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Old 04-04-2013, 05:23 AM   #1
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Campground w/no Internet

What options have you found to provide good, stable, cost-effective internet at the campground? We homeschool via internet.
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Old 04-04-2013, 05:36 AM   #2
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What options have you found to provide good, stable, cost-effective internet at the campground? We homeschool via internet.
As long as you've got cell phone coverage, you can get Internet through wireless broadband.

Since I haven't upgraded to a smart-phone yet, I use a 4G Verizon MiFi 4510L, which can act as a hub for up to five devices at once. Though if you're in a 3G coverage area, and you've got more than one device connected at a time, it's ALMOST as slow as most campground WiFi connections.

Since everything is wireless, I can even carry the MiFi in a shirt pocket if I want to use my computer or tablet at the picnic table.

Most smartphones are also capable of serving as WiFi hubs all by themselves; you just have to pair a laptop or WiFi tablet to the phone. One of my coworkers does exactly that when she travels.

As for cost-effective, you'll have to shop around for the best plan that fits your needs, but even if it's expensive, what's the value of an education?
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Old 04-04-2013, 06:16 AM   #3
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The Gen4 stuff is pretty reliable... and it works wherever you can get a view of a special portion of the sky..

Here is the link:
HughesNet® Satellite Internet

Here is the FAQ:
http://www.satellitestarinternet.com/hughesnet_faq.html
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Old 04-04-2013, 07:25 AM   #4
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We run an internet business and depend on internet access. We use our smartphones as a hot spot for our notebooks. You can get this service through your cellphone carrier, or possibly access it through pda.net (Foxfi). We have found that the speed of these connections are sufficient for our business needs.

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Old 04-04-2013, 07:58 AM   #5
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Sprint 3G "Air Card". $59.00 a month, for 5 Gig. Works great for 1.
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Old 04-04-2013, 07:59 AM   #6
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VirginMobile MiFi 2200 if near a Sprint network tower; Verizon MiFi or iPhone hotspot if near Verizon service area. Both have worked flawlessly for us for years, even before we got our AS. Brian is right, it works just fine for most things, video viewing is slow.
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Old 04-04-2013, 08:59 AM   #7
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Verizon Mi Fi with the $50 a month 5 GB plan. Works very very well, in virtually all places even obscure NF campgrounds in Montana. If you can get Cell, you can get net with it. Verizon has the best coverage.
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Old 04-04-2013, 09:19 AM   #8
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We added a Wilson Sleek 4G "V" for Verizon which allows use of our MiFi in remote areas.
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Old 04-04-2013, 09:21 AM   #9
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Verizon Mi Fi with the $50 a month 5 GB plan. Works very very well, in virtually all places even obscure NF campgrounds in Montana. If you can get Cell, you can get net with it. Verizon has the best coverage.
We have also found Verizon to work almost everywhere.
Another one to look at is Millenicom which uses the verizon network. Might be a bit cheaper if you use more than 5 GB a month, no contract.
The general consensus on various RV forums is that Verizon offers the best coverage in more remote areas. ( Sprint and ATT won't even work where I live)
Your mileage may vary
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Old 04-04-2013, 10:49 AM   #10
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Gonna try the Verizon hotspot and will report how well that works for anyone that's interested.
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Old 04-04-2013, 11:56 AM   #11
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The limiting factor for us accessing IN via cell is the Montana mountains that prevent cell signals getting through ... flat land is just fine, however.
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Old 04-04-2013, 12:07 PM   #12
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I'm using the Verizon 4620L which is their latest 4G product. What is significant about this unit from the previous units they sell or sold it that it is more powerful in that it can supply signal to a 100 ft radius. Previous units were rated for 30 ft. The other side is that it can drive up to 10 devices vs. 5 on most others. There is an after market battery for this unit that is reported to support 8 hours of battery time. Cost for this unit is the same as the older units out there.

The biggest issue I deal with is the fact that the cellular reception inside the trailer is always limited by the trailer itself. On the other hand if the unit is outside the trailer, and with its stronger Wi-Fi power, service inside to my Wi-Fi devices is very good.

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Old 04-04-2013, 04:23 PM   #13
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Previously my wife and I kept separate coverage on our cell phones, hers on Verizon and mine on AT&T, so that at least one of us would have coverage. Turns out one of us always had coverage - hers. So we switched everything over to Verizon.

We now share a plan on Verizon, can use the MiFi we have for internet, although we could also use one of our iPads. Works great, have unlimited phone and 10 Gigs data. Both of us work from home so just need a phone and internet; this setup so far has worked great when we have worked from the road. Well, as good as working from the road can get!

BTW, there is an external antenna for the MiFi, but so far have not needed to use it.
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Old 04-05-2013, 04:47 PM   #14
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I still have an older MiFi on Verizon with an unlimted data plan. Information does appear at 3G speeds.
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Old 04-05-2013, 05:16 PM   #15
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I still have an older MiFi on Verizon with an unlimted data plan. Information does appear at 3G speeds.
I had the same "unlimited" plan with a USB 720 air card, but Verizon unilaterally eliminated the unlimited plan and made it a 5 GB a month maximum. Not only you can't get the unlimited plans any more, but they took them away from those of us who had them. They did it sometime last summer. You may just be operating under the 5GB limit so have had no reason to suspect it. But they did announce it in all of their literature and billing. BTW, they did reduce the cost by $10 a month for 5 GB of data.

You say, they can't do that: well, they did.
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Old 04-05-2013, 06:53 PM   #16
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Sorry to disagree. My MiFi unit is still on an unlimited plan as I purchased it outright at the time of acquiring it. The current bill shows that this unit has the unlimited data plan. The monthly charge has stayed $59.95 plus taxes and fees sinc the beginning.
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Old 04-06-2013, 05:52 AM   #17
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I had the same "unlimited" plan with a USB 720 air card, but Verizon unilaterally eliminated the unlimited plan and made it a 5 GB a month maximum. Not only you can't get the unlimited plans any more, but they took them away from those of us who had them. They did it sometime last summer. You may just be operating under the 5GB limit so have had no reason to suspect it. But they did announce it in all of their literature and billing. BTW, they did reduce the cost by $10 a month for 5 GB of data.

You say, they can't do that: well, they did.
If you upgrade your equipment, they do away with the unlimited data. As long as you keep using the old equipment, they don't. At least, that's how it worked with me. I kept using the old USB air card until it died, and had no choice but to upgrade the equipment.
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Old 04-06-2013, 06:39 AM   #18
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Thanks for the info. I have an old AT&T unlimited plan. Transferred over to my iphone UNTIL I tried to make it a mobile wifi hotspot. Then AT&T wanted me to change to a 5gb plan. I declined, told them I would shop around. They told me that no one had a plan like I wanted/expected. I will have to make a change before June. Exploring my options.
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Old 04-07-2013, 10:30 AM   #19
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Thanks for the info. I have an old AT&T unlimited plan. Transferred over to my iphone UNTIL I tried to make it a mobile wifi hotspot. Then AT&T wanted me to change to a 5gb plan. I declined, told them I would shop around. They told me that no one had a plan like I wanted/expected. I will have to make a change before June. Exploring my options.
If you can get the coverage, check out Sprint. I believe they still offer a true unlimited plan.

Stan
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Old 04-07-2013, 11:29 AM   #20
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Well, Verizon told me that they had eliminated the unlimited plan when I still was using the USB 720 I had. They said I could still pay them the $60 a month, but any usage over 5 GB would cost extra. And they also said they would change me to a $50 a month 5 GB plan so why would I want to pay $60 for what I could get for $50? I am only going on what they told me, and sent me letters on.

Then my USB 720 died and I got the MiFi, still on the $50 / 5 GB plan.

So, try going over 5 GB and see if they charge you, or reduce your speeds to a crawl. That is another way they force you to a different plan, automatic speed reduction.

And sometimes it is hard to get a good picture of what they are doing, not just Verizon but any of the companies. I still like my Verizon but did not like the plan changes that I was forced to make.
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