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Ssmookler · 03-31-2015, 07:58 AM

We are going on the road this summer and will be spending time (3 months ) in Nevada and want advice on setting up internet access. We are new to this whole experience and want to make sure we are equipped electronically to stay in touch with family and friends. My wife and I each have smart phones and want to know what we need to do equipment-wise with our AS so we can stay in touch.

Thanks in advance.
Steve

idroba · 03-31-2015, 08:05 AM

There are a lot of past threads on this topic. You might want to start with a search of Forums>electronics and look there to start.

Gsmblue · 03-31-2015, 08:15 AM

If you are going to stay in cell phone reception areas, a booster kit can do a lot to help. I have a Wilson 4G booster kit and it is amazing!

You will see many threads about wifi boosters too.

AnnArborBob · 03-31-2015, 08:57 AM

This is not always true, but generally Verizon is the best carrier for reception out in the wilds. AT&T is second best. The other carriers are generally next to useless unless you are in or very near a major city.

Your cell phones can most likely be set up to act as mobile hotpots for a fee (check with the carrier.)

Also, you will want a data plan. The amount of data you will need depends on what you plan to do (email only vs. extensive web browsing.) Forget about streaming video or Facetime calls unless you want to spend really big dollars. A 10 GB per month plan should be fine for email and some moderate web browsing. We have a 40 GB plan and we usually run in the high 20GB per month range with a few spurts into the mid 30GB range.

Check out this blog for all the information about mobile internet you could possibly want to know:

http://www.technomadia.com/rvgear/

Rich W · 03-31-2015, 09:26 AM

After the 3 months in Nevada, then what? Will you still be on the road or going home for the rest of the year? If you travel a lot you may want to consider the mobile plan for home too. We haven't traveled as much as we'd like but we were in Florida for a month. So I was paying for the mobile access AND the cable ISP back home, which went unused.

Think about how much you'll be traveling and if it is worth it to have the ISP on the road and at home. For us, for now, I'm using a pay-as-you-go plan from Verizon. You buy a month at a time (3 gb or 10gb) and you can buy more. Go home and the device is inactive until you travel again. I did 10 gb for both work and personal use. I was on the laptop every day for work, 3 or 4 hours, and my personal laptop and smart phones were connected. We used all the devices quite a bit; surfing and email. If we hadn't watched that 1 HBOGo movie, it would have been plenty of data. (One movie was about half our usage, 5 gb.)

So think about how you're going to be using it before committing to a plan. You may want to drop the home plan and get a mobile plan for both. If I could get a reasonable Verizon plan (pay as you go is $90 for 10 gb, not exactly reasonable) the portable device could be used for both, it's quite good.

LucasS · 03-31-2015, 10:37 AM

I don't know if you have an iPhone, but if you do your iPhone can be a Wi-Fi hotspot. If you don't have an iPhone, I suggest switching to one for one of your phones. Your iPhone can then be your Internet for any tablet/computer, and yourself an all-in-one, while you're traveling down the road in your AS. I use that when I'm in any area with a regular cellphone signal. I often travel to mountainous areas that don't have cellphone signals, and for that I have in Iridium Go hotspot. It also allows my phone to use its satellite network. The only downside, is it is incredibly expensive.

graysailor · 03-31-2015, 11:01 AM

RV parks Wifi are so so. I have gone with Verizon and their JetPack as that seems to get the best reception nation wide.

ldavids · 03-31-2015, 11:06 AM

Try this.

The Mobile Internet Handbook – Revised and Refreshed for 2015! – RV Mobile Internet Resource Center

WaLee · 03-31-2015, 11:25 AM

Nevada is a big wide open place with sketchy coverage. I travel northern Nevada a lot. Along I 80 its pretty good. Along 50 very sparse. Long stretches with no coverage, verizon better than ATT out there.

A Verizon jet pack is your best bet most places.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

dstalzer · 03-31-2015, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LucasS

I don't know if you have an iPhone, but if you do your iPhone can be a Wi-Fi hotspot. If you don't have an iPhone, I suggest switching to one for one of your phones. Your iPhone can then be your Internet for any tablet/computer, and yourself an all-in-one, while you're traveling down the road in your AS. I use that when I'm in any area with a regular cellphone signal. I often travel to mountainous areas that don't have cellphone signals, and for that I have in Iridium Go hotspot. It also allows my phone to use its satellite network. The only downside, is it is incredibly expensive.

Android phones such as the Samsung Galaxy phones work as hot spots as well if not better than iPhones. I have been using a Samsung Galaxy Note II and my wife uses her Samsung Galaxy III. We can tether wirelessly to either phone. We have a family shared plan with 10 GB/ month and have never used more than 7 GB checking email, stocks etc every day. We have traveled from California to Florida and have always had excellent service using AT&T wireless. I used to have the iPhone and hated it.

Dennis

reelfastgreg · 03-31-2015, 12:56 PM

turning your phone into a hot spot is a worthy TEMPORARY solution but not a good long term solution. instead, i spent $20, a one time fee, for a mobile hotspot from Verizon, check in at any store front or Costco.

if you are in cell phone range, you simply turn this device on, it acquires a cell signal and you log on with whatever flavor device you happen to have. password secured and capable of supporting multiple devices simultaneously. its what we use for checking email, paying bills and some limited surfing. make sure you check your data plan before you proceed, although this device will tell you how much of your plan you have used.

i concur that Verizon is the best carrier, in general. we have almost always been able to acquire a cell signal, although there have been exceptions due to remote locations.

cell phone amplifiers or repeaters work quite well but in order to be effective require a separate rooftop antenna. the one on my boat uses an 8' antenna and i have never been without connectivity. different story for a travel trailer, however.

Ssmookler · 03-31-2015, 01:53 PM

My wife and I both have iphones. Both with Verizon coverage. My wife has a data plan and I have a phone that was covered by my work so I will have to cough up the money after retiring May 1. Will check out threads in electronics. We will be returning back to Ohio after taking a southern route back from Nevada. Probably return in early October.

Ssmookler · 03-31-2015, 01:54 PM

Suggestions are helpful for a good start.

How do you work a cell phone amplifier on an AS if they require an antenna???

GTOChucky · 03-31-2015, 03:00 PM

I use a program called PdaNet+, from June Fabrics. Google the name and you can find out how to buy the program. It works great on my android phone. There are two pieces to the software, one piece you download from the Play Store, the other piece you download to your computer from the internet. The cost is only $8, period. You can make the connection between your phone and the internet via Blue Tooth. I don't recommend this, your connection will be slower, but even more importantly, your phones battery will run down quickly. I use a short cable between the phone and computer. The cable will make the connection faster and the phone will be charging while in use. Be sure you use a cable that is fully wired. Some cables look correct but are not fully wired. These non-fully wired type of cables are usually for charging only. The charging cable that came with my phone was fine. But cables that come with those portable battery packs, are not fully wired throughout the cable and are only good for charging. Needless to say your smartphone must have a signal.

Gnorts · 03-31-2015, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ssmookler

Suggestions are helpful for a good start.

How do you work a cell phone amplifier on an AS if they require an antenna???

Mount the antenna on your TV antenna, run the wire down the stack vent for the fridge. The Wilson magnetic antenna needs a 3x3 in ground plane to work properly.

If your Android smart phone can be used as a hot spot, and you have a Windows laptop or tablet, all you need is software. Buy EasyTether for $10 in the Play store, install it on the phone and PC, and you can tether the phone to the computer by usb or bluetooth. For multiple devices, the Windows PC can be set up as a virtual wifi router. The software, called Netshare, has been part of Windows since Vista.

reelfastgreg · 03-31-2015, 05:27 PM

i like simple that is why i spent the 20 bucks for the mobile hot spot. and as i said, it works with any flavor device you happen to prefer whether that be a phone or a tablet or a laptop from whatever manufacturer.

to clarify, a cell phone amplifier will require a wired connection between your phone and the amplifier. a cell phone repeater will require an outside antenna and an inside antenna separated by a solid structure, the roof, and at minimum 8'. so two antennas but no wired connection will be required.

mobile hot spot is the cheapest and easiest solution to the question you asked. it will appear on your device as a wifi connection port, click on that and enter the password and away you go. simple and cheap.

LucasS · 03-31-2015, 10:13 PM

Even though I'm a die hard Apple user a travel buddy of mine used his Samsung Note as his hotspot and it also works well. I have AT&T and usually get better coverage than he does.

paiceman · 04-01-2015, 05:22 AM

We use a Samsung tablet as our hot spot and have a VPN we set up (my son actually) so we make a secure connection for banking and other activity on our laptop through this VPN. We do not use public WiFi for anything, especially in truck stops etc as internet lurkers hang out to hack into phones etc. when one signs on through the public wifi.

Works well as long as we have a Verizon signal, which aside from a couple of places was not an issue.

Ssmookler · 04-01-2015, 09:13 AM

If you don't mind me asking, which VPN did your son install. I have to admit also, I had to look up what a VPN was. I am that pathetic on electronics.

dstalzer · 04-02-2015, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gnorts

If your Android smart phone can be used as a hot spot, and you have a Windows laptop or tablet, all you need is software. Buy EasyTether for $10 in the Play store, install it on the phone and PC, and you can tether the phone to the computer by usb or bluetooth. For multiple devices, the Windows PC can be set up as a virtual wifi router. The software, called Netshare, has been part of Windows since Vista.

I do not know why any extra software is required. On the android phone, go to more networks in settings, then select Tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot, turn on Mobile Hostpot. Press Mobile Hotspot after it is turned on and you will be given the password to connect. A computer can then connect wirelessly to this hotspot.

Dennis