Need internet advice

[TheStuntman]

I'm a relatively new RVer and was kind of forced into the situation. I won't bore anyone with any of the insane year long details that have lead up to this point; let's just say through some miscalculations I was screwed by someone I had trusted.

Me and my family (wife and 2 kids). Are currently living in an RV over in Palmer, Alaska in an RV park. My main job is actually from home, I don't make a whole lot of money per month; $10.50/hr. But it allows me to be close to my family, saves on gas and allows us to have some freedom to do things with the kiddos more often. The problem I'm having currently though is internet.

As many long time RVers know, the internet at most RV parks is absolutely abysmal. If they aren't using domestic routers, they're using domestic wifi extenders and sufficiently poor internet plans. It's just something as an RVer I guess we've come to some what expect and just hope eventually they'll get a clue to start upgrading.

Because I work from home I use about 2GB of data a day at minimum, talking on the phone, video conferencing, downloading various files for inspection and uploading data to servers. I for the life of me, just can't seem to find a reliable way to get internet to this little RV. I'm at a loss, I've spent weeks on this problem and it's starting to look like I may have to give up the job I've held for 3+ years and love. Just because of internet.

Can ANYONE out there offer any advice on anything I can do for internet out here that's at least going to give me 2mbps download (so I can work). For a reasonable price?

The cheapest thing I could find would end up costing me $700/mo at minimum for the amount of data I use. It's just insane we still have data caps in 2015.

[sue_t]

sue.t wrote:
Satellite? I don't know the cost though, but it may be a viable option.
http://www.alaskainternetprovider.com/

I've been able to use HughesNet satellite for internet in Alaska, in remote locations with no phone or cellular service. Satellite internet has come a long way from early days.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I don't know if you are too far north to use this--but it appears to be pricey to start up. I've not read the page extensively.

http://www.bluecosmo.com/satellite-hotspots/iridium-go-satellite-smartphone-hotspot?gclid=CKSx_Yu18s...

[Bill_Satellite]

In re-thinking satellite, I believe they also have data limits which might well take them out of the game anyway with the amount of data you use. So, if you call in a family favor be sure you know how much data they will allow you to use before sending your service into FAP (FAP=so slow as to be unusable).

[APT]

$1000 up front fees for for dedicated MTA connection and $100/mo seems cheaper than $300/mo after less than 5 months.

How much will it cost to heat your RV this winter in Alaska?

[TheStuntman]

Bill.Satellite wrote:
The OP is wrong about how satellite / phone hybrid systems work. The upload (data leaving your computer) is done by phone line and the download is via satellite.
I am pretty sure that Hughes Gen4 or Excede are available in AK and if so, they use satellite for both the upload and download and the speeds are pretty good these days. Very affordable, just not movable (OK,they can be moved but not easily).

You actually might be right about that, my brain is not in the right head space for remembering stuff from college lol. Let me go look it up real fast and double check my head facts.

yup, got my wires cross. Satellite for download, telephone line for upload. Thanks for the catch and sorry about that lol

Also, Excede are the ones that denied me based on credit.

[2oldman]

Vulcan Rider wrote:

TheStuntman wrote:
I'd do something like that, but when they did a credit check I came back as denied.

This problem is beyond the scope of your original question.....and probably beyond the range of help that strangers can give you.
Good luck.

X2.

[Bill_Satellite]

Dup.

[Bill_Satellite]

The OP is wrong about how satellite / phone hybrid systems work. The upload (data leaving your computer) is done by phone line and the download is via satellite.
I am pretty sure that Hughes Gen4 or Excede are available in AK and if so, they use satellite for both the upload and download and the speeds are pretty good these days. Very affordable, just not movable (OK,they can be moved but not easily).

[Vulcan_Rider]

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:
You may have missed my suggestion or it may not be practical but have you considered a dedicated DSL to the owner's position and put your directional wireless router there. The new Apple Extreme is directional and I'm sure there are others. How far are you from the front office?

THIS might be your only practical solution.

And I think you are dead wrong about the directionality of satelite service. The radio link in the dish is used for the fastest and most heavily loaded direction; almost always in the "down" direction.

In addition to that, the dish equipment gets a LOT more expensive if it has to transmit as well as receive......and a lot bigger too.

[Vulcan_Rider]

TheStuntman wrote:
I'd do something like that, but when they did a credit check I came back as denied.

This problem is beyond the scope of your original question.....and probably beyond the range of help that strangers can give you.
Good luck.

[4X4Dodger]

strollin wrote:

4X4Dodger wrote:
... Lets see. The OP said he was paid $10.50/Hr assuming 40 hrs/week that is $420 per month.

Please explain how he is to afford $300/month for internet?

I think you mean $420 per WEEK, not month. :B

Maybe the company he works for will cover all or at least part of the cost of a reliable internet connection. I work from home and my company allows $50/month toward my internet connection.

yes of course my typo.

But my point was that is probably more than 25% of his take home pay...thats a lot.

[OutdoorPhotogra]

You may have missed my suggestion or it may not be practical but have you considered a dedicated DSL to the owner's position and put your directional wireless router there. The new Apple Extreme is directional and I'm sure there are others. How far are you from the front office?

[TheStuntman]

trb46 wrote:
Are there any public libraries or other hotspots where you could do some of your office work, using their free wifi?

Unfortunately that's not an option, I work 8 hour days and I'm pretty sure the library would frown on me bringing my desktop into the library lol.

DSL doesn't use or require a dish of any kind. It runs over telephone lines. What is the Park's ISP? They would be the best bet to talk to about getting a dedicated service for your use. If the service requires a wired connection and the park won't let you pay to have a line run to your rig, maybe it's time to find other accommodations.

They use MTA, they quoted another RVer here 1000 dollars for installation since they'd have to trench a line all the way to his RV.

Also the DSL up here does use a satellite dish, cooped with a large antenna. The logistics of it would cause me to write a report about 20 pages long. Classic normal DSL would use a telephone line, cooped with a satellite dish. The common misconception is that the dish downloads and the line uploads or some such. In actuality, it's the line that downloads and the dish that uploads. Back in the early 90's, internet was starting to boom and people were needing more and more bandwidth to satiate there needs for consumption. Telephone companies already had all of these lines ran to all of these houses thanks to Title II utilities. In fact, to do everything they did for telephone, they severely over compensated there needs and only used about 1/8th of there line for telephone communications. Thus high speed internet was born, by lighting up the remaining line JUST for data transfer.

This has been your daily dose of trivia brought to you by someone who actually learned one useless fact from college lol.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Verizon has a 50 gig plan for $300. If 3g would be fast enough there are resellers charging $15 per month for unlimited access.

Check AT&T supposedly they offer service and they do have an unlimited plan (or so I'm told).

That's slightly outside of my price range currently, since I still have to pay to stay here in the RV park. Thanks for the suggestion though 🙂

[sue_t]

Satellite? I don't know the cost though, but it may be a viable option.
http://www.alaskainternetprovider.com/