1. Charge up that battery

Wi-Fi sucks up battery juice quickly. Couple that with a 3G data link and you will find your battery-powered MiFi gizmo or Android phone running out of juice after a few hours of heavy use.

So make sure you charge your batteries before heading out. Or, if you expect a long day of surfing ahead, get a portable USB battery charger like the Zagg Sparq (www.zagg.com/accessories/zaggsparq.php).

2. Secure your Wi-Fi

This seems like a no-brainer, but in the rush to get online, many users end up sharing their 3G connection over an unsecured Wi-Fi link.

This means they may end up having Wi-Fi leechers in their network. This not only puts their PCs or iPads at risk, but also slows the surfing speed.

The solution is to encrypt your data and set a password. Most portable routers offer this feature, as do Android phones that support Wi-Fi tethering using a 3G link.

3. Stay within range

Many portable routers do not have powerful antennas, as they are not expected to cover an area bigger than a small hotel room. Some are designed to conserve battery and hence do not emit Wi-Fi signals that are as powerful as those from home routers.

Many portable and 3G routers are designed with their antennas hidden within the chassis. You will also find fewer antennas in these devices than in full-fledged home routers.

As such, avoid straying too far from your router. If the Wi-Fi signals have to pass through walls to reach your laptop, the connection speed suffers.

Tags: Bluetooth, 3G, Wireless-N

• Uplink: 7.2Mb/s
• Downlink: 5.76Mb/s
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g
• Encryption: WEP, WPA, WPA2
• Capacity: Five users
• USB type: Micro

Although Huawei E5830 looks exactly like the E5832, they have different radio receivers. The E5830 supports fewer radio frequencies.

This could mean limited overseas connectivity – something to consider if you plan to travel with the E5830 and use it for data roaming.

The device has excellent battery life.

Checkout the specification: Huawei Wireless Mi-Fi E5830

Tags: 802.11g, Mobile Wireless, Wireless-G

• Uplink: 7.2Mb/s
• Downlink: 5.76Mb/s
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g
• Encryption: WEP, WPA, WPA2
• Capacity: Five users
• USB type: Micro

Vodafone 2352 looks like a multi-card flash memory reader and easily fits into a shirt pocket. As with the Huawei E5832, I do not recommend keeping it in the pocket as it gets quite hot during use.

It comes with a micro-USB port – different from mini-USB – for charging and tethering. There is no real benefit in choosing one type of USB over the other, unless you have several devices with the same USB interface and want them to share a single charging connection.

I like the Vodafone 2352 because its buttons and indicator lights are well-labelled. I also like that there is constant feedback – via LED lights – regarding the connection and presence of a signal. It is a pity its battery life cannot match that of the other two devices.

Tags: Mobile Wireless, Bluetooth,

At some situation, installing wireless router may not be the ideal solution. One solution is use powerline.

Powerline adapters may not be new in the market, but one that promises Gigabit speed of 1Gbps is certainly a step up from the more common 200Mbps ones.

This adapter also has eco-friendly features. When connected to devices that are on stand-by, the adapter will ‘sleep’. This can help users save at least 80 per cent in power consumption.

No additional software installation is required when connecting the adapter to the device via a LAN cable.

With more gadgets such as the Internet Protocol Televisions (IPTVs), and activities such as wireless transfers of high-definition (HD) media content and high speed virtual gaming needing higher network speeds to function well, the adapter is a device that will help ensure a well-connected home or office.

Tags: 802.11n, , 3G

• Uplink: 7.2Mb/s
• Downlink: 5.76Mb/s
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g
• Encryption: WEP, WPA, WPA2
• Capacity: Five users
• USB type: Mini

Huawei E5832 is small enough to fit into a shirt pocket, but I would not suggest putting it there because it gets quite hot during use and it may not be a good idea to put your body so near to the antennas of Wi-Fi and 3G radios.

The E5832 delivers good and consistent connectivity. My main quibble is its energy-saving sleep mode, which disengages all the device’s light indicators.

This makes it difficult to tell if I am connected. To view the indicators, I have to press the power button sharply.

The device is powered and charged via its mini-USB port. The charging process can be a lengthy one, so getting a standalone USB charger could be useful.

Tags: Mobile Broadband, Bluetooth, 802.11n

Besides using a portable 3G-enabled router, there is another way to get connected on the go.

Your Android smartphone can be turned into a portable wireless hot spot through what is known as Wi-Fi tethering. Essentially, your phone becomes a Wi-Fi router with which you can connect other devices to the Net through its 3G link.

Wi-Fi tethering is part of the latest Android 2.2 operating system (OS). Google Nexus One users who have upgraded to this OS can activate this feature in Settings> Wireless & Network Settings>Tethering & Portable Hotspot. Turn on the portable Wi-Fi feature from there. Remember to set a password to keep Wi-Fi leechers out.

A number of Android phones from Samsung, HTC and others are expected to get the Android 2.2 upgrade later this year. In the meantime, users can turn to third-party applications like PDAnet, which enables users to hook up via USB and Bluetooth, but not over Wi-Fi.

My experience with my six-month old Nexus One has been nothing short of excellent. On a recent trip to Malaysia, I shared the Nexus One‘s connection with a friend, while connecting two laptops and an iPhone to the Net.

Everything worked well for tasks like surfing the Net and checking e-mail messages.

However, you will have to rein in your expectations if you are logging on to corporate servers via a Virtual Private Network link, or if you are watching YouTube videos, as concurrent connections can tax your phone’s mobile data link.

Tags: Mobile Broadband, Wi-Fi, Wireless-N

Bulkier than both the Edimax 3G-6210N and D-Link DAP-1350, this Wireless N device from Zyxel looks more like regular-sized router than a portable one. While it comes with a ‘compact’ moniker, it is more for the home than for travelling.

It has a built-in USB port that lets you hook up a 3G modem.

What strikes me about this plain-looking router is its ease of use. Like the Edimax device, it quickly allowed me to connect to the Internet once I plugged in Huawei USB modem.

No set up was required, though if I wanted to, I could change the router’s settings via its configuration page.

A wide range of 3G dongles are supported, including almost every model from Huawei – a brand which is common in Singapore as far as 3G dongles go.

The Zyxel device supports data transfer speeds of up to 150Mbps and has QoS features. It is a worthy consideration for the home, where you are likely to also make use of the router’s two wired Ethernet ports to hook up your PCs.

Tags: 802.11n, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi