First ever smartphone, could use some advice

[tlc]

So well I guess it's time. Been unable to get anything but dialup for 22 years and there's less and less I can do with it as the years go on. Fiber optic is still over a year away and they're not certain if it's even coming at all. I go to work to do pretty much anything online on their wired secure connection. After my Tracfone started really going berzerk this past week, and its plan runs out later this month, and some persuasion from one of my friends, I decided to bite the bullet and get an Iphone 10 with an unlimited data plan. If I get a good enough signal for this to work out, this will be my home WIFI for streaming movies and really everything. I get a 14 day trial. If this actually works then in time I'll dump the dialup and landline which are costing me like $65 a month for something I can barely accomplish anything with anyway. And get rid of the Tracfone. Now my kid is paid for, I can afford something like this.

So I'm scared. One of my biggest fears is getting hacked or information stolen over wireless. One reason I chose the Apple is because being limited to apps trusted by Apple will hopefully keep me from getting into trouble, rather than installing something I shouldn't. If I want to even think about doing banking or online shopping or even checking email (since passwords and confirmations get sent to email), I need to make sure I'm totally secure and then some. I've heard a VPN is a good idea but I wouldn't even know where to start.

I've done a lot of reading but the thing is I don't even know what I'm looking for. I'm an old DOS jock. I don't know much of anything about networking or any modern computers. I'll figure out how to use the phone, as my Tracfone has touch screen so I got used to sliding and zooming and stuff. But I really need help with everything else.

So where do I start?

 

[FreeDiver]

First of all. Today's wifi is a lot more secure today then it has been in the past and wifi security come already turned on on most smartphones. My smartphone is over 5 years old and it's came with wifi security turned on out of the box. as far as online banking and e-mail goes. Those connection are encrypted between the browser and the banks/email server. There's no way for a hacker to see that information by simply tapping in to your internet/wifi connection. The only real way a hack can get to the information is if your computer/smart device has been infection with a virus or Trojan horse.

 

[FreeDiver]

OMT: Did you contact your landline phone provider? They may be able to offer you DSL service. DSL is a form of broadband service that comes over your existing landline. Today, most landline providers can offer DSL to even the most rural parts of the country. BTW: if you just want DSL only and want to drop the phone service. Most phone companies will let you do that.

 

[Judge]

So I'm scared. One of my biggest fears is getting hacked or information stolen over wireless. One reason I chose the Apple is because being limited to apps trusted by Apple will hopefully keep me from getting into trouble, rather than installing something I shouldn't. If I want to even think about doing banking or online shopping or even checking email (since passwords and confirmations get sent to email), I need to make sure I'm totally secure and then some. I've heard a VPN is a good idea but I wouldn't even know where to start.

I've done a lot of reading but the thing is I don't even know what I'm looking for. I'm an old DOS jock. I don't know much of anything about networking or any modern computers. I'll figure out how to use the phone, as my Tracfone has touch screen so I got used to sliding and zooming and stuff. But I really need help with everything else.

So where do I start?

While I don't own a smartphone, I know that even an Apple iPhone is still potentially vulnerable to any number of web and email based malware attacks and intrusive trackers, apart from considerations of basic wifi security protocols built into your iPhone. Note that some software packages are free while others come at a cost.

Best iPhone antivirus apps | TechRadar

 

[tlc]

OMT: Did you contact your landline phone provider? They may be able to offer you DSL service. DSL is a form of broadband service that comes over your existing landline. Today, most landline providers can offer DSL to even the most rural parts of the country. BTW: if you just want DSL only and want to drop the phone service. Most phone companies will let you do that.

I tried to get DSL at my old house and learned that it only works a few miles out from the switchboard. I was 4 miles out and were just little bits and pieces of a signal, nothing you could do anything with. I'm well over that distance from any switchboard here. Same provider, AT&T, they own the copper lines here.

 

[tlc]

Well it was fun and optimistic for a day until I got home. Now I might be returning it. For one, I can only get one bar of signal here, and twice in a half hour the signal dropped out completely for several minutes and I couldn't even send a text. I don't know about the rest of the night, I left. Also, I tried to do a mobile hotspot and it said contact the company. Then I read my plan and it says mobile hotspot not permitted. I specifically told them that is what I wanted to use it for. But with signal this poor, I'm not going to be able to do much with it anyway. And the weather is clear today. When it storms, forget it.

So failed again. Back to my old life. Maybe I'll be dead before I get access to high speed internet. Cable isn't available. Viasat isn't installing in my area.

 

[FreeDiver]

So failed again. Back to my old life. Maybe I'll be dead before I get access to high speed internet. Cable isn't available. Viasat isn't installing in my area.

I wouldn't give up and throw in the towel yet. There are options out there. One option is to get what's called a wifi hot spot device. A hot spot device is a small unit that converts mobile(cellular) data plans into a instant wifi hotspot. These are a data only device and cost about $50/month for a unlimited data plan. The nice thing about these things is that you can place the little unit anywhere in your house. which means, you can place it in a spot in your house that gets the strongest signal and just leave it there. BTW: if you live in a area with poor cell phone reception. Might a recommend going with US cellular. I've had the best results with them when it come to getting good reception and coverage. I've gone on hikes deep in the woods in Idaho and Montanan and have always gotten a signal. try to find a US cellular store in your area and talk to the rep there and explain your situation and see what they can hook you up with. you have options.

BTW: If your considering satellite internet. There are other providers beside Viasat to choose from. Another option is to try getting what called fixed wireless internet. Call up some of the local ISP's in your area and see if that's available in your area.

 

[tlc]

I wouldn't give up and throw in the towel yet. There are options out there. One option is to get what's called a wifi hot spot device. A hot spot device is a small unit that converts mobile(cellular) data plans into a instant wifi hotspot. These are a data only device and cost about $50/month for a unlimited data plan. The nice thing about these things is that you can place the little unit anywhere in your house. which means, you can place it in a spot in your house that gets the strongest signal and just leave it there. BTW: if you live in a area with poor cell phone reception. Might a recommend going with US cellular. I've had the best results with them when it come to getting good reception and coverage. I've gone on hikes deep in the woods in Idaho and Montanan and have always gotten a signal. try to find a US cellular store in your area and talk to the rep there and explain your situation and see what they can hook you up with. you have options.

BTW: If your considering satellite internet. There are other providers beside Viasat to choose from. Another option is to try getting what called fixed wireless internet. Call up some of the local ISP's in your area and see if that's available in your area.

My dad has one of those wireless hotspots, the tower is a clear line of sight a couple miles away. When it works it works pretty well. But most early evenings you can't get on whatsoever for a couple hours. I can't even look up a simple text based page. It's faster driving back home and getting on dialup. By the time you can actually get on, it's time for bed. It works for him because he sets his own hours.

There have been a few fixed wireless providers in the area, none of which have been available to me because they all broacast from the same place. A huge hill about 20 miles away. Which has been out of the line of sight for me at both houses I've lived at. Also these providers never last more than a few years before they go defunct. There is one currently, but a local winery sued them and won because they said a distant tower spoiled their views for their wealthy customers. So the compnay was forced to take down the tower, so they're already losing money and customers. For something whose future is not promising, it's a large gamble to pay a $500 startup cost, $500 for the first year which must all be prepaid, plus you have to pay for any time they must come out for service which people say is often. Reviews are absolutely horrid for this company, and that was before the lawsuit.

I've considered it as a last resort, but the thing about the little dishes is they go out in storms. Which can be quite often around here. And that's the time you want to mess around online, when you can't do anything outside.

So last night I called and paid more for my plan so I can get the hotspot. Up to about $130 a month now. Going to at least see if I can download anything worthwhile over the next week or so.

 

[tlc]

Tonight it seemed to work ok. Despite a rainstorm it hasn't cut out yet but I am upstairs too. I can't stream but I can watch lo-fi youtube stuff and it keeps up. Seems to be about 30x faster than dialup even with 1 bar so that's a plus. I actually can load pages now before they time out. Used about 500 MB tonight. If I do that every night it would be about 15 GB a month. The guy at the store said he went up to 25 GB and they didn't cut him off. So I'll remain optimistic that this will be a worthwhile option.

 

[FreeDiver]

Tonight it seemed to work ok. Despite a rainstorm it hasn't cut out yet but I am upstairs too. I can't stream but I can watch lo-fi youtube stuff and it keeps up. Seems to be about 30x faster than dialup even with 1 bar so that's a plus. I actually can load pages now before they time out. Used about 500 MB tonight. If I do that every night it would be about 15 GB a month. The guy at the store said he went up to 25 GB and they didn't cut him off. So I'll remain optimistic that this will be a worthwhile option.

Have you tried to move your phone around the house in different places(even outside) to see of you can get a stronger signal? You might try experimenting with that and see what happens. BTW: congratulations on getting broadband to your house.

 

[tlc]

Thanks. Upstairs is best. Ground floor is spotty. Basement is bad. Garage is nonexistent but it's a steel building.