Wifi on the road

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by doc73

I'd be curious to see how it works and how you mounted it.

My CampPro works very well. Finds lots of wifi networks when the iPhone or iPad don't but you still need a password to connect to one of them.

Where I live I'm at the end of the xfinity line. The only thing available beyond me is DSL and it sucks. My next door neighbor ( about 2000 feet away) had DSL with about 5 mbps speed. He now "rents" my wifi signal using the CampPro and gets about 30 mbps. The home system starts out as 100-110 mbps.

I'm also curious about the trendnet directional antenna.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by emm-dee

My CampPro works very well. Finds lots of wifi networks when the iPhone or iPad don't but you still need a password to connect to one of them.

Where I live I'm at the end of the xfinity line. The only thing available beyond me is DSL and it sucks. My next door neighbor ( about 2000 feet away) had DSL with about 5 mbps speed. He now "rents" my wifi signal using the CampPro and gets about 30 mbps. The home system starts out as 100-110 mbps.

I'm also curious about the trendnet directional antenna.

How does the antenna mount? I am looking at the Amazon photo and it does not look like it has an outside mount for the antennae?

[Kenny kustom]

I did some testing with the ranger tonight.
I had three bars, from my neighbour about a mile away.
Super happy.

[doc73]

Originally Posted by Kenny kustom

I did some testing with the ranger tonight.
I had three bars, from my neighbour about a mile away.
Super happy.

Now if you could shenanigan him out of his passcode...

[Leatherman]

I did get to test it. I just spent the last few hours running it. My normal router (a very high end 3200 AC router) only collects 4 signals when I do a survey. The Camp Pro collects (locates) 29 signals. One specifically I know is probably close to 1/3 of a mile from my house (a residential signal). The other, nearly 1/2 a mile is a business and I can connect to the Xfinity wifi signal with my xfinity login and get a good speed.

It was very easy and straight forward to connect. The instruction sheet walked me through each piece of the setup. I was up and running in less then 20 minutes with a signal and my laptop on the wireless system. The Camp Pro acts like a wireless bridge connecting to remote APs and then allows your local devices to connect via the router in the package. You can connect to the Alpha router via wired or wireless, it has both interfaces which is nice if you have a desktop in an RV and it requires a wired signal. No wireless card is required.

One ding is that the ports on the back of the router are not tagged as to which is the WAN port vs the LAN port (for the initial setup). This is mentioned in the instructions that the LAN port is next to the power connection. It would have been nice to label the ports like on other routers but that is not a big deal since it seems to work so well.

All in all, I am very impressed with this little setup. Even better is the cost; only $100 + shipping if purchased at the correct place.

Ok, now to the TP Link directional beam antenna. The connector "n" on the antenna connected perfectly to the Antenna portion of the Camp Pro. I was able to "fine tune" the signals. I did not see a huge improvement on some signals but I did on others. The possible reason for this is the channel? I am not positive. In short, it did make an improvement in the signal using the directional antenna. I have to check my screenshots for the channel information. The directional antenna is a TP-Link brand antenna. Model ANT2409 2.4Ghz 9 dBi. I purchased this from Firefold.com and was only $27.89 after some discounts (luck of the Irish ). This antenna is also weatherproof and is designed to be used outdoors (like the Alpha system).

For those interested, I do have screenshots of the entire process including the link speeds. I can post them as a zip file or something so others can see how easy it is to setup prior to purchasing the unit.

Ok..now mounting. I am trading in my existing trailer on Saturday (4/9). That unit has a ladder and I was going to use that. The new trailer does not have a ladder. My choices are the batwing antenna for mounting, the AC shroud for mounting horizontally or create something temporary like a small weighted tripod that can just sit on the roof or slide while in use. I will figure that out after I get my new trailer on Saturday.

If the unit is mounted horizontally (and Alpha figures that some will have to) they REQUIRE that the connections be taped with water proof tape (water proof electrical sealing type tape). Fortunately, Alpha has anticipated that and even include the tape to use.

If anyone wants the screenshots, PM me with your email addy.

Bobby

[emm-dee]

Originally Posted by doc73

How does the antenna mount? I am looking at the Amazon photo and it does not look like it has an outside mount for the antennae?

If you're asking about the CampPro antenna it can be mounted using ¾" PVC conduit. The base of the antenna fits perfectly inside the PVC pipe. The antenna wire at the base of the antenna just drops through the PVC and comes out the other end.

I lucked out by having a toy hauler with the swing arm handles on each side. I rest the bottom of the pipe on the hinge then use two zip ties to hold it in place. It works with the handle in the open or closed position. The 20 foot long connection wire easily goes into the camper at the door opening and the router it connects to is on a shelf in the forward garage area. I just put up the antenna as part of my set up routine and remove it when traveling. It takes about three minutes to set up.

If you don't have those toy hauler type closing handles I'm pretty sure you could attach it to an exterior ladder (if you have one). You'll have to figure out how to route the wire. But, there are some flagpole systems I've seen that will serve the same purpose (I sometimes put a flag on a pole mounted to the opposite handle while at NASCAR race campgrounds).

Not that great of a view in the below pictures because I took them to show the camera installation and the antenna pole just happens to be in view. You can see the antenna on the far left side of the pix. It usually works good at the length shown but I can extend it another four feet if I need it for better reception (although I haven't had to do that yet).

[tandem54]

Originally Posted by doc73

I have a Verizon MiFi to use for on the road. Work well for us.

Same here, we like it.

[gectisme]

I also have a CampPro Setup with an Alpha router. The antenna I have is the 9dbi omni-directional which Leatherman has, which looks to be about twice as long as the one emm-dee has, (that's a great idea emm-dee, on the holder!). I'll have to say it does work well but... in our real camping usage it only came in handy one time so far. Out of ~40 RV parks in the last 9 months, only 3 had usable free WiFi and only one of those needed amplifying and the CampPro setup worked well for that one. The other 2, the WiFi signal was fine with out amplifying. The main issue is all the campgrounds WiFi except those 3 were slower than molasses on the North Pole. So all you're doing is amplifying slow WiFi that is almost useless anyway. I guess I shouldn't say useless but painful to use as you wait for the google search on great hikes nearby to load...
It's another tool, that when you need it, it works well but, IMO, for real usable internet, a wireless hotspot or MiFi device is going to be a lot better over 95% of the time.

[mxdad]

We lucked out and got into this ATT plan:
https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/att...b-for-60month/

500GB of LTE data for $100/mo. When we are mobile, I plug the hotspot into an inverter so that we have data going down the road. I plan to add this booster in the next few weeks with a larger "trucker" antenna:

https://www.amazon.com/weBoost-Drive...3AweBoost&th=1

I will then tie all of this into a new AC router (haven't decided which one yet) so that all of our devices can connect to it.

[shapes]

I use Sprint WiFi air card and have great success and allows 3 devices to use at same time

[gectisme]

Originally Posted by mxdad

I plan to add this booster in the next few weeks with a larger "trucker" antenna:

We have the WeBoost also and not too impressed with it. IMO, and it's just that an opinion based on what I have seen with ours, if your MiFi has an external Antenna port, you would be better off getting an external antenna for it.

[mxdad]

Originally Posted by gectisme

We have the WeBoost also and not too impressed with it. IMO, and it's just that an opinion based on what I have seen with ours, if your MiFi has an external Antenna port, you would be better off getting an external antenna for it.

That was the plan, but with the 500GB plan, you are restricted to the Homebase Z700A that doesn't have an external antenna....just an Ethernet port. It actually does pretty well by itself.....

[gectisme]

Originally Posted by mxdad

That was the plan, but with the 500GB plan, you are restricted to the Homebase Z700A that doesn't have an external antenna....just an Ethernet port. It actually does pretty well by itself.....

Maybe you can move the SIM to a ATT MiFi unit that has an external antenna port.

[RayB]

Originally Posted by doc73

I have a Verizon MiFi to use for on the road. Work well for us.

I also use the Verizon mifi at both home and in the MH.
Works well!

[GuyUpStairs]

Check out the new Comcast cell service, seems to be very cheap.

[dryflycaster]

DITTO on rp53 comment.


I found most camp ground WIFI to be woefully inadequate (Very slow if it worked at all). On a recent month long camping trip I used my iPhone to setup a hotspot as we need it and it worked much better than the camp ground WIFIs. Everything from printing to laptop usage.

[dbledan]

Originally Posted by GuyUpStairs

Check out the new Comcast cell service, seems to be very cheap.

Comcast or xfinity just resells Verizon's service and Charter will next year as well.

If it's cheaper it makes sense to use it. From what I have seen they are a WiFi first carrier so not sure how that will pan out for consumers like us who want to replace wifi.

[modemem]

We use the Straight Talk mifi from Walmart....we have the one that is on the Verizon network and we are happy with it.

[Whitaker]

Unlimited data with Verizon wireless comes with 10g of Hotspot.

[ependydad]

I require good internet and it seems it needs to be unlimited. I carry 2 different unlimited plans (one AT&T and one Verizon) and switch to whichever has better service at a particular location.

See if this helps:
http://learntorv.com/mobile-internet-on-the-road/

And then my camper's actual network/boosters:
http://learntorv.com/cellular-wifi-and-networks-oh-my/