MiFi
Encyclopedia
MiFi is a line of compact wireless router
s produced by Novatel Wireless
that act as mobile Wi-Fi hotspot
s. MiFi stands for 'My Wi-Fi'. The MiFi can be connected to a mobile phone
(cellular) carrier and provide internet access for up to 5 devices. The MiFi works at a distance up to (30ft) and will provide internet or network access to any WiFi enabled peripheral device.
The first MiFi device was introduced in the U.S. in May 2009 by Novatel Wireless
, and Novatel owns a registered trademark on the "MiFi" brand name in the U.S. The Novatel MiFi is also marketed as such in the Netherlands, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Qatar, Kuwait, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico. However, in the United Kingdom, mobile operator 3
owns the "MiFi" trademark and markets a similar device from Huawei
under the name.
2011 saw the introduction of two new 4G
capable MiFi devices from Novatel:
Both devices maintain backward compatibility
with existing 3G networks. Other features include:
by carriers who offer service for them.
The following phone families have built-in features to create Wi-Fi hotspots:
For other phones there are third-party applications to allow this:
connection as well as any other connected devices. Novatel responded that a security patch would be available in February 2010.
The popularity of MiFi devices can also be problematic for corporate network security. Corporations generally expect to control on-site internet access: many use firewalls to reduce the risk of malware, and some enforce restrictions aimed at employee productivity. Personal mobile hotspots may provide a "back door" by which employees can circumvent these precautions.
Customers were sent prepaid courier envelopes and instructed to send back their Mifi units for replacement of the battery and battery compartment cover. Customers were notified that Novatel would return the serviced units within 6 to 8 weeks of their return. Bell customers were provided with cellular internet access via Novatel U998 USB sticks, which were provided as temporary replacements by Bell.
's first public demo of Google TV
and the iPhone
4 demonstrations at the 2010 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference— keynote presentations using available Wi-Fi connectivity were disrupted by network unreliability. The problem was traced to massive radio interference, caused by the popularity of MiFi and similar devices for "liveblogging
" from the trade show floor. In the case of the Apple conference, Apple CEO Steve Jobs
stated that 570 different Wi-Fi networks ("several hundred" being MiFis) were operating simultaneously in the exhibit hall.
Wireless router
A Wireless router is a device that performs the functions of a router but also includes the functions of a wireless access point and a network switch. They are commonly used to allow access to the Internet or a computer network without the need for a cabled connection. It can function in a wired...
s produced by Novatel Wireless
Novatel Wireless
Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a company providing wireless broadband access solutions for use in portable personal computers, handheld computing and mobile devices. The company is perhaps best known for its MiFi line of compact wireless routers....
that act as mobile Wi-Fi hotspot
Hotspot (Wi-Fi)
A hotspot is a site that offers Internet access over a wireless local area network through the use of a router connected to a link to an Internet service provider...
s. MiFi stands for 'My Wi-Fi'. The MiFi can be connected to a mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
(cellular) carrier and provide internet access for up to 5 devices. The MiFi works at a distance up to (30ft) and will provide internet or network access to any WiFi enabled peripheral device.
The first MiFi device was introduced in the U.S. in May 2009 by Novatel Wireless
Novatel Wireless
Novatel Wireless, Inc. is a company providing wireless broadband access solutions for use in portable personal computers, handheld computing and mobile devices. The company is perhaps best known for its MiFi line of compact wireless routers....
, and Novatel owns a registered trademark on the "MiFi" brand name in the U.S. The Novatel MiFi is also marketed as such in the Netherlands, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Qatar, Kuwait, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Japan, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Canada, and Mexico. However, in the United Kingdom, mobile operator 3
Hutchison 3G
3 is a brand name under which several UMTS-based mobile phone networks and Broadband Internet Providers are operated in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom...
owns the "MiFi" trademark and markets a similar device from Huawei
Huawei
Huawei is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China...
under the name.
Novatel MiFi 2200
- Limited to 5 Wi-Fi clients such as laptops, cameras, gaming devices and multimedia players; with the exception of manually editing the devices config file to allow more clients.
- May be connected to a computer via a MicroUSB connection, though doing so disables the Wi-Fi networking, converting the device into a traditional single-client modem. (However, CNET has introduced a tweak to charge the device over USB while maintaining its functionality.)
- Includes GPS unit.
- Uses 3G3G3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
data network (CDMA 1xEVDO RevA).
Novatel MiFi 23xx series
- Same functionality as 2200, plus:
- Billed as an "intelligent" mobile hotspot, includes processor and linux-based operating system.
- Includes an SDKSoftware development kitA software development kit is typically a set of software development tools that allows for the creation of applications for a certain software package, software framework, hardware platform, computer system, video game console, operating system, or similar platform.It may be something as simple...
(available here) for development of 3rd party applications to run on-board. - Accepts SD cardSecure DigitalSecure Digital is a non-volatile memory card format developed by the SD Card Association for use in portable devices. The SD technology is used by more than 400 brands across dozens of product categories and more than 8,000 models, and is considered the de-facto industry standard.Secure Digital...
for in-device shared media storage. - Uses 3G3G3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
data network (MiFi 2352: HSUPA/HSDPA 900/1900/2100 MHz, MiFi 2372: HSUPA/HSDPA 850/1900/2100 MHz; both support GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz).
4G MiFi devices
The Las Vegas Consumer Electronics ShowConsumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
2011 saw the introduction of two new 4G
4G
In telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is a successor to the 3G and 2G families of standards. In 2009, the ITU-R organization specified the IMT-Advanced requirements for 4G standards, setting peak speed requirements for 4G service at 100 Mbit/s...
capable MiFi devices from Novatel:
- Verizon WirelessVerizon WirelessCellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
featured the 4510L model, which will connect to Verizon's new LTE 4G network, expected to support 5–12 Mbps download and 2–5 Mbps upload. - SprintSprint NextelSprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
featured the MiFi 4082, a WiMAXWiMAXWiMAX is a communication technology for wirelessly delivering high-speed Internet service to large geographical areas. The 2005 WiMAX revision provided bit rates up to 40 Mbit/s with the 2011 update up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed stations...
version.
Both devices maintain backward compatibility
Backward compatibility
In the context of telecommunications and computing, a device or technology is said to be backward or downward compatible if it can work with input generated by an older device...
with existing 3G networks. Other features include:
- MiFiOS with widget support
- MicroSD card slot
- GPS receiver
- 4 hour battery life
- Front panel status display using E InkE InkE Ink is a specific proprietary type of electronic paper manufactured by E Ink Corporation, founded in 1997 based on research started at the MIT Media Lab...
technology. The front panel display shows battery, signal strength and number of connected devices. The difficulty of viewing such information was seen as a major shortcoming of earlier MiFi devices.
Non-Novatel devices
- HuaweiHuaweiHuawei is a Chinese multinational networking and telecommunications equipment and services company headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China...
E5830 (Series), E585, E586 with HSPA+Evolved HSPAHSPA+, or Evolved High-Speed Packet Access, is a technical standard for wireless, broadband telecommunication. HSPA+ was first defined in the technical standard 3GPP release 7....
and Chinese market E5805 using CDMA2000CDMA2000CDMA2000 is a family of 3G mobile technology standards, which use CDMA channel access, to send voice, data, and signaling data between mobile phones and cell sites. The set of standards includes: CDMA2000 1X, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. A, and CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev. B...
and ET536 using TD-SCDMATD-SCDMATime Division Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access or UTRA/UMTS-TDD 1.28 Mcps Low Chip Rate , is an air interface found in UMTS mobile telecommunications networks in China as an alternative to W-CDMA. Together with TD-CDMA, it is also known as UMTS-TDD or IMT 2000 Time-Division .The term...
. - NetComm MyZone 3G24W
- OptionOption N.V.Option N.V. is a publicly quoted technology company, headquartered in Leuven, Belgium. Option specializes in the design, development, production and commercialization of broadband wireless technology devices. Option's mission statement is to provide "anywhere, anytime easy access to information"...
GlobeSurfer III - Sierra WirelessSierra WirelessSierra Wireless is a wireless communications equipment designer and manufacturer, founded in 1993 and currently headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada....
Overdrive (Note: 4G4GIn telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is a successor to the 3G and 2G families of standards. In 2009, the ITU-R organization specified the IMT-Advanced requirements for 4G standards, setting peak speed requirements for 4G service at 100 Mbit/s...
capable; available only in U.S. through Sprint) - D-LinkD-LinkD-Link Corporation was founded in June 1986 in Taipei as Datex Systems Inc. It began as a network adapter vendor and has gone on to become a designer, developer, and manufacturer of networking solutions for both the consumer and business markets.In 2007, it was the leading networking company in...
DIR-457/MyPocket
Usage around the world
MiFi devices are often co-brandedCo-branding
Co-branding refers to several different marketing arrangements:Co-branding, also called brand partnership, is when two companies form an alliance to work together, creating marketing synergy...
by carriers who offer service for them.
Carriers offering MiFi
- Netcom in Norway
- Vodafone in Egypt, Germany, Greece, Spain, Romania, Portugal, the Netherlands, Qatar, New Zealand, Italy, United Kingdom, Ireland, the Czech Republic,India and Australia
- Zonga in Finland
- DiGi (3G/EDGEEdge- Aviation :* Leading edge, a line connecting the forward-most points of a wing's profile* Trailing edge, the rear edge of the wing* Zivko Edge 540, an aerobatic aircraft- Mathematics, science and technology :...
) and YES (WiMAXWiMAXWiMAX is a communication technology for wirelessly delivering high-speed Internet service to large geographical areas. The 2005 WiMAX revision provided bit rates up to 40 Mbit/s with the 2011 update up to 1 Gbit/s for fixed stations...
) in Malaysia - MobileOneMobileOneM1 Limited is a telecommunications company in Singapore. Launched in April 1997, it was Singapore's second mobile operator after SingTel and supervene by StarHub, Singapore's third mobile operator....
(M1), StarHubStarHubStarHub Limited is a full-fledged telecommunications company providing a full range of services over mobile, internet and fixed platforms in Singapore...
and Singapore Telecoms (SingTel) in SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... - Pelephone in Israel
- Polkomtel ("Plus") in Poland
- Vodacom in South Africa
- SK Telcom and KT in South Korea
- Telenor in Hungary
- PCCW in Hong Kong
- Mobitel in Slovenia
- SaskTel, Wind Mobile, Bell Mobility, MTS Allstream, Rogers, and Virgin Mobile in Canada
- Zain in Kuwait
- Orange and Telefonica Moviles Espana in Spain
- AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless, Cellular South, Mobi PCS, and Virgin Mobile in the United States
- 3 in Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
- Internode, via OptusOptusSingTel Optus Pty Limited is the second largest telecommunications company in Australia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications...
, in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... - Iusacell in Mexico
- AISAdvanced Info ServiceAdvanced Info Service PCL is Thailand's largest GSM mobile phone operator with 28.8 million customers as of February 2010. Founded in April 1986, AIS started off as a computer rental business...
, dtacDTACTotal Access Communication Public Company Limited is the second largest GSM mobile phone provider in Thailand . Dtac is owned by Telenor both directly and indirectly...
, True Move, and CAT in ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... - Qatar Telecom ("Qtel") in Qatar
- T-Mobile and Vodafone (in partnership with The Carphone Warehouse) in United Kingdom (marketed as "Novatel Wireless Intelligent Mobile Hotspot")
- TruConnect in the United States
- Inter Communications & a2network in Japan
- Internode & Virgin Mobile in Australia
- MTN in Nigeria
- Hutchison 3G in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- FarEastTone 3.5G in Taiwan
- Meteor in Ireland
- Globe TelecomGlobe TelecomGlobe Telecom , commonly known as Globe, is a telecommunications company in the Philippines. Globe provides mobile, fixed line, and broadband Internet services.- History :In 1928, Congress passed Act No...
in PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - Dialog Axiata in Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
- Vodafone in India
Alternatives
Mobile phones with an internet connection can often be turned into Wi-Fi hotspots in a similar way to dedicated MiFi devices. A caveat of doing this however is that it will drain a phone's battery more quickly, so plugging a phone being used this way into an external power source is recommended.The following phone families have built-in features to create Wi-Fi hotspots:
- Android phones running Android 2.2 or later
- iPhone 3GSIPhone 3GS-Camera:The iPhone 3GS features an improved 3 megapixel camera manufactured by OmniVision. In addition to the higher megapixel count, it also features auto-focus, auto white balance and auto macro and is capable of capturing VGA video...
and iPhone 4IPhone 4The iPhone 4 is a touchscreen slate smartphone developed by Apple Inc. It is the fourth generation iPhone, and successor to the iPhone 3GS. It is particularly marketed for video calling , consumption of media such as books and periodicals, movies, music, and games, and for general web and e-mail...
running iOS 4.3 or later, and all iPhones on Verizon WirelessVerizon WirelessCellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
(initially released with iOS 4.2.5)
- PalmPalm, Inc.Palm, Inc., was a smartphone manufacturer headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, that was responsible for products such as the Pre and Pixi as well as the Treo and Centro smartphones. Previous product lines include the PalmPilot, Palm III, Palm V, Palm VII, Zire and Tungsten. While their older...
Pixi PlusPalm PixiThe Palm Pixi and Pixi Plus are multimedia smartphones, developed by Palm, which was purchased in 2010 by HP. The device is viewed as a successor to the Palm Centro smartphone and was Palm's second webOS device, after the Palm Pre....
and Pre PlusPalm PreThe Palm Pre is a multimedia smartphone designed and marketed by Palm with a multi-touch screen and a sliding keyboard. The smartphone was the first to use Palm's Linux based mobile operating system, webOS...
on Verizon Wireless, with a 5GB cap
For other phones there are third-party applications to allow this:
- Android running Android 2.1 or under – Wireless Tether
- S60S60 (software platform)The S60 Platform is a software platform for mobile phones that runs on Symbian OS. It was created by Nokia, who made the platform open source and contributed it to the Symbian Foundation. S60 has been used by mobile device manufacturers including Siemens mobile, Lenovo, LG Electronics, Panasonic...
phones and Nokia N900Nokia N900The Nokia N900 is a smartphone made by Nokia. It supersedes the Nokia N810. Its default operating system, Maemo 5, is a Linux-based OS originally developed for the Nokia 770 Internet Tablet. It is the first Nokia device based upon the Texas Instruments OMAP3 microprocessor with the ARM Cortex-A8...
– JoikuSpot
- iPhone 3GIPhone 3GThe iPhone 3G is the second generation of iPhone designed and marketed by Apple Inc.. It was the successor to the original iPhone, and is succeeded by the iPhone 3GS. Introduced on June 9, 2008 at the WWDC 2008 at the Moscone Center, San Francisco...
and later – MyWi
- Windows MobileWindows MobileWindows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and Pocket PCs, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone, which does not run Windows Mobile software.Windows Mobile is...
– WMWifiRouter
Awards
- Novatel MiFi 2200:
- Mobile Village "Mobile Star" (Portable Remote Connectivity Gear): "Superstar" Award (2009)
- Laptop Magazine Editor's Choice (2009)
- PC World "Gear of the Year" (2009)
- Mobile News "Most Innovative Product (non-handset)" (2010)
- Novatel MiFi 2352:
- Plus X Award in Technology (2009)
- CTIA Emerging Technology Award (Fashion & Lifestyle Products), 1st Place (2009)
- CTIA "Hot for the Holidays" (Mobile Internet Device or Netbook) Award (2009)
- CES Innovations Award (Enabling Technologies) Winner (2010)
- Mobile World Congress "Global Mobile" Award: Best Mobile Connected Device (2010)
- Novatel 4G MiFi
- Consumer Electronics Show 2011, Notebook Accessories Category: Best in Show
- 2010 World Communication Award (WCA) for Best Mobile Device Strategy
- Mobile Village Mobile Star Award for Best Laptop or Tablet Accessory
Security Issues
In January 2010, two major security holes were discovered with the Novatel MiFi 2200 which, if properly exploited, could allow a malicious user to obtain the device's current GPS location and security keys. If the malicious user were physically close enough to use the device's Wi-Fi signal, this could give access to the MiFi's 3G3G
3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...
connection as well as any other connected devices. Novatel responded that a security patch would be available in February 2010.
The popularity of MiFi devices can also be problematic for corporate network security. Corporations generally expect to control on-site internet access: many use firewalls to reduce the risk of malware, and some enforce restrictions aimed at employee productivity. Personal mobile hotspots may provide a "back door" by which employees can circumvent these precautions.
Recall
In May 2010, the Mifi 2372 was recalled in Canada by Bell Mobility and Rogers Communications. In two documented cases, difficulty of opening the MiFi battery compartment had caused customers to use levels of force that caused physical damage to the batteries, which subsequently overheated. Novatel replaced the recalled units with a type that featured an easier-to-open battery compartment.Customers were sent prepaid courier envelopes and instructed to send back their Mifi units for replacement of the battery and battery compartment cover. Customers were notified that Novatel would return the serviced units within 6 to 8 weeks of their return. Bell customers were provided with cellular internet access via Novatel U998 USB sticks, which were provided as temporary replacements by Bell.
Radio interference at trade shows
At two major trade shows in 2010— GoogleGoogle
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
's first public demo of Google TV
Google TV
Google TV is a Smart TV platform from Google. It was announced on May 20, 2010, at Google’s Google I/O event and was co-developed by Google, Intel, Sony and Logitech...
and the iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
4 demonstrations at the 2010 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference— keynote presentations using available Wi-Fi connectivity were disrupted by network unreliability. The problem was traced to massive radio interference, caused by the popularity of MiFi and similar devices for "liveblogging
Liveblogging
A liveblog is a blog post which is intended to provide a rolling textual coverage of an ongoing event, similar to Live television or live radio. Liveblogging has increased in usage by news organizations and blogging establishments since the mid-2000s, when they were initially used to broadcast...
" from the trade show floor. In the case of the Apple conference, Apple CEO Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs was an American businessman and inventor widely recognized as a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. He was co-founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of Apple Inc...
stated that 570 different Wi-Fi networks ("several hundred" being MiFis) were operating simultaneously in the exhibit hall.