Reliable mobile internet has been absolutely essential for us in our RV and cruising travels, constantly seeking out the current best options to keep abundantly online while we explore our wanderlust and work remotely.
When we hit the road in 2006 in a super tiny travel trailer, we were in our early 30s and working remotely as software developers and technology advisors.
Now we split our time between a motorhome and a motoryacht.
The connectivity challenges of intercoastal & inland waterways are very similar to our land based travels, so we move our setup when we switch between boat and RV seasonally.
Suffice it to say, over the years, we’ve tried a LOT of options to keep connected and have shared them here on the blog.Our Personal Mobile Internet Setup
Our online demands are high – we work online, we host a YouTube channel, we do a lot of video web conferencing and we love streaming video for entertainment. We also keep a variable travel style, sometimes in urban areas and sometimes way way out in the boonies.
Please keep in mind, everyone’s mobile internet setup tends to be unique – based on your own unique travel style, internet needs and budget. Copying our setup won’t necessarily meet your needs.
Here’s how our current gear comes together (don’t get too attached, we change this often!):
Video Tour
Here’s a video overview of this post with a tour of the plans and gear we use (as of November 26, 2018):
And.. now follow along for the juicy details:
Cellular Devices & Data (Mobile Hotspots)
Cellular data is the primary way we get online in our travels, and we often utilize mobile hotspots as our dedicated data devices.
Mobile hotspots are cellular modems that use your data plan, and create their own private Wi-Fi network that you can use to connect laptops, tablets and video streaming devices. You may also know them by their brand names of Jetpack, MiFi or Air Card.
They’re sort of like smartphones, except without the voice calling features.
Some folks prefer to use the personal hotspot feature on their smartphones instead, but for those who depend on mobile internet you may find this is less than ideal. We personally consider our smartphone hotspot feature to be our back-up plan or for use when exploring short term beyond our RV.
For more on the hotspotting:
MiFi/Jetpack, USB Modem or Smartphone Hotspotting?
Our Data Plans & Hotspots
Verizon
Verizon has the best coverage nationwide for travelers, and is frequently referenced as the top choice for mobile folks. If you’re traveling across the country, having Verizon in your arsenal is highly recommended.
We currently have two plans with them:
- Legacy Unlimited Plan – Back in 2014, we assumed liability of a grandfathered in unlimited Verizon account (a plan that retired in 2011, it’s truly unlimited – no throttling, no network management) and use it primarily with a Verizon Novatel 8800L. (released in Oct 2018) or our various embedded cellular routers. This costs us $45/month.
- The plan is pretty much difficult to obtain these days, although there are 3rd party rental vendors left. We have a full guide to it: Legacy Verizon Unlimited Plans
- Verizon New/Beyond “Unlimited “- We keep one smartphone on Verizon’s current postpaid “unlimited” data plan for $80/month, which only includes 15GB of high speed mobile hotspot use before it is throttled to 600 kbps. But it is a great smartphone plan with unlimited on device data that we use with a HDMI out cable for getting our Netflix fix.
- Adding a Jetpack to these plans also has this painful 15GB restriction – making it not really an ideal plan for mobile folks seeking a home internet replacement.
NEW: As of November 2018 Verizon launched a new PREPAID unlimited plan for Jetpacks for $65/month.
There are some trade-offs, so be sure to read the full article – but this is legit and direct from the carrier. This one is worth considering if you need unlimited Verizon data. We do have the plan for active testing against other Verizon based options.
AT&T
It used to be AT&T had pretty good coverage but lousy data plans for travelers. That all changed in 2017 for a bit when they offered some sweet data plans (all have retired now)! For coverage, we rank them slightly behind Verizon, and consider AT&T a great complement in a mobile internet arsenal.
We currently have two plans:
- Unlimited Plus – We keep one of our smartphones on this plan, along with several family members – this keeps our costs down. We also keep a mobile hotspot line added to this plan (just $20 extra a month), and currently are utilizing the Netgear Nighthawk MR1100.
- Unlimited Plus was retired on 2/28/2018 and the current plan is Unlimited &More. The retired plan allowed hotspot devices to be added that were not subject to the high speed mobile hotspot cap of smartphones (10GB) – it was sweet sweet sweet. The new plans do not allow hotspot devices at all.
- Connected Car – We snagged a Mobley device on the Connected Car plan while it was still available for just $20/month for unlimited data as a stand alone device. The Mobley can be setup to work anywhere, even not plugged into a vehicle.
- This deal fully retired in Sept 2017, but is BACK in early 2019!! AT&T also has connected car (and even an Airstream) unlimited plans. But these plans only work in their designated vehicles/devices.
Other Carriers & Coverage
We also keep T-Mobile and Sprint options on board, mostly for testing – but we don’t consider these carriers as ideal for most mobile travelers who travel outside urban areas.
For Sprint we keep a non-profit plan via the Calyx Institute on a ZTE Warp that costs us $33/month.
For T-Mobile we still keep our old grandfathered Simple Choice plan for $35/month with unlimited video streaming.
But, keep an eye on T-Mobile in the next year as they rapidly expand their coverage and potentially merge with Sprint – they also have some intriguing unlimited plans.
For planning our travels around cellular connectivity, in 2010 we actually wrote an app for that! Coverage? is now available for iOS and Android, and allows you to create you own personal coverage map based on your carriers and minimum signal type. All maps are on device and updated throughout the year – so you can look up coverage even when you don’t have any.
A note about “Unlimited” Data
A struggle with cellular internet however is finding affordable data plans that can serve as a home/office internet replacement on the road. All carriers now offer unlimited plans, but we’ve taken to calling them “unlimited” plans – because they usually have restrictions that make them less appealing for high bandwidth consumers.
We spend a lot of our time tracking plans as they come and go, including our current top pick data plans, and advising travelers on how to best utilize them.
However, following our plans is an exercise in frustration. Some of ours are now retired and not available to new customers.
The options for cellular data are constantly shifting, here’s our CURRENT Top Pick Data Plans for each carrier:
Top Pick Cellular Data Plans
Related Guides:
- Current Top Pick Data Plans
- Guide to Unlimited Data Plans
- The Four Major US Carriers — Which is Best for RVers?
- Considerations for Selecting Cellular Data Plans
- Selecting a LTE Mobile Hotspot or Modem (MiFi / Jetpack)
- How to Find Cellular Coverage in your travels
Signal Enhancing: Cellular Boosters & Antennas
Since cellular data is the primary way we get online, optimizing our signal for the best performance is super important.
Boosters and antennas can take a weak signal and make it much more stable – resulting in a more solid connection and faster data speeds.
They can be like magic, allowing us to stay in an idealic campsite much longer than we could otherwise. They can also be disappointing in some situations and take some trial and error.
There are a lot of options on the market, and cellular signal enhancing for best data performance is a complex topic that requires some basic understanding.
Our guide: Understanding & Optimizing Your Cellular Data Performance
Boosters
A booster uses an external antenna that feeds signal collected from a cellular tower into an amplifier that boosts the signal. It then re-transmits the signal through an interior antenna. They can help with better phone calls and better data performance in some situations.
While a popular option made even more popular by aggressive social media marketing – they’re not always the right choice in all situations – and they’re pricey!
But for those who depend on cellular data, they can be a very worthwhile to have onboard as an option to try – especially for devices without antenna ports, like smartphones.
Personal current choice: After lots of testing of almost every mobile booster on the market, we consider the weBoost Drive 4G-X OTR ($499.99 – purchase on: weBoost | Amazon) to be the best performing mobile booster, and it’s our personal top pick for mobile folks who need the most options onboard.
weBoost also offers the 4G-X amplifier in two other antenna kits – one more suitable for vehicles, and one for RVs (but it our testing doesn’t perform as well as the OTR antenna kit).
For more on this booster and antenna kit options: Guide to the weBoost Drive 4G-X
Other Boosters to Consider:
- weBoost Drive 4G-M – it is a solid performer as compared to the 4G-X vehicle kit, it just won’t deliver as high of upload speeds when in very remote locations. It’s a great option to save $100 if upload performance isn’t your focus.
- HiBoost OTR – This lower cost booster is surprising us in performing fairly well against the 4G-X OTR. We have it in active testing right now.
- weBoost Drive Sleek might be a more ideal and affordable choice at $199 – it only boosts a single device and is lower powered. It’s great for tow vehicles or smaller RVs.
- weBoost Connect RV 65 is designed for stationary RVers with a higher gain amplifier and directional antennas on a telescoping pole that requires setup and aiming at each location. It’s really only recommend for those who don’t move often and have really weak signal in that location.
- SureCall Fusion2Go 3.0 came out in March 2018, with claims it will outperform the 4G-X. We have it in active testing, and so far, their claims aren’t consistently founded.
- Cel-Fi Go M is a digital booster with some very interesting features that we have in our testing rotation.
We are constantly testing cellular boosters and antennas in our Field Testing Lab.
Antenna Only Solutions
We often find that direct wired antennas, especially in a MIMO (multi in multi out) configuration can often outperform boosters in many signal conditions. MIMO is an important LTE technology that utilizes multiple antennas to get a better signal, which current boosters don’t support.
Of course, antennas only work with devices that have antenna ports (another reason we prefer mobile hotspots & routers).
We default to MIMO antennas in our own personal signal enhancing strategy. We only bring out a booster when the extra amplification is needed for really weak signal conditions.
For the roof, our personal choice is the MobileMark LMT401 – it’s a low profile MIMO antenna that we wire directly into a cellular embedded modem, ours also has a Wi-Fi antenna built in.
We also find just two 4″ magnet mount antennas or two OTR antennas performs decently well.
But the most affordable, highly effective and portable antenna we’ve found is a simple window mounted directional suction cup MIMO antenna by Netgear (for just $27.49, when in stock) designed to plug directly into the antenna ports of a mobile hotspots.
We and our staff try to test as many mobile cellular boosters and antennas as we can fit on our roof, and are constantly running extensive field testing.
Check out our Field Testing Lab to see what we’re currently testing.
Related guides to cellular signal enhancing:
- Understanding & Optimizing Your Cellular Data Performance
- Cellular Boosters for RVs
- Selecting a Cellular Antenna
- Selecting Antenna Cables, Connectors, and Adapters
Mobile Routers & WiFi Extending Gear
While mobile hotspots and smartphones can create their own Wi-Fi network, and you can connect your laptop to the campground’s Wi-Fi if you’re close enough – those with more extensive networking needs might consider a mobile router.
A router acts as the central conductor between your mobile internet options and your devices.
This allows all your devices to always connect to the same network, and you just switch out what is the current best internet source at your location (Verizon, AT&T, campground Wi-Fi, etc.).
Routers also usually have ethernet ports, which can be important if you want a wired local network. And routers usually can create a stronger and wider Wi-Fi LAN too.
What sets mobile routers apart from household routers are these features:
- WiFi as WAN – the ability to use a WiFi hotspot as your own network’s internet upstream. WiFi extending antennas/radios are more powerful long-range WiFi options that can pick up hotspots vastly further away than laptops alone can.
- USB cellular tethering or embedded cellular modem – allows you to use cellular data as your internet source.
- 12V Power – most mobile routers can be powered off 12v or 110, allowing you to use them without needing shore power or an inverter when boondocking.
Routers come in a variety of price points, complexity, usability and some have roof mounted options for better signals.
Constantly Testing: We are always testing new routers and gear. Here’s our most recent round that included WiFiRanger, Pepwave SOHO/MAX-BR1/SOTG, Winegard ConnecT and Alfa: Mobile Router Testing
Personal Choice: It’s tough to make a personal choice after testing so much gear – and there are pros and cons to different setups and options. We are regularly cycling through our top pick gear.
For choosing your approach, it really starts with do you want a cellular embedded router, or do you want to tether a cellular hotspot into your router? (Or do you want to keep it simple and skip router all together?)
- USB Tethered Router: With this approach, you tether a mobile hotspot or smartphone to a cellular aware mobile router. The pro of this approach is that mobile hotspot options are frequently released with the latest modem chipsets, and for $200 you can affordably update your mobile internet setup without changing your router out.
- If we optimized for this approach, we’d likely choose the WiFiRanger SkyPro connected to the GoAC interior router as a sweet spot between low profile form factor, price, customer service and range.
- However, since utilizing WiFi hotspots only makes up a small portion of our mobile internet usage – we might be tempted to skip a roof mounted WiFi extending option all together. Which then makes the Pepwave SOHO worth consideration which doesn’t have a roof mounted option it easily pairs with.
- Cellular Embedded Routers: These are going to be higher end routers, usually more pro or industrial grade (with price tags to match). The cellular modem is built into the router itself, and sometime even have dual SIM slots for easier switching between carriers. The downside is, the cellular modems in these tend to be a bit behind those offered in mobile hotspots. Since these are a bigger investment upfront, it makes it pricier to keep up with the latest and greatest.
- The two models we spend a lot of time with are the Pepwave MAX-BR1 or Cradlepoint IBR900 (we have in-depth head-to-head reviews available for our members) with direct wired roof antennas.
Related Guides:
- Getting Better Wi-Fi — Selecting Long Range Wi-Fi Extending Gear (Antennas, Routers, CPEs)
- Selecting a Mobile Router — Bringing Mobile Internet Options Together and Creating a Local RV Network
Devices & iGadgets – We’re pretty much an all Apple household. We each have a MacBook for portability, and Cherie also has a 21.5″ iMac desktop computer.
We also have a collection of iPhones and iPads. Those on cellular data plans we can also use the personal hotspot to get our computers online.
We use an HDMI Ligthning Digital AV Adapter cable from our iPhones to a larger TV screen to use our carrier’s unlimited data plans for video streaming without counting against our mobile hotspot data cap.
We keep one phone on AT&T and one on Verizon for carrier diversity.
For more: Tour of our RV Office Setup
Other Solutions of Note:
Flagpole Mast & Directional Antennas – When set up for a while and we need to reach a further away tower or access point, we deploy a flagpole on a rear hitch mount with an Ubiquity NanoStation M2 for WiFi repeating.
We also have directional wideband cellular antennas we can mount. Since we don’t stop in one place too often, and rarely utilize WiFi hotspots – we honestly don’t utilize this setup all that often. But, nice to know it’s there in a pinch.
Wilson Wide Band Directional Antenna — Worth The Hassle?
LTTE – Libation: Technology Tribulation Elimination – Surviving via mobile internet can sometimes be frustrating, especially if you are used to the consistency of a plugged in connection like cable or DSL. For dealing with the inevitable frustrations, we suggest keeping a box or two of LTTE on hand as part of your tech arsenal essentials – it helps take the edge off when the bits just refuse to flow. We love Bota Box Old Vine Zin and RedVolultion (Cost – $14-19/box depending on local taxes – you can add to our supply using the ‘Leave a Tip’ button at the bottom of this page)
Satellite Internet: Up until November 2013, we did travel with a tripod satellite setup from HughesNet. However between the prevalence of cellular & WiFi, the setup & equipment, high latency and no longer needing to be as connected as we once were due to shifts in our business — we ditched the setup.
Since then, new mobile suitable satellite options have come online, including the new HughesNet Gen 5. Initial reports from first customers are astounding – advertised speeds are up to 15 mbps but we have reports much higher! There are other options, including low earth orbit, in development that could be quite interesting down the road.
We do however travel with a Garmin InReach Explorer+ – which gives us some basic satellite communication when we’re out of reach of cell towers or Wi-Fi. We can at least get a TXT message out to loved ones, and our staff can reach us if there’s something big going on. We can also pull up weather reports, and get an SOS emergency out. When going out for hikes or dinghy explorations, we also bring it along for basic navigation and emergency communication.
Here’s our guide to Satellite Internet for RVers.
Disclaimer:
We are not sponsored or paid advertising dollars by any company or service mentioned in this post. Some equipment we test is provided for review, and others we purchase on our own dime. Some links in this post may be affiliate links however – the little extra ka-ching makes our hearts sing.
But you should know, education about mobile internet is now our career.
We were fielding so many questions about how we kept online here on our personal blog, that in 2013 we wrote the first edition of The Mobile Internet Handbook. The book was so well received, that we soon after launched the Mobile Internet Resource Center website to keep on top of this constantly evolving industry.
It was a complete surprise to us that running that site would become our full time career and income source.
We strive to be an unbiased community funded site (no advertising, no selling ‘stuff’, no sponsorships). We love to help our fellow nomads keep online!
It is truly is our passion and JOY merging our tech backgrounds, desire to help others achieve their dreams and our own nomadic travels.
You can find a ton of additional (a lot of it free) content here:
All our testing & content creation is funded by our premium members of MobileInternetInfo.com – and we hold ourselves accountable to them to be unbiased. Links to guides on the resource center below contain free content or some may also contain member exclusives.
Installation & Cabling
Wire runs (for both internet equipment, and solar panels) from roof to inside.
So just how do we route all these cables around the bus?
When we replaced our refrigerator years ago, we took the opportunity to route conduit from the roof of the bus, through the fridge vent and then into our cabinetry to our tech cabinet.
Conduit heading back to our tech cabinet
This allows us to more easily switch out cabling as needed, as we’re constantly changing out gear as we test and evolve our system.
For those who desire keeping their technology updated, we highly recommend taking the time & effort to route conduit from the roof to the tech cabinet – it makes a world of difference when it comes time to install new antennas or gear.
Related Guides:
- Installing Antennas on your RV Roof
- The Tech Cabinet Approach: Centralizing your Mobile Internet Arsenal
Do You Really Need This Much ??
What will be ideal for you, will likely vary. It’s highly dependent upon your needs, your travel style, your RV type, your budget and what existing setup you have.
We prefer a lot of public parks (state, county, federal) and wild boondocking in our travels – places where Wi-Fi isn’t offered very often. We also work online full time, do a lot of video work (live casts, webinars, conferences and YouTube) and we love streaming TV & videos. We easily use 200-300 GB of data a month.
Having a strong cellular dependency works really well for us, especially if we plan our travels around connectivity. We’re often abundant in bandwidth with super fast speeds (10 – 50 mbps down.)
We like the redundancy of multiple cellular networks and the combined coverage footprint we get with Verizon & AT&T – there are places where one excels over the other. We also are finding T-Mobile to be increasingly more useful in our setup as they continue to expand their coverage.
Curious how our other RVing peers keep online?
Links to other Full Time RVer Mobile Internet Posts
Helping you Understand your Mobile Internet Options is our Passion
After years of sharing about our own mobile internet connectivity, and answering lots of questions on it – we started a dedicated resource center at MobileInternetInfo.com. As we now cruise too, we have expanded to also include option for boats and the site has been rebranded to just simple the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
We provide of bunch of free public content with news, articles, guides and a discussion group.
It is all funded by our premium membership component that takes it even further for those who depend on mobile internet. Mobile Internet Aficionados is a vibrant community of fellow nomads who rely on mobile internet and they get alerts, reviews, deeper guides, webinars, a classroom and insider scoops.
We’re proud that Mobile Internet Resource Center is completely funded by our mobile community – so that we can make this stuff our priority without bias and you can focus on what drives you!
Here’s some further places you can tap into our resources:
- Internet for RVers & Cruisers Facebook Group (FREE)– Got questions? Want to stay in the know? We host this free open Facebook group where we share news stories, articles and answer basic questions.
- Mobile Internet News Feed (FREE)– We track the industry news daily, and report things that might impact RVers from an RVers perspective. Check out the News Center, Subscribe via RSS, our Facebook Page or subscribe to our free monthly summary newsletter.
- YouTube Channel (FREE) – Catch our free videos – from tips & tricks, guides and news stories.
- The Mobile Internet Handbook – The 5th Edition released in early 2018 – focused on helping you assess your personal mobile internet needs, understanding the challenges and overviewing the options of cellular, Wi-Fi and satellite.
- Mobile Internet Aficionados (aka MIA) is our premium membership group designed to help those who rely on mobile internet. We provide exclusive in-depth guides, a classroom, product overviews, member Q&A forums, webinars, discounts and an alert newsletter.
William Kelly says
Did you take a look at Unlimitedville.com?
Cherie Ve Ard says
Yes, we have them reviewed here: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/unlimitedville
They’re basically just reselling unlimited plans on the carriers at a very high mark-up. There are usually much more affordable options.
Kapow Eagle says
Is your Newest Video about the New Verizon Unlimited plan still up? Was it removed. Verizon says this plan doesn’t exist. Would like to know more so we can assess our need with this plan/
Thanks
Cherie Ve Ard says
Our full coverage: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/verizon-prepaid-unlimited
Kim says
My Mobley just updated (V. 1.0.3) and lost the “never” time saver option. It has been shutting down after
2 hours on AC power adapter.
Chris Dunphy says
We’ve had several reports of this – and we are digging deeper and tracking this issue over on the member forums at MobileInternetInfo.com.
– Chris
Loel Hofmann says
Sticks and brick vs mobile equipment:
Sorry if this is a repeat. I had completely written this and then my finicky laptop deleted it instead of sending it. If this turns out to be a duplicate please disregard the first version.
You and others talk about mobile equipment for wifi etc but can find no one addressing the question of using “residential” or S&B equipment in an RV . I have an extensive collection of electronics including a custom router with wireless repeaters, a NAS for Plex and other equipment. I hate the idea of having to ditch this for new mobile equipment having already made a substantial investment in what I have. We are planning to sell or S&B and go full time RV. In your experience what is the limitations or down side to using this S&B equipment vs Wiboost or other “made for mobile” equipment? I realize I will need a method to connect to “free Wifi or a mobile hotspot, but the router and NAS are the question? I also will likely run CAT6 for TV as I prefer hard wire to streaming wirelessly. So, please give be the benefit of your knowledge and experience. If I have or should change some or all of my equipment please advise why and your recommendations as to how best to migrate. I look forward to your sage advise.
Cherie Ve Ard says
So much depends on your overall setup, all part of assessing your needs and designing your solution. … we do go over ‘residential’ vs mobile routers in this guide: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/wifi
But basically, your residential equipment very likely doesn’t support mobile options as your WAN – like Wi-Fi or cellular inputs (let alone cellular signal enhancing).
Ken Knutson says
Hi you guys! Following you on your land and sea travels!!! Question: Have you found a difference in the iphone’s hotspot performance from the 5s to Xs? Are the newer ones going to give faster/less compression than the older ones? TYIA!
Cherie Ve Ard says
Oh gosh.. the modem chipset alone between the 5s and X are world’s apart.. you’ll definitely get tremendously faster speeds.
Lori says
I have to be hard wired for my job – is there anyway to do that from an RV so we can travel and Ican still work?
Cherie Ve Ard says
You’d have to plan your travels around places you can hook up to cable or DSL.
Pat Cote says
We are from Canada and spend from 3 to 5 months a year in Arizona. We have an older Verizan jet pack and it works not bad but the prepaid charges are expensive for what you get. Is there anything better on the market for snow birders like us that like playing on the internet and playing a few games and can’t get a package. We have an iPad and a laptop.
Cherie Ve Ard says
We have a guide to keeping Connected in Canada (as a US based RVer), with a special section for Canadian’s traveling in the US: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/canada
Diana Privett says
Thank you the info.
ssevere says
What do you think of ATT Mobley? I guess we can connect it in our truck & have wifi on the road, then bring it into the fifth wheel for wifi. Anyone use this?
Cherie Ve Ard says
We have the Mobley covered at : http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/mobley
jamesdukk says
+1 for the Winegard Connect. Had this installed about a month ago and we are loving it. Most campgrounds are still to slow to stream much but we can do most normal internet searching, emailing, etc. We bought one straight from winegard (http;//www.winegard.com/connect) and had it installed at an FMCA rally. Right away we could tell a huge difference over just the range of our laptops.
Hello Freedom says
Hi C&C: Thanks for all you do. We have both a Verizon and AT&T plan (200-250 GB per month respectively) which have been working great for us. It was recently recommended that we create a VPN – Virtual Private Network – so that our IP addresses and location could remain confidential and protect us from snoopers. Is Wifi Ranger considered a VPN? If no, is there a recommended way for a fulltimer to set up a VPN?
Cherie Ve Ard says
WiFiRanger has a built in VPN functionality. And we cover other VPN options in’The Mobile Internet Handbook’.
Hello Freedom says
Thank you! I have 2 versions of your book. I will read it there. Many thanks.
Bo Higgins says
Cherie,
We have finally bought a nice used Hurricane 34J for weekend and summer trips. I have read most of you post until my eyes are so tired of reading. We have a 15 year old son who loves his computer and his games. So is there anything out there that will be fast enough for his gaming online with his friends while we are on the road? If there is I have not found it. Do you have any suggestions for this type of on the road internet access?
Thanks for you time,
Bo
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Bo – so much depends on the type of gaming. It’s usually the ping times that can be the problem with interactive gaming. We do have a section on gaming on the road in the book. There are many gamers on the road who make it work through keeping up with technology (making sure they have the latest gear), multiple cellular data plans to try and signal enhancing gear.
Eric says
Hey Cherie and Chris! My wife and I finally moved into our 2008 Tiffin Allegro Class A in early August and hit the road. We have been following you guys for a while, trying to pick up as much knowledge as possible, and I can honestly say you have been very helpful. Anyway just wanted to say thank you very much for all your information regarding technology and your life on the road. Best, Eric
Shane says
WifiRanger seems to be causing a slowing of speed on wireless hotspots. Call it what you will, attenuation, latency, division, it all comes back to that when I connect the wifi ranger to various data sources ie wifi, USB cellular modem, cellular mifi, or some even on eathernet, the degrading of the speed is considerably noticeable. Let me preface that I don’t have a 100% pure scientific method on how I hatched it down to the wifi ranger but it was relatively accurate. I disconnected all hardware and wireless users from the wifi ranger and used just one iPhone user subject. I then connected the wifi ranger to a cellular mifi modem wirelessly. Using my test subject I tested speeds while connected to the wifi ranger and recorded them. I then disconnected the subject from the wifi ranger and wirelessly connected directly to the same cellular mifi that the wifi ranger was connected to. A stark improvement! Like more than double. On a traditional home router there would also be a difference between connecting to the Internet directly through the modem versus a router. But the difference would typically be negligible. In this case I have to believe that there is something about the wifi ranger that is causing it to slow the relayed internet speed substantially. Have you experienced this in your tests? Have you identified a potential work around or fix?
Love the videos and the blogs. I am a member.
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Shane… please repost this in the member forums, and we’ll be happy to converse about this there. Thanks!
Trae says
Hey, I recently came across some other options, and figured you may want to know 🙂 The caveat being that I have just set this up myself, so I’m unsure how truly viable it will be yet.
I’ve had to change phones a few times recently, and ended up with Verizon for a while. I am, apparently, either the minority or just unlucky, as I absolutely hated them. Way too expensive, customer service sucked, payment options were frustrating, etc. The kicker was when my phone wouldn’t even receive calls for months, and they couldn’t even tell me what was wrong, and wouldn’t offer any sort of compensation. So I dropped them.
My data plan wasn’t nearly enough anyways, I wanted a an unlimited data plan. As you know, these are hard to come by, and this resources was one of the things I was looking at to make it happen. I’m not living mobile right now, but spent the largest majority of my time out and about anyways, and figured two birds with one stone (home and mobile internet) might work out best. My options weren’t looking good however.
I was just about to set up with one of the second or third tier local providers, which just repackage major carrier service, and claimed to offer unlimited plans and cheaper than the major carriers (which I don’t understand how this works at all, but there it is). Serendipitously I happened to hear that Sprint was running a new package, using my city as a test market, offering 4g unlimited everything, for $50/month, which is significantly cheaper than anything else I could find, and on a major carrier directly. So I signed up, making sure to find out that everything was indeed unlimited, and the price and plan were good forever, etc. I don’t know when/if this package will go live nationally, or how great their coverage is (I was kind of surprised Sprint was still a thing in fact), but it’s something to watch at the very least, and snap up inside the test markets (Phoenix and one other I don’t recall)
Everything was looking good, until I ran into a single snag. The one thing they limit, for likely obvious and extremely relevant reasons, is the tethering data. It lets you stream all you want from the device in service (which includes cell capable tablets, so that works enough for some), but limits tethering to 3 gigs. I thought that sunk my prospects, though I was still happy about solving the mobile data issue.
I found a solution however. There’s an app… There’s an app for everything. But this one, EasyTether Pro, specifically lets you tether via USB or bluetooth, without using tethering data. It was a super cheap solution, and offers a free version to make sure the paid version works. The app is apparently hidden from certain networks (like sprint), so it was a third party install. It installed quick, the instructions were very clear (with a small exception on some extra files possibly required), and has worked like a charm so far.
I don’t usually go about promoting random companies products, but I’m super happy with how this has worked out so far, and it’s right up your topical alley. Figured it might be something to look into.
Cherie Ve Ard says
Sounds like you snagged their test marketing of the Unlimited Freedom plan they just rolled out (our story covering it: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/sprint-rolls-out-unlimited-freedom-plan-with-some-big-limits/). Sprint isn’t ideal for most RVers, as their coverage is rather limited, but otherwise it’s a decent plan.
However, we don’t condone using these tethering apps to get around your terms of service. In fact, with Sprint’s announcement of Unlimited Freedom they put cap on VPN usage, which is essentially what these apps do. I don’t know if they’ll apply that rule to the plan you happened upon, but it isn’t likely to work for the official unlimited plan anymore.
Trae says
Yep, I hadn’t seen that article yet, but that’s the thing. I really wasn’t expecting this plan to be the ultimate solution, it’s far too cheap for that, but it would have been nice if those limits were mentioned… like when I specifically asked about them. I’m about to hit that 23 gig mark, so I guess I’ll find out shortly how much things change then. I didn’t see an option to upgrade to premium at all either, or I would have snagged it. Data throttling is a quick way to irk me as a customer. Still, so far, it’s the best option… hopefully those limit get raised a bit (100mb roaming? What the hell?).
Bill Widmer says
Wow, this is an incredibly thorough guide. Thanks for taking the time to write it up! Kayla and I got the wifiranger elite, and so far it’s been working wonders for us. However, we haven’t had any experience boondocking with no internet yet, which may mean we need to up our data plan…
Rod says
Hi Guys, watch you on YouTube. Have you ever tested the One Source Cell-WiFi-HDTV complete system. Total package is $1300. I am seriously considering this package. Thanks, Rod
Cherie Ve Ard says
We’ve had the PDQ OneSource on our radar for a while, and when it was first announced in May we got in touch with PDQ about it.
They were initially responsive, but when we pointed out that it appeared that they were repurposing and rebranding the old SureCall 4G booster and the very basic Alfa router they stopped responding to our emails and requests for a review unit or more detailed technical info.
The marketing claims around the OneSource are extremely dubious (Up to 20 mile WiFi?!?!) and we’d love to hear a first-hand report from anyone who has actually used one.
For the money, we feel there are much better systems that can be built to serve these functions.. and likely for cheaper.
Nancy says
What would we do without you? I/We are currently overwhelmed, trying to transition from brick & mortar to our 40 footer! We are clueless about smartphones, internet and all things associated with them. And are trying to set these things up without the knowledge required to do so. It’s insanity on steroids! Biggest problem is security when trying to do our banking, we’re lost. Thank you for all you do.
Jonathan Swanson says
Hey Chris and Cherie! First of all, thanks for all the info. My girlfriend and I will be starting our full-time adventure this fall, and this site has been a lot of help! We will also both be working from the road full time so connectivity is key. I just purchased a Weboost 4G-X extreme kit from ubersignal and WiFiRanger elite pack. They both have vertical mount antennas and I would like to mount them on each side of my ladder in the rear (’16 FW Bounder 33C). Based on the differences in frequencies used by Cell and WiFi, I don’t think I should get any interference. Also they will be mounted at least one wavelength of their respective signals apart. Do you issue with this? Too close together? Interference with each other or otherwise? The antennas shouldn’t extend any higher than any of the other items on the roof like TV antenna or AC. Also, any recommendations on getting the wires into the interior of the coach? Drilling in my roof or side really freaks me out! Thanks in advance!
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Jonathan – We have a free guide to ‘Installing Antennas On Your Roof’ over at our RVMobileInternet.com site: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/resources/installing-antennas-on-your-rv-roof/
There’s also a chapter in our book on the topic too.
Best wishes
Mike Gondeck says
If you have an Ipad with unlimited, and if you mirror your Ipad to AppleTV, does the actual data go on your Ipad modem, or the hotspot that your apple TV is associated with?
Cherie Ve Ard says
When you go through the AppleTV, the AppleTV’s built in streaming apps take over (ie. you are not mirroring) – and thus you are using whatever WiFi source it is connected to. If you want to use the iPad’s data (or that of any unlimited on device data account), bypass the streaming device and use a HDMI cable out to your display.
Owen Liebich says
I just joined, I use the internet for work and play but It is not necessary 24/7. There are times when I really don’t need internet at all. I’m on a grandfathered in plan with Verizon for unlimited mobile internet and I pay for point to point wireless in California where I live in my Cargo trailer. Recently I bought a bus in mint condition on eBay, and have plans in the near future to be driving across the country doing my job which can be done mobile while taking in the sights, going to conventions and visiting friends. I look forward to meeting other mobile lifestyle people and can’t wait to become a full timer.. thank you Chris and Cherie, you have definitely influenced my present and future! 🙂
Ron says
Folks,
Great info. Leads me to a question. I have the grandfathered unlimited 3g plan with Verizon. I use the Verizon AC30 for connectivity. Since it requires battery power to work, it sometimes powers down due to the battery not being charged enough. I have asked Verizon if they have or know a 3G only robust mobile wifi modem/router that does not rely on battery power. They haven’t come up with a good solution.
Do you know of any mobile 3G wifi modem/router that is robust and reliable? In order to work with my grandfathered plan the modem/router must be 3G only.
Thanks in advance for any ideas you might have.
Cherie Ve Ard says
We haven’t tracked 3G-only technology in many many years.. so sorry, don’t have any info to share. Maybe try looking for a USB modem/stick? Those wouldn’t require battery power.
Mary Ann says
I’ll start by saying I haven’t read the latest updates to your MIH (and need to)! I love following you guys and we’d really like to jump ship from the corporate rat race and RV full time, but I have serious concerns about connectivity. My job, which is our sole reliable income at the moment, allows me to work remotely – BUT, I have to be on our VPN at least 30% of the time, and we are an ASP software provider, for which I help manage customer support operations. Is this even feasible for me, even if we park-hopped from every few months, with maybe a few boondocking vacations from time to time? Or do I seriously need to consider finding a way to replace my current job with something that requires less consistent, reliable, high-speed connection? Thanks for whatever your honest opinion you may have – I truly appreciate everything I’m learning from you guys!!
Cherie Ve Ard says
We think it’s entirely possible these days, there are many options out there that exceed even some home based internet solutions. Many of our members are doing exactly what you’re proposing, or even more challenging connection requirements.
Rob Lee says
Big thanks for the amazing work and information you’ve gathered here. This really appeals to both my geeky tech side and my camping adventure side. We’re part time boondockers and have recently added solar and cell boosting technology to our gear. Great work on your videos and blog!
Paula says
Hi, I work virtually and we live in a fifth wheel. We are planning on starting our travels later this year and I have to be able to stay connected via my VPN. I am researching options and I am nervous about stepping out of our area and risking not being able to work. I have 2 questions. First, I am trying to determine how much data would be used if you were forced to use a hotspot device. I work 8 to 9 hours a day 5 days a week and I must be connected to the VPN the entire time. I have gone and looked at my current cable provider usage and I use a lot of data but not sure if that equates to the same thing when looking at a cellular data usage? I think the cost would be astronomical. My second question is are you aware of any sites, blogs, books that provide lists of BEST RV parks in country that have good wifi for virtual workers?
Do you have any suggestions on how to feel safer to venture out on our travels and feel more comfortable you will be able to work as normal?
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Paula.. your usage on the road will be similar to your usage while stationary. So best to monitor it to get a handle on it. We have a bunch more info in our newly released version of ‘The Mobile Internet Handbook’ on strategies for staying connected on the road. Recommend starting with our free overview at http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/overview.
Hollie Millican says
Hi! I will be working online starting in August, and we are contemplating buying an RV to live in. For my job, I will need to videoconference, and it’s important that I have a good internet connection. From your experience, were you able to get strong enough connections in most places to videoconference? I am planning on using a secure videoconferencing platform such as VSee. If I connect using a public WiFi hotspot, will it compromise the security? I’m hoping to use a mobile hotspot most of the time, but would like to know my options. Thank you! Your website is so helpful!!
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Hollie .. it can be done. But you’ll need to route your travels for connectivity. When we have video broadcast work to do, we specifically seek out spots with the bandwidth we’ll need. Just last week, we had to drive into the nearest town for a video session – because we couldn’t get enough upload speed to do it from our campground.
Assembling a mobile internet arsenal is key – having multiple options gives you better odds. Our book goes into a lot more depth on this topic.
trikepilot1 says
I have been looking at the LTE installed internet that Verizon offers.It is meant to bolt onto the side of a house but The tech said that an RV roof mount would be no problem. Have you looked into this setup? I am curious what your opinion is.
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/lte-internet-installed/?intcmp=INT-SEA-NON-CS-4g_internet-06252015-DE-SR-DV-T
Thanks,
John
Chris Dunphy says
It would technically work, but it is not at all well suited for mobile usage and you would almost certainly be better off with a hotspot.
A few of the issues: it will not run off 12V, it requires professional installation and Verizon will not support you if you move, it will not fall back to 3G if out of LTE coverage, and I am pretty sure that this does not have support for the latest LTE bands supported by the newer Verizon hotspots.
I’m curious – what makes this solution seem appealing?
Cheers,
– Chris
trikepilot1 says
Thank you so much for your insights on this device.
Mim says
It is possible to have a secure connection in any of the options mentioned? The work I do can be completed anywhere but my company requires https – s meaning secure access when working on line. Thank you!
Cherie Ve Ard says
HTTPS is a function of the site/website hosting the content you need to access. Any connection method can access a https site. If you need something more secure, using a MiFi, a router that provides additional security and/or VPN is about as secure as you can get from any connection – mobile or not.
Bob says
I’m a just retired CTO for F500 company. That’s CTO, not CIO so more traditional engineering so not a whiz on data systems. Would like to get RV park wifi into our shielded metal tube. You have best site for information. So much so, hard for even someone like me to make confident purchase decision. Wonder if you have considered either a for fee interactive site where I select from 4-5 best fit user/ use profiles and it spits out a recommended bill of materials. Or, alternatively, a really dumbed-down grid chart, flow diagram, or short ‘Four Levels of RV wifi connectivity (for Dummeys)
Cherie Ve Ard says
If only it were so simple, we would create such a resource.
Instead, there are just too many variables – styles of travel, connectivity needs, types of RVs, starting places and technical levels. It is overwhelming. Which is why we wrote a book – The Mobile Internet Handbook – that breaks it down (and does include some sample systems to start from), developed RVMobileInternet.com with a lot more resources for education, guides and product reviews. And for those that would like us to evaluate their situation and come up with a game plan, we do offer personal mobile internet advising. After having now conducted many dozens of them in the past year, we can say with confidence that it’s impossible to distill it down to just a few best fit setups. Each one has turned out completely unique.
James LaPerle says
I believe you are living life wonderfully. You live the way others wish they could or could have. I will routinely read your articles, and like many enjoy your travels.
Thanks
Jim
Michael Kleu says
We have just started with the full time RV life and I have 2 children on home-schooling which requires decent connectivity. If I use the WiFi Ranger Go2, MUST I also have an additional external service/device such as the Elite, or can the Go2 run on its own picking up the park WiFi and boost the signal for our computers?
Cherie Ve Ard says
The Go2 does have a WiFi antenna in it and can be a stand alone solution. It’s not very strong however. It’ll likely be better in some situations than what is in your laptop/computer – but a roof top mounted component will vastly increase your range.
Robert Laird says
We signed up for, and were told we were about to get the OmniLynx offer. About a week later, we were told that it was no longer offered. The email, dated Sept 24, 2015, said in part: “The wireless provider previously servicing the OmniLynx Program has recently expressed an inability or unwillingness to continue supporting the program. As a result ,and regrettably, we will be unable to accommodate your recent order.” Hard to cry over milk we never got, but it feels spilt. :'(
Cherie Ve Ard says
Yup.. we covered that news a few days ago: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/is-the-omnilynx-verizon-unlimited-data-plan-ride-over-already/
Lynn says
Read your info on the OmniLynx and ordered the jet pack with unlimited data. One question. Have you tried yours and when connected and working then you may stop for a while, maybe 30 minutes, does your disconnect? I have had others (mostly the USB ones) from Verizon but they never disconnected me. Annoying when you have a wireless printer set up and you have to re-establish connection. I only use to stay connected to my emails and some reading but don’t use it for any business purposes. Thanks.
Cherie Ve Ard says
Nope… haven’t noticed that. Ours is working great.
Shane says
Hey Techies!! I have been following your youtube channel for a while. Sorry for the bum-filled RV renovation experience. Quick question, have you had much of an opportunity to try the Wilson WeBoost 4G-X? If so, or not, could you give me your thoughts on it compared to the Wilson WeBoost RV-4G? I noticed that the 4G-X only has 50db of gain while the latter has 55db of gain. I didn’t know if your evaluation with the newest model may have produced a better result at a lower gain over the older model at a higher gain.
Cherie Ve Ard says
We just got our 4G-X and started doing some testing with it yesterday. We’ll have our initial thoughts on it available to our members over at RVMobileInternet.com soon.
Over the fall, we’ll be doing extensive head-to-head comparisons.
We also keep a comparative guide to all of the current boosters on the market here:
http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/resources/mobile-cellular-boosters/ (The RV-4G is not out yet.)
jcw3rd says
Interesting, I don’t see an AppleTV in your inventory. We love our AppleTV. We can stream content from any one of our Apple devices, including our iPhones, iPads, Mac Laptops, and my Mac mini. Great for displaying slideshows of our pictures, too, again from any device.
Cherie Ve Ard says
We have one onboard, but honestly hardly ever use it. Since our primary viewing devices are one of our computers (already has access to our NAS, photo albums and content) and an iPad streaming over cellular (it can’t also use the Apple TV at the same time, since it can only use WiFi or Cellular at a time.. not both).
jcw3rd says
Come to think of it, we too have an old grandfathered-in iPad unlimited plan from AT&T that we occasionally use for streaming that we connect directly to the TV via RCA jacks in the front, skipping the AppleTV. But, mainly, when we use that iPad for general internet access, we use an App called Tether (available for about 9 hours on the Apple App Store a couple of years ago before they yanked it) to tether the iPad to one of our computers and then share that connection (via Apple’s built-in internet connection sharing capability) out to our Airport Extreme. Then we are back to streaming content to the TV via our AppleTV. 8^)
Sondra (Samaya) Kreuzer says
We’ve been FT since 4/1/2014. We both have Galaxy S4 phones through Verizon. We also have a Verizon hotspot. This set up works fairly well when we are near a big enough city or in actual RV Parks, but well, we like to stay in State Parks, BLM land, boondock, etc WAY more than in actual RV Parks. We find depending upon how far out we get that at times, even if we show as ‘connected’, pages load slowly – or not at all. We’ve talked about maybe needing to get ‘a booster’, but after reading your set up, I’m not sure if a booster is ‘enough’. If it is, which one. If not, what would we actually need to give us a little more boost to stay connected and not have to spend thousands of dollars. (We’d love to have Satellite too but hear it is expensive and like everyone we have a budget)… Also, I read someone’s comment about having their mifi burned out by an RV Parks wifi. Is that possible? Yikes, does that mean we shouldn’t be using our mifi in a park that has wifi? Seems impractical, there are other wifi signals all over the place. We prefer to use our own mifi even in parks with wifi because we seem to get a better connection. Are we doing the right thing? Thanks in advance for your response.
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hey guys.. and welcome. A booster can indeed help a bunch in improving your signal. Here’s our overview of all of the ones currently on the market: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/resources/mobile-cellular-boosters/
A bunch of new ones just hit the market in the past few weeks, and we’ll be getting them all in to review over the coming months in a variety of situations.
No problem using a MiFi in a park. You can always direct tether if there’s too much WiFi clutter (thus why we keep ours connected to our WiFiRanger Go2, and have a hard wired network). A lot of this is covered in our book – The Mobile Internet Handbook. (www.rvmobileinternet.com/book).
John Fleming says
Per David at Wilson Amplifiers today (~ 3:00 pm on 02Jun2015) The new ‘weBoost Drive 4G-X drive Cell Phone kit for RVs is P/N 470510-RV. It will consist of Drive 4G-X booster (P/N 470510), RV/Truckers antenna (P/N 318433, and Internal Panel antenna (P/N 311135).
It will begin shipping next week, probably.
Thanks for all the great info. It really helps a lot.
Chris Dunphy says
Hi John –
The Drive 4G-X looks like a very promising booster, and we are eagerly awaiting our review unit to test it out. But beware pairing it with the trucker antenna. That antenna actually has negative gain on the AWS frequency band – used by Verizon XLTE. T-Mobile and AT&T use that band too in some areas.
If data is more important than voice, that antenna is probably not a great choice.
– Chris
Claire says
Hey guys! I was so glad to find your website! We have sold our house right out from underneath ourselves, and are planning to live in a 40ish foot fifth-wheel camper (which we don’t have yet). I do a lot of online gaming as cheap entertainment, because my husband is a truck driver and is gone during the week. We’ll be at a local RV campground that offers wi-fi. Knowing very little about RVs or about the bandwidth available with campground wi-fi, I’m kind of concerned about getting my online fix in an RV. Am I going to have to give up gaming?? What’s my best bet for internet in a parked RV? Thanks!
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Claire… some gaming is quite accessible on the road. We actually have an entire chapter in ‘The Mobile Internet Handbook’ on Entertainment on the Road covering gaming options and considerations. And, the book is on sale this week to celebrate our 1-year birthday of the massive expanded version. The book also goes over lots of considerations for your best options – or you can start with our general overview of the options at http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/overview. Enjoy!
Claire says
Thanks for the quick reply, Cherie. Looks like I’ll be buying that book!
michaelmullin says
Chris and Cherie, we are unexpectedly becoming “full time” RVers for the next 4 months and will need to upgrade our cellular connectivity. Since I can’t wait for future technology I was thinking either the Wilson 4G Sleek or the 4G Mobile (I realize both have new names under WeBoost).
We have two Verizon smartphones, both with hotspot enabled. I’m assuming I’d only need one hotspot running at a time so I’m not sure it’s critical to have a booster that supports multiple devices. Having said that, my primary concern is data connectivity for internet use – I can’t tell from the write up if the Mobile4G has a significant boost capability over the Sleek.
If maximum data connectivity were my goal and running two smartphones with hotspots would the Mobile4G be the correct choice?
Thanks in advance for your recommendations!
Cherie Ve Ard says
Yes.. the Mobile 4G is a significantly stronger booster and can handle multiple devices. Here’s our compartive guide to all the boosters: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/resources/mobile-cellular-boosters/
Jamie and Shannon says
Good Morning Chris and Cherie!
We are new full-timers and just down the road from our old house while we get organized and get used to working together in less than 380 square feet. I have read your book and have purchase 95% of the equipment to stay connected. We MUST stay connected for work. So my questions are: 1- How % of time does the Wi-Fi Ranger work well? ”It’s the only thing I have not purchased yet. 2- Do you have a set of ”technology” questions you typically ask when making campground reservations? 3 — Do you both work side by side or does one go outside or in the bedroom?
Hope to meet you both on the road someday to thank you with ”Wine” for all your help in getting us ready to go!
Jamie and Shannon
”Living a Different Kind of Dream”
Cherie Ve Ard says
Welcome to the road guys!
The WiFiRanger, when used for Wifi extending, is only going to be useful if you’re staying in places with WiFi worth repeating.. so that’s a big factor in ‘how well it works’. Honestly, we hardly ever stay anywhere with WiFi, we much prefer public parks and boondocking. But, we hear lots of positive stuff from folks who do use it for that purpose. From a router stand point, it’s works very well however. Of course, ours doesn’t work a lot of the time – simply because we’re a beta test site for them (they send us stuff to test before the public gets it.)
As far as what to ask a park… we honestly are more apt to read reviews from others to get a feel for what is available. We’re cellular based mostly for our connectivity, so we use our app Coverage? and look for mentions of ‘got great Verizon’ in park reviews.
For our work setup.. check out our RV workspaces series at https://www.technomadia.com/workspaces
See you out there!
Gigi Meyer says
Now that I’ve had a chance to digest this wealth of information, I’m curious why you chose to use the Ubiquiti Nanostation over the WiFiRanger Mobile (which I understand is now replaced by the Elite). Was the latter just not available at the time or is it an inferior product? Thanks for any insight!
Cherie Ve Ard says
We use both.. they have different purposes. MobileTi is omni directional, and the Nanostation is directional.
Gigi Meyer says
Ah, ok! Makes sense now. Thanks again!
Gigi Meyer says
Thank you for sharing such valuable information! We bought your book last year when the second edition came out, but ended up not setting up anything because we wintered over at a campground with fair wi-fi access. Now it’s springtime and there are more full-timers around to compete with for the wi-fi. I dusted off my kindle and started rereading your book for answers. I am a complete dodohead when it comes to figuring out technology, but this article and your diagram is helping round out the big picture of we’d have to do to get a better wi-fi signal. Thanks for all your effort!
David Thomas says
In your arsenal, I see you use a hotspot. How do you get that signal to your bus network? Because of our homeschooling needs, we often have to be able to keep multiple devices on line through a cellular network (Wifi often being too slow at campgrounds). We currently use a peplink balance 30 router with a usb cellular modem and external antenna, but I know that those modems are becoming dinosaurs, but for us it was (and is) a great way to share a cellular signal for our network.
Cherie Ve Ard says
We generally connect our Jetpack/MiFi via USB cable direclty into our mobile router. But they can also support multiple devices at once without a router over WiFi.
Carl Benedict says
I have been reading about Maxxfi (http://www.maxxfi.com/) which seems too good to be true. I do appointments by Skype phone, video, and chat on a regular basis (I am an online counselor) and plan on retiring to an RV for the next few years, so I need absolutely reliable internet that can at least provide Skype video. What does anyone you know about Maxxfi? Thank you very much for your help.
Cherie Ve Ard says
We actually just got a MaxxFi in for testing and will have a review out at http://www.RVMobileInternet.com after we’ve had some more time with it.
Carl Benedict says
Thank you! I look forward to reading your review.
Chris Dunphy says
FYI – our first thoughts on MaxxFi are now live here: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/maxxfi-mobile-broadband-exxagerated-but-interesting/
linda says
I love your website. We’re planning a “giving” road trip with our chocolate business. Can you tell me about the map on your homepage, more specifically…how to get it?
CURRENT LOCATION AND TRAVEL PLANS
I thought it might be interesting for our trip.
Maybe we’ll see you on the road!
Thank you,
Linda
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hey guys.. we’re using a WP plugin called ‘Nomad Map’ for the mapping.
Teri Moran says
My brain shuts down every time I’ve tried to research internet/cell phones while full time RVing.
Only need both for nonbusiness. I think 10-15GB would be enough. Might want to do Netflix. We plan to boondock in the boonies! Limited budget
I do have a Verizon jetpack 4G from 2-3 years ago.
Please help my brain unlock!
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Teri.. check out our wwww.RVMobileInternet.com site.. we offer a lot of resources over there. Start with the Overview at http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/overview to get a grounding on the options. Thanks!
Jennifer says
My husband is retiring next summer and we plan to travel for extended periods of time in our RV. I am an online grad student and teach online. We also stream short YouTube videos and occasionally Netflix. Our concern is having enough data available when we are in more isolated areas. Our current provider said they could not give us a usage average because we recently changed equipment. Is there a good way to estimate the amount of data that we will need for our average use? Thanks so much for your site. We met you a few years ago at a bus get-together and have followed you ever sense. Hope you have a great Fall and safe travels.
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Jennifer.. several ways to go about it… from researching how much bandwidth your typical usage pattern uses, to installing tracking tools, to starting to monitor your ussage with your carrier.
Details and specific options are also covered in The Mobile Internet Handbook.
Evan says
Great thread….I’m really thinking about RV’ing but connectivity is a big issue for my small biz. Thanks for the info. I will check back often for further ideas.
Ben P says
Hey guys! I found your site a few days ago. Just wanted to you to know that you’re doing a great job. I have really enjoyed it. You’re talk of nomadic life and minimalism really speaks to me. : ) Anyway, I just bought your 2013 internet guide and read through it. Can’t wait to get the new version. I also wanted to thank you. I saw your mention of Doxie scanners in your list of RV gear and just now looked them up. They look pretty cool. I’ve been looking at getting a bigger, higher end-ish Fujitsu scanner to get rid of the paper clutter in my life. You may have just saved me $300 on the purchase of a new scanner, so thanks! Hope all is going well with your travels. : )
edward says
Want to say the MIA service is well worth it for anyone wondering.
Also, till you’ve experienced the frustrations of spotty connectivity, you’ll never fully appreciate the importance of the bota box. 🙂
One question. Is there any particular reason for choosing conduit over a cable tray/race.? Pulling wire is not one of my favorite occupations.
edward
Cherie Ve Ard says
Thanks for the MIA endorsement.
No particular reason for conduit over something else.. the goal is to make it as easy as possible to switch out wiring in the future.
Judi colgan says
I live your information!! I have a millenicom for the 20 Fb and a 15 Fb on my iPhone for my work as a full timer. Thanks!!
Brad says
Hi Chris, Cherie,
Thanks for figuring all this stuff out for us ‘techno-neanderthals’. We’re also getting ready to FT and have need for consistent internet access. While I wait for the new edition of The Book I have a question. We use an Apple Airport Extreme as our router and backup here in the S & B. Can we use the Airport in a MH? Also how soon do you think Lithium Ion battery banks will be widely available for RV’s (versus the DIY approach).
Regards, Brad
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hi Brad.. there’s nothing preventing you from using anything that can fit in the door of your motorhome. The real question is… will it meet your needs for mobile connectivity? And that, we can’t answer for you without knowing more about your setup and goals. The products we mentioned for routing are designed specifically for capturing mobile internet sources and redistributing them (such as WiFi as WAN and cellular devices). The Airport Extreme won’t have those features. But if you’re just wanting to connect your devices together.. sure, why not?
As far as LFP.. we’re seeing it become a bit less cutting edge, and know of a couple solar installers who are now offering it as an packaged options for their customers. And there are companies selling drop in solutions now. So compared to 3 years ago, there are certainly more options and its moving that way.
Sean Broderick says
Good stuff, thanks. I’ve been wondering how feasible it would be to travel with a cable or DSL modem to use during long term stays at RV parks with cable/phone lines. It seems like there’s probably issues with the wiring and switching setup in some RV parks and maybe issues with the service providers. It would be nice to know what RV parks are compatible and which is more likely to work, cable or DSL… probably DSL. Also, would be good to know what wiring/switching setup is required for the park. So, you’d know what to ask in case the park managers aren’t sure.
Cherie Ve Ard says
There are some long term parks and mobile home parks that have cable run to them. We’ve found it’s usually best to ask the park if they have cable/DSL run to the sites.. and then contact the local cable company for details on getting it activated. It varies a lot by locale as to availability and feasibility. But a great option at times.
Sean Broderick says
Thanks!
Bryan Beus says
This is excellent. Thank you!
I clicked on your amazon affiliate link already, and will try to do so again another time.
Big questions:
Like you, I also work on the internet. And I work in the art and entertainment industry.
This requires two things: Massive file transfer capability (on rare occasions I use up to 10GB in a day, sometimes for backup and sometimes for file sharing), and also encryption.
Out of all that setup, I couldn’t tell if there’s an non-capped option for the large files. It would be okay if I had to drive somewhere specific to get it.
Concerning encryption: what do you use to encrypt your files for security?
Another point about which I wanted to ask: is there any kind of software that you can use to make sure that you don’t accidentally use up all your bandwidth in one go? The way I might accidentally do this is by having my online backup going in the background, and have it upload 30GB in a day while I’m creating temporary large files.
Any ideas on all of that?
It’s a difficult situation to master, but when I go on tour next year for my first novel, I’m hoping to have a good idea on how to solve the problem.
Cherie Ve Ard says
You’re going to love our new book… it answers a lot of these questions 🙂
Bryan Beus says
Great!
Maura says
Question? As you guys are app developers I was wondering if it would be possible to develop an app that could readily identify birds, animals, insects via a picture or audio? I spend much time surfing the internet trying to ID these things. Forgive me if this is a ridiculous idea as I have no tech savvy in my veins.
Maura
Cherie Ve Ard says
Hmm.. not entirely sure. That would be beyond our skillsets & niche for sure. Quick search in the app store brought this app up tho: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bird-identifier-hd/id398235710?mt=8
Rob Lee says
Great info as always!
I’m just a couple of months away from putting our system together, so this is very timely.
Cherie Ve Ard says
You know how to reach us if you desire any assistance 🙂 Excited for you guys!!
Kayla @Winterstead says
You guys are great, thank you for posting this in depth article about how you stay connected. (& when I saw the diagram on it’s own I wondered what the Bota box was haha) We are getting ready to head out fulltime and while we wont have a work station (yet) we are already having issues connecting to the internet at my parents home through their brick walls. I have pre-ordered a copy of your book and I look forward to reading it before we install any type of work station I felt like we needed to be more knowledgeable about the types of “geekery” it should be able to hold. Thanks for all of the hard work you do and for sharing it all with us! -Kayla Winter
Cherie Ve Ard says
Thanks for pre-ordering the book to help us fund getting it done professionally – much appreciated. Hopefully it’ll help you understand the options better.
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