WifiRanger? Can someone explain it to me?

[TangoFox]

I'm a confessed computer geek. But I don't understand why seemingly everyone here has a WIFI Ranger or similar device. It seems priced at $400+/- router and access point for something that hardware is probably closer to $100-150. Is it really that much better than the competition, does it come with the new RVs, or are you paying for the marketing?


FWIW, I was tired of slow and poor internet connections so I put together a used Sensar Antenna base, ($20) Yagi 24db antenna, ($120) Bullet M2 HP and GL.Inet router ($30). I can explain it more later in the post, but allows me ot have a local network with it's own SSID, then the Bulletm2 reaches out via the Yagi to any local area network. Because of the Sensar mount, it allows the antenna to be aimed, so I can avoid interference from any other nearby signals.

[ghaynes754]

Tango the WFR is a similar system to what you have built on your own. The cost difference is in the UI (custom) and having a customer support organization for the less technical. Latest version, both the interior router and the external Elite (like the bullet) is that it supports both 2. and 5ghz systems. So if you aren't a confessed geek then the WiFiRanger systems make a lot of sense.

[TangoFox]

Originally Posted by ghaynes754

Tango the WFR is a similar system to what you have built on your own. The cost difference is in the UI (custom) and having a customer support organization for the less technical. Latest version, both the interior router and the external Elite (like the bullet) is that it supports both 2. and 5ghz systems. So if you aren't a confessed geek then the WiFiRanger systems make a lot of sense.

I understand that completely. That said, if anyone needs help on these sort of projects, I'm more than willing to contribute.

I was just curious if there was a huge advantage that I wasn't aware of, I realized I probably sounded a little sarcastic at first.

[powercat_ras]

Personally I have a $ 20 per month ATT Connected Car Plan with the Mobley Hotspot and should never need to deal with Campground WiFi again.

The limitation of the Mobley is that only 5 devices can be connected directly. This can be worked around if need be by adding the right kind of WiFi router behind the Mobley.

Partly why I have given up on campground WiFi is that there are so many different WiFi things active, others with hotspots, WFRs, etc. that unless you happen to be very close to a campground WiFi access point it is horribly slow or unusable.

Also too many campgrounds with daily usage limits that shut you out once you have used a small amount of data, to prevent people from using all the bandwidth of the campground streaming video.

[TangoFox]

Originally Posted by powercat_ras

Personally I have a $ 20 per month ATT Connected Car Plan with the Mobley Hotspot and should never need to deal with Campground WiFi again.

The limitation of the Mobley is that only 5 devices can be connected directly. This can be worked around if need be by adding the right kind of WiFi router behind the Mobley.

Partly why I have given up on campground WiFi is that there are so many different WiFi things active, others with hotspots, WFRs, etc. that unless you happen to be very close to a campground WiFi access point it is horribly slow or unusable.

Also too many campgrounds with daily usage limits that shut you out once you have used a small amount of data, to prevent people from using all the bandwidth of the campground streaming video.

I agree wholeheartedly. I have the same, I'm actually waiting for my sim card to come in today. Before the setup I created, I constantly had issues connecting to WIFI - after the setup, no issues but you're still dependent on their speed and their gateways. If it's bogged down, you're out of luck. So the Mobley does open that up.

As far as the 5 device problem - You should look at any one of these (Approx $30): https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...GL.inet+router

You will need to buy a power adapter for it, but that's going to be unique to your situation, if you want 12v, 120 or USB.

All of them allow you to connect to the mobley's wifi as 1 device and rebroadcast that signal to all your devices. There is some minor tweaks to make to the device, but I can walk you through that - and I promise it is easier than programming the VCR.

[computerguy]

I am a geek too. I also have the WFR. It is a comprehensive cohesive system. If you move often and change your connections it works very well. Also has usb tethering to cellular devices and a vpn. Full on tech support should you have a problem or question. You probably can't port forward into your system when connected to a CG wifi system. WFR handles this each and every time I move without any changes needed on my part. I don't need to know the ip address for anything. So much functionality and I am just scratching the surface. Unless you are a full on geek like the OP I highly recommend the WFR.

[TangoFox]

Originally Posted by computerguy

I am a geek too. I also have the WFR. It is a comprehensive cohesive system. If you move often and change your connections it works very well. Also has usb tethering to cellular devices and a vpn. Full on tech support should you have a problem or question. You probably can't port forward into your system when connected to a CG wifi system. WFR handles this each and every time I move without any changes needed on my part. I don't need to know the ip address for anything. So much functionality and I am just scratching the surface. Unless you are a full on geek like the OP I highly recommend the WFR.

This is the perfect review and I understand completely. Nice job.

[docj]

Originally Posted by computerguy

I am a geek too. I also have the WFR. It is a comprehensive cohesive system. If you move often and change your connections it works very well. Also has usb tethering to cellular devices and a vpn. Full on tech support should you have a problem or question. You probably can't port forward into your system when connected to a CG wifi system. WFR handles this each and every time I move without any changes needed on my part. I don't need to know the ip address for anything. So much functionality and I am just scratching the surface. Unless you are a full on geek like the OP I highly recommend the WFR.

Thanks for being a WiFiRanger customer and for posting such an articulate summary of the advantages of purchasing a Ranger. Having a customer post such statements is better than any amount of advertising we could buy.

We've worked hard to develop and position WiFiRanger products in the RV marketplace. It's good to see that people appreciate what we've done.

[ualdriver]

Is there such a thing as a system that one can use (common antenna) that can boost Wifi, cell phone, and TV signals, or if you want to do all of these things, do you have to have a TV antenna, cellphone antenna, and wifi antenna along with their sub-components?

[docj]

Originally Posted by ualdriver

Is there such a thing as a system that one can use (common antenna) that can boost Wifi, cell phone, and TV signals, or if you want to do all of these things, do you have to have a TV antenna, cellphone antenna, and wifi antenna along with their sub-components?

Antennas are designed to operate in specific frequency ranges. The frequencies of cellular, wifi and TV are quite different. A single antenna would not effectively work for all of them.

[ualdriver]

Originally Posted by docj

Antennas are designed to operate in specific frequency ranges. The frequencies of cellular, wifi and TV are quite different. A single antenna would not effectively work for all of them.

Thanks Docj. Is there a system where it would work for TWO of them? For example, I already have a TV antenna on the roof that works good enough. Are there systems that exist that will boost cellular AND wifi with one system? Or are those different frequency bands as well?

[docj]

Originally Posted by ualdriver

Thanks Docj. Is there a system where it would work for TWO of them? For example, I already have a TV antenna on the roof that works good enough. Are there systems that exist that will boost cellular AND wifi with one system? Or are those different frequency bands as well?

Sorry, but antennas really aren't good at doing double duty. But, if you have a crank-up, "bat-wing" TV antenna why not consider mounting a wifi booster, such as a WiFiRanger, on its mast? Lots of people have done that and have run the wire back down alongside the TV coax.

[johnhicks]

The BoatANT covers cell and wifi freqs quite well but a properly-configured system for cell-to-wifi and wifi-as-wan requires a couple of them, a cell modem/router/AP/repeater, more technical knowledge and costs more than the Wifi Ranger.

[computerguy]

Here is an antenna for Wifi and Cellular:
Wifi/Cell/GPS Antenna
Not cheap.