wifi on the road

[k-w escapees]

Hello all....we are newbies to trailering and have ordered our Escape15. Can anyone tell me what we need in order to have secure wifi on the campsite, so that while we are on the road we can keep up to date with banking and bill payments and stay in touch with family? We have a laptop and an iPad and plan not to have a television, rather, to use Netflix, iTunes, etc. Do we need some kind of hub or stick from our provider? or do we buy a wireless modem and install in the dinette or somewhere? any suggestions appreciated....

[tractors1]

Easiest is to pull into a McDonalds or Starbucks if you have good security software on your machine. Free wifi connections there.

[cschambach]

Originally Posted by k-w escapees

Hello all....we are newbies to trailering and have ordered our Escape15. Can anyone tell me what we need in order to have secure wifi on the campsite, so that while we are on the road we can keep up to date with banking and bill payments and stay in touch with family? We have a laptop and an iPad and plan not to have a television, rather, to use Netflix, iTunes, etc. Do we need some kind of hub or stick from our provider? or do we buy a wireless modem and install in the dinette or somewhere? any suggestions appreciated....

If your iPad doesn't already have an internet service included get a hotspot like the Verizon Jetpack. That way you can connect your laptop as well as your iPad. That's what I use and it works great (except for the roaming charges in Canada )

[gbaglo]

I don't think you want to watch Netflix over a cell hotspot unless you have one heck of a data plan.

[J Mac]

I don't think I'd pay bills using WiFi in a camp site. I'm too old school for that. Pay your bills before you head out.
If you start downloading movies on NetFlix or iTunes it could slow down the WiFi too much and become a problem viewing. Down load your favorite shows before you head out and watch them at your leisure.
.

[techfan]

Originally Posted by k-w escapees

Hello all....we are newbies to trailering and have ordered our Escape15. Can anyone tell me what we need in order to have secure wifi on the campsite, so that while we are on the road we can keep up to date with banking and bill payments and stay in touch with family? We have a laptop and an iPad and plan not to have a television, rather, to use Netflix, iTunes, etc. Do we need some kind of hub or stick from our provider? or do we buy a wireless modem and install in the dinette or somewhere? any suggestions appreciated....

In all the places we have stayed WIFI is often offered but seldom good. Most places have data limits. There is no way you are going to get a movie etc off one of those systems. They may even cut you off. Pre load your movies, take DVDs or read. We have barely even been able to retrieve and send emails. We have often had to use our data plan just to send an email. Also agree with others that you don't want to do serious business on insecure sites. It would be better to set up auto payment plans if you are going to be gone long.

[tractors1]

I thought the post was about wifi - if you're after internet connections, use the search window on the forums. MANY posts about different methods for that.

Here's a good reference:

http://www.technomadia.com/internet

[J Mac]

Thanks tractors 1.
But I think Canada works different than anything listed on technomadia.com's advise blog. I'd be happy to hear otherwise.

[barry]

I use the data plan on my phone for light internet use and set it up as a hotspot to my i-pad or laptop. In the States we pull into a Safeway parking lot and use their wi-fi; it's free and fast.

Barry

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by k-w escapees

Hello all.... what we need in order to have secure wifi on the campsite, so that while we are on the road we can keep up to date with banking and bill payments and stay in touch with family? ..

It's really area dependent. For example we've just spent a lot of time in Utah etc. and days would go by before we could use our Verizon jetpack. In other states you have almost non-stop coverage.

In Canada we use a 7-eleven pay as you go data plan that we only use when we have to. Other times it's stop near one of the many, many places that have free wi-fi.

Second the comment about most campground wi-fi. For us it's usually an exercise in frustration.

So until you know what area you're heading for the answer to your needs is not clear.

Ron

[Rossue]

It is area dependent, however regarding mobile (cellular) connection where you have to remember fine print rules such as "off network" usage, meaning using your carrier's roaming partners then I would say in North America its down to the two "B" carriers: Telus & Verizon. They both have geographically more coverage and with their own towers.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by J Mac

But I think Canada works different than anything listed on technomadia.com's advise blog. I'd be happy to hear otherwise.

Canada and the U.S. use the same mobile network technology. I didn't watch the video or follow the links, but at a quick scan the Technomadia page all looks like the same technical options as we have here... but the companies providing service are all different, and of course specific service packages and prices are different.

I currently use Telus mobile phone service, with both an iPhone (which can act as a WiFi hotspot) and an AirCard mobile hotspot on the same service plan (with shared data).

[Donna D.]

Sometimes we over think about paying bills. I don't know about Canada, but in the US, we can pay 99.9% of our bills with a credit card. My 89 y/o mother pays her monthly bills with a MasterCard (automatically set up). She gets her regular statements via snail mail, but has setup her bank account to pay the MasterCard OFF once a month on the due date.

This is a woman who doesn't own a computer. Don't turn yourself into a pretzel figuring it out. Work with your bank, they're very helpful, truly.

BTW: I'm on her accounts and also get her utility, etc. statements via email. Gotta keep an eye on my Mom.

[ian&denis]

We left B.C. almost exactly a year ago and hit the road across Canada (with a spell in Asia to escape winter). At first we tried the wi fi in campgrounds which, as others have said, is an exercise in frustration. Either they're slow, or only have reception if you're sitting near their reception. And you really want to email, read papers, ect, in the comfort of your campsite! We got a sim card for one of the ipads in Kenora.
If you have a cell, get a good data plan of 1 - 2 Gigs and tether your ipads to it - cheaper than having two separate plans for your phone and ipad as well. If you don't have cells with a data plan, then buy a sim card with one of the major telecommunications. Though I don't want to suggest that ANY Canadian companies are good with their rates, Telus seems to have the best data plan for tablets right now - plus they've got pretty well the best coverage for Canada.

As for Netflix? We only watched Netflix when we were at home in BC (dropped the cable). But one movie will suck up almost 800 mb of your data. Watch 4 movies and you've used up a 2 gb plan for a month. Also, be cautious about facetiming as any (and I mean ANY video connections including youtube) video will use up data quickly.

We dropped our cell last year, and have been skyping through the ipad in Canada and, for the winter, in Asia. (with a different sim card there, of course). Skype really doesn't use much data at all and you can call landlines with skype (just need to open an account).

We're on the road till next October. Still enjoying it. Hope you enjoy your time!

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I don't know about Canada, but in the US, we can pay 99.9% of our bills with a credit card. My 89 y/o mother pays her monthly bills with a MasterCard (automatically set up). She gets her regular statements via snail mail, but has setup her bank account to pay the MasterCard OFF once a month on the due date.

Same here. In general, any financial system available in the U.S. or from U.S. financial institutions is available in Canada and from Canadian financial institutions.

I generally have utility bills set up to be automatically paid by credit cards, the cards set up to be automatically fully paid from my bank account on the due date, and the statements to be sent by e-mail or through another web-based service.

I would still want occasional internet access to make sure everything is okay if I were on the road for an extended period. That could be done by telephone banking, but I stopped doing that (replacing it with web banking) many years ago.

[Donna D.]

I just see folks loggin in to pay individual bills. That's not necessary with some preplanning. I don't know about the other credit card companies, but MasterCard does a really good job IMHO. I receive all my Mother's charges via email and the subject line can be something really screwy... enough that it may end up in junk or the spam box. I have to pay attention. My Mom even charges her grocieries! Someday, I'm going to inherit a gazillion "credits."

I'm not saying folks don't need to be careful. We ALL do. But with some preplanning, it's not scary.

[k-w escapees]

Thanks everyone. All good food for thought as we gather "data"....see you on the road.

[Rossue]

Back to Wifi on the Road: I have watched TV on my tablet via Dish Network and a Sling they gave me. AT&T says its about 1GB/hr, however that is not my experience (less). Interesting developments happening as we speak: AT&T buying Direct and Verizon said to be wanting Dish. Hopefully it gets better for all. Also, most recent safety protocols concerning internet is to have a dedicated PC or Mac for doing financial transactions, instead of comingling w/social media.

[Donna D.]

Technology is getting cheap. Kinda like solar. If you're a dedicated traveler, I think it would be smart to have something for surfing the net and a completedly dedicated device for "banking." Don't mix the two up...

[gbaglo]

Probably should have a tin hat too so they don't steal your passwords from your brain. Not sure what can be done.
I'm not changing my passwords all the time. I have enough trouble as it is.
I have one for my banking and one for everything else. I only bank from home on my "secure" wifi.
If somebody wants to log on to FGRV as me and argue about tow vehicles and WDHitches, they can just go ahead.