Can anyone give a very simplistic explanation on DIY internet in a van?

[gslanm]

I've done some research, watched some videos, but I find all explanations pretty vague or confusing. In layman terms, how does one install or find a provider of unlimited internet, be it wifi, satellite or anything else?

My initial research pointed me to products you could buy then hook up, or companies that you can order from. As someone who has to pursue this pretty soon, how do I, day 1, get a high speed unlimited internet in my van?

I think it would help others too because even after several days of looking at various things I'm still unclear about how to duplicate a (generally) $30/month home high speed land line unlimited internet if you start living in a van. And I need internet big time.

 

[Tony's Dream]

More than likely you will need one of two ways, either using your cell phone as a hot spot (check with your provider first) or satellite. I have seen satellites the high end RVs, so I know they are out there. The question is, what will your costs be.

 

[B and C]

Visible is $40 a month on verizon towers and has truly unlimited/unthrottled voice/data and text.  If you get on with a party pay (everyone pays their own bill) it can be $25 a month, taxes included.  There are quite a few here that have it.

You end up using your phone as a hotspot (wifi router) and is allowed at no extra cost.

 

[gslanm]

So I take it the only way to really duplicate the at home unlimited aspect is using your phone as a hot spot? The main problem I'd have with that is battery and wear and tear on the phone and such. 

Isn't there a way yet to basically just buy some sort of modem or plug in that serves as it's own hot spot? Doesn't a company just sell some sort of modem that goes into a car or van that works and picks up signal from satellite or what not?

How would one even use their phone as a hotspot? Is there an app that would enable that?

It's amazing how not-easy it is to get internet in your car more easily. At home I pay $35 as part of a package and literally use tens if not 100+ of GB's per week or month or what not. I just want to duplicate some of that.

 

[B and C]

You have a wired connection at the house which is cheap. The only options for mobile is radio waves. Cell phones have built in, in settings to make your phone a hotspot or you could spend more and buy a hotspot device with a data plan.

I guess you could park near a starbuxs and use their wifi or go to the library too.

You will also be your own power company and won't have unlimited power like you do in a house.. They make car chargers for phones.

 

[JerryJ]

All the major cell phone companies offer a WiFi hotspot device that requires its own cellular connection, and then can be used by multiple devices in your van just like your home WiFi router. The connection quality will depend on the cellular service where you are at that time.

I'm just starting out with Visible, and I'm typing this on my tablet connected via my phone's hotspot. To set up the hotspot, You just go into settings, give it a name and password just like your home WiFi router, then you can turn it off/on at will, on Android phones you can turn it on/off in the pull down menu. I believe visible limits you to one connection at a time, but I've seen one YouTube video using a WiFi router connected to a Visible phone's hotspot allowing multiple devices to connect at once.

You can also get satellite internet, but it is not any better, and it's much more expensive, both for the equipment and the service! It usually will have a connection just about anywhere, so no dead spots to worry about like on cellular service. There is huge latency on satellite internet, so no multiplayer gaming or streaming your video out to the internet. I do know they have improved satellite internet since my last experience with it, but I don't believe it's worth it still.

 

[highdesertranger]

this has been brought up before can you get MOBILE satellite internet now without a special license?

you used to need a special license and the rates were astronomical. anybody got a link?

highdesertranger

 

[mjbeam64]

I have a Verizon MiFi hotspot in my van. You can connect to it directly with a laptop via a USB cable, and it can also be setup as a wifi hotspot. I've been using it for work 12 hours a day for a few years. I also have an external antenna for it on the roof of my van.

 

[Patrick]

You can get service to a laptop just like a cell phone with unlimited internet..................right?

 

[highdesertranger]

"You can get service to a laptop just like a cell phone with unlimited internet"

yes but you need to use your smart phone as a hot spot or have a dedicated hot spot.

you can get wifi directly to your phone but I wouldn't rely on that.

highdesertranger

 

[mjbeam64]

You can get service to a laptop just like a cell phone with unlimited internet..................right?

There are laptops and tablets that have LTE radios in them that can connect directly to a cell tower. Some examples:

https://www.amazon.com/NEW-Microsoft-Surface-Go-Touch-Screen/dp/B086QM6KM6/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=surface+LTE&qid=1596810262&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Cell...d=1&keywords=tablet+LTE&qid=1596810325&sr=8-4

 

[Patrick]

Hmmmmmm I'd figure the technology is out there to pay for service to a laptop without using a phone as a go between. Isn't a chromebook the same platform as cellphone internet?

Chromebook works fine, I'll have to research getting 4g to serve it....... seems like a market there

 

[mjbeam64]

This is a Chromebook with LTE (4G):

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-12-2...eywords=chromebook+lte&qid=1596815434&sr=8-10

 

[highdesertranger]

" I'd figure the technology is out there to pay for service to a laptop without using a phone as a go between"

yes you use a hot spot or as others have pointed out some devices hook up on their own.

highdesertranger

 

[tx2sturgis]

Some laptops and tablets can accept a SIM card and you can pay for data service to it. But then you might not be able to share that data service with another device, depending on how it is configured. And if for whatever reason it wont boot up or some other 'hard' failure occurs....you got nuttin.

With data service to most phones or a hotspot device, you can easily share the data service with other devices.  

And if one of those gives you some trouble, it's usually a fairly simple matter to buy another one, locally or online, and simply swap the SIM card in to the new device.

.

 

[jwhite]

I had so much trouble with my land line that I had with my phone and internet that went with a verizon jet pack
I am really impressed with it and it's mobile so I can take it with me on trips the only down side is it's not unlimited and it will slow down if you use up to much data.
I use my phone on my laptop to tether and watch movies on prime and netflix and youtube.
When I went to verizon he asked how I use the service and realized that I listen to alot of music on youtube so he suggesed a tablet and that is the best moves I ever made it has it's own plan at 25.00 a month so between all 3 I am covered.
I use this at home but I can take them with me at any time, I ordered a pair of bluetooth speakers from amazon and it's amazing how good it sounds.
I think my bill is around 100.00 a month for all 3 and it's set up to pay off my credit card so it's a done deal .

 

[jacqueg]

You can get service to a laptop just like a cell phone with unlimited internet..................right?

Depends. There are devices that are capable of connecting to the internet over [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]both [/font]wifi and cellular networks - some iPads will, and I am sure there are others. But you can't just buy any random laptop and expect that functionality. 

Also, internet over a cellular network is slower than internet over wifi, in my experience anyway. 

I use my Verizon iPhone as a personal hotspot for my MacBook Air, and it works well enough. But for watching movies, for app and system updates, and for some cloud backups, I need to find wifi somewhere. With libraries closed, I often find myself in a Starbux parking lot, as close to the building as I can get.

 

[izifaddag]

I have T-Mobile. It costs me $75 a month. I use an LG smartphone as a hotspot. I have a 50 gig max when it is suposed to possibly slow down. It rarely does and I am a heavy user. 80 gig is not at all unusual for me.
I intend buying a directional antenna / mast setup when I have some money.

 

[Weight]

I had a lap-top computer with built in internet. I still had a phone number and bill to go with it. got rid of that many years ago. I now use Verizon Jet Pack. I use it for surfing the net, too much these days. Two or three hours of Ruku each night. I have no complaints for over a year.

 

[gslanm]

I have T-Mobile. It costs me $75 a month. I use an LG smartphone as a hotspot. I have a 50 gig max when it is suposed to possibly slow down. It rarely does and I am a heavy user. 80 gig is not at all unusual for me.
I intend buying a directional antenna / mast setup when I have some money.

After reading all this I'm actually really confused to be honest, lol. But I get what people are saying, I just don't know the step 1, 2, 3 etc of getting a cheaper thing comparable to land line.

I actually use immense amounts of data at home, probably hundreds of GB's per month so I just don't know. The absolute easiest thing sounds like taking my cell phone, getting a visible plan (for $25-$40 depending on the party), then clicking "settings" and going to "tethering" and using it as a hotspot for my PC which I would put in my van.

I was just wondering if basically it was easier to buy some hypothetical (plug in) device (or antenna) for a reasonable amount that picks up a signal, get a cheap plan that makes this antena/plug-in work, and stick it in my van as a hotspot for everything because I was concerned about my phone's battery and wear/tear acting as a hotspot for lots of PC use.

Everyone who commented and explained it including the Amazon links thanks. But as a generally tech ignorant person other than the basics, I literally have no clue I just found out yesterday there was an option for "tethering" which means hotspot on the phone. I mean I always knew you could turn things into hotspots but I had no clue what and the steps involved until I fiddled with my generic phone's settings under "tethering" which is super easy.