Mobile Internet Access?

[Oz]

I know this has been covered on the General Board, but I'd like to see this topic here since it's particularly crucial to those who are full-time RV living and may move a lot.

How do you get internet access while in your RV and how does it work when you move around, particularly over long distances?  Do you have to switch carriers?  Is there special equipment needed?  What additional precautions should you take and consideratrions involved in regard to your computer equipment and set-up?

[Froggy1936]

Well Hello again, I use Peoples PC for IP   I acess them anywhere i can find free web access   (which is in a lot of places) i have a wireless built in to my laptops & i added a antenna booster for the wireless you have to locate a wireless (which the computor will do on its own) then it will list all that are in range you can see from the list which are unprotected (no password needed) pick one and sign onto your IP provider I check all my bank accounts and pay my credit cards on line (this info is protected by the acct protection)  With all your experience you should have no problems   If I can do it anybody can  Frank

[4winds]

I use T-Mobile's internet service and have no problems.  Ed

[Froggy1936]

Ah, Yes the old pay for it plan. Where as when you live on $ 1000.00 per mo your mantra is   FREE   I  use Walmart, Reststops, closed gas stations, free internet Even get on the Pa turnpike ( you can pull over and sleep anywhere there is a pulloff)  for a  buck 1 interchange to the next Now if only i could find free fuel and food id have it made   Frank

[ibdilbert01]

Open WiFi Spots are a GREAT way to obtain internet.     You can find them at most coffee shops, some McDonalds, Friendlys and even Bob Evans.    I've noticed a lot of the campgrounds now days have WiFi as well.   And I must admit in the past sneaking into a hotel parking lot to use their WiFi.   Librarys are also a good place to find free WiFi.

One time when I had the Winnie in Traverse city MI, I got a phone call from work and really needed internet access to take care of an issue, I actually drove around a neighborhood until I found an open internet connection to use.   

Now days the company I work for provides me with a Verizon phone with internet, I can tether it to my laptop and I can surf with rather good speed. 

Also if your a book reader, don't forget the Amazon Kindle has free internet and a built in web browser.   The browser is not great, its black and white, a bit slow but it does have Java support and its free as long as you own the kindle.   

The upcoming iPad is suppose to also have a built in cellular connection, and will retail for 30 dollars a month for unlimited internet, however they have already said they will not allow tethering to a laptop, but somehow I think that will be the first limited feature hacked. 

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Verizon is the best provider that we've used, and thier new MiFi wireless internet card allows you to use up to five computers on it if you want to have more than one computer onboard...for instance, you and wifey both want to get online without fighting over the computer...lol!  Yeah you have to pay for it...about 50 bucks a month, but we always have fast internet, and what's more, we need a reliable fast connection for our business as well.

Kev

[Oz]

Fifty bucks a month is about what I pay now for high speed cable, and I do need fast access.  I have a "business" too and my clientelle demands I be available at lightening speed.... CWVRV!  LOL!

So, help me out here.  I'm reading info that has to do with connection while traveling and connection when stationary.

Is there a difference with how these plans or access methods work?  I mean, do you use MiFi or WiFi when stationary for an extended period of time and something else while enroute to greener pastures, or are they bascially the same, you just have to locate places you can use them during your "stops along the weigh"?

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Verizon works almost everywhere, so you can probably use it enroute...although we haven't tried it yet!

If you absolutely HAVE to have a moblile connection while you are in motion, Hughs Network does make a rooftop self tracking satellite internet dome...they cost over 4000 bucks just for the equiptment, and then your monthy access starts at 199 a month.

Kev

[JDxeper]

I have a Sprint card and a Cradle point Router, I just plug the card into the router and then plug the router into a 12v outlet(also 120v adapter).  In car, RV, or where ever.  Then use the computer(s) with wireless card,  like anywhere close enough to pick up the router signal( Mighty Winnebago #3385).  Card cost $61.24 per month including tax.  router cost about $200.  You can buy an antenna for the card for about $30 to pull in weaker signals.  My card works driving down the highway(most of the time), have signal where I have cell service.  Lose signals in no mans lands but pick it back up easy.  That's all I know.
JD

[tiredtraveler]

Be careful with sprint their unlimited plans have limits.... amazingly enough

[tiinytina]

I can't say enough bad things about Sprint at this point....   N:( 
   but I can start a list!
1. messages hung up in system for over a week before being delivered
2. customer service in stores is lackadaisical at best - have waited over an hour and I was the second person in line.
3. It took me 3 days to port my work cell number from Sprint to Verizon because of inept customer service at Sprint. 2 store visits and about 1 dozen phone calls which had my verizon rep and I  :)rotflmao at the downright  D:oH! of Sprint managers...
4. Pat got a new work phone from them and they "forgot" to port his phone number to the phone, then did it wrong.... twice... took 2 days to get it functioning properly.

Tina

[Oz]

I remember that story.  It was like the North and South mini-series, full of villains, deceit, hardship, war and ... commercials.

[ibdilbert01]

Kev, hughsnet has come down a bit over the last decade.   Unless you go with a third party mobile mount, the standard hardware is about 400 bucks.  Service plans start at 59.99.

The area I live in Cable and DSL isn't wide spread yet and poor to none for Cell Phone coverage, so there are a handful of people and some business that I work with who are using Hughs.

Its a bit slow compared to cable or DSL, pricey and has data limitations, but it does seem to be reliable. 

With my experience as far as Mobile Data Coverage in the Ohio Area, Verizon seems to have the best overall coverage and good overall speed as well.  That being said, I have one Fire Department that we had to change to Alltel because the Medics kept loosing signal in the poorer signal strength areas, and one Fire Department who switched to Sprint because they gave them a better package deal.   As far as account and technical support, its a luck of the draw as to who you managed to get a hold of that day with all of them.  But overall, Verizon seems to be the better of the evils, at least in the areas I'm involved with.   

[Froggy1936]

hi i am in a waffle house parking lot in Wyethville Virginia (just had a waffle for dinner)  across the road from a travellodge motel (i am useing there unsecured wi fi  to send and receive my e mails and its all FREE   Frank

[ibdilbert01]

Here at the Jam, cell phone signal is spotty at best.   In the RV neither my Sprint phone or my Verizon phone will pick up a signal, but they will pick up a weak signal outside.   Our kindles will not pick up a signal at all, they are AT&T.

Before I left for the Jam I ordered a Wilson Dual Band Cell Booster Kit.

http://www.solidsignal.com/pview.asp?mc=07&p=801201KIT&d=Wilson-Electronics-801201KIT-Cellular-AmplifierRepeater-InVehicle-Wireless-Repeater-%28Dual-Band%29-%28801201KIT%29&c=Signal%20Boosters&sku=


Doing some research, I found the antenna that came with the above kit had fair reviews but a few people noted the antenna that came with that package did not work really well unless you had a ground plane to work with.   My RV has a wood roof so there is no ground plane.  As a quick fix, I bought what they call the Wilson Trucker Cell Antenna
.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=trucker+antenna+cell&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2206214858378459875&ei=FfFcTPmtFoKBlAe14NWXCA&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDQQ8wIwAw#

Not having much time I bolted the antenna to the side of the air conditioner unit, ran the cable down the fridge vent and screwed the booster to the backside of the closet that is next to the fridge.   I didn't mount the inside antenna due to lack of time.   

There are a couple of options for the inside antenna, but what came with my kit looks like a hershey bar with a cable that goes to the booster.   With the Verizon phone sitting next to the inside antenna I can pick up 3 or 4 bars of signal, with my sprint phone I can pick up 4 and sometimes all 5 bars of signal.   

I'm currently tethering through the spring phone with great speed and reliability.    Not a bad option if you want a better signal over the cell carriers.

[ClassCKing]

i use cricket...the wireless internet card works better than the phone on some occasions..the price is somewhat reasonable for what you get(unlimited access)..the phones and the wireless card are all on the same plan/bill etc..but in some areas we can get service on the phones but not the card...and  vise versa.... i?? ..

[BigSarge]

i use cricket...the wireless internet card works better than the phone on some occasions..the price is somewhat reasonable for what you get(unlimited access)..the phones and the wireless card are all on the same plan/bill etc..but in some areas we can get service on the phones but not the card...and  vise versa.... i?? ..

Ive wondered about Cricket in "remote" areas. I hate signing 2 year contracts on my phone and wireless card.....

[George-47]

I have a Verizon blackberry...cost me $15 a month to "tether" the phone to my laptop..there is a limit..5 gigs (what ever that is) but as long as I don't get hooked on some games or try to watch movies I have more than enough. Speed seems to be pretty fast..Think it is safer than hooking up to an "open" wi-fi for things like banking..I may be paranoid but someone tried to open a Sears acct in Dallas a few years back & it wasn't me. George

[tiredtraveler]

Cricket wireless card works well even after you are over the limit(speed slows down but there is still access)....coverage can be very limited but no contract means when i have wifi where i am i dont have to pay that bill I use verizon for phone but internet is too expensive with limits

[Oz]

With Wi-Fi and now Mi-Fi, how does this relate to upload download speeds?  What can one expect in the kbs speed range?

[ibdilbert01]

Our medics are like our RVs, being they are a big metal box that seems to stop cell phone signals.   Over the past few months I've been installing the Wilson Sleek 4g kit along with a Verizon LTE Mifi.   The Wilson Sleek (P/N 815126) is just a cradle that you can slip a cell phone or a MiFi into and it boost the signal to an outside antenna.   The kit comes with its own little mag antenna, but we decided to use a permanent mount antenna instead.

It works just as good as the wilson product I described a while back in this thread.   

There is also this solution...
http://www.infotechrvsolutions.com/Wilson.html

I'm thinking about trying it with Gracie, will let you know how well it works if I do.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

So let me get this straight and see if I am understanding this right.  The antenna on the roof captures any cell phone signal, amplifies it through the blue amplifier, and the inside unit is basically an antenna then sends a much boosted signal to your cell phones and wifi devices?  And then the same inside device sends your cell/wifi signal to the blue amplifier and then to the antenna on the roof as a stronger signal?

It didn't mention Verizon or what bandwidth Verizon operates...but if the above is true and works with Verizon, it might be worth the 500 bucks!  I bookmarked it.  Let me know how they work!  We are very interested! 

Kev

[ibdilbert01]

Your correct Kevin.    I have a building version of this installed at one of the fire stations. (PN 801365)  We have two internal antennas mounted within the building, one in the basement.   They are connected to the Wilson amplifier mounted in my server room.  Also connected to that is the external antenna located on the roof.    Because it was a building installation, we used a Yagi and pointed it toward the cell tower.


Before the install, we had little signal in the building, and no chance of a signal in the basement, now we have full coverage everywhere.   The township phones are Verizon and they work just fine with the booster.   Sprint actually has better coverage in the area, so sprint was never an issue.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Well damn!  If it works well, that would mean you could go with a cheaper carrier after the initial investment of 500 bucks.  Gonna have to think about this one!  So its basically an amplified repeater for cell signals?

Kev

[moonlitcoyote]

When enroute, I use my straight talk phone which only costs $45/month with unlimited text/talk and data. When set up somewhere I use whatever wifi is available from the campground/fast food/hotels wherever there is a signal, and normally you can pick these up with the network card built into your laptop, but in case of interference from other devices (baby monitor in my case) an external antenna mounted to the roof or in my case suction cupped to the window will pick up the signal better and through a USB cable or router send it to your computer.