Mobile Router that will auto connect to Wi FI- RESOLVED

I have done exactly what you are asking. DW and I went to Europe in 2017 with another couple for 4 weeks, touring. We all had cell phones to connect to the local wifi, along with laptops and/or tablets. We had at least 8 devices, or more to connect. I took a small travel router. We connected all of our devices to the travel router, and whenever the travel router connected, all of our devices were automatically connected.

However, I always had to manually connect the travel router to the local wifi. There is no way to "automatically" do that the first time. The problem is that there are usually multiple wifi sources, and you are only authorized the one provided by your host. Also, there may be a security password that must be entered.

So, no, there is no way to "automatically" log in a wifi, but, yes, you can manually log in a wifi, once, at each location and your other devices would then "automatically" be logged in.

Now, as far as your home wifi and your personal hotspot, once you have logged the travel router into them one time, it will auto connect to them from then on.

This is the one I have and am well pleased with it. (This one can connect via wifi or via ethernet cable.)

lane hog wrote:
So.... why not just use your cell phone as a hotspot if it's already working on all those networks?...

My cell phone as a hotspot does not work nearly as well as my hotspot as a hotspot. Furthermore I need to use my cell phone as a cell phone!
If I leave the RV with my cell phone the internet leaves the RV.
Devices and people in the RV would have no internet.

So.... why not just use your cell phone as a hotspot if it's already working on all those networks?...

My cell phone or even my amazon show remembers where it has been and will automatically connect to known sources without any interaction from me.
My cell phone auto connects at my office, at my parents, at my brothers, or any where else I have already set up to connect.
I want an RV traveling device to do the same. I can't believe this device/feature does not exist.

Lantley wrote:
I am looking to install a mobile router that will auto connect to my wifi at home and that will auto connect to my hotspot or known wifi source when on the road. I want to set it up once and forget about it. I don't want to reset/reconnect the router at each destination.
Do all models auto connect? Is there a model I should look for?
I'm looking for a mobile router. Should I be looking for a different device?

Realistically, you're almost always going to be better off with your hotspot than using the free campground Wifi since that free Wifi is almost always so oversubscribed that it's slower and less reliable than using a hotspot. (I've had much better luck with paid campground Wifi, but you need to sign on through a login screen, so it's harder to make it automatically connect).

But even ignoring that, pretty much every campground has a Wifi password and/or guest login screen that you have to click through to gain access to the wifi, so you can't easily automate that. (unless you always go to the same campgrounds and your wifi repeater remembers all of the SSID's and passwords), assuming they rarely change the passwords).


What I do, (which is probably more "high touch" than what you want) is use a small Wifi router in the RV that my devices connect to, since that has a static SSID/password, I never have to reconfigure anything else. Then I manually plug that either into my hotspot router or to a 5Ghz or 2Ghz Wifi repeater with a directional antenna that I can aim at the campground's Wifi source), and I manually set it to the SSID/Password of the campground. Only takes a minute or so to set it up.

I believe this is pretty much what the Wineguard Connect does (which comes in a convenient roof mounted enclosure).

Is it that difficult for a data reseller to list which service it's actually reselling? Point being that att and Verizon work ok in some areas but not in others. Sprint and Tmobile are even less available in remote areas.

Just like at home, you can give your mobile router a network name and password, and have your devices connect to your mobile network. However, you're going to have to have your mobile router look for available wifi connections at each location and connect the router to the desired wifi.Once you're connected to the desired network, your devices can connect to your router network.

lane hog wrote:
Not really clear why you want a router... do you have wired devices you need to connect, or are you just trying to have wifi in your RV?

If it's just wifi coverage, I solved that issue by setting my phone's hotspot to have the same SSID and password as my home wifi. I never turn it on at home as a hotspot so there's no contention. All of the kids devices and our smart TV connect automatically whether we are in the truck or the RV.

Where I think your request falls apart is having a router recognize multiple networks and expecting it to connect seamlessly. Range extenders and access points are more or less configured to look for a single SSID.

Basically I'm trying to keep it simple and avoid setting up all my devices at each CG vs. setting up one device.
Some devices set up easier than others. My RV smart thermostat doesn't like to be set up.LOL

Not really clear why you want a router... do you have wired devices you need to connect, or are you just trying to have wifi in your RV?

If it's just wifi coverage, I solved that issue by setting my phone's hotspot to have the same SSID and password as my home wifi. I never turn it on at home as a hotspot so there's no contention. All of the kids devices and our smart TV connect automatically whether we are in the truck or the RV.

Where I think your request falls apart is having a router recognize multiple networks and expecting it to connect seamlessly. Range extenders and access points are more or less configured to look for a single SSID.

Try this out, we are so happy :)

https://safarisolutionsllc.com/