The Lemon Fool

I am a bit confused!

I got a free SIM as indicated in the 'Free THREE data SIM' topic to use in my Linx 12x64 tablet.

However reading http://support.linxtablets.com/Products/Linx12X64/ thee is no mention of mobile broadband.

In that or in a different document it mentions:-
Supports Micro SDHC/XC up to 128GB.
Note: Some Micro SDHC/XC card capacity/speed specifications may not be compatible

However on this page (near the bottom) they sell SIMs for this machine.
https://www.mymemory.co.uk/linx-12x64-m ... ories.html

Guess I don't understand the SDHC/XC bit. My computing knowledge is somehwat limited - last machine I built was XP and my phone is a Galaxy Note 2 on PAYE!

So my question is - will the SIM work for mobile broadband on the Linx? I can't imagine that the chip would break anything but I have not tried it 'just in case'.

Regards,
ep

As you say, there's no mention of mobile data support on that page, so I'd guess it doesn't support it. That Mymemory page has a number of other items that won't actually work with that tablet (such as the USB-C to HDMI adapter - when it doesn't have USB-C ports - or the phone stand when it's a tablet not a phone) so I think that's just bad categorisation on their website.

SD has nothing to do with connectivity, it's a storage device. So you can put in an SD card and have more space to store files (photos, videos or whatever). SD, SDHC and SDXC are just different revisions of the standard - each allows for larger cards than the previous version. If you buy a very large SD card it will be labelled "SDXC" - and if you have a device that only supports SDHC that card won't work in that device. As your tablet supports all three, you should be able to use any size card you want. However there are different physical sizes of card too - the oldest, full size cards, won't fit, only the newer and smaller "micro" cards. If you want to use a micro card in a full size slot, you can use an adaptor. The other way round there's nothing you can do.

If you want to use mobile broadband on this device, you'll need a device to connect it. A USB dongle should work, as it's Windows 10, but that means walking about with a dongle sticking out from the tablet, which risks catching it on something and damaging it. A better option would be a MiFi - this is a separate device that connects to the mobile network and gives a wifi signal - so you put the SIM in the MiFi and then connect the tablet to the WiFi network. Only downside is you have two devices to keep charged.

https://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy ... 0-4854.php

WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot

If you have a 3/4G data allowance on your phone then you can use the 'hotspot' facility to use your Linx via WiFi when out and about (known as tethering).
Have a look at your mobile plan to see what 'tethering ' allowance you have. The law changed to stop providers charging extra for this, so in the UK it should be the same amount as your data allowance.(Roaming abroad will probably still have lower data limits - after which you'll get charged extra).

Many thanks for your inputs.

I am not keen on tethering because I am on PAYE.

So the dongle seems to be the way to go for about a fiver. The only thing that is of concern is that they all seem to be made by Huwawei.

Have looked on eBay and they seem to be very much like phones in that they may or may not be locked.
I take it that locked ones are not sealed units? That is, that one can insert a SIM of choice for that carrier?

Regards,
ep

Yes, "locked" just means that they're restricted in which SIMs they will accept - usually the provider that originally supplied them. If you put in a SIM from another network it will reject it and refuse to connect. If you put in any SIM for the right network it will work. There's usually a way to unlock it, which may involve paying the provider or using it on their network for a certain length of time. If it's unlocked, you can use any network.

And you may find that some devices that are sold as locked actually aren't - my last phone claimed to be locked to Vodafone, but had no objection to any SIM I put in it, so it was actually unlocked.

My previous should have read PAYG!

Thanks for the update. I shall get a cheap Three dongle from eBay for the Linx with the Three freebie SIM.

My need is not to walk about with the dongle connected. It is for static use when away from home.

Of course, with lockdown, will we ever be allowed 'away from home'?

Regards
ep