Winegard Gateway

RickV · 09-02-2022, 10:48 AM

I am thinking about getting the GW-1000 Gateway. I have a few questions. First will this improve Campground WiFi signal? What about Cell Signal? We messed up and got Pixel 6 phones back in January they will not Miracast, Google wants you to buy their crappy chromecast device. So we end up using our hotspot data to stream. I can get 150gb of Verizon Hotspot for $60 and I am debating whether it is worth the extra $$$ to buy the gateway or just get a jetpak device.

Javi · 09-02-2022, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickV

I am thinking about getting the GW-1000 Gateway. I have a few questions. First will this improve Campground WiFi signal? What about Cell Signal? We messed up and got Pixel 6 phones back in January they will not Miracast, Google wants you to buy their crappy chromecast device. So we end up using our hotspot data to stream. I can get 150gb of Verizon Hotspot for $60 and I am debating whether it is worth the extra $$$ to buy the gateway or just get a jetpak device.

See pm........

RickV · 09-07-2022, 08:10 AM

So I got the Gateway Yesterday and installed it. I had a conversation with Javi and he answered most of my questions. After reading reviews on the phone based app I decided to just configure it via the web. It is working just "OK" as it does from time to time drop the signal even though I am close to a tower and it shows 100% signal strength. Another thing is that it doesn't connect anywhere near the speed that my Cellphone does. I get about 70mps on the Cellphone and 25mps on the Gateway is that normal?

Javi · 09-07-2022, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickV

So I got the Gateway Yesterday and installed it. I had a conversation with Javi and he answered most of my questions. After reading reviews on the phone based app I decided to just configure it via the web. It is working just "OK" as it does from time to time drop the signal even though I am close to a tower and it shows 100% signal strength. Another thing is that it doesn't connect anywhere near the speed that my Cellphone does. I get about 70mps on the Cellphone and 25mps on the Gateway is that normal?

Yep.. it's only as good as the signal it is receiving.. and it's 2.4 not 5

Our entire building is wireless and parked 5 feet from the building it's not bad but still won't match my phone on the same network because of the 2.4 vs 5

RickV · 09-08-2022, 12:02 PM

OK now this thing has started dropping the connection randomly every few hours and an off/on reset is the only thing that will restore it. I know it's not the tower because my phone still works. Is this a normal thing or did I get a bad one?

Camping family · 09-08-2022, 02:55 PM

Okay don’t want to take over this conversation but need some help. What’s everyone using for wyfi. Seems a lot of camp grounds now don’t have wyfi upgraded my hot spot for now while camping. But going to look into getting something for wyfi while camping. What r the suggestions

LHaven · 09-08-2022, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camping family

Okay don’t want to take over this conversation but need some help. What’s everyone using for wyfi. Seems a lot of camp grounds now don’t have wyfi upgraded my hot spot for now while camping. But going to look into getting something for wyfi while camping. What r the suggestions

I latch onto the campground WiFi unless it's "worse than nothing," just to keep my inCommand connected. But in about half the campgrounds I visit, I end up running my in-cabin WiFi off my phone's LTE tether gateway, and eating up phone data time (which is unlimited EXCEPT when you are tethering).

I came across this article [LINK] a couple weeks ago, and given the information in it, when I do break down and buy a hotspot, it will be the T-Mobile. Buy the device outright, no contract (which I think means I can turn it off when I'm not out RVing), and (best of all) you can add data in real time if you run out (something I discovered I couldn't do on my T-Mobile phone plan last year when I ran out while RVing). But your needs may vary.

RickV · 09-10-2022, 02:27 AM

Just wanted to post back that even though I had installed the latest updates to the Gateway I was still having the dropped signal issue. Yesterday Morning I though let me reinstall the update and see if maybe it didn't install correctly the first time. Since then it has it hasn't missed a beat. 🤞

RickV · 09-10-2022, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camping family

Okay don’t want to take over this conversation but need some help. What’s everyone using for wyfi. Seems a lot of camp grounds now don’t have wyfi upgraded my hot spot for now while camping. But going to look into getting something for wyfi while camping. What r the suggestions

You need to look into getting a hotspot either a stand alone one or just hotspotting your phone. As I posted above I opted to get the Gateway and a 150gb per month plan from Verizon.

**JRTJH** · 09-10-2022, 08:05 AM

This is the "campground wifi policy" at one local campground. I am seeing the same (or similar) policies at campground as we travel. In the past, wifi was a "perk" but as more and more people "carry their own cellular connection" many campgrounds are turning away from maintaining a costly and usually abused "open internet access" throughout the campground. As is stated in this notice that's on the bulletin board at a local campground, "We can't control what the squirrels eat, so we can't guarantee you'll have internet access at your site"....

In more and more campgrounds, if you "really, REALLY need reliable internet access" it's getting to be a "sure bet" that it won't happen unless you bring it with you.

As Ranger Randy said, The best connections are the ones you make with the people you love, and probably was the reason why you bought a trailer, "to get away from all the stress at home"......

wrvond · 09-10-2022, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camping family

Okay don’t want to take over this conversation but need some help. What’s everyone using for wyfi. Seems a lot of camp grounds now don’t have wyfi upgraded my hot spot for now while camping. But going to look into getting something for wyfi while camping. What r the suggestions

I have the WiFiRanger Osprey gateway with Cat12 modem. I use AT&T for my cellular data provider on the gateway (a SIM plugged inserted in the gateway). It's an unlimited data plan for $56.00 per month. I don't know if that plan is available to you or not.

It works well enough.

Javi · 09-10-2022, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickV

Just wanted to post back that even though I had installed the latest updates to the Gateway I was still having the dropped signal issue. Yesterday Morning I though let me reinstall the update and see if maybe it didn't install correctly the first time. Since then it has it hasn't missed a beat. 🤞

Glad you got it going

RickV · 09-11-2022, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Javi

Glad you got it going

I may have spoke too soon 😒. It is not doing it every few hours anymore but it did it a couple of times yesterday. I just keep a browser tab open to the login page and have found that if I switch it to WiFi mode and let it do it's thing then switch it back to Cellular it works again. Not sure if I want to have to deal with this going forward though. May return this one and try another one and see if I get better results.

Javi · 09-11-2022, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickV

I may have spoke too soon 😒. It is not doing it every few hours anymore but it did it a couple of times yesterday. I just keep a browser tab open to the login page and have found that if I switch it to WiFi mode and let it do it's thing then switch it back to Cellular it works again. Not sure if I want to have to deal with this going forward though. May return this one and try another one and see if I get better results.

I found the mobile app to be my best choice and I use the guest sign in for everyone but me to avoid anyone changing settings.

Mine never drops cellular but will drop wifi connections at certain parks but so did my cell phone. I always just laid it off to congestion.

With the AT&T sim, I either have service or not.

hawghauler · 09-15-2022, 09:45 AM

We get the 1 dollar DVDs at Wal-Mart for rainy days whole stack of em in the cupboard next to the tv priceless on a rainy day no charge when I'm out riding or sight seeing

Folkie · 09-15-2022, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickV

I am thinking about getting the GW-1000 Gateway. I have a few questions. First will this improve Campground WiFi signal? What about Cell Signal? We messed up and got Pixel 6 phones back in January they will not Miracast, Google wants you to buy their crappy chromecast device. So we end up using our hotspot data to stream. I can get 150gb of Verizon Hotspot for $60 and I am debating whether it is worth the extra $$$ to buy the gateway or just get a jetpak device.

I set up the Gateway for a friend of mine in his camper. He is using AT&T sim. We tested it and it was solid for the days we were at that campground. He was working remotely and on zoom calls without issue using the 4G LTE. YMMV based on cell location and signal strength.

RickV · 09-16-2022, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Folkie

I set up the Gateway for a friend of mine in his camper. He is using AT&T sim. We tested it and it was solid for the days we were at that campground. He was working remotely and on zoom calls without issue using the 4G LTE. YMMV based on cell location and signal strength.

I decided to return it and just go with a MiFi Hotspot as it continued to do the work not work thing every few hours. I can see the Cell tower from the campground, see pictures for speed tests from my Phone and my PC by hotspotting my phone. We streamed last night for about 5 hours using my phone hotspot and it never skipped a beat. I don't have a screen shot of the gateway speeds because I took it down yesterday morning but, I was getting around 15mps when it worked. With the dropped signal and slower speeds it wasn't worth the hassle and the over $300 to me.

pasayten · 09-16-2022, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Folkie

I set up the Gateway for a friend of mine in his camper. He is using AT&T sim. We tested it and it was solid for the days we were at that campground. He was working remotely and on zoom calls without issue using the 4G LTE. YMMV based on cell location and signal strength.

Same results for me... ATT sim card and the Gateway... Works great even in many locations where our phones won't due to weak signals... :-)

Folkie · 09-16-2022, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickV

I decided to return it and just go with a MiFi Hotspot as it continued to do the work not work thing every few hours. I can see the Cell tower from the campground, see pictures for speed tests from my Phone and my PC by hotspotting my phone. We streamed last night for about 5 hours using my phone hotspot and it never skipped a beat. I don't have a screen shot of the gateway speeds because I took it down yesterday morning but, I was getting around 15mps when it worked. With the dropped signal and slower speeds it wasn't worth the hassle and the over $300 to me.

I'm glad you found something that's working well for you. I was going to get a Gateway but opted for a Netgear 4G hotspot on Verizon. We have a vacation home without internet so this option gives me the ability to move the hotspot between the camper and the house. The sim card is an add on to my mobile plan.

shoeless · 09-19-2022, 04:32 PM

I had bought one of these wineguard gateways and ended up returning it as well. Same issue with constantly dropping, and the whole boosting of park wifi never worked. By the way bought mine at Camping World. When I picked it up they said they had just gotten them in. Every single one was a return. Talked with another store and was told the same thing, all returned devices.

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