Campground WIFI - how do you boost a weak signal

If you're parked out in the back of beyond and having trouble getting a good wifi signal in the campground, what's out there to help boost that signal on the receiving end( my laptop)?
Barbara

We bought a Hawking HWU8DD Wireless Hi-Gain Dish Adaptor.  It plugs into your USB port and becomes your wireless receiver replacing whatever is in your laptop now.  To see prices just Google Hawking HWU8DD.  Here is a good description with a picture.

http://www.hawkingtech.com/products/productlist.php?CatID=32&FamID=60&ProdID=280

JerryF

Thanks....that looks pretty good. We are also planning to attach a telbox so we can use our Vonage phone off the laptop. Does anyone out there use that setup and use it with wifi?
What a lot of questions from the newbie!
Barbara

BarbaraJ said:

Thanks....that looks pretty good. We are also planning to attach a telbox so we can use our Vonage phone off the laptop. Does anyone out there use that setup and use it with wifi?
What a lot of questions from the newbie!
Barbara

Click to expand...

We use Skype VOIP phone  much cheaper than Vonage and it works very well for us.  Also you can use the video feature too.

Ron,
  Do you use Skype with a wifi setup?

Thanks, Barbara

BarbaraJ said:

Ron,
  Do you use Skype with a wifi setup?

Thanks, Barbara

Click to expand...

We normally use Skype with our satellite internet but have used it with park wifi to see just how it worked .  Skype worked just fine when I was connected via the park wifi.

I use our Vonage service on park wifi if we are going to be in a place for awhile and want to connect up our regular phones to receive calls to our hoe number. Or make calls too.  Otherwise I just let it forward to voice mail (which we recive via email) or cell phone. I use a Buffalo wireless LAN extender to connect the Vonage unit - the Buffalo is a wifi adapter (connects to the park wifi) and provides 4 wired Lan ports, which can be used to connect the Vonage adapter.  I haven't tried to connect the Vonage device direct to a laptop's own Lan port. Whether it works or not will depend on how the laptops own software handles the Lan port, i.e. whether it will  act like a standard LAN hub.  Let us know how it works.

We use a Senao Engenius wifi adapter, the model 362-EXT. It is a 3x-5x more powerful than the typical wifi adapter and also has the capability to use an external antenna for even better reception.

Any wifi adpater that attaches via a USB cable has a potential advantage in that it can be moved around to improve reception. Sometimes moving the receiver a foot or two can make a huge difference.

BarbaraJ said:

  Do you use Skype with a wifi setup?

Click to expand...

My wife talks with her family around the world using Skype and her laptop only connects to our home network using WiFi. I use Skype as my business phone. Sometimes I'm connected by wire, sometimes over the home WiFi and sometimes over WiFi at campgrounds and other public networks. I have never had a problem using Skype with any of those connections.

HTH,
Dexter

Thanks for all the great info! My husband is researching all of your suggestions now. Once we get set up, I'll let you know how it all worked. If we can get a good wifi signal, that means we can go travel for longer periods. He works from home but if we can do it from a campground with wifi, we can head south to warmer weather until the house sells and then it's full-time all the way!
Barbara

Barbara,

Because hubby wants to use it for business, you should know that campground wifis are still in what I will call the development stage.  If you read some of the other threads on this forum you'll find that some campground wifis work great and others simply don't work as advertised.  We've come to the conclusion that the campground operators hire someone to set one up and then don't know enough about it to make corrections themselves when something goes bad.  Sometimes they aren't set up properly from the get-go and you have to be in a site that is almost on top of the antenna to get it to work.  Many have antennas that just don't reach out to the far sites.  Be sure to ask about their wifi before making a reservation if it's really important to you.  We can live with it when we can't use it for email, but business is a whole different ballgame.  We've seen people sitting outside trying to get wifi and it's not very satisfactory because of screen glare.  Also, if you try to use the laptop's built-in wifi you're less likely to have an adequate connection.

Most of the people on this forum who use the internet for business have their own internet dishes for two-way communications.  If you talk a little more about what his needs are, perhaps they'll be able to help you more.  Personally, I don't think I would want to depend on campground wifi for buisness, especially if it requires large downloads and uploads.  When you really need it, it may not be there.

Another idea is to get yourself an EDVO aircard.  If you didn't see the discussion, go to the RVing message board called "PCs, Communications, Electronics" and look for the post "New Small Mobile Router for EDVO aircards and EDVO USB aircards."

ArdraF

Ardra,
  Thanks for the info. We have Sprint cellphones so we are also looking at aircards but the coverage seems to cluster around big cities. I guess we can stay near to those places until hubby retires. He likes his toys so I imagine we will be going thru a lot of network gear until he hits on what he wants. We'll probably end up with a dish at some point.

Barbara

Check with Ron Ruward on this forum because a "free standing" tripod mount internet satellite dish is MUCH less expensive than a fully automatic rooftop mounted one.  You may be surprised and pleased!

JerryF

Jerry...thanks...will do!   
Barbara

Barbara,

You'll find contact info for a supplier/installer of the system Ardra suggested here.

Tom,
  Thanks for the link. We're also looking at Pressure Pro and saw a link for that also.

Barbara

BarbaraJ said:

We're also looking at Pressure Pro and saw a link for that also.

Click to expand...

Barbara, the PPro is another must-have item. Gives you great peace of mind to know your tire pressures are being continually monitored. Bernie has supplied a number of folks here with their PPRo systems.

We have Pressure Pro and highly recommend getting it.  Really gives comfort in knowing the tires are all OK.

AND knowing the pressure of each individual tire - both MH and toad! 

ArdraF

Thats what i want to know. . 

There is a signal then my neighbor pulls in and it goes away

Does anyone know anything about this company or their product?

www.rv2internet.com

They say they can fix that.  But I wanted to know if anyone has tried it out first.



Open_Road
The Oregon Coast  -  Magnificent!!