park wifi woes

[beetle1]

We are new at full-time vacationing (2months)and must report that the three parks we have been in so far have virtually no wifi even when they advertise it free or with a charge. We now just use our at&t phone as our hotspot. Anybody have ideas on this??

[paulcardoza]

Another naysayer, who clearly won;t take the time to read, before posting how impossible change is..... Be realistic Bumpy and maybe you'll see what is possible these days. Also, please read my previous posts so you actually understand what my expectations are, as far as cost goes.... :R

Bumpyroad wrote:
how do you propose that these campgrounds size the wifi installation? do they go to the extent that each and every site can stream netflix 24/7/365 and that "commercial" users are satisfied. then the cost for a non-user or minimal user would be out of sight.
the solution is simple. buy your own hot spot. don't expect that $17.00 a day campground to provide it.
bumpy

[Bumpyroad]

how do you propose that these campgrounds size the wifi installation? do they go to the extent that each and every site can stream netflix 24/7/365 and that "commercial" users are satisfied. then the cost for a non-user or minimal user would be out of sight.
the solution is simple. buy your own hot spot. don't expect that $17.00 a day campground to provide it.
bumpy

[paulcardoza]

@HappyKayakers ---

Maybe you should actually read my posts before stabbing at me with incorrect information. I have said several times in this thread that I would GLADLY PAY for true broadband access at a CG. As others have said, this is a fulltimers forum. We live in our coach for 8 months of the year. There's nothing sad about wanting full access, for those of us who call our RV home. Big difference from the family who comes in on Friday evening and leaves on Sunday morning.

It's too bad that so many people are so anxious to post their opinions, but don't take a few minutes to actually bring themselves up to speed on the contents of the thread first. :R

HappyKayakers wrote:


So, the campgrounds should subsidize Internet access for large families or people running online businesses from their RVs?

If you absolutely need more data each month, you always have the option of paying for more. The plan I have for my aircard is 5GB per month. I always have the option of going over that limit and paying extra.

BTW, I really like the previous poster's pay phone analogy. Seems to be spot on. Before everyone carried their own cell phones, pay phones were a way of life. Now that everyone can carry their own hotspot, free wifi will begin to disappear.

[Bumpyroad]

runner_one wrote:
My wife and I support our selves with telecommute jobs. I work for two companies, one in the US and one in the UK, and my wife works for one in the US. Because I work for companies across 6 time zones I am on call 24/7 so I must be able to set down at the computer and just have it work every time. Although I have a Verizon hotspot for back-up I can not remain in a RV park for more than a few days that doesn't have reliable WI-FI. Also because of my background in networking I often trade work on campground wifi for lot rent. I have upgraded many campgrounds and received many free nights in my travels.

I would think that since wifi is so important to you, you would use your own hotspot and "rely" on campground wifi as the back up. I mean wouldn't it even be a business expense that you could write off?
bumpy

[runner_one]

rockhillmanor wrote:
Pretty sad that's it's come down to the fact that now a 'camping experience with the family' is so centered around having free perfect high speed internet access. What's the point of even going to a CG?

Stay at home and have all the family members in different rooms using your residential high speed internet, problem solved.

As others have said this is a Full Timing forum. But in my case as a full timer 24/7 high speed internet is not a needed but required. My wife and I support our selves with telecommute jobs. I work for two companies, one in the US and one in the UK, and my wife works for one in the US. Because I work for companies across 6 time zones I am on call 24/7 so I must be able to set down at the computer and just have it work every time. Although I have a Verizon hotspot for back-up I can not remain in a RV park for more than a few days that doesn't have reliable WI-FI. Also because of my background in networking I often trade work on campground wifi for lot rent. I have upgraded many campgrounds and received many free nights in my travels.

[Bumpyroad]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
Pretty sad that's it's come down to the fact that now a 'camping experience with the family' is so centered around having free perfect high speed internet access. What's the point of even going to a CG?

Stay at home and have all the family members in different rooms using your residential high speed internet, problem solved.

This is the "Full-time RVing" forum. Many of us are "home" when we're in a campground.

I have to pay for wifi at my sticks and bricks "home". why shouldn't full timers?
bumpy

I don't object to paying for good WiFi service. I do object to paying for the abysmal excuse for it though, that some campgrounds provide, regardless of whether it's included in my site rent or charged as an extra. There is no "free" WiFi at any campground I've ever been to.

you must have misunderstood as to who/where I thought you should pay for WiFi service. if it is important to you, necessary in your work, for adequate security, just spring the $60 a month and have it. don't come on here and whine that the campground that you pay $17.00 a night for doesn't have a good signal.
JMHO
bumpy

[Dutch_12078]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
Pretty sad that's it's come down to the fact that now a 'camping experience with the family' is so centered around having free perfect high speed internet access. What's the point of even going to a CG?

Stay at home and have all the family members in different rooms using your residential high speed internet, problem solved.

This is the "Full-time RVing" forum. Many of us are "home" when we're in a campground.

I have to pay for wifi at my sticks and bricks "home". why shouldn't full timers?
bumpy

I don't object to paying for good WiFi service. I do object to paying for the abysmal excuse for it though, that some campgrounds provide, regardless of whether it's included in my site rent or charged as an extra. There is no "free" WiFi at any campground I've ever been to.

[rockhillmanor]

Bumpyroad wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
Pretty sad that's it's come down to the fact that now a 'camping experience with the family' is so centered around having free perfect high speed internet access. What's the point of even going to a CG?

Stay at home and have all the family members in different rooms using your residential high speed internet, problem solved.

This is the "Full-time RVing" forum. Many of us are "home" when we're in a campground.

I have to pay for wifi at my sticks and bricks "home". why shouldn't full timers?bumpy

X2.
The FREE wifi issue comes up a lot with 'new' full timers.

PAYING for a good mobile use internet provider should be one of the first things on the list before you sell you home. You need to be able to access your banking and bill paying and much more which the internet now affords. Free wifi is simply just NOT secure enough IMHO.

I have had to transfer money quickly while on the road and with a good secure internet provider it was done with a couple of clicks. A life saver for me. And the list goes on. Couldn't even fathom full timing without internet service 100% of the time.

I cringe every time I read a post of a new full timer who's plan is to find a coffee shop or McDonalds "in their RV" to use free wifi while living on the road. :R

[nazpaz]

I think the question asked by the OP has been fully answered. His finding is that even if parks advertize WiFi that the WiFi is poor at best and everyone agrees. We can debate whether or not we should expect broadband quality WiFi at our campsites or whether a person should want Internet access at all if we want, but the fact is that a person is naive if they expect to have reliable and fast campground provided internet everywhere they camp.

That leaves us with the original concern: what's the best way to provide your own internet access?

My thinking is that unless one is fortunate enough to have a grandfathered unlimited Verizon data plan and can use their cell phone as a hotspot that the next best thing is 20 Gigs of data for $70 from Millinicom. That's the solution suggested by several and I agree that it's a good one for fulltimers.

[Bumpyroad]

Dutch_12078 wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:
Pretty sad that's it's come down to the fact that now a 'camping experience with the family' is so centered around having free perfect high speed internet access. What's the point of even going to a CG?

Stay at home and have all the family members in different rooms using your residential high speed internet, problem solved.

This is the "Full-time RVing" forum. Many of us are "home" when we're in a campground.

I have to pay for wifi at my sticks and bricks "home". why shouldn't full timers?
bumpy

[CA_Traveler]

For our 6 months/year the Verizon MiFi works well. However it doesn't work in Canada and it was a challenge to get internet access.

[rockhillmanor]

Dutch_12078 wrote:
This is the "Full-time RVing" forum. Many of us are "home" when we're in a campground.

I am a full timer also!

I did so to get away from the standard living in stick and bricks and vegetate. And along those same lines, IMHO, JMHO you make changes to accommodate full timing and BUY a reliable internet service.

Trying to rely on and complain about FREE wifi at CG's is just not conducive to full-time RV'ing.. You buy and pay for reliable internet service before you head out full time. Just saying.

[Dutch_12078]

rockhillmanor wrote:
Pretty sad that's it's come down to the fact that now a 'camping experience with the family' is so centered around having free perfect high speed internet access. What's the point of even going to a CG?

Stay at home and have all the family members in different rooms using your residential high speed internet, problem solved.

This is the "Full-time RVing" forum. Many of us are "home" when we're in a campground.

[rockhillmanor]

Pretty sad that's it's come down to the fact that now a 'camping experience with the family' is so centered around having free perfect high speed internet access. What's the point of even going to a CG?

Stay at home and have all the family members in different rooms using your residential high speed internet, problem solved.

[HappyKayakers]

paulcardoza wrote:
You certainly CAN do that, if you are willing and able to live with the data caps that come along with those plans. For many people, it's plenty good enough. For larger families or fulltimers who my do some sort of online work or business from their RV, it may not.

Bumpyroad wrote:
just curious but I have previously checked on firm's providing what I guess was my own wifi hot spot for about $60 a month. if one really needed/wanted wifi couldn't they just spring for one of those?
bumpy

So, the campgrounds should subsidize Internet access for large families or people running online businesses from their RVs?

If you absolutely need more data each month, you always have the option of paying for more. The plan I have for my aircard is 5GB per month. I always have the option of going over that limit and paying extra.

BTW, I really like the previous poster's pay phone analogy. Seems to be spot on. Before everyone carried their own cell phones, pay phones were a way of life. Now that everyone can carry their own hotspot, free wifi will begin to disappear.