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Old 09-21-2009, 08:17 AM   #1
David Bott
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Default Lets Talk Internet Access a via Sat and Broadband Data Cards

Hello...

From another thread about basement heating, we kind of got side tracked on to chatting about Internet connections. I thought it would be good to start a new thread on the topic in order to help others so it would not be lost in a basement heating thread.

Here is some of the posts made...

Quote:
How did your satellite system work out? As you may remember, the park we are in has poor wi-fi when the park is full. I suspect they cut back on their total broadband coverage after the season is over, which may explain why I have to use my tether to my Blackberry to use the internet. Oh well.
Take care;
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Quote:
Install went well. Happy to help you do it as the unit would run you $4750 for the G74, D4 controller, and Hughes Modem. More or less I can get you to the point of the system being installed and powered up/tested. Then you would need someone like Bill Adams, to be for VAR to get it system up and running.

At this point I am good to go and will just need to activate my modem when ready to start paying for service.

David

Quote:
What did / does the satellite system weigh? I'd be interested in how you ran the power and lines through the roof. By the way, not many would install their own systems, you are unique.
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Quote:
The G74 is about 80 lbs. Their are 3 cables...2 Cat6 coax and 1 control cable. I installed the G74 right behind the sat dome and ran the cables across the roof to the front of the coach and into the cabinet to the right of the drivers seat.

David

Quote:
I have been convinced that wireless internet was the emerging technology, at a signifigant savings over Sat system. What made you decide to go with the Hughes system? I have not gone wireless yet myself because where we winter in AZ the Verizon coverage is not very good yet. I just get a cable modem connect when we get there.

Holmesaw
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Old 09-21-2009, 08:45 AM   #2
David Bott
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Hi Holmesaw:

Yes, broadband internet from Verizon, ATT and others are the hot thing. I also have Verizon Broadband in our coach. I use the USB727 data card plugged into a Cradlepoint MBR1000 router. which then gives me WiFi coach wide and outside. (Note, their are less expensive router that can do this now with data cards.)

Cost is $59 a month and will get you 5GB of data a month. Thus is enough for most people as long as you are not doing a lot video playing of TV shows and movies. The cell companies are the same in price and amount of data per month. So much for keeping prices down based on competition. (Upfront costs are the card unless you get it for free with the plan and the router.)

Going that route will will for a lot of people and is very much less expensive that a satellite system. Big Bonus....You can use it while traveling as it is active all the time.

So, why Dave did you add into the mix a MotoSat G74 satellite system??? Good question. Simple answer. I MUST HAVE INTERNET ACCESS.

You seem, I run my businesses from anywhere as long as I have net access and phone. We are looking to travel for 5 months down Route 66 and maybe into Mexico. (that part is up inthe air right now.) What I found out in doing research on our trip, a lot of the route I will not be able to get data access. This is a bad thing to me. Also found out that deep into some of the national parks...no access. Valleys...No Access. Etc. So going back to my above simple answer, a satellite system was the only way to assure this. (As long as I have a clear path to the sky.)

Costs are high to get going that is for sure. A new MotoSat G74 unit is $4,750 for the unit, the D4 Controller, and the Hughes modem. You also need a router. ($50) Price installed is about $5,295. (Thus a $545 install fee for general install.)

Service will run you $79 a month. That is for a speed of 1 meg down and 200Kbps up. That buys you 375 megs of download service per revolving 24 hour period. (You can not go over 375 megs in any 24 hour period.) You get back about 16 megs per hour. If you go over, they cut your download speed to about 28kbps for 24 hours to discurrage you from doing it again. Note however...if you used all the 375 megs every day for a month, that is 11gig of download vs 5gig on a data card. The difference here is no change in speed for going over 5 gig yet the cell company will hit you large for fees per meg over. You really just need to watch the 24 revolving use and not hit the 375 mark. (Between 2am and 7am ET is not counted towards your 375...thus is the time for downloading updates.) This service can not be used while moving.

So, I will end up using both I am sad to say. Costly? yes. Needed? yes. Happy about it? Not really. But hey, I will have access even in Mexico.
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Old 09-24-2009, 06:38 PM   #3
Beaufort NC
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Default

We had a MoToSat system for quite some time, and got totally frustrated by it. It was expensive and unreliable, very difficult to use in any situation where trees were involved, etc. At the time we bought it, five years ago, it was really the only alternative. But these days, with the increasing availability of 3G networks, a simple air card seems to be the way to go. Plug it in, dial it up, and you're on, sitting still, or most of the time when you're underway, as well. Service is fast, comparable to when you can expect at home, and relatively cheap. Combine that with the fact that there are wifi hotspots all over the place, and wifi connectivity at most parks, and you have little trouble.

We also work, in the computer software business, and find this to be a most satisfactory solution.
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Old 09-24-2009, 06:59 PM   #4
David Bott
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Hi...

Yes, I would agree with you that it should be all you need. But we have had a number of times, is just our short year on the road, where we had run into no cell service or data service. Is sat perfect? Nope. Does it still have issues like tress etc? Yup. Can it help me when I need it where I have no service? Sure Can. And for that, and the fact I MUST have some sort of access, it was needed to be done just for that extra protection.

Hit Mexico some day, or even Alaska, or Canada, you will want it. In Mexico, you will not be able to use roaming for data. Same for Canada for that matter. If you do, well, in about a week, you will have ended up being able to purchase a sat system. Ask me....4 days close to Canada, cell tower was picked out of Canada...$1250 for data changes!!! In Alaska, cell coverage is limited. Data is worse.

All in all...if you just in the main US and main areas...no issue. Go deep into state parks or national parks, good chance no dell service. Heading down Route 66...a lot of it has no coverage.
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Old 09-24-2009, 07:58 PM   #5
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Hi David:
Thanks for starting a new thread, satellite is one thing that must bug the majority of RV'rs.

Is there a system that receives both satellite TV and internet?



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Old 09-24-2009, 08:12 PM   #6
David Bott
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Hey Rick...

Not sure what you mean by "must bug the majority of RV'rs. "


In any case. Yes, the MotoSat can do both internet and DirectTV. Dishnetwork is harder based on sat locations. But DirecTV and Internet over HughesNet would work just just fine.

David
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Old 09-26-2009, 09:47 AM   #7
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We have had the Data storm system for abut five years. Went from a tripod dish when we moved into a MH. Love it! WE spend a lot of time in Mexico and it is great to have communication with the kids. Even filed our taxes down there. Spendy yes, convenient hell yes. In four years we have only been in two camp grounds where we couldn't get service because of trees. You can get TV with the system but not HD Yet.
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Old 09-26-2009, 03:04 PM   #8
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Nice, thanks to both of you for the information.



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Old 11-03-2009, 06:17 PM   #9
davidahn
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Default Satellite data

I get great data throughput via my Sprint Palm Pre wifi tethering (2.2-2.8 Mbps download, 0.3-0.8 Mbps upload). But we went camping a month ago in Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, and mostly had zero bars. So I vote for satellite, as long as the cost is within reason. $5295 is pretty much unreasonable, though. What the hey?

David
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Old 11-03-2009, 08:49 PM   #10
David Bott
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Hello David and welcome to the site.

Yes, it all comes down to need as mentioned. I for one can not be without access when I am traveling as I run an on-line busniess. Thus access is greatly needed to live the lifestyle I would like. Even if I had cell data access 95% of the time, I still need access that other 5% of the time and thus had to spend the funds to be sure of this.

I see by your signature you are looking maybe at the big C. I am guessing from a dealer in Texas unless you found a used one much may not be out of the question. Wish you well with your choice at maybe becoming a Gulf Stream owner. (The Tour Master does not get the play of some other lines, but we like it that way as we feel we are in a special group of owners. The Big C is an even smaller group in the TM line, so it is something special in it own sort of way.)
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Old 11-03-2009, 10:26 PM   #11
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Default Thanks!

Thanks, David.

$5K is hard to justify for someone who only gets 4-6 vacation weeks a year. Most of that time is spent overseas, leaving long weekends and a couple weeks of RVing. I will have to switch to Verizon data for their superior coverage.

Yes, about the Constellation, you are correct. I was looking at a certain dealer's listing in Texas. Not quite in the market yet, but will be in the next 6-12 months. But it's my favorite floorplan out of anything I've looked at up to the Newmar Essex/Tiffin Zephyr.

David
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Old 11-05-2009, 09:19 PM   #12
darbyjudy
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Default Broadband wireless service

Since I don't travel all the time I need a service for wireless broadband that I don't have to have a two year contract or pay a monthy charge 12 months out of the year. I would like to find one that I can activate only when needed. Is there such a thing?
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Old 11-06-2009, 07:39 AM   #13
David Bott
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Hello...

You can go with like CRICKET or Sierra for internet which is a month to month or by data purchase pay as you go plans. BE sure to check coverage areas.

http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=318 (Sierra)

http://www.mycricket.com/broadband/ (Cricket)

If you want WiFi in the coach, then you can plug in either of the above to the below device and then you can use WiFi like you would at home or a hotel or what have you. It just makes your USB Celluar data modem as the connection to the net and gives you WiFi for more than one user at a time. The only way to go.

http://3gstore.com/index.php?main_page= ... cts_id=610

Hope this helps.
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