SMART Bro Plug-it for Gaming
Mobile internet has really changed the way life - and I’m not just talking about gaming. Having access to your e-mails and other web applications anywhere can really make a big difference in business. That’s one of the major drivers for SMART BRO Wireless service (USB). I decided to buy one recently since it was on sale from P4,500 to P3,800. I just wanted to share my experiences with the product so far. In this post I’ll be discussing the following: how to use it, what I used it for, and how it performed.
HOW TO USE IT
1. Buy the SMART BRO USB Modem from any SMART Wireless Center. It costs P3,800. It comes with the USB Modem and P100 worth of load.
2. Plug-in the USB Modem after inserting the SIM Card in the modem and it will automatically install the required drivers.
3. A control pannel will appear. Click Connect.
4. Viola, you’re connected to the web (if there’s signal).
To load, all you have to do is to have the SIM Card loaded at any e-load station. Base rate is 10 Pesos per 30 minutes of internet use.
FOR SURFING THE NET
If just for checking e-mail and surfing non-flash sites, then this is good. For Youtube, it will take a while to load but it really depends on the signal you’re getting. I’ve tried watching Youtube while having coffee in Promenade Greenhills with no big problems. I tried the same thing at home (QC) but it doesn’t seem to cooperate, hehehe.
FOR GAMING
Honestly - it depends where you are. When I’m in Makati or in Ortigas, the signal is fantastic. I can actually play World of Warcraft with minimal lag at peak hours. However when I try to do this in Katipunan, the latency is really bad. I also tried it with Ragnarok and again it depends on where you’re using it. One thing I noticed though - latency bombs when it rains.
Over-all, this product shows a lot of promise and potential. Be warned that it really depends on location so you are not guaranteed good download and gaming speed all the time.
August 11th, 2008 at 7:11 pm
It makes me wonder if it also rides with the 3g platform of Smart. The area dependent latency made me think of the similarities.
Sir, have you tried testing the 3G internet service of Smart with using a 3g enabled mobile phone as a modem? it would be a good comparison since if both performances are the same at the same area then consumers might as well use a 3g enabled mobile phone rather than buy the usb modem.
If using the USB modem would boost up the performance a notch, then it would be a good investment.
August 11th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
sir wauks pano pag halimbawa wala talagang signal sa
place nyo… yung original ksing smart bro yung d antenna
may refund kung wala talagang signal… yang wireless pwde ba
ibalik?
tska pareho lang ba signal nang wireless at yung original?
August 11th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
i don’t know why smart keeps saying that smart bro is the number 1 broadband (commercial with sandwich, toni gonzaga and sam milby) and that they have signal anywhere in the philippines (previous newspaper ads)…
e dito nga sa bahay papakabit pa lang ung mga crew na nagsabi agad saken mahirap daw kumuha ng signal dito. tinry parin namin and yeah ABSOLUTELY ZERO SIGNAL!
ung tita ko sa laguna na merong computer shop smart bro rin dati. nung last week of march 2008 pumunta ako dun and i tried it and okay naman although minsan bumabagal (pero nung last 2 days bago ako bumalik ng manila wala nang signal). eventually nagpm saken sa ym tita ko kasi gusto na nya ipatanggal smart bro kasi BIHIRA NA MKAKUHA NG SIGNAL; kung meron man daw SOBRANG HINA. kya pla d ko sya nkikitang online lagi. nung nagpm sya dun lng nagkaroon ng signal kahit SAGLIT LANG. and yet she was paying for a MONTH’S use. nalulugi sya kasi ung mga gustong gumamit ng pc for INTERNET, ndi makagamit kasi WALA NAMANG SIGNAL!
August 11th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Fredster, pre mali kc d pang computer shop ang smart bro!…
August 11th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Very disappointed smart bro users….
August 12th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Smart Broken.. as it was ever since.. :)
August 12th, 2008 at 12:03 am
smart bro pinaka murang broadband connection?
problem ko din yung connection d2 sa bahay ang solution nla
taas ang antenna ko nang isa pang pole 500 ang singil skin…
pro sa pinsan ko na likod lang nmin at unti lang layo sa antenna nmin
ang ganda nang signal
August 12th, 2008 at 2:48 am
smart bro dapat kita mo yong tower sa antena mo para maganda signal.
smart plug it signal ng cfon ginagamit nyan.
but ito dalawang to pag tag ulan lagot kyo sigurado mahina or wala talagang net.
kaya smart broken na kyo
August 12th, 2008 at 6:05 am
nag smart bro ako dati syet sobrang lag kahit na and2 ako sa manila.. mapa RO man or DL ~_~. buti nlng nailakad ko ung 1 yr and 3 months ko na pending application sa pldt for dsl. buti nlng binigayan nila ako ng slot khit na laging sinasabi na walang available sa area namin ><
August 12th, 2008 at 6:54 am
i think they are marketing mainly for laptop users, you know aside from going to a place with a wifi service just to check email or do a little downloading why not use this device.
anyway i cant use this for may desktop or for playing cause i know ill b fu***** pissed off. settle for not wireless.
another thing..youll have to load it 10 pesos per minute?? WTFOMGBBQ!
August 12th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
mas ok pa yung 3g cellphone jan ehh tapos mag smart sim ka din connect mo cellphone mo to usb tapos mas ok kung nokia 3g phone.. gamitan mo ng pc suite.. ganun din yung rate 10 pesos per 30 minutes..
August 12th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
commenting on the rain thing:
The reason why it lags really bad when it rains is because its really hard to make data penetrate water. You’ll need a very strong signal to do this.
Kaya ever since people came up with the wireless/sitellite idea para “anywhere” access, eh duda na ako. Special mention ko yung dream cable, anywhere ka nga, pag umulan naman wala ka ng cable. Kaya kung pede din namang di smart bro ang gamitin sa bahay, mag linya ka na lang..
August 12th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
bkt samin ang bilis ng smart bro khit may bagyo pa..
panget nmn pc nmn 256 video crd…
ang bilis ng ro wla lag pati nga GG client(dota) no delay.
sa Cainta Rizal pow ako
August 13th, 2008 at 12:05 am
@jay
alam ko na ndi pang comp shop pero ung setup naman ng sa tita ko e 3 computers lang ndi gaya nang maramihan ska rarely napapagsabay-sabay all 3 (sorry d ko nasabi agad na small shop lang un kasi ang uso dun sa laguna e PS games haha). ska dati naman nung mga first few months na kinabit yan okay naman daw sabi ng tita ko pero eventually lagi nang walang signal or rarely na magkaroon. ^^
August 13th, 2008 at 8:38 am
i think mas maganda pa rin ung mga pldt DSL kesa dyan… kc kung pag uusapan ung presyo, may mga package offer na ang PLDT na 990 at 1299… aus na din speed.. prefer lng talaga yan if laptop user ka at hilig m mag surf kahit saan… ^_^
Satan Morroc na mamaya sa sakray!! wooo! Satan Morroc is in the house! ^^,
kelan kaya ma-implement sa commercial servers? ^^
August 13th, 2008 at 8:52 am
may times na ganda na ng connection mo tas nawawala bigla…
ka asar nga eh..
ok naman saken.. kahit kumulog kidlat.. nka on parin pc ko..
haha.. may connection pa naman kht gnun…
August 13th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Hmmm, I’m also interested in buying one, however, I’m skeptical about doing so because I can use my 3G phone for the same purpose albeit at a slightly higher cost since I’m using the postpaid SIM for it.
August 14th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
actually isa ako sa dating gumagamit ng smart bro and hindi maganda ang naging experience ko using that isp, especially during WOE and the rainy season. konting ambon lang nawawala na agad un connection, tapos hindi pa friendly ang CS (pareho ng toot). poor service talaga dito sa metro manila.
pero may kakilala ako sa batangas smart bro gamit nya sa pc shop (small with 7 pc only) pero ok naman kahit bumabagyo, wag lang mag-brownout or liparin un antenna.
ganun din un na-experience ko nung nasa calbayog ako, kahit bumabagyo, sarap pa din mag-woe kasi walang interruption un connection.
well, depende talaga sa location yan.
un sa 3g phone naman, na-try ko sya and hindi maganda un experience ko kahit na surfing lang ginawa ko nun, sa ortigas area ko na-try un, sa makati di ko na-try kasi na-disappoint na agad ako, and they are claiming na nationwidest coverage sila…
August 15th, 2008 at 9:20 am
@ fred-ster
pre kahit na 3 PC yang shop anu un hahatiin mo ung speed sa 3?d pde un..un ung sabi ng technician na nagpunta d2 sabi nia d daw pde pang shop yan pang single pc use lng or laptop.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:33 am
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