RV Full Time WiFi and TV

[Hittenstiehl]

You may also want to read some information from a site called Technomadia. Chris and Cherie are a full time traveling couple in a bus and boat. They are both in tech work, software, apps, instruction, seminars, writers, bloggers etc. They have done a lot of work regarding connectivity so that they can travel and work full time without major difficulties.

Also check out van life and see what all of the solutions are in that rapidly increasing group of travelers.

[ScottandMoni]

Thank You all for your replies as they have been hugely helpful. We have decided to go with the Verizon Jetpack with a booster and a Firestick. Realizing that if we don’t have dell service we won’t be able to stream it have internet. We will plan a head and download things. We are actually not huge TV watched and will take the down time to read at night. We are also very active so will be busy during the day.

Thank you all again for the wonderful input.

Scott and Moni
_______________
1988 29’ “Squarestream” Argosy
2018 2500 4x4 Ram

[uncle_bob]

Hi

We have gone the "stream it all" approach with an AT&T modem. I can't think of any time that we really felt we needed more.

Bob

[fastrob]

Originally Posted by gklott

For INTERNET access in our trailer, we use a Sierra Wireless MP70 mobile gateway. The MP70 has slots for two SIM cards. The LX-60 is a good option if one SIM slot is adequate.

We added four SIMs to our Verizon "unlimited" family plan. Each SIM provides 15 GB/mon = 60 GB/mon. Cost is $17.50/mon/SIM. That's $1.17/GB/mon. We will always have access even when exceeding the 60GB/mon.

You switch between the SIMs using the web interface. Once we exceed 15 GB/mon on one SIM, we move to the second installed one. We then swap out the "dead" SIM with a fresh one.

This method is the lowest cost we have found for LTE data service. You can start with one or two SIMs and see if that covers your data needs.

We also have our two iPhones, each of which include an additional 22GB/mon before throttling.

73/gus

Gus,
Looks like this is the lowest price/Gig. Would a MP70 or LX60 would be needed in addition to something like a weBoost https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/web...YaAk_OEALw_wcB.
Did not get any idea of price on the sierra site, please give a little more information on how this setup would work.
I still use a Yaggi antenna from the old pre-digital days.

[John P]

We don’t watch a lot of TV in our motorhome but when we do we connect using our cell phone as a hot spot. We only use our cell phone, nothing else. We can use the internet, watch YouTube, take in a movie on NetFlix or Amazon Prime etc, etc. You’ll need a good plan with your cell phone provider as this method does use data. Fortunately we have never gone over our allotment, but again, we don’t watch a lot of TV. Hope this helps.

[xyzabe]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

I just signed up for the new Verizon hotspot prepaid plan that the Mobile Internet Resource center uncovered. $65 a month prepaid. No cap but subject to throttling. It’s been bringing in 3Mb-30Mb data rates in a pretty marginal two bar location. I got their new flagship hotspot, the MiFi 8800L. I can also use Wifi calling over our AT&T phones using this jetpack.

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/ver...-for-jetpacks/

FMCA (Family Motor Coach Assoc.) has a plan with 25GB unlimited (before possible throttle with Verizon Wireless for $49.99. The jetpack is .01. They also have a program with Sprint.

They now take travel trailers members. The plan requires a 2 yr commitment and 2 yr membership to FMCA. We joined for a year and then were told we were travel trailer members #3000 and were given an additional 5 year membership as a gift.

If anyone is interested in possibly joining, drop me a PM. They have great benefits including road service, medical and travel coverage. And they have been very responsive when I've called with questions.

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by ScottandMoni

Thank You all for your replies as they have been hugely helpful. We have decided to go with the Verizon Jetpack with a booster and a Firestick. Realizing that if we don’t have dell service we won’t be able to stream it have internet.

I think you’ll be happy with this solution much of the time if you have downloaded content as a backup. I can only stream with my Apple TV a quarter of the time but we stay in some pretty remote places.

One tip on the Jetpack and booster. The Jetpack has multiple antennas in it and can communicate with multiple cell tower antennas at the same time if conditions are right. That technology is called MIMO (Multiple In Multiple Out.) Doing so allows it to provide double or better internet speeds. I didn’t fully understand this and had assumed having the booster on is always better. It’s not. In some locations, where the hotspot can do it’s MIMO magic, it’s better to just attach it to a window facing the cell towers and leave the booster off. The commonly available boosters can’t do MIMO.

A plastic soap disk with a suction cup makes a good hotspot window mounting bracket!

[beetlebob]

As a fulltime person we just use the antenna on the roof. If we cannot get anything we don’t watch tv. Second hopefully you will have a big enough solar system to keep the batteries up since you will be using them to run the tv when boondocking. We don’t watch any tv when boondocking. Mother Nature is the best show you can watch when out by yourself. We do have a unlimited ATT jet pack that we use to watch tv when we want and use it for all of our computer needs. That is just us. You have to decide what you want to do

[RALgranger]

Originally Posted by ScottandMoni

We have decided to go with the Verizon Jetpack with a booster and a Firestick.

We have been full timing for 2 years now and do the same thing with a jetpack, booster, and firestick. Although, I wish I would have bought the larger fire TV recast thing with some built in memory instead of the stick. I believe that would allow you to dvr things in areas of better reception, but I could be wrong. You will likely be surprised at how quickly you use up your data and Verizon starts throttling it down. If you are staying at camp grounds or any area for longer periods of time then you can often pay to get local broadband. Sometimes you can pay additional at a camp ground to get access to a faster wifi. We are able to do that where we are at currently and it makes life much easier.

[Gsnedike]

We have a 2018 20’ Bambi and we stream Prime, Netflix and YouTube right from our iPhone to our TV. We have an unlimited data plan use the apple HDMI/ litening adaptor. It will stream all day as it is constantly being charged. We are on an ATT plan with our son and our two iPhone cost is $97 month.
Good luck!

[FLOmads]

Hello there fellow full timers, my wife and I celebrated 1 full year on the road with 2 devices on Verizon and 2 devices with ATT, we have Apple TV and it works great when we have reliable Wi Fi which is rare, direct tv now was the worst,
We have used Netflix with LTE the most, we are in a 25 ft flying cloud (our 23 ft was totaled in a hailstorm June 2018)
We have a weboost 4g LTE antennae but no wi Fi booster and the Zamp solar with 3 panels for 240 watt.
And a tire pressure monitoring system all purchased after watching YouTube reviews,
After 16 months on the road I Would not add solar as a generator works 100% of the time even if cloudy/shady.
The TPMS had too many false readings Causing a lot of added aggravation checking/double checking and even having inside dually lose pressure twice,(once each side)
We use a sprinter 3500XD as a tow vehicle.
Sorry for going a little off topic.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by FLOmads

Hello there fellow full timers, my wife and I celebrated 1 full year on the road with 2 devices on Verizon and 2 devices with ATT, we have Apple TV and it works great when we have reliable Wi Fi which is rare, direct tv now was the worst,
We have used Netflix with LTE the most, we are in a 25 ft flying cloud (our 23 ft was totaled in a hailstorm June 2018)
We have a weboost 4g LTE antennae but no wi Fi booster and the Zamp solar with 3 panels for 240 watt.
And a tire pressure monitoring system all purchased after watching YouTube reviews,
After 16 months on the road I Would not add solar as a generator works 100% of the time even if cloudy/shady.
The TPMS had too many false readings Causing a lot of added aggravation checking/double checking and even having inside dually lose pressure twice,(once each side)
We use a sprinter 3500XD as a tow vehicle.
Sorry for going a little off topic.

Which model TPMS did you get and do you use screw on caps as transmitters or did you get the ones installed inside the tires? Ours is TST with the screw on caps and it works great with our 28'. We tow with an F250, 6.5' bed. We use portable solar from GoPower which works fine while camped since we can move it around as needed. We also carry generator for backup. Have not invested in wifi booster yet. For TV we also use Firestick with our ATT service when in range. We also use Dishnetwork with portable satellite "Tailgater" with the pay as you go plan. We have Direct TV at home, but Dish works fine on the road.

[GinaParmesan]

If you do a Jetpack there’s a setting that can give you real-time signal strength in DBM’s. Anything under 75 is pretty good. Jetpack: Menu > About > Signal Strength. Sometimes moving 5 ft makes a huge difference!

We signed up for the Verizon Unlimited plan about a year and a half ago, and bought a WeBoost cellular booster and residential Omni-directional antenna. We mostly boondock. It’s worked out great. Plan has unlimited data, although Vz says they can slow us to 3G after 22GB per line of 4G (never happened yet). We watch only internet TV, maybe 2 show episodes a night x4-5 days a wk uses about 3GB a day. WiFi booster would be a waste of $$ unless you lived at an RV Park IMO. We have 8 other family & friends sharing the plan to cut the cost. Our share (2 lines) is about $87 a month. We also have an Apple hdmi-to-lightening cable adapter that lets you plug an iPhone directly into the tv for in-app streaming.

Hope that helps!

[XpeditionsTV]

For a wireless connection, look at the Millenicon Aires. $70 per month unlimited with no throttling. It's truly unlimited with 4G speed and ready for 5G. Here's a link... https://www.millenicom.com/equipment/#mifi

To increase your signal strength look at the cell amplifiers. These work great in fringe areas. Here's what we have... https://powerfulsignal.com/weboost-4...oster-for-rvs/

These are somewhat costly. But, if you want reliable connectivity this equipment will certainly provide you with that : )

BTW, I am NOT sponsored or work for these companies. We have a mobile broadcast RV and this is what we use to stay connected.

I hope this helps!
Jerry Wills
Xpeditions, Inc.

[Rpatrick16]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

We have been using Dish Network with a tailgater when we travel (50%). We also have the same service at our home. The service works well except in Canada and Alaska. You can change your service location to get local stations as you travel.

Depending how far you go over the Canadian border you can still use a Dish tailgater. Last September I was about 40 miles into British Columbia and had great reception on my Dish system.

[skyjayhawk]

Originally Posted by GinaParmesan

If you do a Jetpack there’s a setting that can give you real-time signal strength in DBM’s. Anything under 75 is pretty good. Jetpack: Menu > About > Signal Strength. Sometimes moving 5 ft makes a huge difference!

We signed up for the Verizon Unlimited plan about a year and a half ago, and bought a WeBoost cellular booster and residential Omni-directional antenna. We mostly boondock. It’s worked out great. Plan has unlimited data, although Vz says they can slow us to 3G after 22GB per line of 4G (never happened yet). We watch only internet TV, maybe 2 show episodes a night x4-5 days a wk uses about 3GB a day. WiFi booster would be a waste of $$ unless you lived at an RV Park IMO. We have 8 other family & friends sharing the plan to cut the cost. Our share (2 lines) is about $87 a month. We also have an Apple hdmi-to-lightening cable adapter that lets you plug an iPhone directly into the tv for in-app streaming.

Hope that helps!

Hey Gina, which weBoost are you using and how does it work for you while off grid? Our Basecamp has solar with (2) 6V AGM Batteries but, we do not have a 9V "cigarette lighter" type of plug, so if we go WeBoost 4G-X RV, we will have to install one. We don't want to make these investments unless this booster really works well. The mixed reviews on this expensive device makes us extra cautious. We are mostly in remote locations, boondocking with very limited 1 bar to 1X connection at most. Thanks much for your insight!