Phone/internet Comm question

[Dontpedalit]

I have a job that allows me to work remotely much of the time. I've considered traveling w/the RV and just logging in from where I'm staying but reliable internet connections is very much a concern. This past weekend i camped in a park in the full hook up section where there were some much bigger rigs than mine (i think i was the only RV greater than 20ft that had no slide out). I noticed a few RVers had a bubble-like plastic unit that they put out in a clearing in the trees with cabling out to it. Was that thing housing a satellite receiver for TV?  Can i get something similar for my own satellite internet?
 

 

[Back2PA]

Satellite internet is available but very expensive. Most people rely on cellular data packages

 

[donn]

Those small domes are sat TV.  Sat internet requires a rather large and very expenaive open face dish.  Most people who work remotely use cell based wifi.  Things like Verizons MIFI which is basically a dumb phone that allows you to connect devices via bluetooth to the internet.  Depending on service peovider and plan cell based can run from around 30 to over a hundred dollars a month.  But as long as you have a decent cell signal mifi work just fine.  Unless you need really high speed it is your only best option.

 

[blw2]

My 'understanding' is the sat based internet isn't very good, and is expensive.

I've given this topic some thought...well dreaming really.  My job is computer work, and technically there's really no reason I couldn't work form home or from the RV.  I've many times thought about how I could be set up on the picnic table outside my RV someplace, instead of being holed up int the office.  the only reason I can't is really just old fashioned ideals.  They want us there...for what, I don't really know.  In case there's a meeting or something I suppose.  Really to be honest, we would loose some ability for easy brainstorming on the fly...."hey, come look at this will ya, what do you think" kinda stuff.  And they would have to accept that I might not always be able to do things now, without warning or planning.  Might not be always 100% available for phone calls...but I'd still get the work done.

Anyway, my point is that I have thought that if i could ever swing it I'd probably have to plan to be nearer to cities or places with decent 4G coverage during the week...for downloading and uploading the files....so I might not be able to be 100% free to go wherever.... but i'd be ok with that

 

[John From Detroit]

Though there is a small dish internet service.. I was just told by some folks who use it "portable" ti's a witch to set up.. There used to be a big dish internet service. Slow. bandwith limited. long pin time and expensive

The small dome. You nailed it when you ask the following question

Was that thing housing a satellite receiver for TV?

TV sat antenna.. And even then it's not as good as I'd like

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The big inhibitor for satellite internet is that it has to transmit as well as receive, which means it needs more power, extremely careful aiming, and caution not to harm anything close to the transmitter. There is also an inherent, if small, delay as the signal is sent/received from server to satellite, then satellite to/from you.

 

[grashley]

I had satellite internet at home for 18 L O N G months.  Ideal setup with dish on brick wall and no trees in the way.

Very slow.  They claimed 50mbps, but I never got that.  The longer I had it, the slower it got.  10 - 15 mbps was about average on a good day.  And rain interrupted service.  Did I mention expensive??

 

[Laura & Charles]

My bride and both work remote full time and have been doing so for about three years out of our coach. We had satellite internet, but found it unusable for work. The bandwidth and speed were good enough and the signal rock solid. It was the latency that the issue and caused the VPN connection to drop. The HughesNet folks thought we could get our IT departments to change their systems to allow a slower handshake return ? ... both our companies are large and data driven and are not going to change their data infrastructure for one person?s needs.
Most parks have ?free WiFi? and most lack the bandwidth for work. We use Verizon for the most part. It?s not cheap, but it?s been pretty reliable.  We added a WEboost cell signal amplifier/repeater to the rig and there have been times it?s made the difference of staying or having to move on. We?re going to summer in the Michigan UP... heading that direction in a few weeks... from what I?ve heard, cell coverage there is some of the most spotty.  Here?s hoping!

 

[docj]

We use Verizon for the most part. It?s not cheap, but it?s been pretty reliable.  We added a WEboost cell signal amplifier/repeater to the rig and there have been times it?s made the difference of staying or having to move on. We?re going to summer in the Michigan UP... heading that direction in a few weeks... from what I?ve heard, cell coverage there is some of the most spotty.  Here?s hoping!

A combination of Verizon plus AT&T provides pretty good coverage in the US.  For both carriers there have been low cost, truly unlimited data plans that "come and go" over time.  For example, I'm currently using a $65 prepaid unlimited Verizon hotspot plan that was available from early November until a couple of weeks ago.  Those customers who have it have, so far, been told they are grandfathered with respect to continuing it.  My AT&T is coming via OTRMobile.com a reseller which offers a $60 unlimited hotspot plan.

A third option I'm experimenting with is a Google Project Fi account which operates on T-Mobile towers in the US but which doesn't charge extra for use internationally.  I've activated an account to see how it works in Canada this summer.  The Google Pixel series of phones have an embedded eSIM which makes it easy to switch between the primary network's physical SIM and the Project Fi eSIM.

Joe (AJA docj)

 

[LarsMac]

I've been using project Fi the last 6 months. It has served me pretty well, so far.
I have spent  whole days on my corporate VPN through my Pixel, and had very few(3 or 4 over the last two weeks) disconnects. Most  seem to coincide with heavy T'storms nearby.