Virgin Mobile Mini WiFi Modem

Virgin's Mobile Mini WiFi Modem is convenient and relatively easy to use

PC World

  • Review
  • Specs
  • Images
  • User Reviews
  • Buy Online
  • Broadband Plans

Virgin Mobile's new battery-powered Mini WiFi Modem allows up to eight devices to connect to it wirelessly for shared mobile broadband access. The Optus network used by Virgin isn't as fast or reliable as we'd like, but the Wi-Fi modem itself is convenient and relatively easy to use.

Pros

  • Ease and use of setup
  • Competitive pricing
  • OLED screen

Cons

  • Patchy data speeds
  • Gets warm during use

Bottom Line

The Virgin Mobile Mini WiFi Modem is compact, easy to set-up and can support up to eight devices. However, the Optus network used by Virgin isn't as fast or reliable as we'd like and the modem does get significantly warm when in use.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 99.00 (AUD)

The Virgin Mini WiFi Modem is a very compact device. The ZTE manufactured modem is smaller than a deck of cards and finished in Virgin's black and red branding colours. A small button on the right powers the modem on and off, but you annoyingly need to hold it down for a few seconds if you're switching it on. A WPS button enables Wi-Fi Protected Setup, while a microSD slot is wedged in between. When connected over Wi-Fi, multiple devices can access the content of the microSD card.

There's also an external antenna jack on the left side of the Mini WiFi Modem. It's concealed by an annoying plastic flap but it's handy for boosting reception if you're in an area with minimal or weak coverage.

The key feature of the Virgin Mobile Mini WiFi Modem is a small OLED screen on the front. It displays signal strength, network service (GSM, 2G, 3G), the amount of devices connected to the modem, a battery indicator, your connection status and a scrolling SSID. The screen makes using the Mini WiFi modem a fairly straightforward affair.

A small button on the right powers the modem on and off, and there's also a microSD card slot and a WPS key

Virgin says the Mini WiFi Modem has a wireless range of up to 25 metres, but we found the signal strength started to deteriorate after about 20 metres. It worked without any issues up to this distance through the internal walls of an office and a brick veneer home.

Using the Virgin Mobile Mini WiFi Modem via Wi-Fi requires no installation, though you'll first need to register and activate your SIM card through Virgin's Web site. A wired connection requires the installation of software but this available on the modem itself and it works on both Windows and Mac OS X machines. When connected via USB, the modem's built-in battery will be charged while still allowing Wi-Fi access.

If you're in an area serviced by decent Optus coverage you should find that data speeds are reasonable. In our North Sydney office, with full five bars of 3G reception, we managed to achieve downloads speeds of up to 7.3 megabits per second (Mbps) but regularly hovering around 5Mbps. Upload speeds were also relatively stable at around 1Mbps. We didn't notice too much difference in speed between a wired and a wireless connection, provided the modem was situated less than 15 metres from our test notebook. Network speed does suffer slightly when four or more connected devices are downloading files at once, but this is likely to be a rare situation in real world use unless you're sharing the modem in a household, for example.

The Virgin Mobile Mini WiFi Modem is simple to set up. Its default SSID and WEP key are printed on the label under the battery. You can change these settings through the built-in Web interface if you wish. This is available by typing the unit's IP address into the browser of a connected computer. WEP, WPA and WPA2 encryption are all supported and you can also choose whether or not you wish to broadcast the SSID.

Virgin claims the modem has a battery life of up to four hours. This seems to be a continuous use figure though, as we managed almost a full day's use (primarily conducting basic Web browsing periodically) before the battery needed to be recharged. Like many other Wi-Fi modems, the Mini WiFi modem does get significantly warm during use.

The Virgin Mobile Mini WiFi Modem is available for $99 which includes 4GB of data with a 30 day expiry. Recharge pricing ranges from $15 to $199 with varying data allowances and expiry length, though the company also offers a range of post-paid plans, outlined below. Virgin charges data per KB rather than per MB, which means you won't be charged for any data you won't use.

Virgin Mobile's post-paid pricing for the Mini WiFi modem

The Virgin Mobile Mini WiFi Modem is locked to Virgin's broadband service, but can be unlocked for use with another network after spending a total of $80 on recharge data.

Keep up with the latest tech news, reviews and previews by subscribing to the PC World newsletter.

matt

1

I have one and its brutually slow depending on the time of day. At night its like being on dial up!

Craig

2

got one buddled with virgins 12g plan (post paid) its bloody good and we are in a fringe area. We regularly have 3 + devices connected and it performs well

Cathy

3

really unreliable device...cuts out constantly...
Thankfully, I had an on android phone lying around and now I'm using that a a wifi modem. Signal reception strength is fantastic.
Chucking the silly little mini wifi modem away.
Virgin needs to know about the unreliability of this little device.

Dan

4

You say "When connected over Wi-Fi, multiple devices can access the content of the microSD card."
This doesn't seem to be the case. The SD card can only be used if the wifi dongle is plugged into a PC. Effectively it's just a thumb drive, it would be good if it had this functionality, but it doesn't.

TrieldNaide

5

A by-no-means exhaustive list of resources follows. Please send us your favorites.

Celiac Disease Foundation, based in Studio City. Information, seminars and product shows, children's summer camp.

Mayo Clinic. Information on health and gluten-free products.

The William K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease, UC San Diego. Information, lectures online and referrals.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The federal agency has proposed a definition of gluten-free that should assure consumers about what's in products. The limit is likely to be at 20 parts per million of gluten. Several sources said the final rule could be issued any time. Currently there are private certifying agencies whose seals appear on many products to designate them as gluten-free.

Books

There are many books available, and many websites and blogs that offer recipes. A few of them:

"Real Life With Celiac Disease," written by more than 50 experts who share patients' stories and discuss treatments and lifestyle changes for people with gluten-related disorders.

"Gluten-Free Girl Every Day," by Shauna James Ahern. She also has a popular blog,
"Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook," by Leslie Cerier

"Weeknight Gluten Free" by Kristine Kidd

Other stuff

Toast-It-Bags. Many of the gluten-free breads taste better toasted, and in some homes that requires two toasters on the counter. But people can also slip a slice of gluten-free bread into the bag and put it in the toaster to prevent cross-contamination from other products in the toaster. About $7 from online sources, including .

The Addiction Bistro, 408 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. With an owner and chef who eat gluten-free, this is a popular restaurant for gluten-free dieters. Burgers, sausages, chili, pasta and ice cream all made in-house. Hot sauces, ketchups and mustards are made by chef Johnny Kovin.
<a href=>12312</a>
<a href="">12312</a>

Post new comment

Users posting comments agree to the PC World comments policy.

Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.

Most Popular

What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
Samsung’s 2013 Smart TVs: everything you need to know
How do I connect my TV to the Internet?
Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?
Windows 7 Home Premium vs. Windows 7 Professional

Compare broadband and save

Powered by

Need Help? Call 1300 123 935

Best Deals on PCWorld

Broadband View all »
Powered by
Networking, Wireless & VoIPView all »
TabletsView all »
NotebooksView all »
Desktop PCsView all »

Resources

Broadband test
Is your internet really as fast as you think it is? Find out here.