Internet on the Road - What is your setup?

[A_Bus_Called_Quest]

Skoolie Fam!
After juggling a few of the threads here, trying to wrap my mind around our internet setup in the bus, I thought I'd reach out to you beautiful people once more to compile some knowledge into one thread in hopes of a "go-to" on easy internet for skoolie life

After looking at all of the options and equipment, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed even for someone who is usually pretty tech-savvy; Hot Spots, Routers, Boosters, JetPacks, 4G, 5G, and SO many different cell plans now - I think I've got myself tied in a knot and all the tech for this is so expensive I would love to avoid any redundant or needless purchases

To get right to it: What is your internet setup, in most basic terms? What cell provider / data provider are you using, and how is it working out for you?


Here's my plan for us, just to get out on the road - can you poke any holes in it, or lend some advice?

1. One phone line with T-Mobile (we currently have unlimited data on our TMobile lines, $75/mo each line),
2. get a new phone line with Verizon w/ unlimited data ($80/mo + phone cost),
3. then use a router to send the signal out to our devices? I'm hearing Netgear Nighthawk M1, but maybe we can get away with something less robust / costly?

We just need basic internet access for email, sending files, streaming music and movies - nothing encrypted or super advanced.

Thank you all for taking the time to help us newbs get out on the road! I owe you all a drink and some dinner :bow::Thanx::marshmallow:

 

[rossvtaylor]

Hey BG, we've been using a cellular hotspot/modem from The RV IT Guy ( https://www.thervitguy.com/ ) and we're very happy with it...happy enough that I wrote a review post on it. It seems to be truly unlimited, as it's the primary internet for our bus home and our AirBnB house. They are using the Sprint network and, perhaps, I could have gone straight to Sprint? But I like that they're a small business and their staff seem to all be living nomadic lives. And you can talk to someone promptly.

The unit has a wifi router built in, but it also has ethernet ports and we have another wifi router and an extender plugged into those to reach a camp spot a hundred yards out yonder.

 

[A_Bus_Called_Quest]

Hey BG, we've been using a cellular hotspot/modem from The RV IT Guy ( https://www.thervitguy.com/ ) and we're very happy with it...happy enough that I wrote a review post on it. It seems to be truly unlimited, as it's the primary internet for our bus home and our AirBnB house. They are using the Sprint network and, perhaps, I could have gone straight to Sprint? But I like that they're a small business and their staff seem to all be living nomadic lives. And you can talk to someone promptly.

The unit has a wifi router built in, but it also has ethernet ports and we have another wifi router and an extender plugged into those to reach a camp spot a hundred yards out yonder.

Thanks Ross! I did see your post on the RV IT Guy service - I am looking over their site right now actually, really intriguing. I assume they still face the same limitations a regular cell provider does - distance from cell towers - but their price for 'truely unlimited' internet sounds great, opposed to throttled speeds from big carriers. Also a fan of supporting small companies like this

I'm thinking about changing my TMobile line over to Verizon or something like Visible (still researching), my wife will keep her TMobile line, and we can add something like this RV IT Guy connection to keep us covered if we start to find ourselves running through cell data too fast.

 

[Drew Bru]

We used a WeBoost OTR truck cell booster to boost our Verizon Jetpack. We almost always had a usable data connection on the road. We were always able to stream Netflix or Hulu or whatever. Of course, we'd use Campendium to find our boondocking sites and the reviews usually stated if there was a Verizon signal. Other times we'd scout with the truck and find campsites that had a data connection. You could probably get away with using a cell phone instead of the Jetpack...we sometimes went that way. The Jetpack was like $65/mo and "unlimited" but throttled after we reached the data cap. They almost never throttled it in reality, I think they do that if its a busy tower. Our phones are Visible and Total Wireless, which use the Verizon network. Visible is "unlimited" too but we haven't tested whether they throttle it or not. Total wireless allowed us to buy more data, which we did a few times.
I think you could get by without a router if you use the hotspot feature on a phone, or use a Jetpack. You'll probably want a Weboost or something similar though, and get a telescoping window-washing pole or something to raise it...not usually necessary, but nice to have in a pinch.

 

[A_Bus_Called_Quest]

Hey Gang, just heading back around for an update on our internet service so far.

We went with our two T-Mobile cell phone plans (we already had them) with "unlimited" data on the phones, 50gb hot spot data each.
Paired with our 150gb Verizon jetpack we get 250gb per month spread accross 2 networks for approx $250/month (split between my wife and I).

We both work about 30 hours / week so internet is essential to our traveling lifestyle, even if it comes at a higher cost.

So far after eight states and approx 3500 miles we have only had one night with no internet We could cut down our use a ton if we stopped watching TV (streaming) but. . . old habbits die hard I guess :whistling:

Hope y'all are staying warm out there!!! See you on the road

 

[HamSkoolie]

If you can get on to ATT's new "first responder" network....... fire, police, medical, and lots more....I think military and vets as well well as many others.....for instance because my gals company provides aircraft for fire fighting, everyone in the company qualifies...
Anyway, it's unlimited talk, text, data, AND HOTSPOT for like $45/month PLUS as of two weeks ago you were getting an iPad air 9th gen for $13/month with a $13/month credit and it too is unlimited HOTSPOT.
PLUS a free apple watch.



So she's got ATT on her phone and I have the iPad and watch since she hates apple and ported her Android over.


I then have an iPhone with Visible as the carrier which is a pay as you go no contract Verison sub company. It is unlimited talk, text, data, and HOTSPOT for $40/mo but if yo get another line (with any firend or familiy) it comes down $5. The hotspot is limited to something like 5 or 6 mpps but again, it's unlimited.


So we now have two different providers with two unlimited full speed hot spots and a backup 5 or 6 mpps hotspot for when ATT doesn't have coverage......ALL for just $85/mo

 

[Josephsugden]

I use the Orbee from US Cellular anywhere you get us cellular reception you have internet

 

[Dbacks2k4]

Combo of starlink, Google fi cellular (tmobile) and AT&T all in SD-Wan with automatic transfer. I'll be making a video about it soon, I rather need-out about it, haha

 

[Tejon7]

Combo of starlink, Google fi cellular (tmobile) and AT&T all in SD-Wan with automatic transfer. I'll be making a video about it soon, I rather need-out about it, haha

Looking forward to that video. Sounds about like what I've been imagining, but haven't been smart enough to piece together yet.

 

[turf]

i have an old grandfathered unlimited verizon plan on a hotspot for the bus. at home i have starlink,

i'll be upgrading my gUDP to starlink soon. i use about 2 months of travel internet a year. 2 months of starlink RV service plus the equipment is about the same as 12 months of verizon service.

verizon has been great but camping service is sketchy in the mountains. when it does work, its overloaded and competing for towers and is slow.

my hotspot runs between .5 -1 mbs, my starlink is usually aroun 120 mbs.

i want the in motion antenna for starlink. my delay in switching to starlink mobile is the cost of that in motion antenna. my next trip is july,,, so between now and then, i'll probably bite the bullet.

i just got a rate increase from starlink too, going up $10/ month because im in a saturated area.

 

[mmoore6856]

i have an old grandfathered unlimited verizon plan on a hotspot for the bus. at home i have starlink,

i'll be upgrading my gUDP to starlink soon. i use about 2 months of travel internet a year. 2 months of starlink RV service plus the equipment is about the same as 12 months of verizon service.

verizon has been great but camping service is sketchy in the mountains. when it does work, its overloaded and competing for towers and is slow.

my hotspot runs between .5 -1 mbs, my starlink is usually aroun 120 mbs.

i want the in motion antenna for starlink. my delay in switching to starlink mobile is the cost of that in motion antenna. my next trip is july,,, so between now and then, i'll probably bite the bullet.

i just got a rate increase from starlink too, going up $10/ month because im in a saturated area.

+++yea verzion used to be the best but now im always having trouble with a signal and been on the phone for hours a week trying to fix it for 3 months now. i also having trouble as i paid a phone off early about 3 weeks ago and they still want me to make a payment on it this month. when i finally get a human they see the problem but 3 times now they cant fix it so verzion sucks for reception and customer service. ill be going elsewhere soon

 

[cadillackid]

verizon is having REAL issues in my area.. since we deal with them on a telecom level,, the skinny as its been given to me is that verizon has jettisoned some LTE antenna space in favor of 5G where they have no more room to add antennas to existing towers.. they are favoring higher population / service areas.. ie if you are near a freeway but not on the freeway yopu are the first to have your antenna yanked in favor of keeping the freeway hot.. they claim to be able to resolve this without forcing everyone onto their 5G network but I suspect they are simply going to say Sorry kiddies to those on older devices.. I do notice my Telit 960 Modem does a much better job with AT&T and Tmobile as it handles all the LTE bands.. Verizon wont work on it now matter what credentials I put in so I suspect they ban IMEI numbers of anything thats not Quectel or Sierra (or obviously phones)..verizon nor cradlepoint or pepwave ever offered a product with a telit modem...

 

[BarnYardCamp]

we aren't real impressed with T-mobile either....

 

[Josephsugden]

https://routeruniverse.com/
Should find it hear called an orbi from us cellular it's a modem and Wi-Fi on one it's about $76 a month and then I use a free internet number through text me now with the Orbee you'll get unlimited mobile data anywhere you get decent cellular US Cellular

 

[Dbacks2k4]

Looking forward to that video. Sounds about like what I've been imagining, but haven't been smart enough to piece together yet.

Got the video uploaded tonight. Hope it helps!

 

[Tejon7]

That's awesome, thanks!! Just found your channel the other day. Good stuff. I'm always impressed when somebody can build a bus AND document it for others to learn from. I only have energy for one or the other :biggrin:

 

[Dbacks2k4]

That's awesome, thanks!! Just found your channel the other day. Good stuff. I'm always impressed when somebody can build a bus AND document it for others to learn from. I only have energy for one or the other :biggrin:

Glad you enjoyed it. I'm learning as I refine my video making and editing skills (it's much harder than I thought) there's a difference between producing content that is dramatic and entertaining like 99% of the channels out there and making videos that are more practical and educational which I lean towards. It's definitely hard to setup a camera and get work done without just doing long time lapses from a corner. I tend to work an hour, video what I did during a pop/soda break, then get back to work. Plus I like listening to music while I work and YouTube is rather strict with copyright protection.

One of my new favorite channels is a Canadian who is building out a bus. He has a monotone voice but his videos sound exactly like a college lecture, same as me

 

[Henry25]

This is nice

 

[nikitis]

In my travels I just used my Cell Phone Hotspot with T-Mobile. I have an unlimited tether plan that i'm Grandfathered into. (I had the infamous Unlimited data plan from Verizon too before that one

It works fine, and can even game on it, or stream movies. Most major carriers have service along interstates even out west so unless I'm out in the desert out west which I'm almost never because I live on the Saturated East Coast, I'm never without signal where I travel mostly. No need for all the fancy alternatives. When my travels become more robust, I might consider more advanced Starlink.

 

[turf]

upgrading my system.
after the solar install, i kind of want to keep an eye on the roof top panels, so i bit the bullet and upgraded.

i had verizon gudp. gone

now i have starlink and a full network setup.

i ditched the starlink router and went with unifi. they have a pretty good solution for video on their "Protect" app. i use it at home .... so i just kept expanding.

i got extended 5 yr warrantees for the items im mounting outside.

2 cams (forward and passenger side) and an access point now. if it works like i like, i'll add a rear cam and maybe a driver side cam.

installed, working but yet to road test.....