$25/month unlimited internet....interested?

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by mfredm

With regards to the other posts about using the Visible Sim in a Netgear Nighthawk, there is a Youtube video about someone doing exactly this. He got his Visible account cancelled 2 times for this. I think he is stationary in a house, and probably using huge amounts of data. I think the flag for Visible to catch you is that all you use is Data, no phone calls, texts.

That is quite possible and an interesting observation.

I can say that with my R2 from Visible that is entire used only for internet, I did sign up with my Google account and the phone get spam text messages and a few spam calls. That appears to be enough. Never used it once for outgoing call or message, but your assertion is very possible.

[boyland]

I am curious on the router setup how are you handling the 1 tethered device at a time.

I would think the router tether is one device however each device connected to the router would add to the list? I ask this because remember at one time configuring the router to mask what was behind it but have not really done that in a long time as this has not really been an issue

[smiller]

Originally Posted by mfredm

this morning I am looking at a plan called Hello Mobile, for backup.. Says unlimited for $25. anyone know if the hotspot is also unlimited?

Hello Mobile doesn't seem to mention unlimited hotspot on their web site at all, even in the FAQ, which usually means that it isn't included (if it was included they certainly would mention it), but the only way to know for sure is check with their CS. It would be virtually unheard for anyone to offer truly unlimited hotspot (vs. dropping to 2G after x GB) for such a low price and likely the only reason Visible can do it is because of their special relationship with Verizon. Also as noted Hello Mobile appears to be on Sprint network which would certainly provide inferior coverage to Verizon.

The question of a 'backup' is very legit though as a backup (meaning service available from an alternate carrier) is never a bad idea to ensure as high an availability as possible, no matter who your primary carrier is since even mighty Verizon is subject to occasional coverage holes and network failures.

Backup service is best accomplished in a dual-SIM (or SIM + eSIM) phone so the alternate service is always with you. The two 'low cost but fully functional' options I have been looking at are the $15/2 GB (or $25/5 GB) 'Connect' prepaid plan from T-Mobile and eSIM resellers such as Airalo that will sell you data on-the-fly at a few dollars per GB. Airalo is also a good option since you can buy service anywhere in the world so it covers the 'no international' weakness of Visible (you do need a phone with eSIM support however.) Airalo's USA service is also on T-Mo which is OK because if your phone is Band 71/600 MHz capable (most are by now) then T-Mo has pretty good coverage these days so it should be a reasonable backup.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by boyland

I am curious on the router setup how are you handling the 1 tethered device at a time.

I would think the router tether is one device however each device connected to the router would add to the list? I ask this because remember at one time configuring the router to mask what was behind it but have not really done that in a long time as this has not really been an issue

The "tethered" device is the phone, which acts as a modem to connect to the Internet. Most people only need one phone and one Internet source. Some want more, but that is for other threads and post on this website.

Once the router is tethered to the phone (that simply means that it is physically connected...via USB cable), everything in your RV connects to the router. The router can accept tons of connection to it...via wifi and a few CAT5 cables. The router changes the incoming and outgoing information to look like a single device on the phone side through the tether.

What a router does is allow your computer, for example, to request a web page. The request goes out under a single IP address...basically looking like one device. When the page comes back from the Internet, the router "routes" the reply back to your computer. Same with a TV connected to the router, and so on.

This is way over-simpplified to hopefully make basic sense, which I assume is all you really care about. This is what happens by default when in "router mode". If you switch to access point mode, then the router is "dumb" and just passing traffic straight through. The phone would THEN think there could be more devices connected through the tether. Haven't tried that, but assuming on many (if not all phones) that will not work. Stick with "router mode".

Hope that helps.

[boyland]

So what i was getting at if you use the hotspot on the phone it will block you from connecting more than one device the griff router method does seem to work though i do wonder if you in the future we my need to use the mac address masking.

Just fyi

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

The "tethered" device is the phone, which acts as a modem to connect to the Internet. Most people only need one phone and one Internet source. Some want more, but that is for other threads and post on this website.

Once the router is tethered to the phone (that simply means that it is physically connected...via USB cable), everything in your RV connects to the router. The router can accept tons of connection to it...via wifi and a few CAT5 cables. The router changes the incoming and outgoing information to look like a single device on the phone side through the tether.

What a router does is allow your computer, for example, to request a web page. The request goes out under a single IP address...basically looking like one device. When the page comes back from the Internet, the router "routes" the reply back to your computer. Same with a TV connected to the router, and so on.

This is way over-simpplified to hopefully make basic sense, which I assume is all you really care about. This is what happens by default when in "router mode". If you switch to access point mode, then the router is "dumb" and just passing traffic straight through. The phone would THEN think there could be more devices connected through the tether. Haven't tried that, but assuming on many (if not all phones) that will not work. Stick with "router mode".

Hope that helps.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by boyland

So what i was getting at if you use the hotspot on the phone it will block you from connecting more than one device the griff router method does seem to work though i do wonder if you in the future we my need to use the mac address masking.

Just fyi

Sorry that I appear to be misunderstanding you or not explaining well. You seem to have some technical understanding by use of the MAC address term.

When using a router, there is only one MAC address and one IP address that goes to the phone. The phone and Visible only see one attached device. The router "hides" everything behind and attached to it. That is main translating function of the router. So, 100 devices could be plugged into the router and on the phone side, it all looks like just 1 device...the router....MAC and IP.

[smiller]

It's probably worth noting that if your only goal is obtaining more than one simultaneous connection then an external router may not be necessary at all depending on which phone you use. Many phones sold by Visible have the restriction but many 'bring your own' phones do not (for example there is no limit to number of connections on non-branded Android Pixel phones, and I think this is true of most if not all iPhones as well, not sure about Samsung), and since these phones do not incorporate the required software mods they never will have the restriction. If you want to go the $20 Visible-purchased phone route then you will need an external router, but step up a bit and you may not (plus you get a faster phone and probably faster LTE modem as well.)

[boyland]

Ah that makes sense i thought i remembered a year a so trying this and not having this limitation.
But now i have a need for camera location that do not want to have to worry about an expensive service. I am going to use this.

Griff What you are saying is absolutely true in some cases there are also other routers that expose the origination device which i believe would cause the phone to restrict the service. The router you have recommended imo is excellent for this purpose.
I played a bit with it last evening curious if anyone has used any other sim connection usb devices in this router also. I have some other purpose that it might work well for and it provides a lot at little cost.

Originally Posted by smiller

It's probably worth noting that if your only goal is obtaining more than one simultaneous connection then an external router may not be necessary at all depending on which phone you use. Many phones sold by Visible have the restriction but many 'bring your own' phones do not (for example there is no limit to number of connections on non-branded Android Pixel phones, and I think this is true of most if not all iPhones as well, not sure about Samsung), and since these phones do not incorporate the required software mods they never will have the restriction. If you want to go the $20 Visible-purchased phone route then you will need an external router, but step up a bit and you may not (plus you get a faster phone and probably faster LTE modem as well.)

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by smiller

It's probably worth noting that if your only goal is obtaining more than one simultaneous connection then an external router may not be necessary at all depending on which phone you use.

That is absolutely true. I do believe that on many "higher end" phones, you will see this as possible, but Visible only promises 1 connection available in a hotspot. I believe that is software limited by phones and not Visible.

It would be interesting to sum up, but I think for phones with multiple connections, you still might find it cheaper to buy the inexpensive router and cheap phone from Visible that definitely works. If you bring your own phone, there are limitation on version and models that will work with Visible (ie, you could have the right model of phone, but they may only support the US version and you have a rooted international version). It could be that most phones that allow for multiple connections will be more expensive in the end...but if you already own it....GREAT!!! You're good to go.

In the end, there are oodles of ways to slice and dice this. I was just providing an option that was inexpensive and fairly straighforward with a device that was not complicated to setup and a final system that could work out-of-the-box for most. Too many other scenarios to start a thread or try to tech support each phone and router and config here, but if you know what you are doing, you probably don't need this thread at all

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by boyland

Ah that makes sense i thought i remembered a year a so trying this and not having this limitation.
But now i have a need for camera location that do not want to have to worry about an expensive service. I am going to use this.

Griff What you are saying is absolutely true in some cases there are also other routers that expose the origination device which i believe would cause the phone to restrict the service. The router you have recommended imo is excellent for this purpose.
I played a bit with it last evening curious if anyone has used any other sim connection usb devices in this router also. I have some other purpose that it might work well for and it provides a lot at little cost.

Yes, you can set up this router as well in "Repeater Mode" and even "Access Point". In those modes, the router is "dumb" and all devices using the Wifi simply pass through and all IP address and MACs are unique and go through to the phone. Don't use those

The little router also has the ability to download all kinds of fun add ons. I also subscribe to a VPN service that allows me to continue to use streaming services (like Netflix and Hulu) when outside the US. Of course, Visible doesn't work outside the US, but when outside, I'm using the "Repeater" mode on the router and connecting to a local Wifi I can access. What this means inside the RV is that everything (Roku, computers, phones,...) all still connect up to the wifi from the router, but the router just chooses a different internet source (no longer Visible, but now repeater wifi signal). Very convient to not have to reprogram everything to a new wifi signal....just ask the router to "scan" for wifi signals, give it the password...and done.

[slabman]

So today we drove 75 miles from Bowling Green KY to Elizabethtown and, while my Verizon phone had service through roaming, our Visible phone had none the entire time, even with roaming turned on. If you look at your handy coverage apps, you'll see a decent-sized window of no coverage in that area, while the other providers are well-represented. A quirk, to be sure, but kinda unexpected for the eastern part of the us...something you'd see out west, of course. So, considering Visible is using "extra" VZ bandwidth, looks like they don't want to waste money purchasing from other providers...one way to offer us a lower cost, of course. Just something to check out when moving about in our little homes on wheels....probably best to check service in the areas we're going to.

[gsgriffin]

Originally Posted by slabman

So today we drove 75 miles from Bowling Green KY to Elizabethtown and, while my Verizon phone had service through roaming, our Visible phone had none the entire time, even with roaming turned on. If you look at your handy coverage apps, you'll see a decent-sized window of no coverage in that area, while the other providers are well-represented. A quirk, to be sure, but kinda unexpected for the eastern part of the us...something you'd see out west, of course. So, considering Visible is using "extra" VZ bandwidth, looks like they don't want to waste money purchasing from other providers...one way to offer us a lower cost, of course. Just something to check out when moving about in our little homes on wheels....probably best to check service in the areas we're going to.

Absolutely right! If you do head and stay for a long time in only one or two locations, be sure it has coverage for LTE from Verizon. Visible is only LTE. There are still places where LTE is not covered. There are dead zones all across the US...like you will find with other carriers as well and I experienced even more often when I was on Cricket (AT&T).

[wayfarer2021]

Were the two phones the same model? I've found a big difference in my cheap Visible phone versus an iPhone. The cheap phones do not receive the same bands not have as good an antenna system as the more expensive phones. Sometimes you get what you pay for. I get better coverage using my iPhone 6s which is 5 generations old versus my Visible R-2 which is a 2019 phone. I'm happy I kept my old iPhone. Never knew I would use it for Visible years later. It also allows for 5 hotspot connections versus 1 for the R-2. Many times I do not even need the router.

[Camper25]

Originally Posted by nineback

Were the two phones the same model? I've found a big difference in my cheap Visible phone versus an iPhone. The cheap phones do not receive the same bands not have as good an antenna system as the more expensive phones. Sometimes you get what you pay for. I get better coverage using my iPhone 6s which is 5 generations old versus my Visible R-2 which is a 2019 phone. I'm happy I kept my old iPhone. Never knew I would use it for Visible years later. It also allows for 5 hotspot connections versus 1 for the R-2. Many times I do not even need the router.

I've posted a couple of times about my Visible service being way faster in an old Iphone 6s and a few didn't seem to believe me. Glad you see the light, like I do.