Advice on Best Type of Internet

wires wrote:

For 'important' calls (i.e. presenting to a large audience) I can set the router to run Starlink and cell in tandem. The data is split across both connections and if one drops packets you don't notice because the other path was still intact.

Very cool concept !

bsteinagel wrote:

If any of you have satellite internet, how reliable is it in overcast/rainy weather?

If satellite isn't the best option, what would be a better alternative?

I'm curious to hear others' experiences with internet and what works best for them. Thank you in advance for your time!

Brad

I RV fulltime and work remote spending an average of 4 hours every day on Teams meetings. I also frequently need to send and receive very large files. I currently use Starlink along with cellular data as a backup. I use a Pepwave Max Transit router and it can be programmed to use the cell data in tandem or as a fallback if Starlink is down.

I've been running this configuration since December and have travelled from Nevada to Indiana. So far it has been rock solid and works as well as the hard-wired DSL in my former home.

I'd rate my Starlink connectivity 99 out of 100. Based on data from its configuration app and also from my router logs I average less than one minute of down time per day. The only time I've seen the connection drop from rain has been if it's a torrential downpour and then usually only for a very brief time. For normal-to-heavy rain I haven't observed any interruptions.

For 'normal' use I run my cell connection in a backup configuration. If Starlink has an issue my router will almost instantly changeover so a Teams call might hang for a few seconds then it's back online.

For 'important' calls (i.e. presenting to a large audience) I can set the router to run Starlink and cell in tandem. The data is split across both connections and if one drops packets you don't notice because the other path was still intact.

The router I use is also configurable for traffic routing. I have mine set up so that the TVs and Directv receiver can only use the Starlink connection. That way video streaming can only utilize the unlimited Starlink data. My cell data is reserved and can only be used by my PCs.

Before I received my Starlink setup I had the Pepwave router, but the model I have only supports a single cell connection at a time (with another carrier as a backup). Over an average day I would typically run into a couple of disconnects/reconnects which caused brief interruptions in my Teams calls.

Based on my experiences, if you need 100% rock solid connectivity for work I suggest a system which supports two simultaneous connections. You'll either need a cell router which supports two active cell connections, or Starlink into a router with a cell backup.

If you'd like to discuss hardware or configuration in more detail please feel free to PM me.

If you will be stationary for 6months then stationary for 6months, a lot of parks, you can get a landline brought to the trailer. This is your best bet.

If you will be moving around, cellular is likely your best bet.

Big question is beyond reliability, how fast and how much data do you need? Just because you are on the computer all day doesn't necessarily mean you need a plan that is really fast or needs massive amounts of data.

Dutch_12078 wrote:
Starlink has just introduced a "roaming service" option that lets you move from place to place for an extra $25/mo with no caps. That makes the monthly fee $135 plus the $599 initial equipment fee. The roaming service is only for stationary use though, not mobile use.

note: "not mobile" means it's not to be used while you are in a moving vehicle.

Cable, ADSL, and all "Wire" or Fiber services. Unless your are perma-parked (do not move) are not for RVs as they don't move with you .. This leaves wireless services.

park Wi-Fi Iffy at best few parks have decent wi-fi

Cell Phone: getting better but again many parks are not in areas of good coverage or may be served by only one provider... Multiple accounts across different networks.. T-mobile. Verizion and AT&T is the best way to do cell but..... Still not 100%

2-Way Satellite is fairly reliable but Hughes net has a few things like speed, data lmits and "ping time" Star Link JUST announced their new "Star Link Mobile" or whatever they are calling it and looks interesting but I'm no longer in a position to check it out.

Starlink has just introduced a "roaming service" option that lets you move from place to place for an extra $25/mo with no caps. That makes the monthly fee $135 plus the $599 initial equipment fee. The roaming service is only for stationary use though, not mobile use.

Satellite internet IS THE FUTURE and for some lucky individuals it is here now. It is not as reliable as a landline.

• If you have a fixed base in AZ and in Wi then a cell phone to internet/WiFi/HotSpot may be your best option.

• You must be in a place that has strong reliable 4G phone reception.
Large quantities of data (many Zoom calls, streaming television, movies) can make your monthly bill quite costly. If you are in an area with absolutely no cell service, it is game over.

• There are many different hardware options. Pick a product that has external antennas as good antennas mounted as high as possible will give the best, most reliable signal.

• There are many different service plan options. All (?) have SOME restriction/limit. You are typically better to go through a third party Mobile Virtual Network Operator. They buy large "chunks" of network from the Big Three (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) at huge discounts, repackage it and resell it.

One example is Nomad Internet. Not cheap, but it is month by month so there is no contract. Read some reviews. I believe the are currently offering service on T-Mobile.

If this sounds difficult, it is meant to be that way. They do NOT want knowledgeable customers. Buckle up, read up. It will be a long bumpy journey

Satellite suffers from "rain fade", heavy rains will cause interruptions. Overcast skies shouldn't bother it though. Too early to tell with Starlink since it is only available in limited areas but I suspect it too will suffer some outages from heavy rains.

Conventional sats in order to appear stationary are in a geosynchronous orbit which is around 22,000 miles above the earth. This distance creates a time lag problem called "latency".. If you need to use the internet connection for things like Zoom meetings or VoIP phone calls the high latency make make that unusable for you.

Not to mention sat internet is very expensive for the speed and data limits you get. Hughes net has Plan starting at $70 per month with 20GB data limit, 25Mbps speed and a contract of 24 months.. They throttle your speed when you exceed your data limit to 1-3 Mbps

Compare that to a cable Internet like I have which offers 200 Mbps speeds, 2TB data caps, no contract and costs me $80 per month.

Since you need 100% uptime, hard wired cable internet (copper or fiber) is generally your best choice, followed by cellphone services and sat, last.. Heck just last night I lost my sat TV for several hrs during a heavy rain storm..

If you are shopping for cell internet, don't go by the cell companies marketing maps, they are not 100% true and often shows more coverage than there really is.. You can search for cell towers maps, those maps will show you the locations of the cell towers near you and often will have overlays which will show the service coverage of the towers..