Internet

[knowmatic]

We recently purchased a travel trailer and I'm trying to figure out a way to get decent internet. We will be staying at places for 30 days or so and then moving onto the next.

Using just my Verizon hotspot won't cut it. I use a ton of data running my business. Any options out there? Some parks have wifi but I've heard it's not the best and also not reliable.

I will be getting a wifi extender so I can reach park wifi better etc but I'm still thinking there has to be a way to get decent internet in this day and age.

I tried the new skyroam pack, it was horrible. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[NY_Dutch]

Our current primary Internet source is an AT&T "Mobley" device that's intended to be plugged into a vehicle's OBD2 diagnostics port for power. There are several sources for external USB, 12-volt, and 120-volt power supplies for it though. AT&T offers a "Connected Car" unlimited 4G/LTE data plan for the Mobley at just $20/month currently, and the Mobley device is $99 outright or free with a 2-year contract. We also have a Verizon Jetpack on board that's been "flashed" by a grey market vendor to accept an unlimited 3G data plan at $5/month. We keep the Jetpack active just in case we find an area with poor or no AT&T signal. But that hasn't happened yet, and we also have a Maximum Signal Max Amp RV cell signal booster to hopefully make sure it never does. We never use the almost always slow or unreliable park WiFi.

[VallAndMo]

Howdy Dutch,

Good info on the Mobley+AT&T, here's a good article on it in case the OP needs one: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/att-offering-unlimited-shareable-data-to-connected-cars/

I haven't heard until now of the $5 Verizon 3G unlimited plan you are using with the reflashed Jetpack, and it does sounds mighty interesting as a backup. However, my Google-Fu must be weak today as some searches didn't return anything useful. Would you mind giving us a pointer?

Cheers,
--
   Vall.

[JoelP]

Howdy Dutch,

Good info on the Mobley+AT&T, here's a good article on it in case the OP needs one: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/att-offering-unlimited-shareable-data-to-connected-cars/.....
--
   Vall.

Thanks Vall for this link.  I noticed in this program description that the one catch for this deal. You have also have an unlimited AT&T data plan and a subscription to Direct TV.  This is clever marketing by AT&T.  Rather than offering a discount if you add more services they constrain us to a package deal and hope that there is nobody else who can offer mobile subscribers a better package price.

[NY_Dutch]

Howdy Dutch,

Good info on the Mobley+AT&T, here's a good article on it in case the OP needs one: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/att-offering-unlimited-shareable-data-to-connected-cars/

I haven't heard until now of the $5 Verizon 3G unlimited plan you are using with the reflashed Jetpack, and it does sounds mighty interesting as a backup. However, my Google-Fu must be weak today as some searches didn't return anything useful. Would you mind giving us a pointer?

Cheers,
--
   Vall.

Try searching eBay for "Verizon unlimited 3g". I used one of the remote flashing services to flash a spare Jetpack I already had on hand. I paid $35 for the flash service, and it included the first two months of service. I buy Verizon $5 refill PIN's from CallingMart.com.

[PopPop51]

You might also look at another option, reducing your mobile bandwidth needs by using remote desktop software to connect back to a home-based machine that's hooked up to a high-speed connection.
Since the mobile internet connection is only carrying key presses, mouse movements and screen changes it may use a lot less bandwidth than working direct. Any up or downloading of files is done to/from your home machine only. Your remote machine only sees the screen of your home machine, as if you were actually there.
Processor-intensive apps like video/audio editing programs (if that's part of what you do) run on the home-based machine, which may be much more capable than your portable.
Remote desktop also provides slightly better security since your business data stays on your home-based machine. Only encrypted screen changes travel to the remote machine.

[NY_Dutch]

Thanks Vall for this link.  I noticed in this program description that the one catch for this deal. You have also have an unlimited AT&T data plan and a subscription to Direct TV.  This is clever marketing by AT&T.  Rather than offering a discount if you add more services they constrain us to a package deal and hope that there is nobody else who can offer mobile subscribers a better package price.

That's not the "Connected Car Unlimited Data Plan". Read this:

"(2) AT&T Connected Car Unlimited Plan: U.S. only. Consumer and Individual Responsibility Users only. Eligibility: Requires eligible vehicle, eligible aftermarket device and new or existing AT&T wireless account. Data Restrictions: After 22GB of data usage on vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot in a bill cycle, for the rest of the cycle AT&T may slow data speeds on vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot during periods of network congestion. Pricing: $20 per aftermarket device monthly plan charge (3 aftermarket devices on plan results in $60 monthly plan charge). Devices: Sold separately."

For complete text: https://www.att.com/devices/zte/mobley.device_legal.xhr.html

[JoelP]

That's not the "Connected Car Unlimited Data Plan". Read this:

"(2) AT&T Connected Car Unlimited Plan: U.S. only. Consumer and Individual Responsibility Users only. Eligibility: Requires eligible vehicle, eligible aftermarket device and new or existing AT&T wireless account. Data Restrictions: After 22GB of data usage on vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot in a bill cycle, for the rest of the cycle AT&T may slow data speeds on vehicle Wi-Fi hotspot during periods of network congestion. Pricing: $20 per aftermarket device monthly plan charge (3 aftermarket devices on plan results in $60 monthly plan charge). Devices: Sold separately."

For complete text: https://www.att.com/devices/zte/mobley.device_legal.xhr.html

I am considering switching from XFinity to DirectTV anyway to enable my satellite, so then it might be only a matter of going from my 10GB data plan to Unlimited to see if that was more or less expensive than this $20 connected plan.  Very interesting and thanks!

Joel

[Bill N]

I have nothing to offer to this thread but have to laugh because I don't think there is one sentence that I totally understand.  To say I am a non-tech person would be a gross understatement but I do have an Advanced Ham radio license.  The world of electronics has passed me by but I am glad to see that there are some who are beyond their teen years and do understand it all.   Keep on keeping on guys - I may need an interpreter but there is no doubt a lot of value in threads like this one.

Bill

[NY_Dutch]

I have nothing to offer to this thread but have to laugh because I don't think there is one sentence that I totally understand.  To say I am a non-tech person would be a gross understatement but I do have an Advanced Ham radio license.  The world of electronics has passed me by but I am glad to see that there are some who are beyond their teen years and do understand it all.   Keep on keeping on guys - I may need an interpreter but there is no doubt a lot of value in threads like this one.

Bill

No problem, Bill... I'm only 74, so I'm still learning new stuff every day. 

[kdbgoat]

I have nothing to offer to this thread but have to laugh because I don't think there is one sentence that I totally understand.  To say I am a non-tech person would be a gross understatement but I do have an Advanced Ham radio license.  The world of electronics has passed me by but I am glad to see that there are some who are beyond their teen years and do understand it all.   Keep on keeping on guys - I may need an interpreter but there is no doubt a lot of value in threads like this one.

Bill

^X2^

[pz]

On a different but related note, if you subscribe to both ATT and DirectTv you can smartcast your DirectTv programming (from your phone to your smart TV) as much as you like all without incurring any impact to your data usage. Essentially you can watch whatever you normally watch on the road without any additional cost.

[NY_Dutch]

On a different but related note, if you subscribe to both ATT and DirectTv you can smartcast your DirectTv programming (from your phone to your smart TV) as much as you like all without incurring any impact to your data usage. Essentially you can watch whatever you normally watch on the road without any additional cost.

We have a second Dish Hopper at our upstate NY cottage that we access from anywhere with our AT&T Mobley's unlimited data plan and the Dish Anywhere streaming app. It works great when we want to record a program to watch after we're set up on a site that we would miss while underway. We also use Dish Anywhere at times to stream regular programing from the other Hopper when we're expecting heavy rain storms that will likely block the sat signal locally for awhile.

[Lou Schneider]

I have nothing to offer to this thread but have to laugh because I don't think there is one sentence that I totally understand.  To say I am a non-tech person would be a gross understatement but I do have an Advanced Ham radio license.  The world of electronics has passed me by but I am glad to see that there are some who are beyond their teen years and do understand it all.   Keep on keeping on guys - I may need an interpreter but there is no doubt a lot of value in threads like this one.

Bill

Bill, the excitement about AT&T and the Connected Car Unlimited plan is because it's the first time you can get unlimited mobile high speed Internet for $20 a month, no strings attached. Competing plans have a hard data cap and/or cost 4 or 5 times as much.   

It's original market was OnStar equipped GM vehicles, but AT&T found an inexpensive ($99) adapter, the ZTE Mobley, that works in any car.

Then people figured out you didn't need a car, just a source of 12 volts to power the Mobley, and the race was on.  People started offering power adapters on Ebay and Amazon and suddenly you could get unlimited high speed Internet anywhere there's an AT&T signal, not just in a car, but in an RV or even fully portable using a small battery or a computer USB port for power.

If you're interested, take a look at this thread.  AT&T has been overwhelmed by the demand for the Mobley, but as of now it's in stock and the $20 per month plan is available.

[Bill N]

Bill, the excitement about AT&T and the Connected Car Unlimited plan is because it's the first time you can get unlimited mobile high speed Internet for $20 a month, no strings attached. Competing plans have a hard data cap and/or cost 4 or 5 times as much.   

It's original market was OnStar equipped GM vehicles, but AT&T found an inexpensive ($99) adapter, the ZTE Mobley, that works in any car.

Then people figured out you didn't need a car, just a source of 12 volts to power the Mobley, and the race was on.  People started offering power adapters on Ebay and Amazon and suddenly you could get unlimited high speed Internet anywhere there's an AT&T signal, not just in a car, but in an RV or even fully portable using a small battery or a computer USB port for power.

If you're interested, take a look at this thread.  AT&T has been overwhelmed by the demand for the Mobley, but as of now it's in stock and the $20 per month plan is available.

Now there is an explanation that I could totally understand.  Thanks for the good info Lou.  As with all good things, I wonder how long it will last especially that $20 per month price.

[Lou Schneider]

Now there is an explanation that I could totally understand.  Thanks for the good info Lou.  As with all good things, I wonder how long it will last especially that $20 per month price.

That's the $64 question, Bill.  But in addition to month to month service,  ATT is offering a two year contract at $20 per month, so once you sign up, the price should be stable for at least that long.  Basically it's half off their other "unlimited" plans at $40 per month.  But they require things like having an existing ATT smartphone account or a DirecTV subscription to qualify .  The Connected Car Unlimited  plan is stand-alone, you don't need anything else.

As far as how long the half price sale will last, it was originally set to expire on July 17.  But it was still available on the ATT website as of this morning.

While the data is unlimited, ATT reserves the right to deprioritize the device during periods of network congestion after 21 GB is used in a month, just like their other "unlimited" plans.  This means after you use 21 GB you'll be the first to slow down when things get busy but the speed will return to normal once the demand eases.  Other carriers throttle once a data limit is reached, which means the speed is permanently reduced until the next renewal date.

I do a lot of video streaming and have been averaging 60-80 GB per month.  Even when the speed is slowed down its still fine for surfing the net and emai and you can even stream a single standard definition video stream without issues.

[Tom Hoffman]

We use Millenicom it has various levels and you pay as you go, no throttle back after you exceed some limit.  It works well in strong T-Mobile markets we have had great coverage and speed traveling.  We had problems in Yuma, but additional tower was put up and speeds were pretty good.

http://www.millenicom.com/home/

Customer service is excellent.

Tom...

[NY_Dutch]

Lou covered the AT&T Connected Car Plan well, so I'll just add a minor correction: The potential congested tower deprioritization doesn't kick in until 22GB...

[John Stephens]

A couple of years ago, someone on this forum suggested a Wifi Ranger because it will pull in signals from up to two miles away. I never spent the money on one because they're pretty expensive so if anyone here knows anything about them, maybe they can render an opinion.

[Randy FVE]

Has anyone tried hughsnet or exede?

[NY_Dutch]

Both the current Gen4 Hughes and Exede are spot beamed satellite services designed only for fixed location use. Spot beams limit the coverage to a relatively small geographical area, and moving from spot to spot presents some significant difficulties. There are a couple of companies that offer equipment and plans suited to RV use, but the equipment is costly at about $6000 for an automatic roof mounted system, or $1000 for a tripod mounted manually aimed system. Figure on 45-60 minutes to set up and aim the manual system at each location. Then there are the limited data plans and speeds available, along with extended lag times that pretty much rule out any online gaming. Overall, cell services offer much better speeds and data for a lot less money, so unless you absolutely need Internet service in one of the few locations where cell service is not available even with a top of the line signal booster, then satellite Internet is not generally a good choice for RV'ers. That may change when one of the new low earth orbit multiple sat systems becomes active in a couple of years or so, but not now...

[Jeff]

IMHO the ATT Moberly beats any  other option hands down at the moment.

[John Stephens]

IMHO the ATT Moberly beats any  other option hands down at the moment.

Jeff - is that a misspelling? I googled AT&T Moberly and found only their store in Moberly, MO. Are you talking about a service or something to buy for the coach?

[Lou Schneider]

Jeff - is that a misspelling? I googled AT&T Moberly and found only their store in Moberly, MO. Are you talking about a service or something to buy for the coach?

It's the AT&T $20 per month Connected Car Unlimited plan using the ZTE Mobley plus a power adapter so you can use it without having to plug it into a car's OBD2 port. Take a look at this thread ....

http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,103863.0

[taoshum]

On a different but related note, if you subscribe to both ATT and DirectTv you can smartcast your DirectTv programming (from your phone to your smart TV) as much as you like all without incurring any impact to your data usage. Essentially you can watch whatever you normally watch on the road without any additional cost.

Does this work with the Mobley? 

[pz]

Does this work with the Mobley?

I honestly do not know, but if your TV can connect to the hot spot then I would think it might work (worth a try if you already have it).

The way mine works is that I have a router in the fiver and both the TV and the phone connect to it to do the smartcast.

[NY_Dutch]

Does this work with the Mobley? 

It may work, but with an unlimited data plan for the Mobley, does it really matter?

[knowmatic]

Our current primary Internet source is an AT&T "Mobley" device that's intended to be plugged into a vehicle's OBD2 diagnostics port for power. There are several sources for external USB, 12-volt, and 120-volt power supplies for it though. AT&T offers a "Connected Car" unlimited 4G/LTE data plan for the Mobley at just $20/month currently, and the Mobley device is $99 outright or free with a 2-year contract. We also have a Verizon Jetpack on board that's been "flashed" by a grey market vendor to accept an unlimited 3G data plan at $5/month. We keep the Jetpack active just in case we find an area with poor or no AT&T signal. But that hasn't happened yet, and we also have a Maximum Signal Max Amp RV cell signal booster to hopefully make sure it never does. We never use the almost always slow or unreliable park WiFi.

Right after I posted my question I purchased the ZTE Mobley. Received it today and will see how it works. So between that and my Verizon plan I have at least 40 GB a month for my business.

Thanks for the tips, I will take a look at the "flashed" Verizon Jetpack that you mentioned and also look into getting a signal booster for cell networks.

[knowmatic]

Now there is an explanation that I could totally understand.  Thanks for the good info Lou.  As with all good things, I wonder how long it will last especially that $20 per month price.

Well when I just purchased mine this past week it states this when checking out...

Connected Car Unlimited
Access to AT&T nationwide 4G LTE network. All data plans include unlimited usage on the entire national AT&T Wi-Fi HotSpot network.

After 22GB of data usage, AT&T may slow speeds

So it's truly not unlimited. But after research people haven't had any problems when they go over. I will be sure to let everyone know because I'll probably go over quickly with my business.

[knowmatic]

So here's my setup so far...

AT&T Mobley with the $20 a month Connected Car Unlimited.
https://www.att.com/devices/zte/mobley.html
That will give me at least 22GB of data.

I purchased this adapter so I could plug the mobley device into a regular outlet
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-Adapter-for-AT-T-ZTE-Mobley-OBD-2-LTE-Wi-Fi-Hotspot-Device/252880212700?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
I opted to do for the AC adapter as the usb ones had bad reviews.

Then I have 16GB of data on my Verizon Plan.

Also, wifi at our first location for 30 days. Not sure how it will be though. Wish me luck.

There is a starbucks across the way from the park so wondering if I might be able to hook up onto their signal if needed...

Does anyone think it's worth having a wifi extender? And is there one you recommend?

Thanks!

We are moving into an RV next week so excited for the adventure!