Nub question about Broadband

Solarion

Solarion

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Hi guys. Ok here's the deal. I don't have a landline ok, not really intending to get one. I'd really like to do some online gaming though. I'm really clueless so help me out here, does this mobile broadband have anything to do with having a landline? Also does MWEB offer this sort of thing?

Thanks in advance.
 
Beerisgood said:
Hi guys. Ok here's the deal. I don't have a landline ok, not really intending to get one. I'd really like to do some online gaming though. I'm really clueless so help me out here, does this mobile broadband have anything to do with having a landline? Also does MWEB offer this sort of thing?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Mobile broadband is like a cell phone's internet. It uses a sim card and a network operator (MTN, Cell C, Vodacom) to provide the internet.

If you are going mobile, I suggest Afrihost Mobile (afrihostmobile.co.za). They are cheap and support is amazing. However, make sure you have good MTN signal at your house, or your gaming wont be too great (bad signal=lots of lag)
 
Mobile broadband has nothing to do with ADSL (fixed line).

Mobile broadband are your cellular providers; Vodacom's, MTN's and Cell C's. You just need a modem or use your smartphone as a modem/hotspot.

MWeb and other fixed (ADSL) ISP's do resell mobile broadband data. Search accordingly.

Cheapest around would be Afrihost Mobile. With 7GB for R195. Top ups @ R99/GB.

Also, you mention gaming; you have to realize that fixed line gaming experience is superlative to mobile broadband in terms of ping or latency.
 
Beerisgood said:
does this mobile broadband have anything to do with having a landline?
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Not at all. You get a simcard which plugs into a device like a 3g dongle or a 3g wifi router which is then plugged into your pc or shared via the router. It's a good idea to get hold of a few different service providers' sim cards, top up with data and test the connection before committing to anything, although I guess there's no real need to commit nowadays - Afrihost are month-to-month and Telkom mobile also does R149 for 2gb (afaik) but they also offer once-off data bunldles like the 60g+60gb for R1800 which you can use as you please. There are smaller packages and cellc also have a few.
 
I suggest you test out each network on a prepaid sim. Look for the following: Signal strength, speed of downloads and your ping.

This would enable you to decide which network works best in your area.
 
Wall said:
I suggest you test out each network on a prepaid sim. Look for the following: Signal strength, speed of downloads and your ping.

This would enable you to decide which network works best in your area.
Click to expand...

+1
 
Many thanks for the info guys, I'm less ignorant now than earlier!! Afrihost sounds like the way to go then. I'll ask my next door neighbor who has an MTN phone how his signal is. I clearly need a wireless router then yeah?

Another thing, I'm with Vodacom. The signal at my house is pretty good. If the MTN signal sucks should I go with Vodacom mobile broadband?
 
Wall said:
I suggest you test out each network on a prepaid sim. Look for the following: Signal strength, speed of downloads and your ping.

This would enable you to decide which network works best in your area.
Click to expand...

Ok cool.
 
Beerisgood said:
Many thanks for the info guys, I'm less ignorant now than earlier!! Afrihost sounds like the way to go then. I'll ask my next door neighbor who has an MTN phone how his signal is. I clearly need a wireless router then yeah?

Another thing, I'm with Vodacom. The signal at my house is pretty good. If the MTN signal sucks should I go with Vodacom mobile broadband?
Click to expand...

If vodacom is better, then yes, but if not by much, no. Vodacom's data is very expensive :/

If its only you using the data, then Afrihost offers modems that you can put in a USB port and use - however, if its more than one of you, they offer a mifi device which turns your mobile data into a Wifi Hotspot (So your laptop, iPad, Cells and everything else can connect)
 
Zertop said:
If vodacom is better, then yes, but if not by much, no. Vodacom's data is very expensive :/

If its only you using the data, then Afrihost offers modems that you can put in a USB port and use - however, if its more than one of you, they offer a mifi device which turns your mobile data into a Wifi Hotspot (So your laptop, iPad, Cells and everything else can connect)
Click to expand...

Yeah I almost knew you were going to say Vodacom is pricey...experience.

It will only be me and 1 single PC using the data. Sounds great. I'll get my hands on an MTN pre-paid and give it a test tonight.

Edit: Are these the modems here?
http://www.afrihost.com/site/product/adsl_modems
 
Last edited:
Wall said:
I suggest you test out each network on a prepaid sim. Look for the following: Signal strength, speed of downloads and your ping.

This would enable you to decide which network works best in your area.
Click to expand...

Don't forget to try out LTE. Telkom Mobile has some great prepaid data bundles, but first confirm coverage. Trying the different operators is always a good idea.
 
For gaming ping and latency is pretty consistent on an ADSL line. On mobile broadband you get a lot of latency spikes and lag.
 
Shaun108 said:
For gaming ping and latency is pretty consistent on an ADSL line. On mobile broadband you get a lot of latency spikes and lag.
Click to expand...

Agh yeah it doesn't have to be perfect. I got this World of Warcraft I wanna get back into after like 5 years. Wife wants to download music and crap :D
 
If you have good MTN signal, AH mobile should satisfy your needs. (As long as you don't download a lot). I would still recommend ADSL for gaming though, even a 1Mbps account is awesome latency-wise compared to 3G
 
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