camp ground wifi

[Snoking]

Buying equipment to improve park WiFi is a bit like helping an elder across a street. The elder still moves slowly.

[RWRiley]

Here's what I'm going to try. My Win 7 laptop (which will soon go End of Life) has the ability to share it's WiFi connection with a software package called "My Public Wifi". I'm going to get an antenna that extends WiFi range (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...MP4N7CKFGRM41H).
I can then sign onto the campground connection, and create my own WiFi network, and connect all my devices. When I change campgrounds, I will just connect to whatever their WiFi is, and then all my other devices will connect to my private network (which will remain the same regardless of what campground WiFi I'm connected to). When my Win 7 Laptop stops getting support, I will switch to Win 10, which has the ability to share WiFi built in...no need to download any software. Total cost (not including new Win 10 laptop) $27.

[cookinwitdiesel]

Yes, any windows laptop (I think Macs can do it too) can bridge and share their network connections. You just need a software package so that the laptop can act as a gateway/router for the downstream clients. And you can of course add as many adapters as you have USB ports for. So you can mix and match Ethernet and wifi for the WAN and LAN sides as needed for your deployment.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by cookinwitdiesel

Finally got to test my system in the wild today. Previously had only used it in my driveway attached to my admittedly very good home WiFi (UniFi APs and Gigabit FiOS). So I am at Camp Hatteras RV park in Rodanthe, NC on the sound side, and their WiFi is garbage! At least what I can see from my spot. Maybe a mast will help, currently have the Loco M2 inside on my board over the microwave. After trying a couple different directions and hot spots....I am currently getting WiFi from my phones hotspot which was roughly 100x faster than the park WiFi haha

Most camp internet service is garbage.

It used to be that the camp had one antenna, and you could finesse that problem by carrying your own directional equipment. You got reasonably good service, because most of the other campers couldn't even connect, leaving more bandwidth for you.

Today, the typical setup is that a camp has great signal distribution and many access points (because they are relatively cheap and you only pay for them once), but then funnels the whole mess through a tiny channel to the outside world (often telco DSL) because a commercial pipe that would serve their entire park effectively would run four figures monthly plus a big whack to install. (I know whereof I speak, because that was my business for the last 13 years.) And, you know, I sympathize with this, because you can't get around the economics, and spending a wad on "good internet" affords a transient park negligible commercial advantage at camper decision time.

I regularly try connecting to the camp WiFi with my on-board equipment. If it works adequately, great -- if it doesn't, I'll turn on my iPhone hotspot and use my cell service (hopefully, my carrier reaches the camp).

The only downside of this is that I can't contact my trailer's inCommand when I'm not there, e.g., to check if I need to switch from heat to AC to keep the pups out of trouble. Camp WiFi is a requirement for that sort of thing.

[Snoking]

Originally Posted by Snoking

I have been thinking about switching our two Pixel phones to Consumer Cellular requesting AT&T sim. I think you have a choice between T-Mobile or AT&T.

T-Mobile worked well two or three years ago when be got a hotspot with them. Lately it has gotten really slow and we blow thru 20G a month, so I had to get a second sim/account.

Last fall be switched our Pixels phones to T-Mobile and service is not good. Would like your input on Consumer Cellular service.

For a hotspot I ordered a MOFI4500-4GXeLTE-SIM4_COMBO router/hotspot, which I am going to try on T-Mobile and then move it to OTR Mobile which is $60 / mo for unlimited service on AT&T network.

If that all works out well I will dump Mediacom cable internet in Arizona this winter for our park model. And run LTE Cellular internet all the time. If the MoFi internet/OTR/AT&T works out well then the phones will not need much on a data plan. 10G would be much more than we use, but I will start at that.

I just have to unlock our credit files for Consumer Cellular sign up, OTR does not require a credit check and is no contract month to month service.

So many ways to skin the cat. I use the Nanostation WiFi stuff noted earlier in the thread. His video helped in setting it up. As a retired network engineer, I would say it is not for everyone.

Chris

I got the MoFi up and running today on OTR Mobile today. It is working much better than the T-M hotspot and the MoFi on T-Mobile. We just finished watching a Netflex movie.

[rlh1957]

Talking only Wifi here and not jumping on internet with cell service. It doesn't matter how expensive of a wifi extender, antenna or router you have... If the wifi signal you are connecting to isn't fast, over loaded or just a poor cable or dialup internet at camp office... then you will have great connection to that point, then you hit the bottle neck of strangled bandwidth.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by RWRiley

Here's what I'm going to try. My Win 7 laptop (which will soon go End of Life) has the ability to share it's WiFi connection with a software package called "My Public Wifi". I'm going to get an antenna that extends WiFi range (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...MP4N7CKFGRM41H).
I can then sign onto the campground connection, and create my own WiFi network, and connect all my devices. When I change campgrounds, I will just connect to whatever their WiFi is, and then all my other devices will connect to my private network (which will remain the same regardless of what campground WiFi I'm connected to). When my Win 7 Laptop stops getting support, I will switch to Win 10, which has the ability to share WiFi built in...no need to download any software. Total cost (not including new Win 10 laptop) $27.

The gizmo you posted a link to is an antenna you plug into a computer via USB. How does this create a WiFi network inside the camper? I don't get it. Thanks wg