Community Forums

hewebb · 06-17-2019, 05:07 AM

Back in 2008 we had AT&T service for phones and air card. We experienced poor or no service during our summer travels. After visiting with other RV'ers we switched to Verizon. It has been quite good for the most part. However, this year we are experiencing service issues with the phones and air card. That and the fact the cost keeps getting higher makes me wonder if there is a better option available for travelers.

brandss · 06-17-2019, 05:43 PM

My response is based on assuming you are talking about wifi......if its simply cell phones for calls, don't bother reading my post.

You are really asking a question with the answer definitely yes, but, it depends on your needs, ability, $ to spend, where you travel, etc.

I don't mean to be evasive but there really are a lot of options depending on you. For instance, I have to have solid wifi wherever I go so I have several different options from using a phone as a hotspot, to a jetpack, jetpack with small inexpensive antenna, to what Turbo Pilot has so gracefully posted about, a pepwave router that can handle two sim cards from two different wireless providers combined with a powerful MIMO roof antenna.

If you can, expand on what you are wanting, and what you are willing to live with such as, "if I happen to be at a campground and can't get wifi, I'm not bothered" it will help with responses.

astrocamper · 06-17-2019, 10:53 PM

There are still places in the arid west were nobody lives and cellular is not available on many of the secondary roads. I have ATT with a Verizon hotspot as a backup. Many places I go will not work with either one. I like going to these desolate places because astronomy is best where the skies are the darkest.

I have a Garmin In Reach for low volume satellite messaging when I need to communicate without cellular.

hewebb · 06-18-2019, 05:46 AM

Scott

Our needs are not critical. We have a Verizon air card for wi-fi and one I-phone and one android. I use my I-phone for a hot spot when the wi-fi doesn't work. Verizon will not connect my I-phone to the air card. That caused me to get unlimited data on the phone at extra cost. We are midway between Chicago and Milwaukee for a few days. We get one bar at the camp ground. Occasionally text messages will not go. I expect to have difficulty in remote places but not as often as we do now in populated areas of the country.

brandss · 06-19-2019, 09:55 AM

Howard, my history is that I have to have wifi for work and after several frustrating trips I decided I had to get my arms around it. I had a week in Red Bay waiting for coach work and decided to read everything I could and try to understand it all. Here is a great read if interested in digging in. This is from TurboPilot, he has 10 times the knowledge I have and I learned a lot from him myself.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/best...ml#post4764195

This is a great video explaining cellular booster vs MIMO antenna. Another great resource are these two. I am a paying member because it is a real value for me. I just got the $25 antenna they show in the video and used it at a campground this past weekend. I had the similar experience you had and then plugged the little antenna into the jetpack and tripled my download speeds from just over 3 to almost 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14tWiAsqfJk

One other thing to consider is purchasing a grandfathered plan on ebay that truly doesn't throttle you no matter how much data you use. I got an ATT jetpack and sim for $120 initially and $49.95 per month. It has been an awesome addition to my wifi setup.

Good luck and happy to help any way I can.

brandss · 06-19-2019, 09:57 AM

This is the antenna I purchased.

RRR · 06-19-2019, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandss

This is the antenna I purchased.

I got the same antenna. For the most part I can't tell if it is hooked to the Netgear Unite Explore or not as it tend to come unhooked.

wildtoad · 06-19-2019, 11:48 AM

We’ve had both ATT and Verizon and have had good service from both but not all time and not in the same locations. What might work well at campground A may not a B. Just like over the air TV (digital or analog) there a numerous conditions that will affect service. Fortunately being retired and phone calls or internet access are not that critical.