EVDO Cellular Cards For Laptops
From Provider Notes
Important note: this is a preliminary DRAFT document and is currently under editing and revision. Information included may not have been tested and configuration and other information may be incorrect or incomplete.
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About EVDO
Evolution-Data Optimized or Evolution-Data only, usually abbreviated as EVDO, is a telecommunications standard typically used for broadband Internet access. It has been adopted by many mobile phone service providers – particularly those who previously employed the slower CDMA networks.
EVDO provides access to mobile devices with theoretical air interface speeds of up to 2.4 Mbit/s with Rev. 0 and up to 3.1 Mbit/s with Rev. A.
Notebook EVDO Options
There are three options for connecting directly to an EVDO network with a notebook: internal card, card slot, and USB. Of these three, internal card and card slot are the best options, with USB generally being the choice of last resort.
Internal Card
If available, internal EVDO is usually the preferred option. It's one notable disadvantage for power users is that it locks them into whatever is the current revision of EVDO technology (i.e. Rev.0 or Rev.A) at the time of purchase.
Windows
Both Dell and Lenovo make Verizon EVDO available as an option on some of their business-class laptops.
Mac OS
Apple does not currently make internal EVDO available as an option on its MacBook or MacBook Pro notebooks. Mac OS users are currently restricted to ExpressCards (for MacBook Pros) or USB connected EVDO (for either MacBooks or MacBook Pros).
Card Slot
Windows
Dell and Lenovo laptops that do not have integrated EVDO can use their card slot (either PC Card or the newer and far less common ExpressCard) for an EVDO card. Make sure that you get the correct card for the slot of the laptop you are outfitting.
Mac OS
Directions from EVDOinfo.com for using EVDO high-speed cellular PCMCIA cards with an Apple PowerBook laptop
Note: These instructions do not apply to a MacBook Pro, which does not have a PC Card slot. Please see the ExpressCard website for more information about this standard.
EVDOinfo.com has a page dedicated to information on the MacBook Pro, and availability of ExpressCard/34 EVDO modems.
ExpressCard EVDO On Verizon
ISC has extensively tested Verizon's ExpressCard-based EVDO on a 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro. In general, this works quite well - speed is perfectly respectable (and is expected to be significantly better with the Rev. A cards). Instead of using their own connectivity utility (as they do in Windows XP/Vista), Verizon's installer for the Rev.0 card merely sets up a "National Access-Broadband Access" as a new Location in the Network control pane. Connecting and disconnecting to Verizon's network is done from Apple's Internet Connect application.
USB
Windows
Mac OS
USB is the only option available for the MacBook.
