Comments on: Sprint SmartView “Upgrade” Downgrades Sharing

By: Imstuck2

Imstuck2 — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 02:48:16 +0000

I believe the intent of this feature was not for harm, but instead for security. Having two wireless connections open at the same time can open security concerns for corporate and home networks. The ability for the user to turn off this feature by allowing simultaneous connections can allow users who would still like to share their access work.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:20:12 +0000

Thank you so much for the UPDATE you saved my ass. I was using the glitchy Sierra Wireless Watcher Lite from the downloads section of the Sprint site. It effectively shared my connection but has been constantly crashing lately. No more of that!

By: Eddie

Eddie — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:08:43 +0000

Thank, for this review on the SmartView download. Thank God I did not run the exe. program to install it. I was under the impression that it would make my air card more reliable and faster. I guess I was wrong. Thanks again and I bookmarked your site for future reviews.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:14:16 +0000

YOU ARE “DA BOMB”!!! I’ve been trying to resolve this issue for MONTHS. My VPN would not work with my Sprint card and I was so frustrated. In fact, had to UNINSTALL my VPN for it to even work. So, it’s not like I could just switch in on when I was on WiFi and off when I was on Sprint. Then.. VOILA! I did a search out of the blue and found your “update” tip. Now.. the key is to prevent SmartView from updating itself!

Thanks!

By: Cherie Ve Ard

Cherie Ve Ard — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:25:17 +0000

I’d also be very happy if they put limits on bandwidth use during peak hours, and had more liberal limits (or no limits) on off peak hours. Much like how most plans handle voice minutes. I’d have no problem doing my more bandwidth intensive stuff (OS updates, video uploads, downloading iTunes content, etc) overnight.

By: Chris Dunphy

Chris Dunphy — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:54:17 +0000

I wouldn’t mind at all if their overage charges were fair and reasonable. $25 a gig sounds more reasonable, but $250 a gig is highway robbery.

Particularly considering that your first 5 gigs are just $12 each, there is no way to justify charging $250 for your sixth.

– Chris

By: Chris Dunphy

Chris Dunphy — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:43:46 +0000

Alltel was the last bastion of real unlimited mobile data, but now that Verizon has taken over that option is gone now.

Anyone with a current Alltel contract should be grandfathered in, but I expect Verizon to eventually proactively start to drop the heaviest users. They can’t charge you an overage, but they can drop you for anything the chose to label as “excessive use”.

Sucks, huh?

– Chris

By: Travelfables

Travelfables — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:22:10 +0000

Thanks for the tip, I don’t use Mac, but do use sprint mobile. I am grandfathered in as well, and ditto on watching the monthly bandwidth. I use internet connection sharing with windows on my laptop to share my PCMCIA broadband connection to my router and my linux box. I have not updated any drivers in awhile… so in reading this I think I’ll avoid updating them till forced too. I cloned the mac address of my laptop with my linksys wireless router, and connect the linux box to my network and the laptop’s Lan port to my routers Wan port. So far so good. The routers wireless services work like this as well.

By: mountainborn

mountainborn — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:49:17 +0000

Chris, I guess that this may be one of the tactics that will arise from the Verizon/Alltel purchase, to eliminate Alltel’s unlimited EVDO rev A users. Thanks for the heads up. We’ll be looking out for such a move.

By: Johnny B

Johnny B — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:14:47 +0000

We are full-timers and I use Verizon and got clipped for usage last month. Ouch!!! This month I came in under but it was a stark lesson. I lost usage for about a week last month, just couldn’t afford the $250 a gig. Your blog is awesome.

By: curiousjessica

curiousjessica — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:06:03 +0000

I love this site so glad i found you guys!
I think this sprint thing sucks, plain and simple. In australia (where I am) it is much the same. WIFI is quite simply exorbitant for such a small amount of data usage. I can’t wait until WIFI connectivity is cheaper.