We will be fulltime RV'ers by the end of this year and are looking into satellite dishes and internet connection for our 5th wheel. We know we won't need service for t.v. while on the move because we have a 5th wheel, but once we reach our destination we'll want it. Do any of you have information/suggestions you can offer us in regards to the best types of satellites and the best service companies there are available to fulltime rv'ers? Also we are wondering about internet service and whether or not it can be optained through a satellite service provider?Any info while be helpful.Thanks.

We have and like our Winegard portable Carry-out. We use a receiver that we take from the house. We have Direct TV non HD. Works good for us.We us Verizon USB air card plugged into a Cradle Point router CTR 95. We have a true unlimited usage on the air card. Newer ones have usage limitations.

Moved from Forum Technical Support

If you want satellite internet you will need lots of expensive equipment and a rather large dish.If you want satellite TV you'll need some equipment, either mostly free through the provider or bought at places like best buy plus an antenna and tripod for a couple hundred dollars.Most people rely on cell technology for their internet service.There are lots and lots of posts on both subjects, just use the search function at the top of your screen.BTW you have posted this in the wrong section. I have asked the moderator to move it to the correct place.

For internet access the satellite service and equipment is expensive. Many of the RV'ers who have had satellite internet service for many years now say they would use an air card, WiFi and cellphone tether rather than go to the expense of setting up the Satelite internet service.For internet access we use the following combination.... If the RV Park has WiFi we sign up for the WiFi. If no WiFi we tether to our cellphones.We have used aircards in the past and would probably have them now if we travelled more. All of the RV Parks we currently go to have WiFi. We do have Dish satellite service for TV and have been very happy with it. However, it's getting to the point where I'm not sure we will even need it. With internet service and using online services like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and Vudu plus websites for the shows we like you can get just about any movie or TV show over the internet. It's less expensive than Dish but takes some extra work to find what you want to watch.

Satellite internet service is not terribly expensive if you don't mind doing the setup work yourself. Service is available from Hughesnet and Starband. A tripod setup can be obtained used for a few hundred dollars and service cost $50 to $80/month. It's not nearly as fast as cellular service but it works in US, Canada and Mexico as long as you have a clear view of the S. sky.Cellular service (and some fill in WiFi connections when they are free and available) is a very good choice as well (and what I use as a full-timer) as long as you think you will not spend too much time in the middle of nowhere.TV is still best received via one of the satellite services as any new cellular connection will be limited and TV programming just eats up too much bandwidth to be affordable unless you only watch a couple of hours of TV per day and don't want to watch any movies, don't care about HD and don't need to watch the evening news.If you do go with satellite TV then you will need an antenna to receive these signals and there are 2 styles. The dome antennas, either roof mounted or portable. The domes all have some sort of limitation but work very well. The other is a standard Dish or DirecTV antenna as you would see on a home. These antennas are available as fully automatic roof mounted units or they can be mounted on a tripod and manually pointed at each new location. These antennas have no limitations and allow you to use any receiver type, multiple receivers and HDTV from either provider.So there's the short version. Let us know more about what you would like to do in your RV and we can get you some additional details.

SATELLITES DISHES AND INTERNET CONNECTION | Good Sam Community

the_bear_II
Explorer
May 30, 2013
For internet access the satellite service and equipment is expensive. Many of the RV'ers who have had satellite internet service for many years now say they would use an air card, WiFi and cellphone tether rather than go to the expense of setting up the Satelite internet service.

For internet access we use the following combination.... If the RV Park has WiFi we sign up for the WiFi. If no WiFi we tether to our cellphones.

We have used aircards in the past and would probably have them now if we travelled more. All of the RV Parks we currently go to have WiFi.

We do have Dish satellite service for TV and have been very happy with it. However, it's getting to the point where I'm not sure we will even need it. With internet service and using online services like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and Vudu plus websites for the shows we like you can get just about any movie or TV show over the internet. It's less expensive than Dish but takes some extra work to find what you want to watch.
donn0128
Explorer II
May 30, 2013
If you want satellite internet you will need lots of expensive equipment and a rather large dish.
If you want satellite TV you'll need some equipment, either mostly free through the provider or bought at places like best buy plus an antenna and tripod for a couple hundred dollars.
Most people rely on cell technology for their internet service.
There are lots and lots of posts on both subjects, just use the search function at the top of your screen.
BTW you have posted this in the wrong section. I have asked the moderator to move it to the correct place.
1492
Moderator
May 30, 2013
Moved from Forum Technical Support
enblethen
Nomad
May 30, 2013
We have and like our Winegard portable Carry-out. We use a receiver that we take from the house. We have Direct TV non HD. Works good for us.
We us Verizon USB air card plugged into a Cradle Point router CTR 95. We have a true unlimited usage on the air card. Newer ones have usage limitations.

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