Internet on the Road

In my FAQ section I touched on the ways to stay in touch with family, but I thought I'd also create a separate page on the various ways to access the Internet while traveling. It is so much easier to go online now than it was in 1998 when we first hit the road, with faster connection speeds and cheaper access. Technology is wonderful. Please note this page was originally created several years ago and has outdated information, but it's fun to see the progress technology has made.

Cell Phones
A few years ago we had a Nokia 5165 cell phone which we connected to a laptop computer via a cable modem. We then dialed our Eathlink account and used our cell phone minutes to connect to the Internet. Our connection speed was 4800 kbs if we were lucky and an e-mail from a friend that included attachments or a picture meant an hour on the phone or multiple dropped connections. And when the connection was dropped that meant that same e-mail started over from scratch when you re-connected. It was awkward and slow, but it was the only way to access the Internet from the comfort of our rig. There are still cell phones that have cable modem access with faster access speeds, but there are also better ways to go online now.
Newer cell phones have Internet access capabilities built in as long as you are willing to pay extra for data service. This is cumbersome for writing e-mails, however, since you have to use the cell phone keypad to write your messages. You can download your e-mails easily, however. You can also use it for surfing the Internet but the tiny screen of your cell phone doesn't make for pleasant reading experience. With the advent of iPhones and Droid phones you can enlarge the size of the screen for reading messages and surfing the 'net, but for me that would be annoying and time consuming.

PocketMail
PocketMail is a hand-held device with a keyboard and viewing screen that you use to send and receive e-mails. To use it, you type your e-mail messages into the PocketMail device, dial an 800 number and then hold the device up to your payphone handset or cellphone to transmit and/or receive your incoming e-mails. You cannot surf the Internet with this device, but a lot of people who are not comfortable with computers or who lack the space in their rv for one seem to like their PocketMail device. Certainly now that the PocketMail can be used with your cell phone it makes it nicer to download e-mails from the comfort of your home on wheels. You can purchase PocketMail equipment online for about $99 and one year's service will run $179 annually, which is $14.92 a month and often you'll see an "Ask Me About PocketMail" sign on the rig of a fellow rver in your campground. Edited 11/19/11: It seems PocketMail has gone high tech with Droid technology.

Verizon Wireless USB Modem
A new toy and one I'd probably switch to if for any reason we lost our Hughes.net service is the Verizon Wireless USB Modem . I've seen this puppy in action and it's slick. A small USB device that plugs into any USB port in your laptop or desktop computer, it connects through a Verizon wireless plan to the Internet. "Typical download speeds average 600–1400 kbps based on our network tests with 5 MB FTP data files, without compression. Typical upload speeds average 500–800 kbps. Actual speeds and coverage may vary." is what Verizon claims for data transfer speeds and a friend that has one of these modems confirms that it is really fast. The monthly charge for the wireless service is $59.99 which is the same as the monthly charge for Hughes.net and Starband satellite Internet service. The cost of the USB modem itself on the Verizon page is $129.99 with a two-year service package, but I found it advertised for $29.99 on Amazon.com with a 2 year service package. Such a deal!

Wi-Fi
Briefly, Wi-Fi is short for ‘wireless fidelity’. Many airports, hotels, and other services offer public access to WiFi networks so people can log onto the Internet and receive emails on the move. These locations are known as hotspots. Sometimes these hotspots are free, sometimes there is a charge for the service such as with Tengo Wi-fi service. You might find that the signal in campgrounds is quite weak unless the campground has added booster antennaes around the campground. Otherwise you might have to take your computer to the area of the office or clubhouse or wherever the main antenna is located to get a good enough signal to surf and download your e-mail. Be aware that most free Wi-fi access points have no security for their signal so you should have a good firewall and anti-virus protection installed on your computer before accessing the signal and I would avoid doing any financial transactions on the computer using an unsecured wireless connection.
Today if you buy a laptop computer chances are good it will come with Wi-fi technology pre-installed. There are Wi-fi cards that you can insert in the PCMCIA slot of your laptop computer if you have an older model, but better still is a USB wireless adaptor . I purchased one of these for our desktop computer when our modem went bad on our Hughes.net satellite system. It enabled me to use the desktop computer to access the campground's free Wi-fi signal while Denny used our laptop computer. It is about 1"x4" and I attached it to the side of the monitor with Velcro. It runs about $40-$50 and can be found online or at any of the computer/electronics stores although I found mine at Staples, where I often find good prices on computer related items.
We have camped in areas so far out in the sticks that we had to drive for miles before we found a hotspot signal. To locate a free Wi-fi signal you open your wireless connection program and it will search for the nearest Wi-fi signal. Your program should also say if the signal is "secured" or not. If it is secured, you would need a password to go online, so forget that one. Look for one that doesn't have security installed. We just drive around shopping centers and usually will find one that way. You'll have to park fairly close to the source to be able to go online and surf.
Edited 11/17/11: Over the years cellular and data coverage have increased to the point that using an air card or Mi-fi card seems to be the way to go. Verizon seems to have the advantage over AT&T with coverage and the fact that they have the Mi-fi, a device that allows you to plug up to five wireless devices to your Mi-fi card. Of course you will also need exterior antennaes and an amplifier/booster for areas where your signal is weak and there will always be dead zones no matter where you travel. Fortunately, many campgrounds now provide Wi-fi service, usually free to campers especially if you carry your laptop to the office or clubhouse or laundry areas. Rvers now expect Internet access and most campgrounds are trying to provide that. The caveat still exists for security however; maintain your firewalls and anti-virus and anti-spyware software and be cautious about doing online banking on open wi-fi systems.

Satellite Internet Service
There are multiple satellite Internet service providers, but the ones you'll see on the road are Starband and Hughes.net (formerly DirecWay) and MotoSat. MotoSat is a automated system that installs on the roof of your recreational vehicle only, while installers for Starband and Hughes.net will not only install an automated system on the roof of your RV but can teach you how to set up a mobile system on a tripod at a much cheaper initial cost. I must warn you, however, that the use of a tripod system is not officially accepted by the Hughes.net corporation. Starband briefly approved of a mobile tripod system but no longer offers it officially, although when I called the company about the system the young lady I spoke to said they still offer support for those who travel with a tripod system or if you purchase one from one of their original trained installers.
When we first heard about MotoSat installation ran about $6,000 with a monthly fee of $100 for Internet access. I understand the cost of installation has dropped to the $4,500 range and you can get a package with a monthly fee of $79.99 now. The fees are higher if you need more speed and data packets.
Starband and Hughes.net tripod system costs will vary with the installer. The cost includes your equipment and the training necessary to teach you how to set up and disassemble the equipment for travel on your own. I believe the average might be $1500-$1800. Your monthly fee will run $59.99 and up. Most installers offer support by phone and e-mail and there are several good groups online (especially on Yahoo groups) for any assistance you might need in setting up or trouble shooting. Because you will need assistance at some time or the other, believe me. Edited 11/17/11: With the advent of air cards and Mi-fi from Verizon, Hughes.net mobile satellite installers have all but disappeared. And the Hughes.net service itself has become rather slow and balky lately.

Libraries
Most towns will have a library and most libraries now have computers and Internet access. In smaller towns you will probably be able to ask the librarian at the main desk if you can use the computers for Internet access and you will be directed to that area. At the larger areas you may have to sign up for a time slot to be able to access one of their computers. What you won't be able to do (unless you're in Altoona, Iowa) is bring in your own laptop and expect to find a telephone line to use for access. The libraries have been burned by folks using access numbers that are long distance and getting stuck with the charges, so they normally won't allow you to use their telephone lines in this manner. Denny and I have also found that many libraries now have Wi-fi so you can sit outside in the parking lot and access the Internet from your vehicle. We have done this several times in areas where our campsite was too heavily treed to be able to set up our satellite dish.