Making a two month road trip west, week long stays in Black Hills, YNP, Teton, Glacier, and other “remote” areas.We’re a Verizon family. 12 year old kid that will want to do typical streaming.Have been looking at Weboost offerings. I’m handy and can do a hardwired install on 5th wheel.I hooked up a Netgear MIMO antenna to our mifi, and it gave a little boost out here pn the populated east coast, but I’m not sure that’s robust enough for the wide open spaces out west.

The basic capacity of the "local" towers in the "wide open spaces" might not be enough to support much streaming.....if any.A "booster" won't increase the bandwidth available.And it won't help anything if there is no signal there to "boost".There aren't many situations where a booster is really worth the investment.After the initial shock, the whole family might benefit from a few days free from the electronic umbilical cord.

Booster will not help in some areas. Yellowstone has towers in some areas. None in Glacier. Didn't have any problems with Verizon in Black Hills or Tetons.I would not waste dollars and time!

Many years ago we were able to get a Verizon signal in the middle of YNP on a hill overlooking the Yellowstone River.The view upriver toward the falls showed the yellow stone from which the park was named.

I bought the Weboost RV setup last year and used it four months traveling last summer. It makes a substantial difference in many places. I always do a before and after speed test and it often was night and day better. .5-1 MBS to 5-20 MBS. Even when you had 2-3 bars. Worth every penny to me.

Big Katuna wrote:I bought the Weboost RV setup last year and used it four months traveling last summer. It makes a substantial difference in many places. I always do a before and after speed test and it often was night and day better. .5-1 MBS to 5-20 MBS. Even when you had 2-3 bars. Worth every penny to me.Which model did you get, Big K?

Trip out west, YNP, Glacier. Which cell booster to get?

15 Replies

jodeb720
Explorer
Feb 19, 2020
FWIW,

Almost every year for the last 20+ years I've been to yosemite.
Verizon has a tower somewhere in or pointing into the park and has coverage in the campgrounds.

Sprint, text messages and voice work.
ATT & Tmobile sort of have coverage in certain locations in the valley.

I found all this out because my family that went all had different providers.

18 months ago, when I went the last time, I actually was working on my verizon Jetpack and did some testing - I was able to stream and such.

I don't know if the other vendors (e.g. Visible - a verizon subsidiary) or other MVNO's will workin the valley.
JC2
Explorer
Feb 09, 2020
ChuckSteed wrote:
If you stay inside the park you can forget streaming anything. Outside the park in West Yellowstone at peak times streaming won’t be much good either. Make the 12 year old get off the electronics and enjoy what’s there to see.
Acampingwewillg
Explorer II
Feb 09, 2020
I went with the RV65....I do use an omni antenna connected to it when traveling then set up the directional on a mount when stationary! Only had it this last trip and happy with it so far.
dieseltruckdriv
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2020
ToddD wrote:
Making a two month road trip west, week long stays in Black Hills, YNP, Teton, Glacier, and other “remote” areas.

We’re a Verizon family. 12 year old kid that will want to do typical streaming.

Have been looking at Weboost offerings. I’m handy and can do a hardwired install on 5th wheel.

I hooked up a Netgear MIMO antenna to our mifi, and it gave a little boost out here pn the populated east coast, but I’m not sure that’s robust enough for the wide open spaces out west.

You will be just fine with Verizon. There will be some dead spots between here in the Black Hills and Yellowstone and Glacier just like there are in other areas.

Just because we don't have the population doesn't mean we can't stream. Actually it is usually better because we don't have as many people streaming per tower.
pconroy328
Explorer
Jan 31, 2020
I'm a father of a child with Autism. The phone and Youtube are his lifeline and his way he copes with the outside world. We can do NPs but with some acomodations.

There are plenty of Chuck's out there. Usually it's a disapproving look. Sometimes they're bold enough to open their mouth.

My son's going to have to learn that this world is still full of folks who talk first, think later.
ToddD
Explorer
Jan 31, 2020
ChuckSteed wrote:
If you stay inside the park you can forget streaming anything. Outside the park in West Yellowstone at peak times streaming won’t be much good either. Make the 12 year old get off the electronics and enjoy what’s there to see.

Why does everyone have to be a critic? You don’t know my parenting style to make such a statement. Your comment about streaming didn’t need that last sentence tacked on.
ChuckSteed
Explorer
Jan 29, 2020
If you stay inside the park you can forget streaming anything. Outside the park in West Yellowstone at peak times streaming won’t be much good either. Make the 12 year old get off the electronics and enjoy what’s there to see.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Jan 26, 2020
ToddD wrote:
Yep, wondering if the 65 is worth the extra $150...

I had not seen that yet. I would probably opt for that. That is basically how I use mine.

I made a PVC pole and mount it with big suction cups. We don’t care about having it while driving. The antenna must be better. Not sure if the amp is better. Haven’t read specs.
ToddD
Explorer
Jan 26, 2020
Yep, wondering if the 65 is worth the extra $150...
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Jan 25, 2020
ToddD wrote:
Big Katuna wrote:
I bought the Weboost RV setup last year and used it four months traveling last summer.

It makes a substantial difference in many places. I always do a before and after speed test and it often was night and day better. .5-1 MBS to 5-20 MBS.

Even when you had 2-3 bars.

Worth every penny to me.

Which model did you get, Big K?

Weboost Drive 4G X RV. About $500’on a Amazon.