Ipad 12.9 Wifi or Cellular

[JeffNoa]

This may be long but need advice. At my cabin in the NE Georgia Mountains I access the internet with a Netgear Mobile Hotspot on my IPAD4 mainly for reading email, web surfing, reading the news, and limited online banking. As we only visit about 6 weeks out of the year I do not have any monthly internet services. My cabin is in a challenging cellular zone and I only get ATT. I have Apple iPhones with Verizon, but the service at my cabin is only 1X. So thats why I use a Netgear Hotspot with ATT. Now I want to upgrade to the new IPAD 12.9 and can't decide between the wifi version or the cellular. I read somewhere that people had challenges with cellular reception with their new 12.9 iPad. Their iPad may show a signal strength of 1 bar while at the exact same time/place their iPhone may show 4 bars for the exact same cell provider service. When I use the Netgear mobile hotspot I have to place it in a window to get the ATT cell service as my cabin has a metal roof. While I like the ability of the iPad 12.9 cellular to use any cell providers I'm concerned about the metal roof issues along with the issue of cellular reception as noted earlier. If I go with the Netgear Hotspot I'm locked into one cell provider (ATT) and if I upgrade to a new Netgear Hotspot the cost of that device plus a wifi iPad 12.9 is more than the cellular 12.9. But the last thing I want is buying a 12.9 iPad cellular that I can't use on my table or couch and instead have to sit/stand next to a window to get cellular reception at my cabin (the metal roof issue). Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Jeroen7]

Welcome to the iMore forums.

I'd go with the more flexible option of the router and wifi only, then you only need one datacontract and all yoru devices can use it if you need to. Also you have more chance of a better connection.

I have a wifi only iPad, and since i have my phone with me most of the times I can always tether to my phone's internet.

And don't forget to add the costs of another data plan if you go for the wifi+3g option.
So in the long run it could be more expensive than the seperate router option.
.

 

[Jude526]

Do the cellular. You can also run wifi and if using wifi your cellular isn't being used

 

[eyecrispy]

I'd do wifi only. I've never gotten a cellular ipad and have always been fine with tethering when needed. How much do you need internet when you're at your cabin? If not much, I'd definitely go wifi only.