Better Way to Share the Internet? Verizon MIFI, Or CradlePoint Router and USB Card?

With the introduction of the new Verizon MiFi 2200 from Novatel, lots of people are asking what makes the most sense, MiFi or a Card and Router Combo? There are a lot of options out there, but we have boiled it down to the 3 best solutions that will cover 95% of people out there. No need to make it any more complicated than this!

The 3 Best Choices: The Novatel MiFi, no Card needed. CradlePoint CTR500 & Card, CradlePoint MBR1000 & Card.

First off, lets simplify the available Routers:

MiFi - Limit of 5 users. 30 foot WiFi b & g range. 2-4 hour battery.

Perfect for: Ultimate in portability and simplicity, and cost.

CTR500 - 16 users. 50+ foot WiFi b & g range. Packaged with Wall & Car Charger. Works with most USB and Express Cards. Has external antenna port, signal strength display, 1 Ethernet Port.

Perfect for: Still very portable, but with more power and options, can also use the card separately in one computer as needed. This is also the way to go if you already own a USB or Express card, and don't want to pay full retail for a MiFi. Get this if you also want to be able to add an Antenna to increase the signal to your system.

MBR1000 - 32 users. 200+ foot WiFi b, g, & "N". 4 Ethernet ports, both Express and USB support.

Perfect for: Home or or Small Business uses. Much larger WiFi range. Works as fail over backup with regular Cable/DSL also.

But what about the PHS300? The MiFi does everything the PHS300 will although it has slightly less range...but the PHS300 battery only lasts an hour in real life... so it is pretty useless if you really need to go totally wireless. Plus the MiFi is a much smaller and slicker devise.

What about the CTR350? Go for the CTR500 instead. It offers a lot more bang for the buck. You get a Car Charger worth $25, which will definitely save the day at some point. Plus it has a signal strength meter on the display. This comes in very handy and will increase your speeds as you can place the router in a better location based on signal strength. Additionally, if you travel internationally, the CTR500 also comes with all the power adapters to use world-wide.

Summary:

The "best" solution is of course dependant on what you intend to use it for. No one solution will work for everyone, but the 3 above cover almost any use possible.

access point vs router