|
01-19-2020, 03:54 PM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: 8300 Feet - Rocky Mountains
Posts: 2,414
|
Satellite Internet??
Has anyone used Viasat or Hughes Net (or similar) for an internet connection on an RV?
If so, how easy or difficult is it to setup on site and find the signal? We boondock, and there's rarely any cell signal where we go. But a satellite signal can be available wherever you can get a clear view of the sky. This would enable us to extend our stays considerably, because we are work-from-home consultants, and we need internet to do that work. And with internet, we'd also have VOIP telephone capabilities.
Anyone who has tried this, I'd be interested not only in ISP recommendations, but also hardware recommendations. A dish with built in homing equipment to help find the bird and zero in on the signal is important. And a dish mount that enables this feat without bags of wrenches would be important, too.
Thanks in advance for any experiences you can share.
__________________
Jim & Renee
2020 Jayco Jay Feather X-213
previously 2014 Forest River/Rockwood HW 277
2006 Ram 1500 4WD Crew with Firestone Airbags
Every weekend boondocking in the National Forests or at Lake Vallecito.
|
|
|
01-19-2020, 03:59 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 3,290
|
I believe the two you mention are 'fixed antenna' satellite internet - which would work fine if you learn to get it attached to the signal.... and there may be options for 'automatic acquisition' satellite internet antennas( the boating world comes to mind), and if you have the money, anything is probably possible....
__________________
The Turners...
'07 Rockwood Signature Ultralight...
two Campers and two Electric cars : )
|
|
|
01-20-2020, 01:32 AM
|
#3
|
Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,888
|
An acquaintance of mine has a satellite internet setup and he wrote an article for Xscapers:
https://xscapers.com/adding-satellit...rnet-to-my-rv/
Your VOIP is his first con mentioned:
Quote:
As the dish is communicating with a satellite 22,300 miles up in space, there is a time delay with each packet of data that is roughly 10 times worse than the average cell tower. This means that certain items such as voice calls can be more challenging if you have a quick talker on the other end of the phone.
|
Until Starlink or other low-earth-orbit satellite internet system is ready, I just don't see this satellite as realistically viable for most 9-5 kind of day jobs.
(And while I long for fast Internet everywhere, I have serious mixed feelings on the ideas of what 12-40,000 satellites are going to do to the sky; regardless of what SpaceX is claiming.)
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
|
|
|
01-20-2020, 09:50 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 124
|
I'm a subscriber to satellite internet (Xplorenet in Canada). As mentioned above, latency is pretty bad. When my kids are gaming online, they connect through a cell hotspot instead. That may not matter for regular work but the VoIP might be tricky.
I admit, I haven't researched, but I haven't heard of auto-pointing satellite internet systems, but I've moved my own regular dish a couple of times and it's not too hard. I look up the location in the sky to point using a website that uses my lat/log, aim a compass, and turn the dish. Logging into the modem locally will show you signal strength. I don't think it would be a big deal to repoint occasionally, but it might be a hassle if you plan to move often.
Note that the dish itself is much heavier than a Dish or DirectTV dish. The dish itself is bigger, and the LNB is much heavier. That would need to be considered for mounting options.
__________________
Dave in SK
VE5DLC
Trailer: 2011 Cedar Creek Silverback 35K
Truck: 2006 Dodge 2500 TRX4 Cummins
Seasonal at Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park
|
|
|
01-20-2020, 10:06 AM
|
#5
|
Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,051
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by camaro80
I'm a subscriber to satellite internet (Xplorenet in Canada). As mentioned above, latency is pretty bad. When my kids are gaming online, they connect through a cell hotspot instead. That may not matter for regular work but the VoIP might be tricky.
I admit, I haven't researched, but I haven't heard of auto-pointing satellite internet systems, but I've moved my own regular dish a couple of times and it's not too hard. I look up the location in the sky to point using a website that uses my lat/log, aim a compass, and turn the dish. Logging into the modem locally will show you signal strength. I don't think it would be a big deal to repoint occasionally, but it might be a hassle if you plan to move often.
Note that the dish itself is much heavier than a Dish or DirectTV dish. The dish itself is bigger, and the LNB is much heavier. That would need to be considered for mounting options.
|
X2 on all of what camaro said.
VOIP conversations are questionable.
I've moved a couple of the internet dished for folks and re-positioning wasn't an issue but having a good, steady pole mount is a must.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2017 Ford F-Series SCREW 4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=64
|
|
|
01-21-2020, 04:54 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: 8300 Feet - Rocky Mountains
Posts: 2,414
|
We have the opportunity to do some extended stays this summer. Rather than long weekends, we may do 10-day stretches.
So, my goals:
~ email
~ basic online database utilities
~ other simple tasks such as sending and receiving attachments.
~ and the difficult one - VOIP. Real time with so much latency and jitter can be problematic, BUT in a "this or nothing" situation, "THIS" may be better than nothing. Generally, 1.5 MB DSL would be adequate for these purposes.
We do not plan to stream or game. We MIGHT stream Pandora or Spotify, but neither requires much bandwidth, and with buffering, both can perform seamlessly. But we have an iPod Touch with about 400 CDs on it, so streaming music is really unnecessary.
We have VOIP (Ooma) in our home office (using fixed wireless internet via cell tower), and even then, the jitter and latency can be problematic. But, again, it's this or nothing.
My concern is, will satellite internet be more or less as easy to manage as, say, connecting to Dish in a remote campground? Dish and Direct TV both have DIY systems for zeroing in on a bird - with a homing beacon that uses sound to dial in the signal. (I'm sure there are other methods, too.)
What I don't know is whether this kind of DIY satellite location is available for satellite internet, and if so, how practical it is.
I did find some Winegard equipment that has "call for pricing"....suggesting it's out of my budget.
Thanks.
__________________
Jim & Renee
2020 Jayco Jay Feather X-213
previously 2014 Forest River/Rockwood HW 277
2006 Ram 1500 4WD Crew with Firestone Airbags
Every weekend boondocking in the National Forests or at Lake Vallecito.
|
|
|
01-21-2020, 06:00 PM
|
#7
|
Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,888
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmoore13
My concern is, will satellite internet be more or less as easy to manage as, say, connecting to Dish in a remote campground? Dish and Direct TV both have DIY systems for zeroing in on a bird - with a homing beacon that uses sound to dial in the signal. (I'm sure there are other methods, too.)
What I don't know is whether this kind of DIY satellite location is available for satellite internet, and if so, how practical it is.
I did find some Winegard equipment that has "call for pricing"....suggesting it's out of my budget.
Thanks.
|
I'd suggest you contact the author of the article that I linked to - Kevin Ridley - wickedwanderersfamily@gmail.com.
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
|
|
|
01-21-2020, 06:49 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 9,678
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmoore13
Has anyone used Viasat or Hughes Net (or similar) for an internet connection on an RV?.
|
We had a similar set up at home (less than 5 years ago) and we found DSL is better which we have now, was much fasted and more reliable.
Do not know about an RV set up but I can say in the past anyway, the weather had everything to do with the quality of the signal. Storms near by.... No internet.
Dish has internet, curious if it is better now. We may move farther out not sure and curious about sat internet as well today.
__________________
2005 Dodge 3500 Cummins
2017 Wildwood Lodge 4092 BFL
1966 Mustang GT
1986 Mustang SVO
Lillie Spoiled Rotten Boxer Mix
|
|
|
01-22-2020, 01:39 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 124
|
Here is a web site offering portable systems, and further down, a link to a page with auto-pointing systems. It does get quite expensive. As mentioned above, these systems are much bigger than TV satellite gear.
https://www.montanasatellite.com/pro...ernet-systems/
__________________
Dave in SK
VE5DLC
Trailer: 2011 Cedar Creek Silverback 35K
Truck: 2006 Dodge 2500 TRX4 Cummins
Seasonal at Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park
|
|
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|