False Wireless Internet

[sjjacks]

While spending 37 days on the road May-June 2007, I looked for campsites that had "wireless internet." In many cases this is just plain fraud. When you ask how their signal is, you get answers like, "Well it's pretty good if the wind isn't bad," or some such nonsense before finding it plain doesn't work. In one place I HAD to get on and I had to sit in the cold on the other side of the owner's apartment next to the router. Trailer Life, Woodall's or SOMEONE should assign a 1-10 Internet Score so we can separate the honest campgrounds that DO provide a viable wireless internet connection from those that advertise it to get you in and then let you find out you have been a victim of false advertising!

Steve Jackson
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Steve Jackson
1999 Sunnybrook 26ft CKS
2002 F350 Lariat V10 3:73

[Bo Walker]

I agree with you on that. I don't think it would be a great expense for a park and it certainly would help direct traffic to their campground.
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Bo & Jan RVing for fun

[Stan Birch]

[Mac]

You all are right. There are so many campsites advertising that they have wireless these days, but the range of the signal always varies. I think that ideally everyone would prefer some sort of gauge on a campsite's actual wireless capabilities. Unfortunately, even a scale of wireless 1-10 would still be misleading.

The fact is that wireless is not dependable everywhere. This led me to buy a Wi-Fire. It plugs right into my USB port and extends my signal range up to 1,000 feet. Even where the wi-fi signal is poor, my wi-fire gets me a reliable connection. Until these campgrounds have seamless wireless connections (which I know will be never), I am going to keep using my Wi-Fire. I bought mine at www.hfield.com It has saved me a lot of time and stress so I would recommend it.

[tedonaldsn]

We just came off the road after three and-a-half years of fulltiming. I got so frustrated with poor wi-fi signal strength that I added an external antenna:

• http://rv.mactom.com/systems/wifiwan.html

Of course, that does not help when the the park's wi-fi simply does not work or is non-existent.

I agree that a rating system would be great if a workable one could be created. A major problem is that in many parks, the wi-fi works in some sites and not others. Or it works sometimes, but not always. A representative rating system might be complex since it would have to give ratings based on percentage of sites that could get it; rate the speed and signal quality at each site; rate uptime; rate time-to-repair when it goes down; etc.

I have been in parks that former campers swore had really great wi-fi, only to find that it did not work at all while I was there. So even a "good rating" might not be a good indication of an individual's experience in a park.

We started fulltiming before wi-fi in RV parks was widespread (or rather, before wi-fi advertising by RV parks was widespread). So we did not initially rely on it. Instead, we had a satellite Internet system installed:

• http://rv.mactom.com/systems/satellite.html

But a satellite Internet system is a big expense if you don't really HAVE to have Internet.

If you are ever on the southern Oregon coast, here is a park that has very good wi-fi that actually works (most of the time):

• http://driftwoodrvpark.com/

Best regards,
Tom
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Tom Donaldson

tom@ContinuousTraveler.com
http://ContinuousTraveler.com/

[porscheracer]

We're internet junkies - 2 laptops on board with wi-fi extenders, cellular modems of both varieties, etc...

So why don't we start a list (looks like we already have)? It has to begin somewhere!

Tell you what - if you'll send me ratings by email, I'll volunteer to do a list (geographically) with the ratings.

I'll add one that has absolutely the best wi-fi I've ever seen, but they ARE a bit expensive (~$55/night).

http://www.sundermeierrvpark.com/
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Norm & Janet
'08 Winnebago View 24H / '09 Escape XLT AWD toad
'05 Winnebago Vectra 36RD / '03 Dakota QC 4x4 toad, or a 24' trailer with another car;
Probably somewhere in NA - or maybe on another continent.

[tedonaldsn]

I am currently doing a MAJOR overhaul of my RV travel site. I hesitate mention the site because it is currently very bad, but here it is:

• http://ContinuousTraveler.com/

It will be a couple of months before I replace the current version of the Continuous Traveler site with the new one. After I do the upgrade, I'll add a rating system if you think people would do ratings and use them.

The whole thing is geographical as it is, especially when maps are turned on (upper right of the page).

Hmmm, I don't think I have Sundermeir RV Park in my database yet. Fixed: just added it.

Best regards,
Tom
_________________
Tom Donaldson

tom@ContinuousTraveler.com
http://ContinuousTraveler.com/

[Hvangas]

I too have experienced much frustration in getting access at parks that advertise wi-fi. I have a brand new Dell laptop with a built-in access card and I was wondering if ANYONE has ever accessed wi-fi at a Flying J? I have tried and tried, but can never get a signal. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks....Helen
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Helen Van Gassen

[franky4me]

And when it works, more or less, the FREE WIFI is now $5.95 a day! over outragous park fees to begin with...

On the liste of good WiFi parks, Fontainebleau State Park in Louisiana. They have at least 4 repeaters to cover the site.

Francois

[Ag2000CO]

[BrianSue]

The problem with WiFi is you can't take it with you. There are services you can subscribe to but then you have to be where they are. Like Flying J - it only works if you are in a Flying J. In campgrounds we have been to that do have WiFi, the speed can sometimes be very slow. Consider that they may have one connection to the internet in their office, but maybe 20 or 30 or more people in the campground are all trying to get on at once. This slows things down considerably to be almost worthless. Then they advertise that WiFi is "available" which often means you can get it, but you will have to pay a daily rate. So we got a Verizon card and subscription, and we get the internet almost everywhere we go in the US and we can even use it on the road while in motion. No limitations or restrictions that we are aware of - leave it on all day with no per minute fee. They have different plans and different plug-in devices. We have two computers so we got a router that gives us our on little WiFi hotspot wherever we happen to be. We have a plan with Verizon for two cell phones and one PC card - a family plan or something like that. I think the whole package costs us over $100 per month - but we get good internet speed almost anywhere we have been.

[babe1002]

Bite the bullet and add an air card to your cell phone service. This will afford you internet access WHEREVER there is a decent cell signal without using your cell phone. The weakest we have found was in northwest Montana near Glacier National Park. The air card is about $100 and the monthly service is about $50/month, but never again do you have to rely on or pay for WiFi which as we all know is very often non-existent. And once you have made the initial investment, it will only take less than ten nights' stays at RV parks (with WiFi rates running a minimum of $6/day) to equalize the $50/month service fee. We love our air card and feel we have saved money in the long run.

In defense of the parks, it has been our experience that the problem lies with the providers, not the RV park. The parks have the service installed only to be saddled with an inefficient, non-existent, low-technology service.

[Travelin' A's]

We don't rave about KOA, but are a member and use them occasionally. Their Wi-Fi has been reliable, can be picked up from each site and is free. Nearly every KOA now has Wi-Fi.

For overnight stays, it saves us a lot of time by not having to set up the HughesNet dish.

But, we use the very portable tripod mounted dish from Maxwell Satellite when staying for two or more nights or, of course, when boondocking in the National Forests.

The main problem with HughesNet is its very slow speeds.

[AndyRDatlen]

I got tired of slow or unavailable wifi on the road, so I bit the bullet and purchased the Autonet device which turns your whole motorhome into a fast wifi hotspot which anybody can log on to up to 100 feet away.

It even works while going down the road at 60 miles per hour, and coverage is anywhere you can get any kind of cellular phone signal.

It cost me $499 for the device, $150 for installation, and monthly charges are $30. Google Autonet to find out more, or you can contact me at AndyRDatlenATaol.com.

Note that I am just a customer and am in no way connected with the company. I am just so excited that it works so well.

[christy]

Is anyone out there using a Smart iAntenna. The antenna that mounts to your roof and importing the WiFi signal straight to your computer. No need to stick your head out the window! No physical structures to block a fairly good signal or even a lame signal can be usable. No contract needed.

Check Out: AzSolarUtility.com click on RV/Truck Wifi