Yahoo Message Number: 14355 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14355)
Thanks to everyone who responded to my "Seeking Advice" inquiry about slideouts. I was wondering what most people do about Internet Access while on the road. It appears the choices would be a modem when a phone line is available, wireless "Hot Spots" or a satellite antenna.
What is the best or most successful means of getting on line?
Yahoo Message Number: 14356 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14356)
I work while I travel so I need pretty constant access at a reasonable speed AND a cell phone at the same time. I use the Cingular/AT&T GPRS/EDGE aircard in my laptop. Card was free, service is $80/month for unlimited connectivity (I use 24x7 when parked). Right now I'm connected at 170KbS in the Florida Keys and when we toured the US this past fall we ranged from 30K to 170K.
I know a number of people who have Verizon Mobil Office and use their phone's free nights and weekend minutes and get good speeds too.
Dave
Yahoo Message Number: 14358 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14358)
We use T-Mobile wireless via a laptop aircard for $30 a month, unlimited. Speeds are about the same as a 56K modem. Reliability for us has been about 95% for the last 12 months. Best coverage is along interstates and around/in cities. It even works in motion while she drives. Can't beat it for the price.
Larry, 2003 Allure #30856
reasonable
this
their
about
Access
antenna.
Yahoo Message Number: 14359 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14359)
Internet Access
Starband provides internet access to house & to coach. The 36" dish mounts on a surveyors tripod beside coach. Setup time is less than 15 minutes. Less than 5 minutes to setup on pipe mount at house. Total equipment cost was about $420. It is not as fast as cable access nor convenient as a roof system that is working.
When the roof mount automatic systems become reliable for combined internet & video service, I will buy one.
Too many people tell me of traveling cross country for repairs or replacing whole systems to get service. Too many speak of months without service. Our last neighbor with a roof internet system paid $7000 initial cost plus over $100 monthly for 5 months availability in 11 months. Then he paid $3500 to upgrade for reliability. He had a second system for video.
I may have much less time in setup & stowing my Starband dish than the average automatic system user has in repairs. Then consider out of service time and dew time.
Eric Elliott
5 Inspire 51321 3 slides, no leaks.
Yahoo Message Number: 14360 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14360)
A couple of ideas...
A new system is about to emerge from a company called DataBahn. It is a satellite system that is (promising) very good uplink bandwidth.
We shall see. Right up there with DSL. less than $100/mo and use it anywhere you are free of trees. No per minute charges.
WiFi at most RV campgrounds is coming on very strong and is probably the best cheap way to access. For those of us who go to the big parks.
A new system called WiFi Max (supported and pushed by Intel) will give a much greater coverage than standard WiFi.. It is being rolled out over the next few years. AND will be VERY cheap so they say.
We use a Motosat connection that costs $100/mo.. even works in the rain.. Love it when we are clear of trees.
Russ and Jean
05 Intrigue
Yahoo Message Number: 14362 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14362)
There's tons of information on this subject in the Datastormusersgroup.com website, including pros and cons of other systems, tripod vs roof mounts, combined internet/TV systems etc. The pros as far as were concerned, is in its availability and ease of setup.
We've been online in the boonies of Canada and now here in Puerto Penasco Mexico...something that cannot be said for cel phone systems. Insofar as our roof mounted system, we've not had any problems I haven't been able to fix myself. The only times we've been down for any periods of time were to remove viruses on our Windows server.
Dick
Allure #30519
Datastorm w/Powerbooks(2) on WiFi
Yahoo Message Number: 14364 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14364)
Yahoo Message Number: 14366 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14366)
I have a Verizon aircard...79.99 + taxes, etc. a month for unlimited service. It is not as fast as phone hookups for me so I may need to have the card itself replaced. I also use WiFi when it is available and not exhorbitantly priced - I prefer free. And use the phone lines here at the service dept when I'm here...passes the time.
I have read a lot about datastorms; wonder if anyone here has the datastorm that is portable and is set up on a tripod when you stop.
Carol
'04 Inspire
Had leaks in the BR slide - repaired at the factory and water damage also repaired nicely. No problems since so long as I follow the directions and use a stop and go movement when taking the rooms in after rain.
Yahoo Message Number: 14367 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14367)
As long as everyone is jumping in ...
We use Nextel. Packetstream Gold is about $50 a month unlimited. I would check the TMobile however, sounds very good to me and half the price of Nextel. Be sure you check coverage on the respective web sites.
Not sure how people get over 40 or 50K (actually 19.9K with compression) with circuit data cell phone coverage. Have not heard of this but sounds cool.
For two way sat systems, technically (I think) you need an FCC license to install one of these since they are a transmitter. More power to you if you are a do it yourself person, but a neighbor with a grudge could turn you in ... not that the FCC would do anything.
Also I have read that Hughes/Directway (the ISP) does not guaranty long term support of mobile sat systems like this, but this might be old news. Someone please correct me on this (I would love one).
We get by with Nextel, but are looking into TMobile.
John
Yahoo Message Number: 14370 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14370)
If you choose to use a free standing MOTOSAT system it does require a technical license (per FCC rules).
This is about a 3 hr class. Not very difficult. But quite confident that they would never know if you are a techi and set it up each time (without taking the class.)
The benefit of a freestanding unit is you can park your coach under the trees and still have
internet/tv connections.
Russ and Jean
05 Intrigue
Yahoo Message Number: 14371 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14371)
Hi
Here are some links to portable satellite system vendors (Tripod systems and Automatic roof top systems):
Glenn Simpson -- glenn@... (glenn@...) http://www.businesswebsupport.com (http://www.businesswebsupport.com) http://www.home.earthlink.net/~flicka15/hardware.html (http://www.home.earthlink.net/~flicka15/hardware.html) http://dustyfoot.com/ (http://dustyfoot.com/) http://www.rv-anywhere.org/ (http://www.rv-anywhere.org/) http://www.maxwellsatellite.com/ (http://www.maxwellsatellite.com/) http://www.businesswebsupport.com/index.html (http://www.businesswebsupport.com/index.html)
Direcway policy seems to be that the "first installation and setup of the dish be done by a Hughes certified installer".
Direcway does not support the mobile use of the DW6000 system in a tripod configuration but they do not seem to discourage it either.
The FCC does not regulate setup but Direcway's policy is:
"After installation by an HNS-Certified Installer, a Temporary-Fixed DIRECWAY earth station may be deployed by an End User using HNS- Certified deployment software." - Hughes Policy on the installation and operation of Direcway two-way satellite earth stations - October 30, 2002
So it is pretty much a 'don't ask - don't tell' situation. Many portable users call Direcway when they need help and they seem to get the same quality of help (Usually poor quality it seems) as they would if they were not portable. Of coarse they don't mention the fact they are portable and as far as I know the techs don't ask. I have been using the tripod for about a year now with very little trouble and am happy with it. It will work in many places where a roof mounted dish will not work because of trees. Some Datastorm users carry a tripod system with them for those locations.
Good luck
Andy
The truth about our gas prices.
Why are we low on oil? Simple - we forgot to check it.
Our oil is in Alaska, Oklahoma and Texas.
OUR DIPSTICKS ARE IN WASHINGTON.
{Stolen from some other forum}
DW6000 / Satmex5 / Xpndr 1070 / linksys befw11s4 2002 36' Allure #30787 / 2000 Subaru Forester
with
be
Yahoo Message Number: 14372 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14372)
Dick: Where you staying? We're headed down there on the 1st of Feb. Playa Elegante.
Larry
Intrigue
10762
Currently in Gold Canyon (Phoenix)
Yahoo Message Number: 14377 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14377)
John,
Before you make a decision, you might want to read the posts on these three yahoo boards
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByCellPhone/?yguid=154897978 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByCellPhone/?yguid=154897978)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByWiFi/?yguid=154897978 (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InternetByWiFi/?yguid=154897978)
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/rv_communications/?yguid=154897978 (http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/rv_communications/?yguid=154897978)
Some of the posters on these sites are not happy with T-Mobile when traveling out of metropolitan areas.
I've learned a lot just reading the posts.
I've heard the same thing about the mobile Internet satellite dishes, but have seen several in my travels. Next time, I'm going to screw up my courage and go chat with the owners. >
Carol
with
be
Yahoo Message Number: 14380 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14380)
This is an interesting statement from the CC forum and seems to indicate that Hughes official policy is that the end user may indeed move it around.
Tom Fisher
Dallas, TX
Yahoo Message Number: 14383 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14383)
After visiting all of these websites, I have one question...well, I have more, but one will do for now...It sound as if the portable satellite dishes are slower than the ones that are installed on top of the coach? The $99 service is faster than the $59 service? Is this true?
Thanks for the information!
Carol
Yahoo Message Number: 14388 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14388)
That's true Carol. However you can get the higher speed service for the tripod as well. Just ask for the business service for $99. (But I find the $59 service fast enough for me).
Andy
Yahoo Message Number: 14391 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14391)
Will do Carol, thanks.
Same issue with Nextel, no service in the boonies. This will be most evident when we head west this summer.
I am most looking forward to the expansion of WiFi, although this will also be an urban thing. Internet anywhere means big ugly sat dish on your rig, or next to it.
John
Yahoo Message Number: 14420 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14420)
Fred,
Purchased direct from Starband.
Certification to do your install is via training.starband.com
Eric
Yahoo Message Number: 14428 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/14428)
Here's my personal menus for internet access:
1) WiFi when available at a reasonable cost - i.e., free.
2) Verizon Mobile Office most places. $40 one-time charge for software and cable that connects cell-phone to laptop USB port; no monthly charge for basic (Quick 2 Net) access; $5 per month for optional higher speed (Express Network) access - 144 kb/s burst. This plan uses normal cell phone minutes; of course off-peak minutes are free with most wireless service plans today.
3) If outside digital cell phone service area, use a modem connection to call an ISP local access number.
4) Occasionally, Public Libraries.
5) In the boondocks: drive to town if its really important.
Total monthly internet access cost: $10/month for ISP (unlimited access) (optional) $5/month for higher speed Verizon access
Works great most of the time since I don't really _need_ constant high speed internet access.
--
Tom Harsch
2002 Allure #30791