CradlePoint introduces pair of 4G routers, one for home, one for the road
By Tim Stevens 
posted January 5th 2010 10:02PM
posted January 5th 2010 10:02PM
We're in Vegas this week, enjoying the sights and sounds of Sin City -- and the 4G wireless. Blistering city-wide wireless is great, but everyone having to have their own USB adapters isn't so much fun. If only we had one of the new 4G routers that CradlePoint is launching this week. The first, a portable model, can beam WiMAX out again as an 802.11n signal to up to 16 people, sporting VPN, WEP, and WPA security. Should you go out of 4G range (not hard to do) there's a USB port through which you can connect a 3G modem, and four hours of battery life should get you through the most grande of lattes if you can't find an open plug at the coffee shop. For the wired lifestyle there's the CBA750, adding a WAN port and four LAN ports to the mix, ditching the battery, and taking its power exclusively over Ethernet. That's convenience. The CBA750 is available right now for $249, and we expect the portable version to go for the same price whenever it hits the Strip.
I'm very excited.
@Peytral Your avatar makes me very excited.
Peytral is a 40 year old 300lb guy living in his momma's basement typing on a doritto covered keyboard.
Is the portable router like the PHS300 that Clear is already selling with their WiMax products for $139? That router has a 2 hr battery built in and it only weighs a few ounces. Works great with the 4G WiMax card and the 4G+ 3G/4G card.
@Common Sense
I got Clear just before Xmas. Perfect FIVE lights at home until two weeks ago. Since then, only two or three lights. But my USB modem gets great reception in the same room. One of the guys at the Clear store said they might be tweaking the antennas in the area for better reception in the dead spots. But they are just creating more dead spots and more angry customers.
So I am thinking about switching out the home modem for another usb modem and combining it with the PHS300 at home. At least, with the USB modem, I can stream Netflix!
Shoot. I thought this was a modem WITH a wireless router built in, but that's not the case. You need to plug your USB WiMax mobile modem into this, to make it work.
That's expensive for a wireless router.
@gerrrg I agree if the 4G card is not built in. I know Sierra Wireless just came out with a 3G/4G router like a Novatel MiFi with both technologies built in. They are supposed to be at CES so I will hopefully see them there. I think Sprint was touting this new product so I am sure since Sprint owns 55% of Clearwire, Clear will have it available for their 4G line.
@Common Sense The WiMax card is embebbed. Mean, it's part of the router... so it's Mifi on steroids!
Now if only we could get some 4G love here!!!!
@schmidt1985 Works great for me. I have had no problems using my Clear 4G WiMax connections in Las Vegas, Portland, OR, Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas. I use it with my Cradlepoint PHS300 ClearSpot router and I have used my Clear 4G+ card in that router on many occassions where I visit a city that does not have Clear's WiMax and it always performs well. No problems here.
@Common Sense
Yeah... I have Clear in Portland...and I'm just using the $30/month home service:
http://www.speedtest.net/result/673333394.png
How's that for fast and cheap?
@schmidt1985
WOW that is awesome. Just makes me want to move to a bigger city. Heres to hoping the capital of Wisconsin gets some love.
@schmidt1985
I'm guessing you'll see Milwaukee get it before Madison due to the fact that it's closer to Chicago. Heck, the Twin Cities would probably get it before Milwaukee/Madison. (I live almost smack dab in between)
''If you go out of the range"...
Last time I read on the specs of WiMax was 31 miles radius; that pretty darn wide.
no no no no