Community Forums

SnKPerk · 05-19-2019, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsgriffin

For those that spend a lot of time on the road, or those that need the occassional Internet access that is robust. For those that can access cellular towers from Verizon (You don't need to have a cellular service from them). For those that don't want a contract and just pay monthly as needed. For those that can live without having the absolute fastest speeds. Lastly, for those that $40/month with nothing extra fits the budget.....only paying for the months that you actually need it.

I got into something that I can refer and create instructions on how to do, but I don't know if there is interest enough for me to go through the effort. In short, what I was able to put together costs about $190 upfront to buy a few devices. This uses the Verizon cellular network, gives unlimited internet (70Gigs before they adjust for network congestion), no contract, pay monthly as you need it, and can use as many connected devices as you like. In addition, the equipment can be easily modified to extend an existing Wifi, if the signal is weak but there is wifi available (wifi extender), and also connect up directly with a USB modem.

The catch is that this is not for the "noob". If you don't know what that means, you may not want to try this. I'm not trying to become technical support for hundreds as a volunteer. Sorry, I just don't have that kind of spare time on my hands.

If there is enough serious interest, I'll create the equipment list and instruction on setup. I've been using for a month without issue, 9 connected devices, streaming Netflix and Amazon in good rez (locally a Plex server I bring with me), and personally haven't been slowed down (about 5Mbs speed limit).

If you've been in the hunt for something as stated above, please let me know. Enough interest and I'll take the time to create the complete guide. Please don't ask for all of the details on what and how in this thread. It is too much to describe. Just post if you are seriously interested and need this. I'm only offering because I didn't find this option here.

Just don’t get the MIFI 8800 from Verizon. They have a bunch of defective ones that keep shutting down and rebooting. I am on my second one and it still won’t work properly.

gsgriffin · 05-19-2019, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigjim8499

My Visible phone will be hear Monday and I am looking at a router. You said to get a GL.Inet gl-at750 but looking at the gl-ar300m16 the only diferance I see is the 300m16 does not do 5g which does not work on visible. Is there any reason to get the gl-ar750 at twice the money

Jim

Jim, I get the confusion. I hate it when tech leaders make decisions like this. 5G and 5G are the not the same....I mean that 5G wifi and 5G cellular.

Unfortunately, some ding-dongs decided to use similar terms for the next gen cellular signal (which is not really launched but in a few places as of today) with the 5G wifi signal, which has been around for a while. It simply is a higher bandwidth and faster speeds from your device (computer/roku,etc) to the router....won't affect your speed to the internet.

You can choose a different device than what I tested, but I cannot guarantee it will work, will have the same ports or functionality. I've only tested the config in POST #10.

gsgriffin · 05-19-2019, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homesteader

gsgriffin said; When these plans do throttle, TV won't be a nice option. With the jetpack, once you reach these limits the can reduce the bandwidth to 600Kbps...which is not good for streaming anything.----

Howdy! Hi! Hello! again. You say 600kbps is not good for streaming anything. My experience was with Netflix streaming at less than 300kbps.

Of course, this is relative. You can refer to Netflix's own streaming bandwidth recommendation:

https://www.bandwidthplace.com/netflix-streaming-bandwidth-use-a-speed-test-to-optimize-article/

There are many that will not be happy at all with the quality of picture at the lower bandwidth. While Netflix is very adaptable and will send you a completely pixelated image that is hard to see anything, other services like Amazon Prime completely give up. Many on this post have large TV's with high definition that they want to utilize. When you get down to 600kbps,HD is not possible. Simply too much information trying to be passed for even the best compression.

gsgriffin · 05-19-2019, 07:38 AM

For those that didn't see it at post #10, the option instructions are there:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f53/40-mo...ml#post4758860

golfer1john · 05-19-2019, 09:27 AM

5G is not the same thing as 5Ghz. 5G is the new cell phone protocols. 5GHz is the new wifi frequency band.

RVPioneer · 05-19-2019, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfer1john

5G is not the same thing as 5Ghz. 5G is the new cell phone protocols. 5GHz is the new wifi frequency band.

Yep.
5G=5 Gigahertz WiFi
5G=5th Generation Cellular

Both equations are true.
If only the tech geniuses possessed the ability to type a few additional letters.

voy108 · 05-19-2019, 10:09 AM

before you posted your thread. I went to your page of "how to's" and kinda lost interest at all the disclaimers and verbiage. Personally I think if a person has internet, and an interest they should be able to research on their own. If you give the web page and a code that should be enough. [Mod Edit] Sorry, but I don't have the desire to read through 7 pages of "interest" posts. I'm 75yo and life is getting shorter. I hope I'm not stepping on anybody with my post.
Doug

Jerry C n TN · 05-19-2019, 03:10 PM

I have completely read this post and each of the responses to GsGriffin, plus his Google doc. Although we are not currently full timing, we are near purchasing our motorhome and hopefully hitting the road after house sale in around one year.

I will likely order everything that is suggested. Since we are in the process of kicking Sprint to the curb and were likely going to go with Total Wireless to get Verizon coverage. I was not aware of Visible until reading this post. Looks like we will be going to the suggested carrier. And use the suggested set-up as our house internet until we go FT. And save $35/mo in the process. Thank you GsGriffin. I will gladly buy you a meal if we ever meet up.

Although I am sure that my question will be answered whenever all of the hardware arrives, do you have to use a dedicated phone to be hooked up to the router? Just wanting to make sure that I order one in addition to phones for my DW and I. Thanks again.

CoachStreamr · 05-19-2019, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry C n TN

do you have to use a dedicated phone to be hooked up to the router? Just wanting to make sure that I order one in addition to phones for my DW and I. Thanks again.

Yes, you will tether the phone with Visible service. So if you get the Visible R2 phone and the GL-AR750S router you will plug the USB cable into both the R2 and router, keeping the phone on all the time.

BTW, Visible's hotspot function/app (in phone) only allows one connected client:

Quote:

Heads up: our mobile hotspot currently allows one connected device at a time

Tethering the phone to the router will allow you to connect more Wifi clients (that connect to the router).

.

reinerh · 05-19-2019, 07:31 PM

so i did a little research on visible. with verizon being the mothership i expected it to be decent.
but this does not seem the case. their reviews are simply awfull.

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/visible-3/reviews

and there are some very recent unhappy posts.

so is their service really that bad ??

gsgriffin · 05-20-2019, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by voy108

before you posted your thread. I went to your page of "how to's" and kinda lost interest at all the disclaimers and verbiage. Personally I think if a person has internet, and an interest they should be able to research on their own. If you give the web page and a code that should be enough. [Mod Edit] Sorry, but I don't have the desire to read through 7 pages of "interest" posts. I'm 75yo and life is getting shorter. I hope I'm not stepping on anybody with my post.
Doug

THanks, Doug. [Mod Edit]

I've been in tech for 40 years. I simply posted this because there are a lot of routers out there that won't work. This one did. I posted some other ideas, concept, and helps to save someone time. Sorry to hear that you don't have time to read. I hope someone uses your code since you went to effort of replying to this thread. Hope you had the time to read this, but probably not.

gsgriffin · 05-20-2019, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reinerh

so i did a little research on visible. with verizon being the mothership i expected it to be decent.
but this does not seem the case. their reviews are simply awfull.

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/visible-3/reviews

and there are some very recent unhappy posts.

so is their service really that bad ??

This is common. The people that take the most time to post about anything are those that are angry. Happy people move on with their life and are not trying to even look up ways to post.

I've had it for months with the exact configuration on stated on POST #10, and it works without problem for my internet serving 2 phones, 2 computer, 2 Roku's, Google Home Mini. All connected. They cannot all stream at the same time, but my bill is exactly $40/month with no extra or hidden fees. On occassion it stops for a minute or two, like any service can....typically around rush hour traffic time.

I'm happy.

gsgriffin · 05-20-2019, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry C n TN

I have completely read this post and each of the responses to GsGriffin, plus his Google doc. Although we are not currently full timing, we are near purchasing our motorhome and hopefully hitting the road after house sale in around one year.

I will likely order everything that is suggested. Since we are in the process of kicking Sprint to the curb and were likely going to go with Total Wireless to get Verizon coverage. I was not aware of Visible until reading this post. Looks like we will be going to the suggested carrier. And use the suggested set-up as our house internet until we go FT. And save $35/mo in the process. Thank you GsGriffin. I will gladly buy you a meal if we ever meet up.

Although I am sure that my question will be answered whenever all of the hardware arrives, do you have to use a dedicated phone to be hooked up to the router? Just wanting to make sure that I order one in addition to phones for my DW and I. Thanks again.

Jerry,

I would suggest that if you are still a little time away from actually hitting the road that you go slow with the change. Feel free to follow this POST #10 config for internet, but my suggestion and instructions are to consider the cheap phone from Visible as simply your internet modem....don't use it for voice. It sits in the motorhome turned on and running all the time like wifi in your house.

For moving everything over, you really don't have to. There are a lot of services out there for voice and SMS. If you don't plan to use the internet on your phones that much (outside of perhaps navigating in your toad, then purchase some plans that are cheap and with the least amount of internet on the phone....don't get the Super-duper unlimited everything Internet plans and pay through the nose for that.

Some people have had some issue with the voice service. I'm assuming here, but it sounds like they use their app on only the certain phones they offer. The app "may" (I guessing and assuming) compress the voice and send it over internet signals as opposed to cellular signals. The reason I say this is that I did a LOT of research before heading down this road, and some people gave reports that made it sound like a digital compression was used, which make the voice sound a little robotic at time. Others had no problem.

I personally have been using Cricket (under the AT&T), but plan to change later this year....one step at a time. Try the POST #10 first. If you are happy with them and want to switch over, then try one more phone. If that phone works well for you, get the second phone.

That is just me and the way I'd do. You can do it as you are comfortable doing.

gsgriffin · 05-20-2019, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reinerh

so i did a little research on visible. with verizon being the mothership i expected it to be decent.
but this does not seem the case. their reviews are simply awfull.

https://www.producthunt.com/posts/visible-3/reviews

and there are some very recent unhappy posts.

so is their service really that bad ??

There are plenty of complaints about the voice service and people having problems porting their phone number. Neither of those would I suggest or even recommend. The instructions on POST #10 don't head there.

The only complaints on speed will be from those that are used to full LTE cell phones. My speed has been consistently what they say it will be. No, it is not cable internet at your house nor full highspeed LTE you can get on your phone, but enough for most users most of the time. I spent a couple hours yesterday (for fun) streaming full 1080HD videos on YouTube without a pause. and perfect clarity on my 27" computer monitor.

Don't switch your current phone number over to them. Don't use their phone for voice. Don't try to use your phone with their SIM chip. I would suggest any of those approaches.

The whole thread is only for turning their phone into a modem and forgetting it. Two month of use, and I haven't had to reboot the phone or router in this config. Just stays on and works. That what some people need. If I had seen this post in my several days of research, I would have pursued it becuase this is exactly what I needed. I only posted in case others were trying to figure out the same thing.