Anyone using a USB 3G connection?

[#1]

I was just wondering if anyone here is using one of those USB 3G modems?
Whats your experience of it? What is the connection like?
Also, can you host servers on it and allow incoming connections? - EG http, ftp, custom TCP servers etc or do they use port blocking on the ISP side?
Anyone had luck with one of those new micro laptop thingies running XP and using a 3G connection? - This is what I'm really interested in as it would be handy for break time at work!

[#2]

I'm using a 3 supplied 3G modem attached to a Draytek 2800 router in a building where it's not possible to get a BT line. It's on 24x7 and  works surprisingly well although can show signs of contention at peak times and this will obviously vary on the mix of users using the base station(s). It's perfectly possible to use it for things like email, browsing, youtube, etc. We don't find any real problems with connection reliability - it's not unusual to have uptimes of a few weeks. At £15 per month it's a bit of a bargain (no BT line rental for starters).
Note that inbound connections aren't possible unless you set up a VPN to somewhere else as many, if not all, of the 3G suppliers use NAT at a point between the modem and the 'net. You may also find that upload speeds will be less than you might expect for landline based broadband.
Mike

[#3]

Does 3 give you any extra add-ons like port forwarding etc?
I'd really like to think about switching to a usb connection but would be a bit limited without incoming traffic (though i don't currently host anything but do have plans).
Can you do p2p sharing?

[#4]

No, inbound connections simply don't work due to the NAT layer. Even if you do deduce the public IP address via a third party (because most dynamic dns systems won't work - they'll just give you the private IP address as advised to them via the client) there's no apparent mechanism to set up a inbound mapping.
Also, because there's no dynamic dns available, each time the connection gets dropped/reconnected you'll have a new public IP address and systems outside will have no way of working out what the new IP address is.
The only way to do this currently would be to initiate a VPN from the mobile broadband connected system to another system connected elsewhere on the net that can accept inbound connections, and then route IP traffic via that one across the VPN using a separately assigned public IP address. All reasonably straightforward but a bit of a maintenance headache.
It might be worth firing off a few emails to the support areas of each provider asking whether inbound connections are supported, or will be.
Mike
cp:quote

[#5]

Hi Mike
Yeah I sent virgin an email yesterday but as of yet they've still not responded. I'll try 3 next time I'm in town as they do a rather nice deal too. Not so keen on voda, T-Mob etc.

[#6]

Quote from: okrzynska

I was just wondering if anyone here is using one of those USB 3G modems?

Just to clarify, I am assuming you mean a modem connecting using a 3 G network and not the company 3?
I use a 3G Vodafone USB modem E220 and it works very well.

[#7]

Yes Nick thats what I meant - hence 3G
Can you on your network allow incoming traffic?

[#8]

I have used mine in UK and Spain and I can upload, download and use Skype without problems.

[#9]

But can you run publically accessible servers? - eg http or ftp?

[#10]

I don't think I've ever tried to connect to a FTP site but I can connect to http and https sites OK.

[#11]

Nick I don't think you understand.
I was asking if you can HOST a server on that connection and allow others to make an incoming connection. I didn't need to know that you can make outgoing connections TO a server - since that is what the internet on these 3G devices is suppose to offer in the first place
Thanks anyway

[#12]

You would need to be mad or minted to run a server off of a 3G connection, some providers charge as much as £15 per 1G if you go over allowance !!!!!

[#13]

@chilly... yep... I'm defo a bit on the mad side... not minted though as most of my cash goes into the car... again mad to run that as its a 2.5litre beast and its very thirsty.