[Tfug] Verizon Cellmodem FS with serious goodies - Linux compatible :)

[Jim March]

Thought I'd post this here before Craigslist.  This is a real deal for
anybody out in the boonies with poor Internet options, or who wants cellular
Internet while camping in the desert :).

FS: Verizon cell-modem with inline power booster and dual external antennas!

This is a private-party sale for a complete "kit" that gets you
respectable-speed Verizon cellular network Internet "way the hell out in the
boonies".  The cellular-signal inline power booster included can also be
adapted for most cellphones and the kit is worth it for that alone!

Total for everything: $175.

The kit consists of:

* Kyocera KPC-650 PCMCIA ("PC Card"/cardbus) cellular modem, just over 2.5
years old, Verizon-branded, clean and ready to activate.  Last used four
days ago with zero problems.  WORKS IN LINUX, WINDOWS OR MAC – I can
download the Mac/Windows software for you and put it on CD, or show you how
to make it work in Ubuntu for certain, probably other distros.

See also:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1813693,00.asp

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,1814124,00.asp

* Dual 5db "window stickum" antennas with enough cable to separate them
about 15 feet (which boosts signal strength).

* Inline cellular-level signal booster with power cables for both automotive
12v and 110v home – model CYFRE CA-819 as seen here, with all the proper
cables needed for the KPC650 card:

https://www.maximumsignal.net/xcart/product.php?productid=16135&cat=1&page=1

OK, SO WHY DO YOU WANT THIS?

If you sign up for a new Verizon account, they'll give you a free USB-based
cellmodem such as the Novatel USB720 for as little as $30.  The newer device
is slightly faster, especially on the upload speeds – up to 300 to 400kb/s
upload with the newer series devices 125/150kb/s upload on the older series
like the KPC650.

But!

The KPC650 had an unusual feature: the ability to run separate incoming and
outgoing data antennas.  When used with external antennas and signal booster
gear way the hell out in the boonies, this has serious advantages.  To this
day, a properly set up KPC650 is THE top choice for rural cellmodem-based
Internet access.

The KPC650 is now discontinued.

I originally set this up in the mountains outside of Seattle, where I had NO
functional cellular Internet.  The CA-819 plus antennas not only got me
online, it got me connected to the higher-speed urban network (basically
mid-range DSL speeds) versus the rural network running only slightly faster
than a good dialup (what Verizon calls "National Access" available wherever
a Verizon cellular signal is at all).

Here in Arizona, my motorhome once broke down 40 miles west of Kingman and I
was able to get online, hit "google maps" and look for a tow.

YOUR COST: $175 for EVERYTHING – card, booster and cables.

Why am I selling: I'm now based in Tucson and haven't needed the signal
boost gear for over a year.  I need to be able to upload video from remote
locations so I upgraded cards to the Novatel USB650.  (The KPC650 will work
fine without the external antennas and booster when you're in town and don't
need it.)

Extra uses:

The KPC650 is compatible with cellmodem WiFi routers such as the Kyocera KR1
and KR2 (the latter costs $250), and the signal boost gear can still be used
with the KPC650 card inserted into the router.  These give you a "WiFi
hotspot" anywhere, including remote campgrounds or the like :).  This also
allows you to use your Verizon data signal with computers that don't have
PCMCIA cards, or even WiFi as the routers also have standard Ethernet
ports.  See also:

http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/2297/63

http://palmaddict.typepad.com/palmaddicts/2006/05/kyocera_kr1_evd.html

http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35&products_id=777

As a bonus, you can get adapter cables to use the CA-819 cellular signal
booster with most CELLPHONES.  Contact Maxsignal with the name of your
phone, tell them you have a CA-819, see if there's a cable for yours:

http://www.maximumsignal.net

Monthly fees and Verizon paperwork:

Verizon charges $60/month for flat-rate, no-minutes Internet and will
activate this card with no fee.  You do need to do a contract at a minimum
of one year, after that it's month-by-month.

What if I don't like the KPC650?

Because you've got a Verizon contract, they'll give you a new USB-based
cellmodem for free or cheap.  You'll gain some speed in urban areas (esp. on
upload).  But even if it has an antenna port (and you should DEFINITELY get
one that does!), it will only have one – not two.  You'll still be able to
use the CA-819 signal booster, with a $10 adapter cable to tie the booster
to your new cellmodem.  But with just one antenna rather than two, "boonies
access" won't be quite as good as you'd have with the KPC650.

Can I upgrade antennas later?

Absolutely.  The CA-819 has a standard antenna jack and can use any
omni-directional or uni-directional ("Yagi type") antenna.  Directional-type
are stronger but you have to point them correctly – good for that "cabin in
the woods", not so good for portable use (for that you want omnidirection
like the "trucker" types).

The inbound and outbound antennas don't need to be "matched" - speed on
upload is much less, which is why this kit I'm selling doesn't have a signal
booster for the upload antenna (black port on KPC650).

$175 complete – card, cables, adapters, antennas, booster, power cables for
booster.  I'll also download and burn a CD with the latest Verizon software
for the KPC-650, specify Mac or PC, or I'll help with getting it running in
Ubuntu Linux or other distros.

About me: I'm a local political activist:

http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Currents/Content?oid=104509

LOCAL DEAL ONLY THANKS!

Jim
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