Internet / Satellite on the Road

[Stan827]

Since I do some work while traveling I am in need of having a good internet connection wherever we travel in our TT. What type of set-ups has anyone found to be the most successful.

[PushedAround]

I use the MIFI adapter from Verizon. It's not the cheapest, but I need internet for business as well, and when I "need" it, the cost doesn't matter. Tried the wifi from my iPhone, but it just doesn't have any bandwidth. Campsite internet it usually lousy.

[Stan827]

But does it give you a good connection away from any major areas? Like some of the state or national park area??

[PushedAround]

I can't tell you that since I've only had it for a few months, but Verizon has the best 4G coverage, so short of satellite Internet, I don't know what would be better.

[Stan827]

Certainly worth considering, thanks for your feedback----
By the way do you travel with the Spaniels??

[George Schweikle]

After reading of people's use of "Hotspots", I bought one for a recent long trip. The first was on Virgin Mobil's plan; which worked well, but very limited coverage. I then bought a Verizon WiFi "Jetpack", which worked very well with the only coverage loss in a little town in the Idaho hills. $114 at Radio Shack.

I had difficulties setting up both hotspots, but their phone support was good and I was ultimately able to get on line. Air time can be purchased at Wall Mart, etc, or on line, and for different levels and time spans.

Originally Posted by PushedAround

I can't tell you that since I've only had it for a few months, but Verizon has the best 4G coverage, so short of satellite Internet, I don't know what would be better.

[vraines]

We to have been using the Verizon equipment and service. I found that phone hotspots work, they are a real pain, due to as mentioned above, bandwidth and the fact that ours kicks you off line after a minute of non use, requiring logging back on. I know that there a couple of companies that sell Verizon service and they are probably good also and maybe cheaper. Our Verizon card is stable and works as good as our home wifi.

[Stan827]

Seems to be a lot of plusses for Verizon then. We are on AT&T and I will have to check if they offer a similar hot spot arrangement..

[docj]

We use one of our Verizon smartphones as a hotspot rather than use a separate device such as a MiFi. Verizon service in the US covers the broadest geographic area and is the preferred choice of many RVers who travel away from metropolitan areas. We routinely get 4G service in remote locations these days and, to answer the OP's questions, we have had great service in national parks ranging from Grand Canyon to Olympic and everywhere in between.

Contrary to what has been posted, hotspots do not necessarily disconnect due to disuse, they simply need to be set accordingly. They also do not suffer from bandwidth problems; Verizon 4G service usually delivers >8Mbps which is sufficient for HD video streaming or anything else you would like to use it for.

[PyrateSilly]

Here's some sites for you to look thru in figuring out the internet/intranet possibilities:
http://changingears.com/rv-sec-in-touch-internet.shtml
http://www.jackdanmayer.com/communication.htm
http://www.internetanywhere.us/home.html
http://www.mobileinternetsatellite.com/Index.html?expandable=0
http://www.rv-satellite-internet.com/Choose_a_Satellite_Internet_Provider.html
http://www.highspeedsat.com/
http://www.datastormusers.com/rvsatinternet.cfm – MotoSat is now closed, but there is still information available
http://www.bigrigcentral.com/big-rig-satellite.html
http://dmbruss.com/zFullTimeLifeStyle/FTLS_StayingConnected.htm
http://www.exede.com/ - Thom called and several people on the phone said yes they are now doing RV and mobile satellite internet. Other's have emailed them and they emailed back with no so double check …....
http://www.autonetmobile.com/
http://millenicom.com/ and/or http://www.dslreports.com/forum/millenicom
http://www.groundcontrol.com/ - expensive but supposed to be the best

This is not everything available but it is a start in looking at things.

[PushedAround]

Originally Posted by Stan827

Certainly worth considering, thanks for your feedback----
By the way do you travel with the Spaniels??

Yes, we take them with us all of the time. It was one of the reasons to get a motorhome to begin with. Now they have become a real pain. Every time I go near it they start jumping around like we are going somewhere, and if I have to open the door to get something, forget about it. I have 16 paws running between my legs to get inside.

[Pigman1]

Really depends on where you travel to and where you stop. We boondock a lot in VERY out of the way places (Alaska, Arizona, West Texas, Montana, and find ourselves out of ALL phone and other contact, so Hughes Net is our system of choice. Once you decide where you'll be, then you can make an intelligent decision.

[chief02]

Check out Mellinicom MiFi on Verizon network, 3g-4g LTE, no contract, no taxes, 20 GB for 69.95. Supports multipal devices, suspend service, portable fits in ur pocket

[myredracer]

We have the Verizon 4g/3g Mifi. Works well. We have the monthly plan and can cancel it for the winter when we're not using it.

We got fed up with crappy and spotty cg Wifi service. It's fun to sit outside around the campfire now (while "roughing it") and watching the look on other camper's faces when they walk by, hehe!

Now we've found that our little laptop is just too wimpy for the new Mifi and we'll have to upgrade that now...

Verizon and AT&T are supposed to be at the top. Some of the Mifi providers purchase their service from them and they just don't have as good coverage so that's something to look into.

Don't know about satellite but we're thinking of looking into it. It's so stressful having to miss episodes of The Bachelorette, America's Got Talent, Survivor and the rest of them. Not the same watching taped episodes back home.