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Solved mobile broadband

veracee

New Member
Am i able to use a dongle in USB port for mobile broadband on my Surface Pro3?
I connect by wi-fi to our home broadband with no problems, but need something for when i am away from home to connect.
 
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Yes, you can ... but what about tethering with your smartphone>? Works equally well.
Thanks for your reply.
I do have a smartphone and i have not tried to tether it. However i have tethered it to my ipad which has a lot of pre paid data on.
Just wanted to know if it was possible to get mobile 4G network on SurfacePro3.
 
Most of these devices do not publish their power requirements anymore, something of a modern phenomena in the it just works age you don't need to know the details. I found an older device that required a max of 500ma in high power mode, 45ma standby/idle and 180ma connected. This device listed Vista as the newest OS supported so that would have been around 2007 ish.

Someone that measured some USB 3G/4G modems published results showing a max of 308ma, 130-170 avg. and 38ma min. With the units tested.

The SP3 conforms to the 900ma power spec for USB so these should work fine with typical max draw under 500ma or less. If it exceeds the 900ma it's going to power cycle. In the unlikely event it draws that much power there's either something wrong with it or it's just a power hog and you should try a different model.
 
I use a Huawei E1752C 3G dongle with mine. No problems and no noticeable high battery drain
 
Quick napkin math.
If you get 8 hours from your battery and you plugin and use a 150ma USB 3G/4G modem continuously you would get an hour less battery life.

SP3 battery 42Wh/8 = 5.25w/hr.
150ma x 5V/1000 = .75wh
5.25 +.75 = 6wh
42/6 = 7 hours.
.75/5.25 = .1428 or 14.3% increase per hour used.

YMMV depending on usage.
 
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