Unlimited Internet and TV while traveling in RV?

[gr8white]

I am looking for a way to get unlimited internet while traveling. I need this for business purposes. I have not been able to find a way. I know I can pick up free wifi and things like that but that isnt something that can be counted on. I already have a wi fi card from verizon but I chew that data up really quick. Also, how can I get cable tv on my rv? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Gary_M]

Direct TV. They bundle TV and internet.

http://www.directv.com/

[WME]

About the best is get DISH or Direct network and a booster antenna for WiFi. There is a satellite service for the Internet but its is not unlimited and is expensive.

http://www.your-rv-l...net-access.html

[Gary_M]

If it is used for business then write it off on your taxes. Along with that why not claim the Toy home as your office and write that off too. Let the IRS try to come and find you. ;-)

[gr8white]

Oh I am definately writing it off as an office because I will be visiting clients. The meals and drinks will be writeoffs too. The unlimited internet is the only problem I am having at the moment. I cant seem to find any.

[acudoc]

I have unlimited internet on my 4g phone. I got a Samsung galaxy3 with tmobile $74 a month. Tmobile dosent slow you down if you use it too much.

Can tether to a computer or buy adaptor to use hdmi out.

Costco gives you free sign up etc.

[waiter]

I have an old Verizon HTC EROS that I rooted ( don't tell verizon ). I use it as a wifi hot spot, or I can tether it with the USB cable. The only time I've ever been throttled was when I was in Alaska and particularly Prudhoe Bay, Verizon is not the prime provider in Alaska, they contract out..

I haven't checked to see if I get throttled for something like a Video.

I think Dish and Direct TV are one way. i.e. they use the Satellite for downlink, and your phone for uplink.

Might check HughesNet. I had them in my house a few years ago. Check about vehicle use, some of them may offer it.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto.

[acudoc]

i used mg virgin lg phone as a hotspot, my new phone wont work for it until a new app is made that is compatable. unless i root it.But I can use it as a

bluetooth device to my tablet etc. Not as fast as wifi but stills works.

[stamar]

clear.com unlimited internet in urban areas for 45- 50$

youre not going to point a sattelite dish around although it is done sometimes forget about it.

negate the idea of tv on the road, learn to download shows from the internet.

Thats what Im going to do soon.

I mean get a tv if thats what you want, hook it to a laptop and watch it that way.

\

well I mean obviously anyplace with wifi has free internet.

You will find though that its way harder to get your 21 foot motorhome to a place where wifi is hitting it right. And those spots are usually a library where you might as well come out and plug in too.

clear.com has rave reviews here in portland.

I think next to clear.com the best one is a tmobile contracter called solevei, unlimited tethering for 50$ on the tmobile network, your phone no contract.

you need an android phone smart enough to tether, ala last 2 years. so you get 4g where tmobile has 4g( much smaller than clear.com) but 3g where it doesnt ( anywhere, even the boonies)

you can also tether your cell phone.

in my particular case, cricket, on the sprint network, 3g sometimes, i can tether for 45$ a month, and have cell service.

but this is overall slow; not good for the described downloading of tv. it is also not unlimited in theory but in practice.

net zero also sells clear.com in a limited internet plan.

[stamar]

nothing beats the quality of verizon 4g though. if you are writing it off and price is no matter thats where to go get a free phone with it.

[stamar]

ya heres what you want

clear.com 4g internet.

and then use a paid service like

http://www.hulu.com/...hrough+internet

or netflix it doesnt matter.

for true 4g internet there are no other competitors. verizon is better faster etc, they give you like 80$ for 10 gb and then 10 per gb after that.

[84TOYRV]

I can get more channels on my batwing tv antenna, with booster, than I can at home with basic cable. Depends on your location, while parked. Works quite well imho.

[Derek up North]

To help you find those OTA stations, you can use:-

http://www.tvfool.com/

[84TOYRV]

Thanx Derek! That website will come in handy!

[gr8white]

I already have dish and they sell everything you need to be mobile right here for 80.00 http://www.installeroasis.com/directv-satellite-dish-tripod-kit-for-rv-tailgating/?gclid=CM3FouLC_7ICFROe4AodoTYAcA and its no extra charge above your home service. Clearview internet doesnt have much coverage. I have a verizon Iphone 5 on its way but you cant talk and surf the web st the same time. Im guessing Im just gonna have to get the wi fi card from them.

[stamar]

clear.com has the most 4g internet coverage in the us next to verizon.

but it is mostly urban.

where I am now it coveres everywhere. but in rural places it gives you none.

thats where a cellphone tethering has it beat because they will at least have 3g almost everywhere.

for that solavei, a tmobile contractor, is 50 a month with tethering. like I said it is going to be mostly 3g so slower, but have more coverage

nothing beats verizon in any area except price.

ya you can get pretty good at aiming a cell dish. I installed it for 9 months. Overall I guarantee you will toss it out fast.

Almost no rvers use satelite dishes for long. I have seen a very cool self aiming dish aparatus on an expensive motorhome. It didnt work that well but youd just turn it on and when it fouind it you could watch tv.

If youre really on the road.... like a new spot every day, you will not go out and set up a dish every night to watch TV. Thats gonna get old on day 3 and in the trash can day 5

[stamar]

I could tell you a lot of funny stories about selling dish network to rvers.

Going there and setting it up.

And then they realize they have to set it up everytime they move. And cancelling.

Except it wasnt funny. And they couldnt cancel

[stamar]

heres an example of a wifi booster

I dont have experience with it. someone mentioned one earlier.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16833122483

this one has all excellent reviews and is cheap.

back in the old days wifi cards had antenaes and we used pringles cans. Its hard to find a 24 hour free wifi spot you can park next to. But I have found some and this would be cool.

For your regular laptop car a coffee shops wifi barely makes it about 10 feet past the door.

[Maineah]

I haven't been any where yet that I couldn't get at least 3 TV stations with the crank up bat wing, might be a problem in the middle of Montana, granted sat. receiver would work any where (all most) but in my case that would be another 100 channels I wouldn't watch.I just turn mine on for the news and weather have zero interest in another sitcom I have a lot more fun with my mobile ham gear.

[stamar]

what happened with the digital antenae things?

[gr8white]

clear.com has the most 4g internet coverage in the us next to verizon.

but it is mostly urban.

where I am now it coveres everywhere. but in rural places it gives you none.

thats where a cellphone tethering has it beat because they will at least have 3g almost everywhere.

for that solavei, a tmobile contractor, is 50 a month with tethering. like I said it is going to be mostly 3g so slower, but have more coverage

nothing beats verizon in any area except price.

ya you can get pretty good at aiming a cell dish. I installed it for 9 months. Overall I guarantee you will toss it out fast.

Almost no rvers use satelite dishes for long. I have seen a very cool self aiming dish aparatus on an expensive motorhome. It didnt work that well but youd just turn it on and when it fouind it you could watch tv.

If youre really on the road.... like a new spot every day, you will not go out and set up a dish every night to watch TV. Thats gonna get old on day 3 and in the trash can day 5

LOL after reading this I may just use the net at the camp grounds. I just dont want to miss sports. Im a huge sports nut/.

[gr8white]

heres an example of a wifi booster

I dont have experience with it. someone mentioned one earlier.

http://www.newegg.co...N82E16833122483

this one has all excellent reviews and is cheap.

back in the old days wifi cards had antenaes and we used pringles cans. Its hard to find a 24 hour free wifi spot you can park next to. But I have found some and this would be cool.

For your regular laptop car a coffee shops wifi barely makes it about 10 feet past the door.

Thanks for the link stamar! Im going to get one of these. Now I understand the concept.

[Derek up North]

back in the old days wifi cards had antenaes and we used pringles cans. Its hard to find a 24 hour free wifi spot you can park next to. But I have found some and this would be cool.

For your regular laptop car a coffee shops wifi barely makes it about 10 feet past the door.

You might want to build and play with a 'WokFi'.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=wokfi&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[stamar]

There was something where people relayed free wifi and I see it around sometimes.

Somewhere in se there's a hostel that uses a strange device to shoot wifi for maybe a mile around.

In general in urban areas there's lots of free wifi. On the opposite end in urban areas there are no free places to park.

In the long run especially with a big rig it might be cheaper to just get clear.com and not waste gas chasing free wifi espesially on the road.

I've done road trips though were I used a registry of free wifi to hit places up on the go.

[waiter]

Use extreme caution when utilizing wifi. Always keep in mind, you really don't know whos providing the service, even if they look legit.

I avoid giving any passwords, credit cards, etc. while using any wifi that I personally have not set up.

John Mc

88 Dolphin 4 Auto

[83 SunRader]

I have been using Clear for about 2 months now. When it works it is an excellent and economical internet solution for not only your phone, but you can also use it for a tablet or laptop (I use a laptop) with it. WHEN IT WORKS is the problem. At this time coverage is extremely spotty, mostly urban areas only. http://www.clear.com/plans/mobile/?intcmp=home:t1-a:plans-mobile

You can also buy the router system that can provide wifi to up to 8 other devices.

[stamar]

i planned to and still will get clear.com

as soon as I can actually power my laptop long enough to make it worth it. I have a way easier time finding wifi that I do finding free ac electricity at this point in time and space in the urban jungle.

[zero]

I am looking for a way to get unlimited internet while traveling. I need this for business purposes. I have not been able to find a way. I know I can pick up free wifi and things like that but that isnt something that can be counted on. I already have a wi fi card from verizon but I chew that data up really quick. Also, how can I get cable tv on my rv? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I'm using a Millenicom wireless USB modem. I had a choice of unlimited which is based on Virgin Mobile towers, or a 20 GB per month plan based on Verizon towers. Since most of my travel is in the northeast where Virgin rarely works - I got the Verizon-based unit. With a 12 volt signal-amp and RV mounted Yagi antenna, it has worked everywhere I've gone so far except for a few deep-woods campouts in the UP of Michigan. Without the extra amp though it does not work near as well.

In regard to TV, I get good reception most places I go as long as I use a good good 30 dB signal amp. The Winegard "bat-wing" works fairly well. A real antenna MUCH better. Believe it or not, those little Chinese "digital" antennas for sale all over the Net with the built in rotator, amp, and remote control for $40 work amazingly well. I got three aluminum roof-rake poles and each is 8 foot. When campiing in a fringe area I pop them together with the litlte Chinese antenna on top and get amazing reception. In a fairly open area it can get reception from 75 miles away.

Lately we've also been taking our home "land-line" phone with us. That too is now wireless and works as well as a cell phone with a good amp and antenna.

[stamar]

nothing can beat verizon if price is no barrier. you can just tether your cell phone and use 4g lte as a wireless device.

one less gadget, the best reception and speed in the us.

I tihnk its like at least 100 to get that going and its still not unlimited.

[zero]

nothing can beat verizon if price is no barrier. you can just tether your cell phone and use 4g lte as a wireless device.

one less gadget, the best reception and speed in the us.

I tihnk its like at least 100 to get that going and its still not unlimited.

I'm using Verizon for my wireless Internet and home wireless phone, and AT&T for my cell phone. Both have worked the same anywhere I've gone in the northeast. No 4G available anywhere I've been in central to northern NY, coastal central Maine, and northern Michigan. Can't say I care since I'm very happy with 3G. I had a satellite uplink and downlink for years for my Internet. This wireless 3G works much better.

[stamar]

I used to install those sattelite internet things. Definitely for the boonies and at this point obsolete.

[83 SunRader]

i planned to and still will get clear.com

as soon as I can actually power my laptop long enough to make it worth it. I have a way easier time finding wifi that I do finding free ac electricity at this point in time and space in the urban jungle.

Hahaha - I'm having that problem as well. Do not have a gennie yet so if I'm not connected to electric in some form I have about 2.5 hours of computer time and I work on the internet so that isn't much time. I'm presently looking into getting a generator (See my post Looking for a GOOD low price generator).

.

[stamar]

I have a thread somewhere in electronics or two dealing with my goal of running a laptop at least 12 hours a day without a generator.

I might get 2.5 hours from my deep cycle safely. And 4 hours killing the battery. But that doesn't cut it because it takes hours running the engine, every single day just to get that 2:5 hours replaced. At some point it would be cheaper to rent my laptop its own office.

[zero]

I have a thread somewhere in electronics or two dealing with my goal of running a laptop at least 12 hours a day without a generator.

I might get 2.5 hours from my deep cycle safely. And 4 hours killing the battery. But that doesn't cut it because it takes hours running the engine, every single day just to get that 2:5 hours replaced. At some point it would be cheaper to rent my laptop its own office.

What sort of battery are you using to only get 2 1/2 hours run time? My little Duracell Powerpack can run my lap-tops for 2 hours easy and it only has a 28 amp-hour battery. I can run a lap-top hooked to my RV batteries for 20 hours continuous easily and they'd only be run down to half-charge. My lap-tops only run at around 65-70 watts unless I start burning DVDs. If I WAS burning DVDs - I could still run for 8-9 hours to get to half discharge. Heck, that little 28amp-hour battery pack runs a 19" TV and DVD player for 3 hours easily.

You've got me baffled as to what the problem is unless your RV battery is flash-light sized? I've got two deep-cycle sixes in series that total 225 amp-hours. If I only had . . lets say one 115 amp-hour 12 volt battery - my laptop would still run 8-9 hours.

My wife home schools our little kid in the middle of the woods while I cut wood. She brings her laptop and the little Durcell powerpack. We always do it for two hours at a time and the powerpack has never gone dead. It has a digital readout that tells how much charge is left and it's usually at 20% after two hours. And again, that is only a tiny 28 amp-hour battery. Laptop is a Compaq CQ-61-420US, Toshiba L305-S5921, or a Toshiba L455D-S5976. We've done it with all three.

[zero]

You opted for a fuel efficient motorhome, now you had better opt for a fuel efficient laptop. Not sure why that connection does not seem to make sense to people. Your motor home is not capable of turning a fuel guzzling old laptop into an energy efficient one...

I still don't understand all the fuss over running a laptop. A typical laptop with a 4-6 amp-hour battery can run three hours under normal useage. A typical "house" RV battery is 115 amp-hours and often twice that. If a "house" battery is 19 times larger as a common lap-top battery - I fail to see what the problem is?