All The Ways We Connect While On the Road!

[Morgan7600]

I know nothing about how to get on line from my future motor-home.&nbsp;&nbsp; Did some research and found that the 3 choices are Satellite, Cellular &amp; Wi-Fi.&nbsp; Here is the article in question and I understand there may have been tech changes since the publication of this article way back in 2008<br>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; http://www.fmca.com/motorhome/basics/372-internet-to-go.html<br><br>So I guess it's pretty obvious why most use Wi-Fi but how's the actual service?&nbsp; I am an eBay seller and I write web code.&nbsp; I spend a great deal of time on line and do not see that changing if I'm able to move to RV life.&nbsp; So I stand to lose income if I can not work on line when I need to.<br><br>If you read the article, she says she uses Satellite because they run a business.&nbsp; I guess I better start checking with my ATT provider and other sources locally here in San Diego about this.&nbsp; Anyhow, while I do not have the 6K if that's still the cost, I may opt to save up for it by being on the road and then upgrade to Sat connection after being rolling around for a while...&nbsp; Any feedback greatly appreciated.<br>Morgan :::&nbsp;&nbsp; http://12gaugemusic.com/

 

[rvwandering]

Most people are using some type of data card or personal hotspot now instead of satellite. Satellite was necessary years ago because there weren't nearly as many cell towers and many places had no service. It's so much better now. We have service almost everywhere we go with our AT&amp;T hotspot. The main problem is the cost - $50.00 a month for 5G of data plus $10.00 for every additional G. If you can tether your phone you may be able to get unlimited data depending on your plan. Another way to go is to use Millenicom on the Verizon network. This couple uses a lot of data because of their jobs and they've detailed their usage here - <a href="http://www.technomadia.com/?s=Millenicom" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.technomadia.com/?s=Millenicom</a><br><br>&nbsp;Trying to find and use free Wifi is a pain and wastes a lot of time.<br><h3 id="comments-title"><em>&nbsp;</em></h3>

 

[Morgan7600]

Tony &amp; Karen,&nbsp; Thanks very much for taking the time to respond. Your Ford rig looks awesome.&nbsp; Looks very tough and ready for anything.&nbsp; I like that!&nbsp; I checked out your site as well.&nbsp; Pretty cool...<br>So I guess as I get closer to making a decision to go RVing, things such as Internet will fall into place and like anything else, you make adjustments and changes as they become needed or seem an improvement.<br>So in reality, the satellite is out unless as you say, folks have a need for more data.&nbsp; Thanks again and if you ever get to San Diego, look me up.&nbsp; You can always contact me through my music site at 12GaugeMusic.com&nbsp; Cheers &amp; take care out there,&nbsp; Morgan

 

[rvwandering]

&nbsp;Our little motorhome is pretty tough, not as good as an Earthroamer but it still takes us almost everywhere we want to go. Thanks for checking out our site!<br><br>&nbsp;Yes, you'll probably be adjusting stuff as you continue planning and then actually start living in a RV.&nbsp; What I've read about satellite systems over the years leads me to believe that most people who started with them because they needed interrupted service do not use them any more. Most use either AT&amp;T or Verizon, sometimes both. Verizon may have better coverage. The data cards have faster speeds overall than satellite. Also with a satellite system if you go over the allotted amount for the month, you are not cut off but slowed down so much that it's not possible to use it.<br><br>&nbsp;Good luck! Maybe someone else will chime in with their experiences.<br><br>&nbsp;

 

[Morgan7600]

Hey thanks again for all the great info.&nbsp; Happy trails to you guys...&nbsp; I am envious and restless to do the same...&nbsp; Here's to 2014 and with a little luck, a rendezvous with Tony and Karen!

 

[Willy]

&nbsp;Be wery wery wary when using public wi-fi for doing anything involving cash transactions, unless you've got a VPN happening.. and even then.. Willy.

 

[Morgan7600]

Well now that's why I come here and that's just the sort of "inside" stuff I'm looking for..<br>I'm pretty sure I would have figured that out myself but really great to get your message.<br>I am very suspicious by nature and especially now since our new date seems to be 1984!

 

[Morgan7600]

One more thing :::&nbsp; As a very busy eBay seller, I would definitely not want to use Y Fi then would I because it's all Paypal every day all the time...!&nbsp; Thanks again!

 

[caseyc]

I second that. No, No, No banking stuff on public wifi. That's online robbery waiting to happen.

 

[Morgan7600]

Wow :: see this is why you do research whenever you are venturing into what could be construed as unknown territory... &nbsp; <br>Well if what you say is correct and I believe it is then that is absolutely horrible.<br>I am thankful for my wonderful parents who were married for over 60 years and who taught me integrity.<br>Everywhere I turn today, insincerity, lies, deceit, collusion and dishonesty floods my senses!&nbsp; Did these "people" have no parents?

 

[Lostinspace]

How about the VPN software that's out there? Won't it protect you?

 

[Morgan7600]

OK so now I'm even more confused.&nbsp; Virtual Private Network sounds lovely but shouldn't that ACTUALLY be what we already have?&nbsp; Apparently not.&nbsp; We are in the dark ages of computing.&nbsp; <br>This from a 17 year veteran HTML hand coder ::: http://truckchef.com/

 

[caseyc]

No. No parents. Orphans at birth. They are ruthless and God-less, and usually do their scamming deeds in an internet cafe somewhere in Africa, hence the term "Nigerian Scam". I even saw a 60 Minute TV show whereby the state police raided an internet cafe in Africa full of teenagers sending out internet scams. In another show by Dr. Phil, I saw lonely single ladies scammed by guys pretending to want to marry them but stealing their money instead. In yet another news report, I saw a poor business owner who was locked out of his online business account due to a hacker, and could not pay his employees using his usual payroll software. The scammer then demanded essentially a ransom of thousands of dollars in order for the victim to be able to get back into his online business account. I'm probably going off on a tangent at this point. But the point is this: Don't do online banking on a public wifi network. EVER. Period. Not worth even taking a chance. The only time I ever do online banking on the road is by using a dedicated banking app through my Verizon smartphone, which I know is a secured signal. If I use my laptop for banking, that's only because my own Verizon smartphone is providing a dedicated wireless tethering signal to my laptop. &nbsp;Heck, even my smartphone is locked down by a strong device encryption whereby both the phone is encrypted, plus my files on my memory card are encrypted. I need to enter a strong password on my smartphone in order for the phone to de-crypt the device to make it usable. This happens every time I want to use my phone. If by a tiny chance my phone should be lost or stolen, I also pay $30 yearly for the premium service by "Lookout" app that will do a remote wipe of my entire phone memory, and will also do remote GPS tracking to tell me the location of the phone, and send out a siren alert if I want to. If after 3 unsuccessful passwords are entered on my smartphone, the phone will take of picture of the intruder using its front facing camera, and will then send me a picture of the intruder to my personal email address. How's that for security?!? By the way, I'm not joking. My phone and apps really do all these security features described. &nbsp;The technology exists. &nbsp;Again, the point is to protect yourself at all times.

 

[LucyImHome]

I don't have a smart phone or a hot spot. I have to use coffee shops, the library, Lowes, etc. I can sometimes go to someone's home and have secure access, but otherwise, what are you to do for looking at your bank account online?&nbsp;

 

[Morgan7600]

caseyc, that's all so well said.&nbsp; Actually, I have had some very dark experiences with extreme scammers already but as per your reference to security, I feel this could have been avoided in so many ways.<br>So now it would seem I have a very lot to learn.&nbsp; Thanks for all that!&nbsp; Take care out there :::

 

[Morgan7600]

You know, this is how really lame you can be and still think you're such a cool techy dude :::<br>All this time when I'm like ordering at Starbucks, I thought all those geeks and wanna' B's on laptops were just trying to look cool!&nbsp; DOH!<br>In my defense, I've never had a laptop.&nbsp; As a writer, I could never type on one because I need the ergonomic keyboard so a sworn PC (home) Tower guy! <br>OK this is where you all laugh and say oh man he doesn't even know that laptops DO come with ergonomic keyboards...::...::.0101010..::.0101010..:: !<br><br>I do have a smart phone (and a recording studio) though and every time I'm yelling at the TV news, I get this slimy feeling that somebody is listening to everything I say to my dog EVEN THOUGH the phone is turned off...::&nbsp; I have a vision for a rock video :::&nbsp; I'll be out in my driveway with my G3 out of it's rubber case and laying innocently on a huge anvil!&nbsp; In slow motion and then that jerky back and forth event filming technique the viewer watches in horror as I swing my 8 Lb. (retired land surveyor!) long handled fiberglass sledge hammer and it brings the crushing &amp; irresistible force down upon the little Apple iPhone and tiny pieces of metal and plastic squirt outward like Gallagher's watermelon!<br><br>No video games were used in this recording ::: http://12gaugemusic.com/arcade-02.html<br><br>