Internet

[RuffRider]

We are going on our first trip with our airstream in June. Does anyone know the best way to get fast internet? I see a lot of different ideas on the forum on this subject. I am not sure which is the best for my application.
I work from my laptop and have Sling TV and Netflix which are both internet based.
Thanks
Al

[Gsmblue]

Welcome!

You are in the right part of the forum. There are a lot of threads on this topic and what is best for one person is not for the next.

I use a Weboost cellphone booster with an antenna on the roof of my airstream, verizon 4G LTE USB adapter plugged into a Peplink SOHO access point to share the signal to my other device.

My data plan is $20/month and I get about 20Gb/month for that. when I work with my laptop I can get through 2-4Gb/day

[turk123]

Originally Posted by stinky12

We are going on our first trip with our airstream in June. Does anyone know the best way to get fast internet? I see a lot of different ideas on the forum on this subject. I am not sure which is the best for my application.
I work from my laptop and have Sling TV and Netflix which are both internet based.
Thanks
Al

There is a lot of information here. It sounds like you may need a bit of bandwidth, so a hotspot is the best way to go. Verizon has an unlimited one for 65/Mo. ATT has 20GB/mo for $30 and of course there is the Airstream Connect system for $360/yr. unlimited, $1500 investment.

One thing I will tell you is that you CANNOT rely on the campground WiFi. Even if they say it works well.

[wulfraat]

Check out www.rvmobileinternet.com. Lots of good information there.

Personally I use a Verizon 8800L jetpack with prepaid unlimited plan ($65/Mo) and a netgear 2x2 mimo antenna. So far so good. Peak speaks have reached close to 60Mbps.

I’ve got att hotspot off my iphone if there is better coverage but with that I’m limited to just 10Gigs of data before throttling kicks in. I can easily burn through 10Gigs in 1/2 a day.

[bobzdar]

Originally Posted by stinky12

We are going on our first trip with our airstream in June. Does anyone know the best way to get fast internet? I see a lot of different ideas on the forum on this subject. I am not sure which is the best for my application.
I work from my laptop and have Sling TV and Netflix which are both internet based.
Thanks
Al

Cheapest overall (and best speed/coverage) has been to get an unlimited phone plan from Verizon and enable hotspot on the phone. This gives 22GB of un-throttled data. You can then add mifi hotspots for $10 a piece using family share plan, which are also unlimited (but throttle after 15GB). As I hate it when it throttles, I have 2 mifi hotspots I can turn on if I use all of the un-throttled phone data, giving me a total of 52GB a month for a decent price (~$100 a month, including cell usage obviously) before it throttles. You can enable/disable the mifi's as needed, so if you only use over 22GB occasionally, you can just call up and enable if you get close to or exceed the 22GB. Basically it's a way to add 15GB of unthrottled data for $10.

I also have a usb modem I can put a sim card from one of the mifi's into along with a cradlepoint router, which allows me to use multiple connections at once and do all kinds of fun stuff (like combine a wired connection if the campground has one with both a mifi and usb modem connection for super bandwidth), but that is probably way overkill for standard use. It also allows routing certain traffic to certain connections, or to set auto cutover for the connection. For example, I can set it to automatically use the usb modem if the phone goes over 15GB so my phone doesn't throttle when I'm not using it as a hotspot, only use the wired connection if latency is low, combine multiple connections for higher speed, stuff like that.

[wulfraat]

Originally Posted by bobzdar

Cheapest overall (and best speed/coverage) has been to get an unlimited phone plan from Verizon and enable hotspot on the phone. This gives 22GB of un-throttled data. You can then add mifi hotspots for $10 a piece using family share plan, which are also unlimited (but throttle after 15GB). As I hate it when it throttles, I have 2 mifi hotspots I can turn on if I use all of the un-throttled phone data, giving me a total of 52GB a month for a decent price (~$100 a month, including cell usage obviously) before it throttles. You can enable/disable the mifi's as needed, so if you only use over 22GB occasionally, you can just call up and enable if you get close to or exceed the 22GB. Basically it's a way to add 15GB of unthrottled data for $10.



I also have a usb modem I can put a sim card from one of the mifi's into along with a cradlepoint router, which allows me to use multiple connections at once and do all kinds of fun stuff (like combine a wired connection if the campground has one with both a mifi and usb modem connection for super bandwidth), but that is probably way overkill for standard use. It also allows routing certain traffic to certain connections, or to set auto cutover for the connection. For example, I can set it to automatically use the usb modem if the phone goes over 15GB so my phone doesn't throttle when I'm not using it as a hotspot, only use the wired connection if latency is low, combine multiple connections for higher speed, stuff like that.

Last month I pushed about 100Gigs of data and paid $65 bucks with the new Verizon prepaid unlimited plan and 8800 mifi. Never throttled. Little to no network management observed thus far. Speeds with the new 8800 jet pack are solid - has 4x4 mimo antenna built in which outperforms mobile hotspot from apple or Samsung. Supports tethering to pepwave / Cradlepoint routers (I tether to my pepwave soho)

Best plan kinda depends on your location, data usage, etc...

[bobzdar]

If it's truly unlimited, that's a great deal. Unfortunately, every time I've hit the cap on my 'unlimited' plan I get throttled heavily.

[wulfraat]

Originally Posted by bobzdar

If it's truly unlimited, that's a great deal. Unfortunately, every time I've hit the cap on my 'unlimited' plan I get throttled heavily.

No caps, no set throttling point after a certain amount of data usage. Only subject to network management (2 different things)

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The $30 a month AT&T unlimited plan has done very well by us ....

Bob

[Gramercyjam]

I use a Webboat (teletonika RUT950 with nice outdoor enclosure and big antennas) on top of a 16' aluminum telepole classic with T-Mobile SIM. Nice thing about T-Mobile is seems to be as omnipresent as ATT, but can stream unlimited and it does not count against your data plan. Use this both on my sailboat and my 32' Excella. Performance is comparable to my Spectrum cable internet in my homes. And yes, I am an IT professional that works remotely and a mechanical engineer.

If you want to know more about my setup I'd be glad to share.

--John

[RuffRider]

Hi John
Thanks for the reply!! I would like to know more about your system. I have Verizon as my carrier. I haven’t purchased anything yet. Our big maiden voyage is June 1st. Also do you know anything about the airstream connect.
Al

[VDR928]

For those of you who have had the Airstream Connect installed, how long did it take to get an appointment? We have contacted our local Airstream dealer per email (linked from the Airstream Connect site) and have thus far heard nothing. It is probably overkill for us but the Verizon and AT&T plans for hotspots seem so high per month?! We just do most things on our phones or tether the iPad (I rarely take the laptop) and occasionally watch a movie or two from Netflix or Hulu on TV (with Firestick). I just can't see paying $70-90 a month and then being throttled! I think we would rather pay up front and be free to watch what we want? It is so expensive and I am not reading very good reviews unless a second router?? Any advice or easier way would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[turk123]

The reviews are now good and get better with a few modifications. You changed your Goodyears marathons when Airstream put them on, didn't you?

[jackvosney]

Originally Posted by Gramercyjam

I use a Webboat (teletonika RUT950 with nice outdoor enclosure and big antennas) on top of a 16' aluminum telepole classic with T-Mobile SIM. Nice thing about T-Mobile is seems to be as omnipresent as ATT, but can stream unlimited and it does not count against your data plan. Use this both on my sailboat and my 32' Excella. Performance is comparable to my Spectrum cable internet in my homes. And yes, I am an IT professional that works remotely and a mechanical engineer.

If you want to know more about my setup I'd be glad to share.

--John

Hello john, i am looking at a similar setup and am curious about your entire set up. I need to be able to work and have reliable internet on the road. Would you mind providing all the specifics? I am seriously contemplating satalite internet as i cant be without coverage during the week but the costs for the set up are upwards of $7000. Do you find you have internet at the majority of the places you go and what type if campgrounds are you frequenting? Does your setup boost your 4g like the we boost system would?

Thanks for your assistance!!!

Cheers
Jack

[wulfraat]

www.rvmobileinternet.com is your best friend when researching options.

[batman]

Another good source of info for a multitude of moble living subjects is, Will Prowes. He has a great Youtube channel and books.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoj...q8kmJme-5dnN0Q

Look at Internet for Nomads.

-Dennis