Skype via Verizon Hotspot - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Modifications and Alterations
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-19-2015, 05:20 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
Skype via Verizon Hotspot

I'm out of my league when it comes to getting internet data when traveling, could use some help.

My wife would like to keep in touch with the grandkids while we travel out west for a few months a year. We used Skype last fall a couple times from a commercial campground in WY that had wifi, worked fine but commercial CG's are few and far between for us. State and Federal CG's do not normally have or have very limited wifi. Thinking of Verizons Prepaid Hotspot service as we only need it while traveling. They tell me I can enable/disable it via the web with no charges when disabled.
Jetpack MHS800L
Prepaid 3Gb per month
WeBoost (Wilson Sleek) 4G Booster
BoatAnt or some such antenna for the trailer

Our cell phone provider (Puppy Wireless) has no provision to turn the phone into a hotspot,

A few questions.
Has anyone had success with something like Skype or some other video call app over a hotpot? Think it'd work in places like AZ, CO and Utah federal and state parks? Seems most places we stop have roughly 1 bar on the smart phones.

Would 3Gb per month be enough for video calls or should I go with the 10Gb plan? Other then Skype maybe once a week, if possible, all I do is read these forums.

See any problems for this setup for basic internet?
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 05:38 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Brantingham Lake, New York
Trailer: 2001 coachmen
Posts: 274
I've used Skype while I was in CA where I was forced to use my Verizon plan.

I've switched to FaceTime which is Apple.

Skype uses a ton on GB so go with 10. Skype video tends to freeze or a have a bad connection.

Just make sure when you get to a place with wifi to turn your plan off!
reetired is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 07:02 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Ron in BC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
Posts: 8,743
We had a Verizon mi-fi hot spot last year in the Southern US. Overall we were disappointed with it. Not when we were miles and miles from nowhere but when there was lots of civilization around and we still had minimal results. At one point we actually left Bryce Canyon, drove up to Panguinch specifically to ask about the Verizon signal. Guy in Radio Shack said, "go over there where the picnic tables are in the park and you should get it" He was right.

As far as Skype goes, we've used free wi-fi in other countries also. We do find it's better not to use the video option.

Just received my weboost Drive 4G-S today, formally Wilson. Hope it does better pulling in marginal signals than the mi-fi unit did.

Ron
Ron in BC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 07:36 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
skiman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21' pulled with 2014 Silverado Crewcab
Posts: 853
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
We had a Verizon mi-fi hot spot last year in the Southern US. Overall we were disappointed with it. Not when we were miles and miles from nowhere but when there was lots of civilization around and we still had minimal results. At one point we actually left Bryce Canyon, drove up to Panguinch specifically to ask about the Verizon signal. Guy in Radio Shack said, "go over there where the picnic tables are in the park and you should get it" He was right.

As far as Skype goes, we've used free wi-fi in other countries also. We do find it's better not to use the video option.

Just received my weboost Drive 4G-S today, formally Wilson. Hope it does better pulling in marginal signals than the mi-fi unit did.

Ron
On our trip to Chilliwack with the Wilson Sleek we were able to get 4g internet most places using my Verizon Droid Maxx in hot spot mode.
__________________
Carl,

"Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?"
Zig Ziglar
skiman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 07:50 PM   #5
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
We had a Verizon mi-fi hot spot last year in the Southern US. Overall we were disappointed with it. Not when we were miles and miles from nowhere but when there was lots of civilization around and we still had minimal results. At one point we actually left Bryce Canyon, drove up to Panguinch specifically to ask about the Verizon signal. Guy in Radio Shack said, "go over there where the picnic tables are in the park and you should get it" He was right.

As far as Skype goes, we've used free wi-fi in other countries also. We do find it's better not to use the video option.

Just received my weboost Drive 4G-S today, formally Wilson. Hope it does better pulling in marginal signals than the mi-fi unit did.

Ron
Try a Sleek cradle connected to a Trucker 4G antenna. We got excellent signal almost everywhere on my Verizon MiFi using the cradle. Bryce is an issue for everyone -- very little or no signal there. Kodachrome Basin was even worse. It's just a dead spot.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 07:57 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
Do you move the sleek to the truck when traveling for cell phone use?
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
padlin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 08:11 PM   #7
Site Team
 
rbryan4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
Posts: 10,222
Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Do you move the sleek to the truck when traveling for cell phone use?
My sleek is hard wired inside an overhead cabinet in the trailer, because I use it to boost the hotspot -- although it could also boost the phone. If I wanted a similar boost in the tow vehicle, I'd need another one. Having said that, we found that generally if we had enough of a signal for internet access using the MiFi/cradle, there was enough signal on the phones to make calls.
__________________
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
rbryan4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2015, 08:29 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
skiman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Jeromesville, Ohio
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21' pulled with 2014 Silverado Crewcab
Posts: 853
Quote:
Originally Posted by padlin View Post
Do you move the sleek to the truck when traveling for cell phone use?
We used the Sleek during the day in the truck. Used the little magnetic antenna that came with it. Have the trucker antenna mounted in the trailer for use in the evening. The advantage of using the cell as a hot spot is you have long range on voice too. The truck puts it on Bluetooth speakerphone.
__________________
Carl,

"Isn't it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?"
Zig Ziglar
skiman is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:26 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.