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The MiFi has been available in South Africa for some weeks. If you haven’t heard of this rather remarkable device, here’s a quick rundown: the MiFi is a credit-card sized network device. It accepts an ordinary SIM card and connects automatically to any available data network, from GPRS to HSDPA speeds to enable Internet access. But Internet access is of little use if it cannot be shared. For this reason, the MiFi creates a wireless hotspot, capable of supporting five devices simultaneously.

Devices that connect to the MiFi are able to share the Internet connection and are also able to access a shared network resource for file sharing. The file sharing resource exists in the form of a Micro SD card slot – insert a suitable Micro SD card and start transferring files. The real benefit of the MiFi is that it contains a rechargable battery. That means the device is capable of providing Internet sharing for almost four hours, though that time is heavily dependent on network conditions, file transfer activity and the number of connected systems.

The MiFi device sold locally is the model 2352. AutoPage Cellular is the distributor and sells the device as part of a contract or as an outright purchase. The approximate cost when buying the device outright is ZAR 2000.

I had an immediate disappointment when my MiFi arrived about two weeks ago: after eagerly unpacking the tiny device, I inserted a SIM card and the battery, then plugged the charger in to start the initial four hour charge. The solid, red light indicated something was amiss, but I considered leaving the device for a while in the hope that the ominous red indicator would change to some other colour. Four hours later, there was still no change. In fact, the device was unresponsive and only a removal of the battery was able to reset it. I switched it on and tried it out – all working, except that any attempt at providing power either by wall socket or USB resulted in the solid red indicator showing up, fixed only by battery removal.

I returned the device the next day and was happy to receive an immediate replacement, no questions asked.

The MiFi is a very useful device, making the portable wireless hotspot a reality. Suddenly, it becomes feasible to use an iPod Touch to place a Skype call whilst on the move, or even Internet providing access to devices in a car. The battery life may be a limiting factor. In my experience, four hours is an absolute maximum, and it’s likely that the battery won’t make it that long under most circumstances.

The single power button lights up in a different colour depending on the status of the device and the type of connection it has achieved. It’s rather colourful…

Management of all settings is provided through a web interface that can be displayed in a browser. From that interface, various settings are adjusted, including those that relate to the firewall and file sharing.

File sharing occurs via the web interface – users upload and download files from and to the Micro SD card using the routers default IP address.

If required, the access level to the files on the Micro SD card can be changed.

The MiFi is supplied with a charger and USB cable. When connected to a Mac or PC by USB, the MiFi is unable to provide a wireless hotspot – in this mode, it functions as a standard USB data modem, similar to the Huawei E220. A control panel is provided that display connection status and statistics. When connected to the wall charger, the MiFi charges and functions as a wireless hotspot as it does when it’s running on battery.

The MiFi is incredibly useful. The device is tiny and light, allowing it to easily fit in any pocket. I found the overall performance excellent using both an MTN and Vodacom SIM. Similarly, connected devices have fast access and can be managed rather easily from within the web interface of the MiFi. The ability to provide a file share is a huge advantage and increases the usefulness of the MiFi tremendously. The only downside, as with any battery-powered device, is the time the battery lasts. Thankfully, the battery is removable and it may be possible to purchase extra batteries to provide longer usage times whilst away from an AC power source.

I’d highly recommend the MiFi. If you’re currently looking to buy a standard USB data card, consider the MiFi as a slightly more expensive, yet far more flexible, alternative.