I need internet - RV-Dreams Community Forum

nightsky · RV-Dreams Family Member

I need internet

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have a lot of information about mobile internet on our blog in past articles, and we just published an eBook that goes over everything and designed to help folks understand the options better, set their expectations to reality and assemble their best arsenal for their needs.

It's really difficult to personalized advice as to what is best, as that will vary a lot by several factors.

You can check it out at:

http://www.technomadia.com/internet

If you're not up for buying a book quite yet, check the links at the bottom of the page that go back to older indepth articles we've written. If you go to the one on 'Illustrated Gadgetry' - we actually have an hour long video talk (free) on the subject that goes over a lot of the same content we put in the book.

Hope that helps,
- Cherie

-- Edited by Technomadia on Wednesday 19th of June 2013 08:26:18 PM

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

boost mobile is 55 a month with unlimited phone and hotspot

nightsky · RV-Dreams Family Member

Lucky Mike wrote:
boost mobile is 55 a month with unlimited phone and hotspot

The coverage from Boost is poor in the areas I will be spending most of my time.... west of the Mississippi and as few people as possible lol

nightsky · RV-Dreams Family Member

Technomadia wrote:
We have a lot of information about mobile internet on our blog in past articles, and we just published an eBook that goes over everything and designed to help folks understand the options better, set their expectations to reality and assemble their best arsenal for their needs.

It's really difficult to personalized advice as to what is best, as that will vary a lot by several factors.

You can check it out at:

http://www.technomadia.com/internet

If you're not up for buying a book quite yet, check the links at the bottom of the page that go back to older indepth articles we've written. If you go to the one on 'Illustrated Gadgetry' - we actually have an hour long video talk (free) on the subject that goes over a lot of the same content we put in the book.

Hope that helps,
- Cherie

Thanks Cherie, I will definitely check it out in the next day or two. My dumbphone seems to be gasping it's last, so I need to decide something for a replacement. I'm on Verizon now, and have been fairly satisfied with the coverage. And, like I mentioned, I'm clueless about smartphones and all the options available for getting connected when I'm on the road.

-- Edited by Technomadia on Wednesday 19th of June 2013 08:26:18 PM

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Verizon definitely has the best overall cellular coverage map, and is our recommendation for most folks who are choosing only one carrier. As to the source of the data (MiFi, data card or smartphone) and if cellular alone is enough, that's a 'it depends' sort of thing.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Caryn,

I am not an expert in this topic, so take what I say with some grains of salt. The MiFi with Verizon is what we are using, and have been using for about 3 or 4 years. With the MiFi, more than one device can be using it at the same time. An air-card (if I remember right) is plugged into the computer and is specific to that one computer. One's smartphone, with the right features, can be used like a MiFi and our phones are set up that way, just in case we forget to bring the MiFi when going somewhere in the vehicle with a computer.

With regards to either the phone or the MiFi, a lot will depend on how much data usage you have in any given month. We learned a valuable lesson this month. We are WAY OVER on our usage. We bought a new computer for me and downloaded a bunch of updates for it. Then Jo took an older laptop we had and started getting it ready to give to one of our sons for his family, so we ended up downloading a bunch more updates for it. But the real KILLER on our data usage appears to be that Jo used her smartphone to take a lot of pictures of computer equipment at work and e-mail them to her office e-mail account so she could put them into a report for her superiors.

BIG MISTAKE. So, if you get the smartphone, which are really nice, don't e-mail photos. In my own case, I don't use the phone as a phone as much as I use it for other uses like browsing the web or using an occasional application like the weather features and (rarely) streaming our local TV station when a tornado is possible or imminent.

We have been extremely happy with Verizon. Another option, although not usable for one's phone, is Millenicom, which can be used on the Verizon network. You might check into that one.

Terry

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry: Aircards (USB modems) can be plugged into certain wireless routers to provide WiFi (and Ethernet if needed) to multiple devices. That is what we do with our Cradlepoint MBR95 router with our Millenicom/Verizon USB modem. These routers have a larger WiFi range than a MiFi, which might matter if you want to use your WiFi from 100 feet away. We also use an AT&T Unite MiFi unit in areas where Verizon stinks, like where we are now in Ilwaco, WA, so we are familiar with both kinds of devices.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

We personally prefer a USB modem/aircard plugged into a router.. than a MiFi. In theory if working correctly, it should be a simple all-in-one solution for most folks. In our experience, theory often doesn't live up to reality - the MiFi firmware adds a layer of complexity that's easy to cause problems.

For instance, our current Novatel 4620L (the one that Millenicom ships with their 4G Hotspot plan on Verizon) got seriously unstable since the March 2013 firmware update. No response from Novatel (other than 'quit contacting us!') or Millenicom to resolve. So, we just popped the SIM card out and put in our iPad 3rd Gen Verizon iPad, and use that as our hotspot. We could also get in a USB modem, such as the Pantech 290, and do the same.

The key to mobile internet is flexibility and having lots of options.

- Cherie

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Clay L wrote:
We use a Cradlepoint router with an aircard (USB modem) plugged into it. One big advantage for us is that with the router we can set up a home network so we can send stuff back and forth between our laptops.

I have found no way to accomplish that with a MIFI.
Some folks have said that it should be possible but three calls to different Verizon techs (I had all three calls elevated past the initial person) said it can't be done. I spent an afternoon with my friend's MIFI looking at all options and could find nothing that would allow it.

Clay’s got it.

The major advantage of the USB modem over the MiFi, in RV Service, is an antenna jack. The MiFi range is limited due to only having an inside antenna. Just laws of physics stuff. Couple that USB modem to an amplifier with an outside antenna and you can get some real range; kinda nice when you’re on the road and away from a lot of cell towers.

We find that setting up a WiFi / wired network, just like you have in a S&B using a WiFi / wired network router, fed by a USB Modem which connects to the internet, gives us the best of all worlds. We can share printers and network drives off the router as well as files between machines and have shared internet for as many computers as we like.

We also use an outside device, called a CPE (a “bullet,”) to connect the router to campground WiFi when available. It works extremely well.

If all this sounds too complicated may I suggest reading Jack’s articles on the subject at:

http://www.jackdanmayer.com/communication.htm

The section on the WiFi Ranger Family of products may be the most helpful as to one-stop shopping.

FWIW, in our travels, we’ve found Verizon to have the most universal coverage. AT&T sometimes is better, but between our travels in the US and Canada, comparing our results with others we’ve traveled with, Verizon seems to be the best overall. Naturally YMMV.

Bill

-- Edited by Bill and Linda on Friday 21st of June 2013 03:12:00 PM

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

I also vastly prefer a USB modem. While some people have good luck with a mifi device there are far too many issues with them.

Millenicom offers a pretty compelling deal on the mifi with Verizon. But I would do a Cheri suggests and move the sim to a USB modem (or elsewhere). The sim carries the network credentials so a $50 USB UML290 off of ebay will "look" just like the mifi to the network. And you will have a far more stable and reliable device. IMO.

Clay L · RV-Dreams Family Member

We use a Cradlepoint router with an aircard (USB modem) plugged into it. One big advantage for us is that with the router we can set up a home network so we can send stuff back and forth between our laptops.

I have found no way to accomplish that with a MIFI.
Some folks have said that it should be possible but three calls to different Verizon techs (I had all three calls elevated past the initial person) said it can't be done. I spent an afternoon with my friend's MIFI looking at all options and could find nothing that would allow it.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Clay,

I can't answer how, but one can use a MiFi and "connect" with another computer. I'm pretty sure that Jo has done it in our case. She is the computer guru, so I don't even know how to do it.

Terry