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  • Subject: NetZero4G?
Subject: NetZero4G?

For those who wish to contact me on Xbox LIVE, my main account is "The 7th Taco", and the one linked with my profile here is only a backup.

Okay, so I just saw a commercial for this.

I'm no computer genius, so I need help here. I want to know which on of the plans this device offers is enough to run an Xbox (With an average connection speed).

So, which one is the most affordable, but will also do the job.

Free Plan: Monthly Data = 200MB ($0.00)
Basic Plan: Monthly Data = 500MB ($9.95)
Plus Plan: Monthly Data = 1GB ($19.95)
Pro Plan: Monthly Data = 2GB ($34.95)
Platinum Plan: Monthly Data = 4GB ($49.95)

I need this because I live in a Hotel, and the Wifi here has a browser lock, so no Xbox LIVE. (And it sucks with my laptop too)

Will any of these plans work? Are you familiar with it? Is it compatible with Xbox? Any other suggestions?

Thanks, I appreciate any help.

[Edited on 12.01.2012 12:14 AM PST]

  • 11.30.2012 11:53 PM PDT

"There's this theory that if there were an infinite number of monkeys pecking away at typewriters, they would eventually write the great works of Shakespeare, but thanks to the internet we now know that's not true." -Adam Savage

"Time is not made out of lines. It is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round." -Caboose

NOTE: This is my new primary account. My old account was AgentCOPP1, and I changed it because it was linked to a gamertag that I no longer use.

Wait... is it 4G as in the 4th generation of cellular technology, or 4G as in 4GB?

Edit: Never mind. I'm assuming you mean 4GB. I actually run my entire internet off of 4G (as in the 4th generation of cellular technology). I have a 6GB plan and I barely even reach 2GB sometimes. I average about 10-20MB per hour, so if you calculate how much you expect to use the Xbox in a month, that should do you good. You also will need to allow a reserve for updates which sometimes can get pretty excessive. Right now I'm downloading a 2GB update for BF3 over my phone, but I can do that because I've been responsible and have only used my phone respectable amounts.

[Edited on 12.01.2012 12:03 AM PST]

  • 11.30.2012 11:59 PM PDT

My suggestion is not to use mobile/wireless broadband for real-time applications like multiplayer gaming. If you're only going to be downloading content, it's not going to be a problem, but if you're going to be playing games like Halo on Xbox LIVE, you need to have a low-latency connection; wireless connections cannot offer that, nor can they offer it reliably compared to a hardwired line.

  • 12.01.2012 12:00 AM PDT

For those who wish to contact me on Xbox LIVE, my main account is "The 7th Taco", and the one linked with my profile here is only a backup.


Posted by: AgentCOP1
Wait... is it 4G as in the 4th generation of cellular technology, or 4G as in 4GB?


4GB

  • 12.01.2012 12:01 AM PDT

For those who wish to contact me on Xbox LIVE, my main account is "The 7th Taco", and the one linked with my profile here is only a backup.


Posted by: dazarobbo
My suggestion is not to use mobile/wireless broadband for real-time applications like multiplayer gaming. If you're only going to be downloading content, it's not going to be a problem, but if you're going to be playing games like Halo on Xbox LIVE, you need to have a low-latency connection; wireless connections cannot offer that, nor can they offer it reliably compared to a hardwired line.


I've always only used Wifi for LIVE and don't encounter a ton of problems. What I really want to know, is if it can do the job? I'm not talking top-notch speed, but understandable. I'm desperate here, and I can afford the top plan, but would prefer not to spend all that money if I can choose a cheaper one.

  • 12.01.2012 12:04 AM PDT

"There's this theory that if there were an infinite number of monkeys pecking away at typewriters, they would eventually write the great works of Shakespeare, but thanks to the internet we now know that's not true." -Adam Savage

"Time is not made out of lines. It is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round." -Caboose

NOTE: This is my new primary account. My old account was AgentCOPP1, and I changed it because it was linked to a gamertag that I no longer use.

Posted by: dazarobbo
My suggestion is not to use mobile/wireless broadband for real-time applications like multiplayer gaming. If you're only going to be downloading content, it's not going to be a problem, but if you're going to be playing games like Halo on Xbox LIVE, you need to have a low-latency connection; wireless connections cannot offer that, nor can they offer it reliably compared to a hardwired line.

That's actually not true. Before we moved, our cable was down a LOT, but now since we live in the country, we have to use 4G. I can say with assurance that 4G is ten times more reliable than any cable I've ever used. Plus, I can average around 10Mbps down, 6Mbps up, and a ping of about 40ms. That is plenty fast for any game.

  • 12.01.2012 12:05 AM PDT

For those who wish to contact me on Xbox LIVE, my main account is "The 7th Taco", and the one linked with my profile here is only a backup.


Posted by: AgentCOP1
Posted by: dazarobbo
My suggestion is not to use mobile/wireless broadband for real-time applications like multiplayer gaming. If you're only going to be downloading content, it's not going to be a problem, but if you're going to be playing games like Halo on Xbox LIVE, you need to have a low-latency connection; wireless connections cannot offer that, nor can they offer it reliably compared to a hardwired line.

That's actually not true. Before we moved, our cable was down a LOT, but now since we live in the country, we have to use 4G. I can say with assurance that 4G is ten times more reliable than any cable I've ever used. Plus, I can average around 10Mbps down, 6Mbps up, and a ping of about 40ms. That is plenty fast for any game.


So is Premium Plan the way to go?

  • 12.01.2012 12:06 AM PDT

"There's this theory that if there were an infinite number of monkeys pecking away at typewriters, they would eventually write the great works of Shakespeare, but thanks to the internet we now know that's not true." -Adam Savage

"Time is not made out of lines. It is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round." -Caboose

NOTE: This is my new primary account. My old account was AgentCOPP1, and I changed it because it was linked to a gamertag that I no longer use.

Posted by: The 7th Taco

Posted by: AgentCOP1
Posted by: dazarobbo
My suggestion is not to use mobile/wireless broadband for real-time applications like multiplayer gaming. If you're only going to be downloading content, it's not going to be a problem, but if you're going to be playing games like Halo on Xbox LIVE, you need to have a low-latency connection; wireless connections cannot offer that, nor can they offer it reliably compared to a hardwired line.

That's actually not true. Before we moved, our cable was down a LOT, but now since we live in the country, we have to use 4G. I can say with assurance that 4G is ten times more reliable than any cable I've ever used. Plus, I can average around 10Mbps down, 6Mbps up, and a ping of about 40ms. That is plenty fast for any game.


So is Premium Plan the way to go?

I would say so. 4GB should do you good. I have a 6GB plan and I never go over it (that's including the data I use on the smartphone, not just for the Xbox).

  • 12.01.2012 12:10 AM PDT

For those who wish to contact me on Xbox LIVE, my main account is "The 7th Taco", and the one linked with my profile here is only a backup.


Posted by: AgentCOP1
Posted by: The 7th Taco

Posted by: AgentCOP1
Posted by: dazarobbo
My suggestion is not to use mobile/wireless broadband for real-time applications like multiplayer gaming. If you're only going to be downloading content, it's not going to be a problem, but if you're going to be playing games like Halo on Xbox LIVE, you need to have a low-latency connection; wireless connections cannot offer that, nor can they offer it reliably compared to a hardwired line.

That's actually not true. Before we moved, our cable was down a LOT, but now since we live in the country, we have to use 4G. I can say with assurance that 4G is ten times more reliable than any cable I've ever used. Plus, I can average around 10Mbps down, 6Mbps up, and a ping of about 40ms. That is plenty fast for any game.


So is Premium Plan the way to go?

I would say so. 4GB should do you good. I have a 6GB plan and I never go over it (that's including the data I use on the smartphone, not just for the Xbox).


Yeah, this one device is going to be Xbox ONLY. My laptop will suffer this crappy internet so I can enjoy some of the Halo 4 action I've been missing.

  • 12.01.2012 12:12 AM PDT

Posted by: The 7th Taco
I've always only used Wifi for LIVE and don't encounter a ton of problems. What I really want to know, is if it can do the job? I'm not talking top-notch speed, but understandable. I'm desperate here, and I can afford the top plan, but would prefer not to spend all that money if I can choose a cheaper one.
If you're using a WiFi connection to your Xbox, that's going to perform much better than a "mobile broadband" connection is, for the simple fact that the radio signals have far less distance to travel, and that's the important issue here for online gaming.

Also, when you're talking about "speed", that's roughly analogous to how big a pipe is to push water through. Latency (again, the important point for online gaming) is basically the pressure - how quickly it can get from one end of the pipe to the other. ISPs don't (and usually can't) make any guarantees about this, so they're not advertised. So if you're considering it, I'd look into getting a trial package or something equivalent first.

Posted by: AgentCOP1
That's actually not true. Before we moved, our cable was down a LOT, but now since we live in the country, we have to use 4G. I can say with assurance that 4G is ten times more reliable than any cable I've ever used. Plus, I can average around 10Mbps down, 6Mbps up, and a ping of about 40ms. That is plenty fast for any game.
You just explained why it's more reliable...

Regardless, I'm not inclined to believe any anecdotal evidence regarding wireless connectivity since there is usually some mitigating circumstances (distance to transmission tower, collisions with objects, capacity/load, interference, etc...), not to mention fact that it's not physically possible for a wireless transmission to propagate signals faster than along a wire.

  • 12.01.2012 12:17 AM PDT

For those who wish to contact me on Xbox LIVE, my main account is "The 7th Taco", and the one linked with my profile here is only a backup.


Posted by: dazarobbo
Posted by: The 7th Taco
I've always only used Wifi for LIVE and don't encounter a ton of problems. What I really want to know, is if it can do the job? I'm not talking top-notch speed, but understandable. I'm desperate here, and I can afford the top plan, but would prefer not to spend all that money if I can choose a cheaper one.
If you're using a WiFi connection to your Xbox, that's going to perform much better than a "mobile broadband" connection is, for the simple fact that the radio signals have far less distance to travel, and that's the important issue here for online gaming.

Also, when you're talking about "speed", that's roughly analogous to how big a pipe is to push water through. Latency (again, the important point for online gaming) is basically the pressure - how quickly it can get from one end of the pipe to the other. ISPs don't (and usually can't) make any guarantees about this, so they're not advertised. So if you're considering it, I'd look into getting a trial package or something equivalent first.

Posted by: AgentCOP1
That's actually not true. Before we moved, our cable was down a LOT, but now since we live in the country, we have to use 4G. I can say with assurance that 4G is ten times more reliable than any cable I've ever used. Plus, I can average around 10Mbps down, 6Mbps up, and a ping of about 40ms. That is plenty fast for any game.
You just explained why it's more reliable...

Regardless, I'm not inclined to believe any anecdotal evidence regarding wireless connectivity since there is usually some mitigating circumstances (distance to transmission tower, collisions with objects, capacity/load, interference, etc...), not to mention fact that it's not physically possible for a wireless transmission to propagate signals faster than along a wire.


I'm going to sound stupid here, but when you're talking about the distance it has to travel to my Xbox, would it help if I just put it right next to the Wireless Device on the Box? LOL.

As far as trial packages, there doesn't seem to be one advertised on the site. Maybe I can ask about it in the store? (The only store they have in my state is right in my city, lucky me)

Even if I try this and it backfires, I still get good Internet for my laptop for a month, I guess?

So, what you're saying basically, it could do the job if I'm lucky? But don't rely on it?

  • 12.01.2012 12:25 AM PDT

"There's this theory that if there were an infinite number of monkeys pecking away at typewriters, they would eventually write the great works of Shakespeare, but thanks to the internet we now know that's not true." -Adam Savage

"Time is not made out of lines. It is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round." -Caboose

NOTE: This is my new primary account. My old account was AgentCOPP1, and I changed it because it was linked to a gamertag that I no longer use.

Posted by: dazarobbo
Posted by: AgentCOP1
That's actually not true. Before we moved, our cable was down a LOT, but now since we live in the country, we have to use 4G. I can say with assurance that 4G is ten times more reliable than any cable I've ever used. Plus, I can average around 10Mbps down, 6Mbps up, and a ping of about 40ms. That is plenty fast for any game.
You just explained why it's more reliable...

Regardless, I'm not inclined to believe any anecdotal evidence regarding wireless connectivity since there is usually some mitigating circumstances (distance to transmission tower, collisions with objects, capacity/load, interference, etc...), not to mention fact that it's not physically possible for a wireless transmission to propagate signals faster than along a wire.

I'm talking reliability as in its up-time, not the speed. I'm not arguing at all that wireless is faster than cable because that's obviously not true. I'm just saying from my experience, 4G has been extremely more reliable than cable for me. I honestly cannot think of a single instance where the 4G was down or was so slow that I couldn't use it. It's just always been up for me. Can't say the same for cable.

  • 12.01.2012 12:31 AM PDT

"There's this theory that if there were an infinite number of monkeys pecking away at typewriters, they would eventually write the great works of Shakespeare, but thanks to the internet we now know that's not true." -Adam Savage

"Time is not made out of lines. It is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round." -Caboose

NOTE: This is my new primary account. My old account was AgentCOPP1, and I changed it because it was linked to a gamertag that I no longer use.

Posted by: The 7th Taco
I'm going to sound stupid here, but when you're talking about the distance it has to travel to my Xbox, would it help if I just put it right next to the Wireless Device on the Box? LOL.

As far as trial packages, there doesn't seem to be one advertised on the site. Maybe I can ask about it in the store? (The only store they have in my state is right in my city, lucky me)

Even if I try this and it backfires, I still get good Internet for my laptop for a month, I guess?

So, what you're saying basically, it could do the job if I'm lucky? But don't rely on it?

As long as your Xbox has a half-bar connection to the device, you should me fine. It really doesn't make any difference whatsoever if you put it directly on top of it or just a few feet away.

  • 12.01.2012 12:34 AM PDT

For those who wish to contact me on Xbox LIVE, my main account is "The 7th Taco", and the one linked with my profile here is only a backup.


Posted by: AgentCOP1
Posted by: The 7th Taco
I'm going to sound stupid here, but when you're talking about the distance it has to travel to my Xbox, would it help if I just put it right next to the Wireless Device on the Box? LOL.

As far as trial packages, there doesn't seem to be one advertised on the site. Maybe I can ask about it in the store? (The only store they have in my state is right in my city, lucky me)

Even if I try this and it backfires, I still get good Internet for my laptop for a month, I guess?

So, what you're saying basically, it could do the job if I'm lucky? But don't rely on it?

As long as your Xbox has a half-bar connection to the device, you should be fine. It really doesn't make any difference whatsoever if you put it directly on top of it or just a few feet away.


Sounds promising... But like dazarobbo said, I shouldn't always rely on it. Laggy LIVE is better than no LIVE I suppose. (Not really :P)

  • 12.01.2012 12:39 AM PDT