WiFi in my RV

  I just purchased a new 19 Jayco Senaca.  I'm not sure if it has WiFi and salesman said no.
If not how do I got a HOTSPOT in the Rv ?

    When you are and a campground, almost every commercial one will have some wifi available.  However, most of us use our cell phone as a hot spot which requires that you have a cell plan that includes data.  I'm sure several regulars will jump in and give you recommendations for which is the best and least expensive depending on where you will be doing most of your travelling.

Ed

Welcome to the RV Forum okie58

As Ed said I use my cell phone as a hot spot and it works fairly well. I would not plan on streaming to much unless I'm close to a cell tower.

Our plan is on straight Talk with unlimited data (I think it on the AT&T network)

Be sure to make sure the phone your planning  on using will allow it to be used as a hot spot

Far as I know no RV has "Factory Wi-FI" however there are many ways to "Hotspot" depending on how you want to do it.

There is a device called (Genercally) a Mobly  I think AT&T markets it and so does T-Mobile under a slightly different name. I Tried the T-mobile product and was not pleased.  Same exact device but slightly different softwar on teh AT&T unit I understand

The difference: You can keep it on all the time
(It's also an obdII reader by the way sends trouble codes and other info to your phoen)

Verizon has a "Jet-Pack"  Small device that supports up to five devices.

These all eat Cellular data (you pay and pay)

I use my Samsung Smart phone as a Hot Spot. this is I think a 7 and not only will it feed cellular data to my laptop (In fact how you are reading this) but it will log into a wi-fi router and "Share it" with my laptops as well if there is one in range (There is not at the moment at least not the range of it).

When have the right stuff working...
I have a Wi-Fi Adaptrer OUTSIDE the RV. feeding a ROUTER's "Modem" input (WAN jack) here inside ther RV.> Essentally a Wi-Fi Repeatrer but without the speed loss.

WI-Fi Ranger is a commercial product that approximates my home brew system.. In fact I think I used the same exterrior module as some Ranger models

I may have the alternate wi-fi repeater (and older system) back up later this week.. Long story there but the newer one wont' work in this park. (the external module does not support the older encryption the park uses.  The older LInksys exterior module.. No problem. Other problems but not this one)

I just wanted to let you know the $20 per month unlimited data AT&T Mobley deal is back from the dead after over a year.  See this video for more information https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLDR-l8b5Eg

John is a bit confused about the AT&T Mobley. While it does plug into the OBDII diagnostics port, it only uses the 12-volt power from the socket and reads no diagnostics info. There are readily available USB and 120-volt power supplies that allow the Mobley to be used outside of a vehicle. The current Mobley firmware version does have a 2 hour maximum time limit before  a power reset is needed that makes it more difficult to use for continuous service. The $20/mo unlimited Connected Car 4G/LTE data plan is still attractive though.

We have the mentioned Mobley and Connected Car plan, but I've moved the Mobley SIM to a Netgear Unite Explore hotspot that does let us use it continuously. We also have a Verizon prepaid hotspot unlimited 4G/LTE data plan for $65/mo, so we have service from one or the other, and often both, everywhere we've been so far. We do quite a bit of video streaming, so having the two unlimited plans works quite well for us.

What I did was get a AT&T Unlimited SIM card from e-Bay. I paid about $35, he set it up then gives you the info to set the CC to yours. Not difficult. My monthly fees to AT&T are $35 including taxes.

I bought a Netgear 815S hotspot, AT&T branded, and a Netgear antenna, from Amazon on the Warehouse Deals for about $100 total, both used.

The DW was extremely hesitant about getting the SIM and plan as I am sure it is in the gray legal area. We finally decided that if it got cut off the amount lost wouldn't break the piggy bank.

We are generally out at least one week per month or more and is working good. We have seen some slowdowns but I do not know if it from cell tower congestion,  or the way the wind blows slow down,  after 22 gigs of data used. The DW has to have the alphabet channel talking heads on during waking hours so we burn up data fast. 

There is no contract and the only thing I have found is at 2359 hours on you expiration date it will turn off. I go and pay for another month the day before.

Of course if your not keen with using AT&T it isn't going to work for you but we figure where we go generally there is a connection.

Welcome to The RV Forum, Okie58!

Let me try to simplify what has been said so far.  Your Jayco doesn't have anything built-in to give you Internet service.  Some RV parks do offer WiFi service, if you're in such a park all you need is to get the sign up information from the park office and sign in.

Many people use a cellular phone hotspot to get Internet without having to rely on hit or miss park wifi.  For this, you get either a seperate hotspot device that converts the cellular phone signal into a WiFi signal your computer can use, or let your phone function as the hotspot.  These need a data subscription from a cellular company and gives you WiFi access wherever there's cell phone coverage.

Data plans vary widely, ranging from AT&T's $20 a month Connected Car Unlimited plan offered last year to other more expensive offerings.  You have to determine how much you'll be using the Internet and look around for a plan that meets your needs.

There are easy ways around the 2 hour sleep timer limit on the new Mobley firmware, it just takes correct selection of the power adapter to pick one where the voltage fluctuates to trick the Mobley into thinking it is in a running car, in a bit of limited testing it seems that any old style transformer type 12VDC wall wart power adapter will do this (the old heavy ones, not the new light weight switch mode universal voltage input ones)

thanks for all the info....my wife said go back to driving that she has this handled. I did google up a wifi extender and wingard has a wifi dome to add to rv but seems redundant.
thanks again

okie58 said:

my wife said go back to driving that she has this handled.

Click to expand...

) ) )

That's the best answer I've ever heard!

I use the verizon jetpak, it is an amazing little gadget.  When you get it, youll think really this is the whole internet... yep thats all you need for internet.  It basically gives you your own hotspot so you do not have to compete with normal WIFI users.  This will be my 3rd year using it and I don't plan to give it up.

okie58 said:

  I just purchased a new 19 Jayco Senaca.  I'm not sure if it has WiFi and salesman said no.
If not how do I got a HOTSPOT in the Rv ?

Click to expand...

This is for non-techies: https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/

We've only been RVing for about 6 months.  I'm semi-technical and looked into this a couple of times. Unfortunately I have zero patience for BS, repackaged BS, salespeople, etc.

Installing a Hotspot (WiFi Router) is easy. In fact that's the only easy part. If you're going to be RVing all over America (and Canada) you'll end up with 2 or more hardware solutions. If you're going to be bouncing between fancy RV Resorts and boondocking out in the middle of nowhere you'll end up with 2 or more hardware solutions.

My wife and I live and RV in Florida. Period. There is just no chance I'm driving my beautiful beast to a State Park in freaking Idaho when I have nearly 200 State Parks in Florida. And in Florida there really isn't a "middle of nowhere" to go. You can go from anywhere to anywhere in Florida in about 4 hours or less.

So I don't need to know anything about satellites. (You probably don't either.) That means I can look at the existing 4G infrastructure and in Florida (everywhere in the US too) that means Verizon or AT&T. The other 4G providers are weak by comparison and the remaining players simply buy bulk bandwidth from either Verizon or AT&T.

We use the Verizon Jetpack 7730L. AT&T has the same type of thing. (I'm stilled pissed at AT&T for a horrible customer service experience I once had so I ignore them.) Recently Verizon introduced a better Jetpack, the 8800L. It doesn't matter which one you go with. The data plans are extremely similar. There is no such thing as true unlimited, you'll pay waaay too much for not enough bandwidth. When they say "unlimited" what they mean is "You may send us an unlimited amount of money for an unlimited amount of time."

If the ONLY stuff you're going to do is email on your smartphone and limited web surfing (Facebook, etc) then Verizon's Jetpack or AT&T's device will be fine.  If you're going to be streaming TV and Movies off the internet (Netflix, etc.) you WILL be disappointed with both Verizon and AT&T.  If you're going to be streaming TV and Movies off the internet (Netflix, etc.) then look into a Dish TV arrangement -- or -- just buy a DVD player (that's what I did).

Lastly, 5G is coming, later this year and 2020. It will change everything about WiFi.