If you are a road warrior or just a tech person you may very well be interested in the PHS300 “personal hotspot” from CradlePoint Technology. This ultra-portable battery powered router with a compatible EVDO USB device or 3G cellphone gets you on the Internet from places you may never have thought possible. Don’t let the word “personal” fool you, sharing your connection is one of the best features. This means a “WiFi network” anywhere there is cellular EVDO coverage.

The unit is about the size on an iPhone or iPod touch and sports a built-in Li Ion battery providing hours of WiFi connectivity for most WiFi enabled devices. You can charge the unit via USB or with the included power supply. I opted for the optional car adapter so I can also power the unit from my vehicle’s 12 volt “lighter plug” for longer run times.

I tested the unit on a MacBook Pro, Windows XP laptop, Linux powered EeePC, iPod touch, iPhone and a Windows Mobile Smartphone with a Verizon EVDO USB727 that is made by Novatel all with great success.

Basically the PHS300 allows you to connect up to 16 devices at the same time (I only tested 4 at the most) via IEEE 802.11 b/g, that is WiFi using WEP, WPA, or an open network (64/128 bit WEP, WPA/WPA2, and WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK). Like most NAT (Network Address Translation) routers the PHS300 includes a firewall and includes SPI (Stateful Packet Inspection). I was very impressed with this little mini routers user interface and feature set. This is not a plain feature poor router. This small unit that is 4.7″ x 2.8″ x 0.8″ (122 mm x 73 mm x 18.5 mm – weighting just 4.0 oz) has most all of the features of most home routers and then some. The UI is nicely laid out and better than many home routers I have configured.

The PHS300 is a simple device with one USB port, power adapter connection, and an on/off switch. Like many routers on the market, you configure it using a standard web browser. Browser compatibility includes Firefox, IE, Netscape, Safari, Camino, and best of all it even worked with the mobile Safari on my iPod touch!

I upgraded the unit I bought to the latest release of firmware that added my USB727 from Verizon (see the table of compatible devices below) and was up and running in a few minutes. The unit shipped “open” without wireless security turned on. So I changed the SSID, the wireless network name that is broadcast (you can choose to not broadcast one if you like), picked WAP for encryption, changed the default passwords and restarted the router. I had a secure wireless network in a few moments.

The PHS300 supports UPnP, ALG, Email, FTP, Gaming, Remote Desktop, NetMeeting, Telnet as well as business users needs like Multiple and Concurrent IPSEC, L2TP and PPTP VPN pass-through sessions.

How it Works
Just connect a compatible data-ready cellular phone or USB modem into the USB host port, and the PHS300 will automatically establish a connection to your cellular provider’s data network. You do need to have activated your device before hand. I activated my Verizon provided USB727 in my MacBook Pro with Verizon’s provided software.

After connecting my USB727 cellular modem to the PHS300 USB port, the unit automatically connects to the network without the need for a computer. Now go to your browser on your WiFi device – computer, iPhone, PDA, iPod touch. After you log on you will be browsing the Internet. Like your home router, once connected you can forget about it, as you can use it whenever you want. The PHS300 has a small on/off switch to power it on or off and can charge your handset via USB or power a USB modem.

Speed
Speed of the connection will depend on the coverage in the area you are in. Speeds vary of course, but up to DSL speed is available in many areas in many major cities. Even in my deprived area in my hometown I can surf as fast as the AT&T EDGE network. I even used SlingPlayer on my MacBook Pro and watched my FiOS TV connection. Check with your cellular provider for availability, speed, and especially the limits on your connection and plan. EVDO plans range in price and connection s usually starting around $60 per month.

Battery Life
What makes the PHS300 a bit unique among EVDO to WiFi routers is the built-in battery. CradlePoint Technology claims up to 3 hours WiFi with Handset or about 1-1/2 hours with USB modem. Plenty good enough for my use.

I will be taking this unit to Las Vegas to cover NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) trade show later this month so my colleagues and I can share the connection for email, browsing, and the occasional blog post when there is no FREE WiFi available. My past experiences in Las Vegas with EVDO was the coverage in the city were quite good. It will be interesting to see how it goes with this light small device in my bag alongside my EeePC and iPod touch I plan on carrying in my bag. With so many attendees at a large venue like NAB all vying for cellular bandwidth, I am looking forward to seeing how this works. I will carry the small power supply to charge the unit and use it in my hotel room and the car adapter for the rental car.

This type of connectivity is great for business people on the go, emergency response, vacationing in a RV, or for sharing an Internet connection in a park or car.

So far in my relatively short testing period I am quite happy with the results and my purchase. I will be testing the unit extensively in “real world” use over the next month and plan on reporting my results. Right not however I say, if you need this type of portable connectivity, this router is impressive. I will further rate the PHS300 later this month after I live with it on the road.

The day will soon come where cars will commonly have connections to the Internet. I say why wait if you want that, get it now. CradlePoint also makes the CTR-350 Cellular Travel Router. This unit is a bit cheaper and features an additional 10/100 Ethernet port available for wired uplink when available, but lacks the internal battery. Weighting the same 4 oz, is even a bit smaller at 3.6″ x 2.8″ x 0.8″ (92 mm x 70 mm x 19 mm). In my case I wanted the internal battery.

Now all I need is a portable coffee maker and I can stop going to Starbucks!

Cost
I bought my PHS300 from Solid Signal for $169.99 and added the optional Cradlepoint CCA-3XX Car Adapter for $34.99. They shipped out the unit in the same day. The unit is now available from Amazon at $149.99.

Compatible Devices:

1- ExpressCards require a USB to ExpressCard Adapter.
2- The user experience with devices running Windows Mobile is less robust than other phones and modems. Windows Mobile devices connected to either a PC or a CradlePoint router have exhibited erratic behavior while using data sharing capabilities. Issues include frequent disconnects for no apparent reason and remedies entail frequent rebooting the phone and or removing the phone’s battery. This problem is not something that can be resolved by CradlePoint Technology and will need to be addressed by the phone manufacturer. Please refer to our FAQ section at the CradlePoint website.
3- Use of the Palm Centro requires Rev. 1.1 Hardware or use of an external USB hub.
4 – Requires an Express-To-USB adapter that provides 1.2 volts.

More Specs
Platform Compatibility: Windows 98SE/NT/2000/XP/Vista Mac OS X, Linux, WiFi-enabled PDAs, iPhone and iPod touch.
3 LEDs: Power, Network (Cellular Link Status), and WLAN
Dimensions: 4.7″ x 2.8″ x 0.8″ (122 mm x 73 mm x 18.5 mm)
Battery: 1800 mAH Li Ion
Weight: 4.0 oz.

UPDATE: I used the CradlePoint PH300 with a Verizon USB727 EVDO modem for the week I covered NAB. Worked fantastic from anywhere I tried it – from the show floor, my hotel room, various casinos, restaurants, Lake Mead marina, and even the top of the Hoover Dam. If you need a shared WiFi connection I highly recommend this unit.

CradlePoint PH300 is awarded 4.5 out of 5 Paws

    | Tags: cradlepoint, evdo, phs300, wifi, Wireless