Self Contained WiFi

[TDaleABQ]

What product do folks recommend for great WiFi.  I currently have Verizon and the hot spot on iphone is awful for real time viewing local channels via HULU.  A lot of buffering.  Upload speeds less that 1MBS Download less than 1MBS.  Thanks for your suggestions.

 

Tim D

ABQ. NM 2007 Monaco SKT

[CorinthWest]

There are 2.  The first is a unit called a "MiFi" (Mobile WiFi).  AT&T sells them.  I have one and it is a little bigger than a pack of smokes.  They use a Netgear "Aircard" Model 781S device, and it connects to the cell tower using a "data link", like your cell phone.  It is reliable, and I have not run out of bandwidth on it.  I think AT&T added $10 or $15 per month to my cell bill to add it with my unlimited data plan.  It is fast, portable, and cheap.  It plugs into any 110V outlet in your house/motorhome, and is really easy to move between the 2 (unplug and put it in your pocket).  AT&T will assign it a phone number, but you can't get/receive calls.  You can get SMS messages, but you have to physically look at the MiFi device and look at the "messages" option.  We don't use that feature.  It also has no Ethernet cable connection.

The second option is something AT&T sold us to replace our landline when they told us they weren't maintaining copper cable phone service out here anymore.  I asked them what they suggested, and they said to go to "Digital Home Phone Service".  I didn't know what this was, so I asked and they said it is abasically a box that emulates a hard wired landline, but it uses the cell towers, and has internet capability.  We ordered it and subscribed to the service.  Sure enough a "box" came in the mail.  It is about the size of 2 packs of smokes.  Again, all you do is plug it in anywhere.  Then your RJ-11 equipment plugs into it.  In my case, we have a home office system with remote phones all over the house.  AT&T then ports your old landline number over to it, so you don't even have to change phone numbers.  It also has the added feature of internet connectivity via WiFi.  Like your phone, and the MiFi unit above, they all act like a hot spot using the digital tower links.  The only drawbacks are 1.) it doesn't have any way to hardwire an Ethernet cable and make it work like a modem.  And 2.) it only has 10 WiFi ports (we run out of them all the time around here with the wife and kid all watching movies and playing games).

When we travel, I unplug the Digital Home Phone box and plug it into the motorhome basement outlet (coach is factory hardwired for RJ-11).  That way we take our home phone with us no matter where we go, and we always have internet connectivity with us so long as there is cell service.  I also gave up the satellite dish and went with Roku (Wifi) instead.  You can get these at Wallyworld.  It works, and it's cheap.

Hope this helps.

-R

Edited July 16, 2022 by CorinthWest

[Rocketman3]

A year ago, I had a pepwave router from Mobilemusthave.com. I have a Verizon SIM card. With their best antenna on the roof. It really works well. (and still does).  The big advantage of the roof antennas is in marginal signal areas, it picks the signal up much better! (You can use any SIM card in them - you can even have 2sim cards running at the same time).

I now have SpaceX Starlink and I really LOVE it!  The only issue is you have to have great northern sky view. I put it on the roof of my rig- I have one spot in front and one in the back. Both spots tie to a solar panel frame so the wind won’t blow it over. I also bought the 150’ cable, so if I park under a tree I can hopefully find an empty field close. 
 

Right now I am keeping both going, but the only time I use the Verizon sim is when we are driving (and I usually don’t need it because the phone gets good signal).
 

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by Rocketman3
Fix stuff…

[donbouv22]

We have a Netgear Nighthawk. Check them out. We were both able to work on our laptops from the road last summer. Just need cell towers. It worked for us. 

[cbr046]

14 hours ago, TDaleABQ said:

What product do folks recommend for great WiFi.  I currently have Verizon and the hot spot on iphone is awful for real time viewing local channels via HULU.  A lot of buffering.  Upload speeds less that 1MBS Download less than 1MBS.  Thanks for your suggestions.

EDIT:  Sounds like you've been "throttled".  Our Verizon slows to 600 kps once we reach the plan data limit, which doesn't take long when streaming TV.  So when they say no data limit they aren't lying, just real slow after plan limit is reached.

We have a Verizon MiFi "Jetpack".  It works off additional frequencies as a phone hotspot and is more reliable comm.  Works good with laptop but not Roku because we don't have a robust enough data plan to do much streaming so the gains are lost.  And more and more there is NOTHING worth watching anymore on Dish satellite.  I don't think DirectTV is much better (camping plan sucks).

- bob

Edited July 17, 2022 by cbr046

[InGodWeTrust]

We have been using nomad internet (the works anywhere plan) great unlimited plan no throttling.

[Tom Wallis]

I just returned from my first trip using Starlink. I Don't think I could ever go back to anything else. Usually 50 to 100Mbps down even where there in no cell service whatsoever. There is another thread dedicated to Starlink if you have more questions.

[Grampy OG]

I installed Starlink RV 1 month ago and while quite pricey I, like Tom, do not see myself going back to any other type of service.  The FCC just granted Starlink permission to be used in-motion so to speak so you can have a full time internet connection while traveling down the highway. The service is outstanding. The dish can be mounted permanently to your rv roof or semi-permanent as I did. While not a traveler that normally would be in a wooded area the dish can be used with an optional 150' cable. The unit comes with a 75' cable. I just did a speed test and I was receiving a download speed of 280MB... Over the years I've tried every type of cell signal and park wifi and hated them all. I only stream content using YouTubeTV and it works great. Hulu, Netflix, locals you name it I have it. I said bye bye to Dish and DirectTV long ago. 

The package as I said is a bit pricey. Around $700 to get started. Monthly service is $110-$135 depending on your package but say goodbye to spotty wifi/cell and the miserable "throttled speed". 

Good luck,

Ken

 

[Michael Powell]

Is star link working on in motion internet????That would be a big game changer for TV and internet in motion!!!!

[CAT Stephen]

On 7/16/2022 at 4:06 PM, TDaleABQ said:

What product do folks recommend for great WiFi.  I currently have Verizon and the hot spot on iphone is awful for real time viewing local channels via HULU.  A lot of buffering.  Upload speeds less that 1MBS Download less than 1MBS.  Thanks for your suggestions.

 

Tim D

ABQ. NM 2007 Monaco SKT

You have hit your monthly data limit which has caused additional throttling for video streaming.

Since Verizon has no "true" unlimited data plan (except for those lucky Verizon customers who were grandfathered into the previous unlimited plans which are no longer available), I recommend that you add an additional cellular plan with unlimited data and video streaming.  You can obtain the AT&T unlimited plan for $59.99 monthly from the Family Motor Coach Association here: https://www.fmca.com/index.php?option=com_fmcatechconnectv3&view=home

• This is a month to month plan so there is no long term commitment
• There is a one time nominal fee for the AT&T hotspot that is non-refundable (~$40)

There is currently no other cellular plan in the industry that beats the AT&T plan from FMCA.

Here are the caveats:

• You must be an FMCA member to get this offer (FMCA membership is $60 annually)
• You video is always throttled to 12Mbps which means HD only (1080P) but no 4K UHD

Like you, I currently also use Verizon as my primary data service, and I have also used the FMCA AT&T unlimited service since its inception this year for video streaming.  I have two cellular carriers for redundancy with AT&T primarily for video streaming and Verizon primarily for all other non-video streaming data.

 

 

[Tom Wallis]

1 hour ago, CAT Stephen said:

You have hit your monthly data limit which has caused additional throttling for video streaming.

Since Verizon has no "true" unlimited data plan (except for those lucky Verizon customers who were grandfathered into the previous unlimited plans which are no longer available), I recommend that you add an additional cellular plan with unlimited data and video streaming.  You can obtain the AT&T unlimited plan for $59.99 monthly from the Family Motor Coach Association here: https://www.fmca.com/index.php?option=com_fmcatechconnectv3&view=home

• This is a month to month plan so there is no long term commitment
• There is a one time nominal fee for the AT&T hotspot that is non-refundable (~$40)

There is currently no other cellular plan in the industry that beats the AT&T plan from FMCA.

Here are the caveats:

• You must be an FMCA member to get this offer (FMCA membership is $60 annually)
• You video is always throttled to 12Mbps which means HD only (1080P) but no 4K UHD

Like you, I currently also use Verizon as my primary data service, and I have also used the FMCA AT&T unlimited service since its inception this year for video streaming.  I have two cellular carriers for redundancy with AT&T primarily for video streaming and Verizon primarily for all other non-video streaming data.

 

 

Stephen, at the cost of having two cell plans and an FMCA membership plus being throttled to 12Mbps and possibly still not having coverage in some areas, is there a reason you wouldn't be interested in having a Starlink RV plan? Just curious.

[CAT Stephen]

6 hours ago, Tom Wallis said:

Stephen, at the cost of having two cell plans and an FMCA membership plus being throttled to 12Mbps and possibly still not having coverage in some areas, is there a reason you wouldn't be interested in having a Starlink RV plan? Just curious.

Thanks Tom,

Yes, in my use case, its all about redundancy.  I RV primarily in the South-Eastern US where are trees are many and the open sky is in short supply.  Verizon (Full 5G speed, $30/month) and AT&T (12Mbps throttled, $60/month) together have ~99% coverage in the Eastern US and I am usually under a tree canopy where I RV. Starlink doesn't work well under tree cover.

[Grampy OG]

On 7/18/2022 at 6:26 AM, Michael Powell said:

Is star link working on in motion internet????That would be a big game changer for TV and internet in motion!!!!

Available NOW

[Larry Laursen]

I have the Verizon Home internet box.  It is about a 5" cube and provides WiFi 6 to my house and in the MH when on the road. It is an unlimited data plan and I pay $25/mo as part of my cell plan.  I have experienced anywhere from 3 to 300 mb/s download speed, depending on the cell service available.  While on my current trip, I have had service at all locations, many of which are in rather remote areas.  I couldn't stream movies at only one location, Coburg, OR just north of Eugene.  I was told the Verizon service at the RV park was bad but it was good on the other side interstate!!  We are currently in Pacific Beach, WA along the coast and getting about 30 mbs.  The WiFi covers my house and the MH when on the road, so there is no need for an additional router.  I get about 400 mbs at my house in AZ as measured on my phone with WiFi 6 and 150 on the computer which uses WiFi 5.