Why I do not depend on camground Wifi

[rr2254545]

From todays USA today article

During peak evening hours Netflix takes us 34 % of Americas internet capacity

This tells you what all the guys in the other RV's are doing on campground Wifi

[Paul_Clancy]

rwbradley wrote:

Davydd wrote:
Since the subject is campground wifi and not 4G cellular it was my experience in Canada that wifi in campgrounds was vastly inferior to the already bad wifi offered in the United States for the most part. Drive the Alaska Highway and tell me different.

I guess I was not describing my slightly off topic point very well:
- I believe in Canada, the crappy WIFI in campgrounds is more often due not to lack of available capacity, but by choice. Whereas in the US I believe crappy WIFI in campgrounds is due to unavailable infrastructure to provide higher speeds.
- If you take a look at a cell coverage map of Canada you will get a fairly good idea of where high speed internet is available, the map will be similar to the cell coverage map. That map does show the lower portion of the country as being mostly covered, where as the arctic has little to no cell/high speed internet.
- BC actually has the worst coverage in Canada due to the Rockie Mountains
In your example, you travelled thru the worst covered province BC (by area), followed by one of the Territories which would have almost no coverage, and would rely almost exclusively on Satellite links for all its telecom connectivity.
Not to pick a fight ie "my country is better than yours". We both have our issues. I have just found that in my travels, Canada seems to have coverage nearly everywhere I go where as in the US I cannot seem get decent internet or cell service unless I am on an Interstate or in a big city. It is just disappointing that in the world we live in with all the high tech equipment many of us carry in our trailers, in many places on the most technologically advanced continent on earth, there are so many places were we can buy the newest tech we cannot do simple things like check our email. And when we find somewhere to check, it is so slow because everyone else like me is trying to get their tech fix

As someone who is spoiled at home with 50mb/s wifi I have been frustrated at many parks with poor wifi. My solution so far has been a verizon 4g pay as you go hotspot. Not cheap but has always worked when needed. Easy to skype to home etc. and no "can't get on" times. Coverage is very good. This canadian has found a solution for now to his access issues in the US.

[FlatBroke]

Candikane wrote:
The other thing to keep in mind though.... not everyone is streaming just for entertainment. Being a homeschooling mom, I can say that 85% of my streaming (Netflix, YouTube, etc) is educational and used as part of our schooling. We watch tons of science and history shows and documentaries. I doubt I'm the only one, so blocking certain people just based on their usage could be really hindering to a lot of kids' educations.

That being said, people should have common courtesy.

Honestly I would think if my internet is my main concern for education or business I would have my own provider where ever I went. Use WIFI for emergencies.

[kcmoedoe]

Candikane wrote:
The other thing to keep in mind though.... not everyone is streaming just for entertainment. Being a homeschooling mom, I can say that 85% of my streaming (Netflix, YouTube, etc) is educational and used as part of our schooling. We watch tons of science and history shows and documentaries. I doubt I'm the only one, so blocking certain people just based on their usage could be really hindering to a lot of kids' educations.

That being said, people should have common courtesy.

The last thing any RV Park would want to get into would be who's usage is more valuable than another's. Maybe the only thing stopping your next door neighbor from becoming a spree killer is his streaming of Adam Sandler movies.

[hotpepperkid]

Sprink-Fitter wrote:
I don't depend on it either, we are camping, normally we are not in the camper except to sleep, we can surf the internet at home.

Yea when Im camping I don't even need a phone but right now Im not camping Im living in it so its nice to have internet just like at home

[Candikane]

The other thing to keep in mind though.... not everyone is streaming just for entertainment. Being a homeschooling mom, I can say that 85% of my streaming (Netflix, YouTube, etc) is educational and used as part of our schooling. We watch tons of science and history shows and documentaries. I doubt I'm the only one, so blocking certain people just based on their usage could be really hindering to a lot of kids' educations.

That being said, people should have common courtesy.

[paulcardoza]

Normandy Farms replaced their entire wifi system just before Labor Day weekend. So far it has been amazingly good at all hours.

ChooChooMan74 wrote:
I found that at 4AM,I can connect and use the Internet at Normandy Farms. After 8am,fuggetaboutit.

[rwbradley]

Davydd wrote:
Since the subject is campground wifi and not 4G cellular it was my experience in Canada that wifi in campgrounds was vastly inferior to the already bad wifi offered in the United States for the most part. Drive the Alaska Highway and tell me different.

I guess I was not describing my slightly off topic point very well:
- I believe in Canada, the crappy WIFI in campgrounds is more often due not to lack of available capacity, but by choice. Whereas in the US I believe crappy WIFI in campgrounds is due to unavailable infrastructure to provide higher speeds.
- If you take a look at a cell coverage map of Canada you will get a fairly good idea of where high speed internet is available, the map will be similar to the cell coverage map. That map does show the lower portion of the country as being mostly covered, where as the arctic has little to no cell/high speed internet.
- BC actually has the worst coverage in Canada due to the Rockie Mountains
In your example, you travelled thru the worst covered province BC (by area), followed by one of the Territories which would have almost no coverage, and would rely almost exclusively on Satellite links for all its telecom connectivity.
Not to pick a fight ie "my country is better than yours". We both have our issues. I have just found that in my travels, Canada seems to have coverage nearly everywhere I go where as in the US I cannot seem get decent internet or cell service unless I am on an Interstate or in a big city. It is just disappointing that in the world we live in with all the high tech equipment many of us carry in our trailers, in many places on the most technologically advanced continent on earth, there are so many places were we can buy the newest tech we cannot do simple things like check our email. And when we find somewhere to check, it is so slow because everyone else like me is trying to get their tech fix

[FlatBroke]

Wifi is shared, not owned by one user. How would you all like to go to a buffet and found a few people ate all the prime rib and all that was left was Brussels sprouts, but ya all paid the same price?LOL

[Davydd]

Since the subject is campground wifi and not 4G cellular it was my experience in Canada that wifi in campgrounds was vastly inferior to the already bad wifi offered in the United States for the most part. Drive the Alaska Highway and tell me different.

[rwbradley]

Banzai Beagle wrote:
After spending many years traveling the world my question would be why is the infrastructure in the U.S. so poor? I have watched streaming video in most parts of the world without problem. In Europe you will typically have an allowance to check email, surf, etc, and pay an extra charge to stream. In Asia and the mid east it’s wide open. There is a reason that the U.S. is ranked around 40th for Internet speed. Until the ISPs make an effort to improve infrastructure it will be problematic. Google is trying in a few markets but sweetheart deals between local government and providers make it tough. Instead of complaining about the guy in the next trailer watching netflix we (users and park owners) should be complaining to the providers about the lack of bandwidth.

This is something I have never understood but at risk of inflaming our North/South friendship... Coming from Canada (the 2nd biggest country by land mass, but one of the lowest average population per square mile in the world, we have 4G or better cell coverage and 5mb or greater internet access available to almost as much land mass as the entire land mass of the US. When I travel to the US I always find it so strange that I cannot just drive somewhere and expect cell or fast internet. The US coverage map seems to be based on coverage for cities over a certain population or along an interstate. Although ironically per capita, the US probably has more customers, because of the higher urban population. Ironically too the problem with cell coverage in the US is due to the same above issue, you can't put 4G on a cell tower if you do not have the fiber infrastructure to bring it back to the city (the same Fiber infrastructure used to hook up DSL/Cable customers).

[Banzai_Beagle]

After spending many years traveling the world my question would be why is the infrastructure in the U.S. so poor? I have watched streaming video in most parts of the world without problem. In Europe you will typically have an allowance to check email, surf, etc, and pay an extra charge to stream. In Asia and the mid east it’s wide open. There is a reason that the U.S. is ranked around 40th for Internet speed. Until the ISPs make an effort to improve infrastructure it will be problematic. Google is trying in a few markets but sweetheart deals between local government and providers make it tough. Instead of complaining about the guy in the next trailer watching netflix we (users and park owners) should be complaining to the providers about the lack of bandwidth.

[Bill_Satellite]

Who's camping? Not me?

[Sprink-Fitter]

ChopperBill wrote:
Maybe I'm in the high tech minority here. But it seems like a few folks eating up bandwidth to down load movies when there are so many other options available is the problem. Seems a shame the whole park has to suffer.

Maybe I don't think the whole thing through, but why go camping to sit and watch movies?

[FlatBroke]

Maybe I'm in the high tech minority here. But it seems like a few folks eating up bandwidth to down load movies when there are so many other options available is the problem. Seems a shame the whole park has to suffer.