Community Forums

goreds2 · 08-16-2016, 09:54 AM

I am in Information Technology (IT) and will be camping while on call this weekend. Our on call rotation changed after I planned our campground visit. We will be camped close to WiFi and almost 0% of the time I would have to physically come into work. I can do the work from the lap top.

I had to do this 6 weeks ago and it turned out ok but I was mindful of it the entire time.

Anyone else here had to be on call while camping and did it affect your routine?

vsheetz · 08-16-2016, 10:10 AM

I worked IT area and camped for many years. I was a full-time remote employee. Did everything I could from a smartphone. PC if I had connectivity. Carried a cellular hotspot device in case thete was not WiFi. And on rare occasion had to drive the toad to a Starbucks or other venue to get connectivity.

Waiter21 · 08-16-2016, 10:17 AM

Yup;

We snowbird during the winter so I may be away from the shop for 6 weeks. Not a problem. I have a VPN tunnel client on my laptop and can log in just like I was sitting at my desk.

The only effect it has on our plans is I must be within wifi or cell range at all times. A couple hours away is OK, but I have that long leash..

MonkeyClaw · 08-16-2016, 01:21 PM

I've been to the office about 10 weeks total in the past 6 years (4 of those weeks were last month for meetings). Just make sure you're available by phone and you can reach the internet and you should be fine. You might want to run it by your boss though, just in case...

TomandGloria · 08-16-2016, 01:31 PM

I consult out of our Motorhome while wintering in Florida. Wifi or Verizon jet pack and my laptop. Works great.

Podivin · 08-16-2016, 01:37 PM

Same here, IT guy on call 24/7. I never use camp ground wifi, simply because I don't trust it not to drop out at an inconvenient time. The Verizon jet pack is what I use when away from home wifi.

SpaceNorman · 08-16-2016, 07:08 PM

I do the IT thing. I've been fortunate enough to get all the necessary approvals and am free to travel as I see fit - all while working remotely from our coach. I virtually never touch campground provided WiFi. Instead I outfitted my coach with a Cradlepoint router that's provisioned on the Verizon Cellular network (think of the Cradlepoint as being a "jetpack" on steroids ... better antennas, better transmitters/receivers, etc.) - which I augment with a Weboost Drive 4G-X cellular signal booster.

Typically, I use the Verizon Coverage Locator (available via the Verizon web site) to check what Verizon says about coverage at any campground we plan to visit. So far, if the coverage locator says there's supposed to be coverage in a given location - I've yet to find that I wasn't able to obtain a functional connection.

As far as "affecting your routine" goes - I think you'll find it to be just like being "on call" at home. If you need to be available to jump on a problem if/when you get the call - you'll have to plan your day accordingly so that you can engage in a timely manner if/when the call comes. For me, it means maintaining a published schedule for whatever my "regular work hours" are - and staying around the coach when I'm "on call". It's not much different than being at home in our "stick and brick" house - except that the view out of my "office window" changes regularly.

**NLOVNIT** · 08-16-2016, 07:53 PM

Yep. we don't trust CG Wi-Fi either & have a Verizon Jet-Pak. It really doesn't interfere with our routine any different than at home. Main thing is to always have cell phones w/you in case you get that call when out & about.

Lori-

goreds2 · 10-01-2016, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goreds2

I am in Information Technology (IT) and will be camping while on call this weekend. Our on call rotation changed after I planned our campground visit. We will be camped close to WiFi and almost 0% of the time I would have to physically come into work. I can do the work from the lap top.

I had to do this 6 weeks ago and it turned out ok but I was mindful of it the entire time.

Anyone else here had to be on call while camping and did it affect your routine?

(I am the original poster) Update on this: My work place was kind enough to approve me for a Verizon MyFi Hotspot with 2 gigs each month. This will put less stress on me while being on call especially while camping.

vsheetz · 10-01-2016, 11:58 AM

2GB goes by pretty quick... I had 20GB/month and sometimes needed additional. But 2GB probably ok for weekend camping coverage, depending on what you need to do if called on.

affreeman · 10-01-2016, 09:17 PM

I'm not "on call" in the same sense that you are since I work for myself, but I do freelance video work which includes some amount of post-production. When we get away for a few days I can copy the current project onto an external drive and work on my Macbook Pro, and I use a Verizon MiFi with unlimited data (I rent a grandfathered business jetpack) for email and fairly often even to upload finished edits to clients. Admittedly the upstream bandwidth is pretty bad and it takes hours to upload a couple of gigs, but I'd rather be out relaxing in the state park than stuck in the office so it's a good trade off. I would never rely on campground WiFi being adequate.