, it’s rumor, my phone needs don’t revolve around apps, so it’s not a big deal.)

* How do I test this phone? I’m assuming, I just slip in my SIM chip, right? And then test its features, right? Or is there more to it than that?

* One final question: The phone comes with 2 GB microSD, which expands to 32 GB. Why would I want to expand it? Just for apps and such? Or for personal storage?

Also, hmm, it didn’t occur to me till just now, but sellers with long selling histories and excellent ratings wouldn’t sell phones like this with tiny bits of it stripped, like the battery and MicroSD card, would they? (Of course if they do, well, I’ll just have to chalk it up to lack of due diligence on my part….)

Thanks again for all your help!

Getting it all in a single cheap cell phone, with a single cheap cell phone plan. Possible?

Violet Blue — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 13:26:29 -0800

I have an old cell phone. I have a old digital camera. I have a simple mp3 player. I want GPS. I currently pay $60/month for unlimited calling (but no data) on my Tmobile plan. Can I get all or most of these things on one cell phone without spending much (or anything) on a new phone, and without paying anymore a month? FACTS

-- I’m thinking about all of this for both day-to-day living and travel. I use the phone (it’s my only phone, so I want to retain the phone number, too) and mp3 player a lot.

-- I also get lost a whole lot, so I can’t provide myself with GPS any too soon.

-- The camera I only tend to use when I travel, so it's the least important element.

-- Since each new device has its own connectivity wires, tiny little case, and so on, it would be far easier on me to combine some of these functions. This is why I’m a little leery of just getting a stand-alone Garmin Nuvi, although that seems the most obvious cheapie way of getting GPS.

-- My current cell phone is about 5 years old, and I’ve been with Tmobile all that time, so my contract’s long since run out. I’ve more or less been happy with them. I also like the fact that my current phone is Euro-compatible (I forgot what they call this), and would like this feature in any future phone I get.

-- I also want to retain the unlimited calling plan.

-- I don’t text practically at all, so I’ve never needed/wanted a data plan before. I also have no need/desire of Web access from my phone, though I would suppose getting GPS through your phone automatically means Web access.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

* Is it worth it to combine some of these functions—or does the quality of the camera, mp3 player, etc. lessen if it’s all in one device?

* Do you think I’m in a position to bargain with Tmobile? (If so, scripts are welcome; I have no natural talent with negotiating.)

* Is there another (reliable) provider I could get this sort of plan with?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

How do I get my router to play nice with my MacBook Pro?

mccarty.tim — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 06:07:33 -0800

My Linksys T-mobile HiPort Wireless Router is sporadic and weird with my MacBook Pro 2007 Santa Rosa's wireless networking. What's the ideal way to fix this? Or should I get a new router? And what will we do when our contract is up and T-mobile shuts down the landline? Anyone know a good way to get these two things to play nice? My internet drops out every few minutes, only to return mysteriously a few minutes later. I'm perfectly close to the router and have a good signal, and I've tried rebooting both the router and the PC. I tried getting the latest Atheros drivers for the wireless card on the Mac, but it still seems to have these issues, whether I'm running Ubuntu, Windows, or Mac.

Other networks seem to work fine with the Mac, so it doesn't appear there's so much something wrong with the router or my Mac as problems with their interactions.

As far as I know, it's been good on phone service and networking wired. It also seems to work well with the WRT54G with DD-WRT running as a bridge to our old desktop. I notice no sporadicness there.

Failing that, what's a good router to replace it with? I don't really need the 802.11N bandwidth right now, but I figure it would be nice to have, anyway, for futureproofing. Being able to flash it with DD-WRT/Tomato/other custom firmwares would be nice, too, as I'm a power user, and I think we need an advanced QOS since we have VOIP and I find that any time I do something very bandwidth intensive, the phone connection gets bad.

The WRT54G is currently doing bridge duty, but I could replace it with a USB/PCI wireless adapter. However, I found it to be a bit lacking as a router, as it would get overwhelmed when I downloaded something on bit torrent and sometimes need a powercycle to work again. It's not the original WRT54G, but a later model that has a low amount of memory and needs the micro build of DD-WRT.

And yes, I'm aware T-Mobile's VOIP lines are getting phased out with the end of our contract. But my mom really likes the option of using a pseudo-landline. Speaking of which, any good way to dock a phone, via a dock or bluetooth, so that it can be used like a landline (IE, pick up the phone, hear a dialtone, dial a number, and incoming calls ring the cordless phones)? Or is there a good, cheap voip (around the $10 we pay now) service that's high quality and fairly easy?

TL;DR:

How do I fix the connection between my MacBook Pro 2007 Santa Rosa and my T-Mobile Router?
Failing that, what's a good wireless router to replace this one? Preferably 802.11N and flashable with DD-WRT.
Is there a bluetooth dock of some sort that lets a cell phone work like a landline when my mother is at home? For when our contract is up and T-mobile shuts down our landline?