Internet on the road

[Mike Leary]

We picked up this do-dad at Best Buy. Cheap and it saves booting up to check for hot spots.

[overlander63]

For those who have problems connecting from inside their Airstream, I got a 10 foot USB extension cord, and hooked one end to the air card, and the other to the laptop. I then hang the air card outside the trailer. It gives me much better connectivity, better speed, etc.

[99Limited34]

We use the Verizon Access with our cellphone whever we're in a park that doesn't have Wireless. We've not had any problems getting connected..

[Jimandrod]

Originally Posted by 99Limited34

We use the Verizon Access with our cellphone whever we're in a park that doesn't have Wireless. We've not had any problems getting connected..

I have a new Dell laptop which has the Verizon Broadband card built in. It's OK - nothing special. I don't always get good reception where I want to.

[53flyingcloud]

Originally Posted by TBRich

I'm going to plug Rich Charpentier's ("gadgetat") book, The Digital RV...this is a great book in its 2nd edition with plain talk about all things digital and RVing...gret if you have quetions about what to do and how...to get connected. You can get it through his blog: ttp://www.hikenbike.net/wordpress/ Click on "Digital RV" on the right side of the page to take you to a blurb about the book... He's in the process of changing webhosts, so if he's down give it abother try later...but knowing him, it will be seamless... (I do not get a commission, either...I'm just a fan!)

I totally agree and for the same reasons..
Just a fan~!
One heck of a nice guy~!
53FC

[TBRich]

Here's an update to Rich Charpentier's website...the old address above is no longer valid... The Airstream Chronicles Continued › Photos, Tech Tips, HDR, Life 2.0, and more…all from an Airstream and here's a direct link to info about his book: The Digital RV by Richard Charpentier (Book) in Computers & Internet

[53flyingcloud]

Thanks for the link..
I thought I had it before but, the recent hacker's activities nullified that listing.
Got the books and, it worth reading~
53FC

[klattu]

I agree on the Skype...
I am amazed at what it does...video and voice as good as a land line.
I prefer it to cell phones, as it is full duplex.
and any call to another computer is free, around the world.

What a great idea to extend the USB...
I have the USB extension cords for the webcam, but to use for the signal is a bonus.

[Skater]

I usually use Wifi provided by the campground - most but not all have it these days. I've been at campgrounds where I had great Wifi and lousy cell service.

However, I also used my previous Verizon phone as a modem - it's called tethering, and not all phones can do it now (unfortunately, I picked one that can't last time I upgraded). I used to use this occasionally, for just quick email checks and the like, and it only came out of my airtime minutes; I didn't have a separate plan. I was told that they'd stop allowing that when I signed a new contract (which is why I wasn't looking for it on the new phone), but after I did I found a page on Verizon's site about it that implies I could've still used it in the same way if I'd bought a tether-capable phone. If you're like me and only need it a couple times a year, so you want to avoid paying $60/month, and you can live with slower speeds (faster than home dialup, slower than broadband), it's quite effective.

[overlander63]

Since this thread started, AT&T has changed their data plans. The plan that used to be unlimited data, suddenly has a 5 GB limit. For most people, that wouldn't be a problem, but we ran afoul of that limit on our recent Hawaii trip, where we had 3 laptops connected through it. My normally $59.99 bill turned into a $386 whopper! After picking myself up off the floor, I managed to stay lucid long enough to get a response from AT&T. They admitted they made an error (it seems when they transferred our accounts from Florida to California they erased everything, and started over), so our previous plan that was grandfathered in got nuked and replaced without notification by the 5 GB plan.
They reversed the excess charges this time, and we can return our air card without an early termination fee.

[Aage]

Great info in this thread, lots of stuff I've been looking for. Thanks to all of you!