How do y'all use laptop to access the internet on the road? We know there are wi-fi places like McDonalds, but what if you need info or help in the boonies? At home we use Charter for both television and internet, and Verizon Wireless for cell phones. I have an LG Android, but the screen is waaay too small for effective internet use. For navigation we currently have a Garmin GPS with a 4.3" screen -- great in the car, but it also seems small for motorhome use. We'd like to find a simple (we're not that IT savvy) and (hopefully) cost-effective way we can use a laptop to navigate and access the internet while traveling. Suggestions most welcome. Thank you!
We use a Verizon Jetpack device to create a wifi hotspot for our laptops (we each have one). We can also enable the wifi hotspot on the Verizon cell phone if away from the coach but in need of an internet connection. Verizon can give you the details, but as I remember our plan is the Share Everything plan where a smart phone costs $40/mo, the Jetpack $20/mo and the other cost is for the amount of (gigabytes) of data access per month.
Running fulltime for over 7 years, we found Verizon had the best countrywide coverage for us.
I use my Apple iphone Hot Spot feature (Verizon) for my laptop and my wifes ipad. iOS: Understanding Personal Hotspot (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4517)
I can tether the laptop to my iPhone's data plan.
We tether our VZW phones using PDANet+/FoxFi, but we still have grandfathered unlimited data. Between the 2 of us, on 4G our usage is between 7 and 15G/month if we don't allow Windows updates, don't stream video, etc. (on 3G we used about 4.5G/month; 4G sucks down a lot more bandwidth because things like video load faster than you can shut them off)
If we were having to start out from scratch and didn't have unlimited data, we would go with Millenicom's 20G 3G/4G hotspot plan Millenicom (http://millenicom.com/) for Internet. The 20G plan is over the Verizon Wireless backbone and has the best coverage. The unlimited and BYOD plans are over Sprint and are generally worse in coverage, especially if you are away from major areas. Millenicom used to have a 20G 3G advanced plan for $59/month, but that is no longer available to new customers (no more 3G-only devices).
Escapees has a great board for this subject as well Internet Access on the Road - Escapees Discussion Forum (http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showforum=33)
Chris and Cherie of Technomadia have a Facebook group as well https://www.facebook.com/groups/rvinternet/ (https://www.facebook.com/groups/rvinternet/) and have written a great guide to mobile Internet available both in paperback and Kindle The Mobile Internet Handbook - US RVer Edition: Chris Dunphy, Cherie Ve Ard: (http://www.amazon.com/The-Mobile-Internet-Handbook-Edition/dp/1490406948/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379003074&sr=8-1&keywords=technomadia) and in other electronic versions (ePub, PDF, etc) The Mobile Internet Handbook - US RVer Edition | Technomadia (http://www.technomadia.com/internet/)
Having used different systems, my new Verizon 4G Wifi generally run 55 Ping, 12-23 Mbps Down & 3-12 Mbps upload speeds. Monthly $50,00 for 5 Gig. By far the best I have had, just lay it on the dash, works great @ 99.9999% while travelibg thru SD, WY, MT, CO, It only had one spot it did not work so moved on own the road to next rest stop.
Verizon lost a big lawsuit with the FCC regarding "tethering" (which is the term for connecting other computers up through your smartphone). Because they managed to get hold of some bandwidth in certain frequencies, the FCC claimed that they could not block tethering apps (like PDAnet/FoxFi) any longer plus they had to cough up a few millions in fines.
VZW tried some blocking last Feb and got nailed for that.
So far, as a part time RV traveler, just the 4gb data limit has worked fine and if we need to connect up the laptop or tablet then we just use the tethering app. PDAnet will give you some tethering for free then want you to cough up some money. I figured that it was worth it. You can get PDAnet via Google's play store. If you use an iPhone you will have to jailbreak it and then get the app from the alternative site.
What you do is create your own WiFi hotspot on the smartphone, giving it your own name and password. Then you configure your other devices to connect to the Internet through that access point. I am in the process of building a RaspberryPi Linux computer for our coach's regular computer system using the HDMI connections to the HDTV sets we already installed. The Pi, along with a powered USB hub, all works on 12 volts with no issues and can be configured to work with the Verizon smartphone.
The DW has another Android smartphone connected to AT&T with unlimited data. AT&T, unfortunately, does not *have* to allow tethering so we are unsure how well that will work. But we have discovered that when VZW does not work so well, AT&T has a good connection; and vice-versa (often).
Probably best if you only use browsers that can also work on a smartphone and have been configured to "appear" to be on a smartphone.
So for weekend use and a vacation trip now and then there is no need to ante up the $40 or $50 (or $79) for another connection to the Internet or yet-another device to handle it.
Craig
We've had the Millenicom 3G plan (20 GB for $60/month) for a couple of years now. At first it was for while we were on the road, but last year we ditched the landline and DSL and use the Millenicom stick exclusively. Works well for us.
So is the norn to have a standalone ISP rather than using a phone?
I haven't noticed a speed slow down using our phone to tie into a tablet and the ssatilite for GPS driving down the road.
Millenicom 3G/4G mifi hotspot with 20GB of data for $70 is the current offering that we use on the road and at home. In the coach we just had a Wilson through-roof mounted cell antenna and a 12v outlet installed to power a Wilson mifi cradle amp - mounted up on the side of the TV. Now we have seamless internet connectivity parked or rolling down the road - as long as Verizon cooperates!
Our smartphones are on AT&T with limited data plans for when we are away from the coach and need a quick data link.
We have found that AT&T works better in the places we travel but there are a few places that Verizon works better so we also carry the Millenicom Plan that Mark described.
However, the best thing we have found to make things work is the Wilson Cellular Amp and Trucker Antenna. It makes a phone signal at one bar into four or five bars and significantly improves data transfer rates since we are seldom in an area with a strong cellular signal. It works with both the AT&T and Millenicom/Verizon systems.
What model do you have Kent?
Got one..
Millenicom 3G/4G MIFI. Works great. Uses Verizon's network. Our phones are Verizon also, and they have worked everywhere we've been that there was any phone service at all.
We went from the Verizon Mifi to the Millenicom system because we were constantly going over the 10GB that the Verizon plan provided. Millenicom is 20 GB and cheaper ... same network!! We also have the portable Wilson Sleek antenna, and it sometimes made the difference between Jeff a contented fellow or a demented grouch going through internet withdrawal.
Anyone streaming video using Millenicom and how is the quality?
@Scott Just got the new Chromecast (http://www.google.com/intl/en/chrome/devices/chromecast/#netflix). I got in early and received the 3 month free Netflix coupon (no longer offered). We where all excited about having Netflix again and started watching some of the shows we had been wanting to catch up on. The quality was amazing considering it was streaming over a mifi card. Very few buffering problems. Now the bad news our billing cycle starts on the 1st and on day 9 we get a email nasty gram from Millenicom saying we had unusually high usage over the last few days. 12 gig! So no more Netflix the rest of this month. :(
Fun while it lasted...
see ya
ken
Thanks Ken - Ouch.
we never worry about the tv and thingx like that as we play "tiddlywinks" for excitment.
On another note--- just got a call today from Shaw Direct to say they have now stopped any transmission of satellite feed to south of the Border US and Mexico and have also stopped the RV program as well for travelling out of Canada. There goes a million set ups that are used in Mexico/ Florida and Arizona alone and I would imagine most will cancel their accounts. I know I am. Having a friend check her feed in PV today to see if it has gone as told. Once I find out it has they lose my internet/phone/TV accounts for another provider here in BC
John H
Millenicom here as well. We used to have a mifi box direct through verizon and it cost more, for less data, and golly, we allllways seemed to go over the limit and get dinged for it. Somehow, the way Millenicom measures it, we don't use as much, as quickly. Funny thing, huh....
We have the 801212.
We received our Milenicom MiFi while in Kansas City, in town. It worked great with NefFlix. We are now in St. Augustine, FL where the AT&T signal is great but Verizon is weak. We have buffering problems here. If I use my ATT iPhone 4g as a hot spot it works fine but I am limited to 5 gig so we don't use it for NetFlix.
We've been using the Verizon Jetpack with an 8gb combined plan, and never knew I could use my iPhone 5 as a hotspot. Next Tuesday we hit the road for the winter and would normally be turning on the Jetpack. Thanks to Barry we'll try the iPhone through the Wilson cradle, amp, and trucker antenna and see how it goes.
Many thanks to everyone who replied. Such a wealth of practical information is available here. We really appreciate it
you will need to up your data plan on your i-phone, and "Magically" the hotspot appears in the general settings menu (as i recall, may be wrong)
5gb plan, for mine
We use Verizon as well. We have a mifi device from them which gets us internet over Verizon and them provides an internal wifi network for laptops, tablets, phones, printers, etc. Verizon's coverage in general seems much more wide spread than ATT's. 4G LTE is available in most bigger cities and a lot of medium to smaller cities as well. Internet access is great with 4G. If you can't get 4G and get a fairly strong 3G signal it works pretty well, just slower. Anything less than 3G and you can do email and text msg sometimes. Slow is so much better than nothing witch was all we seemed to get from ATT.
The mifi devices let you connect 10 things at 4G, 5 at 3G and about 3 with less connection than that. (Verizon °) Sort of limits your wifi network. There are wireless routers out there that will use the mifi device as their internet access point and then create a wifi network of their own. We do that sometimes as well.
If we are not traveling we set the data plan on Verizon to 1 GB. When traveling we up it to 8-10 GB per month. Never enough for streaming though. An HD movie can be 4-5 GB. Verizon suggested that I call when I want to change my plan. Increase data at any time. Decrease only at the end of a billing cycle to avoid the prorating nightmare. You can increase you data today and tell them to decrease it in 6 weeks, for example, at the end of your billing cycle a month and a half out. That way you don't forget to do it. Always best to call was their suggestion.
Like Jeff, I go through that unconnected panic, anguish, frustration, trying it twenty times routine. Then I remember I brought several good Kindle or physical books and lots of our favorite DVDs. And then there is a bike trail or a hiking trail or something to explore or a camping neighbor who looks like a conversation ready to happen. Thirty five years ago when we started this RV thing we stood in line at the pay phone. Every trip reduces the time it takes to leave the homeworld at home and just enjoy where we are and each other at that moment.
Roger and Susan
We teter (?) from AT&T Samsung Note phone. Works for all laptops or Ipad. DAN