WiFi Ranger master thread

[xrvr]

I just found my cell phone in my truck and turned it on, anybody tell me how to answer it? jim

[Hibby]

I wouldn't answer it Jim... Just let it go to voicemail.

[Zigidachs]

After thought: The WiFi Ranger Sky seems to be an answer to the WiFi connection issue.
It attaches quickly to the Bat Wing antenna of the AS and connects wirelessly to the interior unit. However for activation one must use the "booster" as if watching TV over the air. Remember that if the booster is activated, the cable TV connection is foiled!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVGSUalc9l4

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Zigidachs

After thought: The WiFi Ranger Sky seems to be an answer to the WiFi connection issue.
It attaches quickly to the Bat Wing antenna of the AS and connects wirelessly to the interior unit. However for activation one must use the "booster" as if watching TV over the air. Remember that if the booster is activated, the cable TV connection is foiled!!!!!

I'll have to ask them about that. They answered my e-mail full of questions, but I have to talk to them to really understand it. If it requires the antenna booster to be on, it is not a good solution. They have a variety of products, so some may work but require a different antenna.

Gene

[Zigidachs]

Two options seem reasonable based on rec's from others and the site link posted above:

1) The WiFi Ranger "Sky" + the WiFi Ranger ( not the Pro)

Advantages: easy to install on bat wing antenna, wireless to the WFR inside your AS, no need to run "hard wire" into your AS.
Disadvantages: does not allow the "boost" feature for reception. So number of WiFi spots may be more limited without the boost feature. Must use the "boost" feature from the over air antenna for the signal---would eliminate watching TV thru the cable connection, unless you have a split option which we do not have as a standard.
Cost: about 250.00

2) The WiFi Ranger Pro and "Boost" antenna

Advantages: with boost feature a multifold access to WiFi spots by comparison to the non-Pro WFR. Better features with the WFR Pro...security etc. Do not have to use over air boost feature, so cable reception would not be interrupted while working with computer.
Disadvantages: Must run a hard wire into your unit. Mounts on bat wing antenna, and probably run wire thru the refer vent...
Cost: About 250.00

Both units on sale now. Assessments??? Zigi

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by idroba

For my use, with the Verizon USB modem that I have, and traveling where I do into remote area of the west, an antenna is highly desirable and in some cases makes the difference between connection to the net and no connection. My old USB 720 has an external antenna input, not all of the new ones do. Remember, this is NOT an antenna for the Peperwave router you mention, it is an antenna for the modem which plugs into it.

I second your advice--one of the big advantages of the old USB-720 is that it does have a connector for an external antenna. I use a Wilson Trucker with good results. Product Details

When here in AZ, my winter home, I tend to use between 4 and 6 Mb per month. My high was close to 8Mb. I use my computer a lot, but do not download but limited videos, once in a while from You Tube. Video use eats up bandwidth very quickly and I cannot recommend it from the cell network. With my grandfathered in "unlimited" download system, I can run over the current typical 5 Mb/$50 a month limit some (btw, my unlimited is $60 a month), but they start to slow down usage when I run over 8 Mb. So, it is not truly "unlimited" and at any rate is no longer available from Verizon.

Are you confusing Megabytes (Mb) with Gigabytes (Gb)? 1 Gb = 1000 Mb

Nowadays to email one snapshot commonly takes 4 or 5 Mb. At frequent intervals Microsoft wants us to download 10 -20 Mb of software upgrades.
.

[JFScheck]

With LTE cellular hotspots - your talking wired speed over the air - when LTE is in your area...

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by JFScheck

With LTE cellular hotspots - your talking wired speed over the air - when LTE is in your area...

So far I haven't found LTE anywhere I've wanted to camp in the Argosy... but the Elevate is smokin' fast in DFW, and generally fails over to 3G if there's decent AT&T signal. This weekend in Mineola TX looks like it might be my first chance to get good 4G coverage while camping, but it looks like it's just HSPA+, they're not claiming LTE there yet.

[xrvr]

Voicemail?? jim

[masseyfarm]

This "SKY" sounds interesting. I presume it is necessary to direct the antenna to find the strongest signal? or is the antenna direction of no importance?
Does the SKY just act as the repeater station, or does the tv coaxial cable play a part (besides power) in the signal amplification?
If the SKY is just a repeater station, then it could be powered by any tv signal amplifier?? which would allow normal cable tv reception if wanted.
The amplifiers are inexpensive to buy and it would just be the coax cable to run to the placement of the SKY.

Dave

Originally Posted by Zigidachs

Two options seem reasonable based on rec's from others and the site link posted above:

1) The WiFi Ranger "Sky" + the WiFi Ranger ( not the Pro)
Advantages: easy to install on bat wing antenna, wireless to the WFR inside your AS, no need to run "hard wire" into your AS.
Disadvantages: does not allow the "boost" feature for reception. So number of WiFi spots may be more limited without the boost feature. Must use the "boost" feature from the over air antenna for the signal---would eliminate watching TV thru the cable connection, unless you have a split option which we do not have as a standard.
Cost: about 250.00

Zigi

[zlee]

I decided I'd get old and grey if I waited 'til I found The Perfect Solution to my connectedness situation. I don't plan to do too much boondocking in the near future, I have AT&T iPad and iPhone service, long story as to why hotspotting off the iPhone is not going to work until I get a new iPad/AT&T does the hotspot service with the iPad, and J has to have reliable and fast-ish service for work, so I've bought (for now) a Cradlepoint CTR35 (refurbished off Amazon), and purchased a Virgin modem (on the Sprint network, and which is what I'm running off of as I type), and will also be getting a Verizon modem (probably from Millinium) and possibly an AT&T modem.

I figure that way I will generally be able to find signal for J (if there's any at all to be found), should have more than enough data service with the ability to buy more if we need it, and can do it all PAYG, so I don't lose my shirt when I don't need the modems and can survive on the AT&T signal and my mobile devices.

Am going to see whether I need a signal booster; will be trying the whole "system" out on this trip to the West Coast in a few days.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by masseyfarm

This "SKY" sounds interesting. I presume it is necessary to direct the antenna to find the strongest signal? or is the antenna direction of no importance?
Does the SKY just act as the repeater station, or does the tv coaxial cable play a part (besides power) in the signal amplification?
If the SKY is just a repeater station, then it could be powered by any tv signal amplifier?? which would allow normal cable tv reception if wanted.
The amplifiers are inexpensive to buy and it would just be the coax cable to run to the placement of the SKY.

Dave

I have some e-mails from the WifiRanger people and am trying to translate them into English. I'll have to call them eventually. But, here is what I think I understand:

The antenna for the Ranger Sky and some other models, but not all, attaches to the Winegard antenna. All you have to do, I guess, it raise the antenna. Maybe you don't have to do that, but elevation always helps.

The TV and Ranger share the coaxial cable. I think the e-mails say it does not interfere with cable TV reception. I do not understand whether the Ranger works better with the antenna booster is on. I know you can send multiple signals down a wire and each signal can be received by different devices, so that is not a problem.

That is all I can figure out so far. I am completely confused by LTE's (I thought that meant "letter to the editor"), DFW ("Dallas Fort Worth") and HSPA+.

Gene

[masseyfarm]

Maybe I am making it complicated just because I have not thought about this much.
1) Is the coaxle cable to the Wingard powered? of just a signal carrier and then amplified at the power box. ( I'm thinking now it is not powered to the antenna. Correct my if I am wrong.
2) So if the SKY is not powered, but only the signal is amplified at the power box, then the amplifier would have to be on?
3) I don't think my cable TV runs thru the power amplifier, so it should not effect it if the amplifier is on. Mine runs thru a selector box that you pick your signal source.

This SKY sounds like it would be a good addition with minimal installation hassle.

Dave

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I have some e-mails from the WifiRanger
people and am trying to translate them into English. I'll have to call them eventually. But, here is what I think I understand:

The antenna for the Ranger Sky and some other models, but not all, attaches to the Winegard antenna. All you have to do, I guess, it raise the antenna. Maybe you don't have to do that, but elevation always helps.

The TV and Ranger share the coaxial cable. I think the e-mails say it does not interfere with cable TV reception. I do not understand whether the Ranger works better with the antenna booster is on. I know you can send multiple signals down a wire and each signal can be received by different devices, so that is not a problem.

That is all I can figure out so far. I am completely confused by LTE's (I thought that meant "letter to the editor"), DFW ("Dallas Fort Worth") and HSPA+.

Gene

[Zigidachs]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

I have some e-mails from the WifiRanger people and am trying to translate them into English. I'll have to call them eventually. But, here is what I think I understand:

The antenna for the Ranger Sky and some other models, but not all, attaches to the Winegard antenna. All you have to do, I guess, it raise the antenna. Maybe you don't have to do that, but elevation always helps.

The TV and Ranger share the coaxial cable. I think the e-mails say it does not interfere with cable TV reception. I do not understand whether the Ranger works better with the antenna booster is on. I know you can send multiple signals down a wire and each signal can be received by different devices, so that is not a problem.

That is all I can figure out so far. I am completely confused by LTE's (I thought that meant "letter to the editor"), DFW ("Dallas Fort Worth") and HSPA+.

Gene

The WFR Sky connects to the bat wing antenna of the AS as illustrated in the previously posted videos. The WFR connection is directly to the cabling into the AS from the TV bat wing antenna. To receive the antenna signal from the WFR, if I understand the process correctly, one MUST use the booster mechanism inside the AS as one would use to receive the "over the air TV" signals. HOWEVER, if you use that booster switch, you will not be able to receive a clean signal from the cable connection in the RV CG.

The reception is more limited with the WFR as opposed to the WFR Pro. The WFR Pro CAN be connected to the "BOOSTER" antenna designed for the WRF Pro, but involves running a cable into the AS itself, which then connects to the WFR router. With the "Pro", you can receive WiFi signals via the router, NOT have to use the "over the air TV" booster, and can also watch cable TV with a clean signal.

Trade offs everywhere. Personally I do not want to have to deal with the hassle of running a cable into our AS. If we opt for the "Sky" option, (much easier to connect, but has many more limitations in terms of access to WiFi connections)--- I can see conflict if I am "busy" surfing on the net, as I am want to do, while my co-pilot wants to watch TV via the cable connection, but cannot because I am on the web and have to use the TV "booster" .

So I believe that the WFR Pro, and the accompanying "booster" module may be the best of the best options.

The only other question I have is the transmission rates and connectivity for the "hot spot" on the cell phones for to the computer, and if the WFR enhances the reception...I don't believe it does, but not certain.

How then does one connect to a WiFi when boon docking and without having access to a WiFi signal, and thus the only other connection would be the "hot spot" on the cell phone? (The AS skin seems to really limit quality of the cell phone reception inside the unit itself.)

Thanks for this forum. It really helps to think through this process by writing about the problems and potential solutions.

Thoughts??????? Zigi

[Gene]

Zigi, I think you understand it better than I. I too don't want to run another cable, but may have to—down the fridge vent and then into the trailer is the best way I think. This, of course, only works when there is wifi nearby. A cellphone or a data plan on a computer may need a cell booster and paying for a plan, and that is another confusing and expensive story.

Wifi Ranger tells me their setup is of no use for cell signals. Why they can't build a combination unit is beyond me, but they don't.

I have to get around to speaking to Wifi Ranger people on then phone, but you have make an appointment and that is a pain. Only on the phone can I get info that I can understand when questioning the tech, I hope.

Gene

[Gene]

This is the response I got from Wifi Ranger about the cable connection and the antenna booster. I can't say I understand it.

"The WiFiRanger Sky does not affect the TV, as the Coax going up to the Winegard Batwing antenna is downstream of the wall plate. With the Retrofit Kit, you can run the WiFiRanger Sky / Batwing while simultaneously watching Cable TV. This is because most wall plates will switch the antenna off when in Cable mode, but with the Retrofit Kit, you can switch it into Cable mode while also having straight 12V bypassing the wall plate and going up the Coax to the Sky."

Maybe if I look at the trailer this will make sense. Maybe the Airstream is wired differently. If you intercept the wifi signal before the antenna booster, I guess it works. Without going out to the trailer, it seems the coax goes to the back of the wall plate with the antenna booster button, but I may have forgotten what is back there.

Gene

[Zigidachs]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

This is the response I got from Wifi Ranger about the cable connection and the antenna booster. I can't say I understand it.

"The WiFiRanger Sky does not affect the TV, as the Coax going up to the Winegard Batwing antenna is downstream of the wall plate. With the Retrofit Kit, you can run the WiFiRanger Sky / Batwing while simultaneously watching Cable TV. This is because most wall plates will switch the antenna off when in Cable mode, but with the Retrofit Kit, you can switch it into Cable mode while also having straight 12V bypassing the wall plate and going up the Coax to the Sky."

Maybe if I look at the trailer this will make sense. Maybe the Airstream is wired differently. If you intercept the wifi signal before the antenna booster, I guess it works. Without going out to the trailer, it seems the coax goes to the back of the wall plate with the antenna booster button, but I may have forgotten what is back there.

Gene

HI Gene,
Perhaps I am in error, but I thought that one had to have the "booster" setting to "ON" when using the WFR Sky. If that is the case then we can't watch cable TV. I was embarrassed about this topic in a CG where I complained about the TV cable connection and low and behold it was my fault because I had the booster turned on...red faced. At least I didn't make a fool of my self when I "gently" complained.

The other question tho, is whether the Sky will really work that well. The Sky uses only the WFR and not the Pro...which is much better in pulling in signals from about 3000 feet away ( with the booster module)!!!!! That (!) should cover most CG's!

Most of the time we are in a CG or in a spot close to Starbucks etc, where there is a free WiFi signal. That's why I am inclined to go with the "Pro".

Do you know of any device that will "boost" the reception of a cell phone....e.g. "hot spot" for connection to WiFi service? I cancelled my "card" b/c I was being charged 60/mo with a contract, and on the road about 120 days a year. Not worth it. Still I had trouble with reception using the card.

I'll keep researching.....and you do so too, my friend....Zigi

[Gene]

Originally Posted by Zigidachs

HI Gene,
Perhaps I am in error, but I thought that one had to have the "booster" setting to "ON" when using the WFR Sky. If that is the case then we can't watch cable TV.

The other question tho, is whether the Sky will really work that well. The Sky uses only the WFR and not the Pro...which is much better in pulling in signals from about 3000 feet away ( with the booster module)!!!!!

Do you know of any device that will "boost" the reception of a cell phone....e.g. "hot spot" for connection to WiFi service?

We are all confused. I think that WFR said the Sky would work, but maybe I am mistaken. The idea, as I understood it, was that the wifi signal was intercepted before the TV antenna booster, so it doesn't have to be on. The WFR devices that attach to the Winegard antenna have an adapter that splits with one connection to the Winegard and one to the WFR antenna mounted on it. The signals of both travel down the coaxial cable into the trailer.

In our trailer, a coaxial cable comes through the partition next to the fridge and plugs into the antenna booster. Perhaps that is where you connect a splitter that goes to the wifi booster. One coaxial cable comes out the wall behind the TV and that one will supply cable or air (boosted if the switch is on). The other leg would go to the TV antenna booster. This would solve the antenna booster issue. The WFR booster would plug into the 12 v. plug at the antenna booster plate for power. After the antenna booster, the coax must split again to provide a signal to the antenna connection in the bedroom. A cable comes out of the wall behind the TV to send a signal to the TV. I wish I could see the wiring behind the partition through the fridge compartment, but without removing a lot of things, I can't. That would give me a better idea of how the wiring works. I use a splitter behind the TV because it has separate coax connections for air and cable. The more splitters, the more degradation in the signal I believe, but I haven't seen a problem with the splitter I installed. If you intercept the Winegard cable before the TV antenna booster, the whole thing seems simple. It seems to me the radio antenna would be another way to get a signal inside, but it may be the wrong length (see below).

The Sky and the Pro cost the same, so it is a question of picking the best one.

I have seen lots of cell boosters on the internet, but don't know anything more.

For both, there are interior high gain antennas that plug into the computer or somehow get a signal to a phone. Different phones have different connections. The iPad must have a wireless connection so far as I know. Some have a booster (electronic), some don't.

External antennas (antennae if you suffered through Latin) have to be either wireless or use a cable to get a signal inside. The cabled ones use a booster inside and a wireless or USB connection inside. The ones without a cable, transmit from a wireless booster outside presumably powered by batteries. Magnets seem to be the way the exterior antennas with wireless booster attach to the trailer. You have to mount is high to get better reception and remember to remove it before you drive off.

So far as I can tell, the only difference between wifi and cell systems are they receive different frequencies and either use a better antenna than you have on a computer or phone, maybe boost the signals, and find a way to your computer or cellphone by wire or wireless.

Of course, the antenna has to work with the length of the signal wave. Longer waves work best with a antenna that is the same length or either half or a quarter or a multiple—something like that. Maybe the law of harmonics explains it—that's beyond me and I don't know that law. The difference between cell and wifi signal systems may be simply that the antenna size is very different. This does not seem insurmountable to me, but I don't really know.

Gene

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by Zigidachs

Do you know of any device that will "boost" the reception of a cell phone....e.g. "hot spot" for connection to WiFi service? I cancelled my "card" b/c I was being charged 60/mo with a contract, and on the road about 120 days a year. Not worth it. Still I had trouble with reception using the card.

I use a Wilson Electronics outside antenna with my Verizon USB-720 wireless modem and it can make the difference between "no service" and fairly decent service.

Wilson also makes a wide range of cell phone repeater/amplifiers for weak cell phone signal applications.
Cell Phone Signal Boosters and Antennas at Wilson Electronics - Wilson Electronics Inc.
.

[WiFiRanger]

Hi All..

Let me try to clarify how the SKY/WFR Pro work with the cable setup. I'll use bullets to make it quick and simple. I'm the guy in the video.

1) WFR Sky uses the Batwing and the Coax cable as a mount and power feed only. No signal goes "down" the cable, we simply leach 12Vdc out of the cable to power the SKY.
2) The SKY is not directional. Will work up/down on batwing.
3) Watching Over The Air while the SKY is on works fine. Infact, the SKY powers on whenever the booster is powered on.
4) Watching cable while the SKY is on is doable, but depends on your coaches wiring. Some cable TV feeds/distributions are isolated from the Winegard by a switch, or the actual controller itself. Many variations, but a sure fire way to resolve is to put in a $15 cable/OTA switch which solves the problem if you have it.
5) The SKY does nothing for boosting cell signals. Different frequencies and lots of good Wilson products for that.
6) When no WiFi exists, one can connect the SKY to their Hotspot on their phone, and then stay connected to the SKYs wireless network.
7) Using a SKy/Pro together gives added functionality, like LAN ports (wired devices) and a USB port inside the coach for connecting USB 3/4G modems.
8) The SKY has demonstrated pulling in WiFi up to 3/4 mile away, but that also depends upon the other side of the equation (the transmitting access point)
9) Sky owners connect all their devices to the Skys private, WPA network, and then have it negotiate the connection to the incomiing WiFi signal. This simplifies thing dramatically, (ever tried to program a TV to get WiFi for streaming with a remote control?? Once is enough....) and once set up you leave things set up that way.

The entire design of the Sky was one thing. Simple Install. If you ever have tried to put a cable in an Airstream, after the fact, you are up for a job. The only real place to bring one down is the 3" wall typically near the tank vents, and then there's barriers in the way. So...

If you are a Park type traveler, then the Sky alone will work well. It will give you 5 bars in your coach, on your own network which you dont have to change every park, and give you the added ability to use the raised batwing to get your Sky up and pull in WiFi from the parks system.

Hope this helps, and if not, what kind of videos would explain things better? We're doing several right now and maybe we can add some topics.