WiFi hotspots: What's the best product/plan for a part-timer?

[kwise_6]

I recently bought my first TT and am using it for 2- to 3-day outings once a month or so but have my first longer trip coming up. In my limited experience, I have already discovered that the WiFi provided by campgrounds is very much a hit-and-miss type of thing. I will be using WiFi primarily for laptop access to email and also possibly on-line banking on the longer trips. I'm looking for opinions from more experienced folks on the best type of plans to suit my occasional needs as well as recommendations on particular WiFi hotspot products/service providers. (My traveling will be primarily along the west coast of the U.S. and the eastern Sierras.) Thanks, in advance, for any input.

[austinjenna]

I purchased the Mifi 3G unlimited version for the $5.00 per month that has been mentioned on the forums before and I am happy with it.

[Gulfcoast]

I'm well pleased with my Straight Talk hotspot (on Verizon towers).

[Delphi]

darsben1 wrote:
Straight talk Hot spot
Mobile Hotspot (ZTE Z288L) 4G LTE which is Verizon tethered.
It is no contract prepaid plan.
IN the west Verizon seems to be the best provider in out of the way places

X2.....I think this Straight Talk service (available only from Walmart) is the best standalone mifi option that works on Verizon towers.

Data Price Expiration
1 GB $15 30 days
2 GB $25 30 days
4 GB $40 60 days
5 GB $50 60 days
7 GB $75 60 days

You can use it as infrequently as you want. There are no penalties or "restart" fees.

It's what I use most of the time.

[Clay_L]

Since we stopped traveling and have high speed internet (no data cap, 65 Mbps speed. $59 per month :)), we dropped our Verizon data plan.
Recently we took a train trip from CO to NH (4 weeks) and wanted secure and available internet service so I bought a Verizon MiFi 6620L that handles 2G, 3G and 4G. I bought the unit, paid an activation fee and bought 10 GB of data (good for 60 days). The data cost was $100 and you can buy more if you want. Worked great.
If I want to use it again sometime I can reactivate it and buy more data.

[GoPackGo]

Second Chance wrote:
We - and most of the full-timers we've been around - use Verizon and one of their MiFi hot-spots. We've been a number of places where Verizon was the only signal anyone could get. If you go with a "second tier" provider, make sure they lease their bandwidth and tower access from Verizon.

Rob

What he said. The Gospel truth.

I fulltime and have also found that if you want wifi access anywhere, then Verizon is the one to get. BUT . . .

Since you are needing access only part time, I would do what Darsben1 is suggesting. Take a look at the Straight Talk WiFi options - but only the ones that run on the Verizon system.

I've been using a Straight Talk Iphone running on the Verizon system ($45/month thank you very much) for the last 3 years and am very satisfied with Straight Talk. I need to stress that Straight Talk does not allow tethering from their phones. You will need to get one of their MiFi devices.

I would also suggest getting a signal boosting antenna. I use a Wilson Sleek with their 'home/office' kit, but they have many more options now.

[coolmom42]

2oldman wrote:
Verizon phone.

Yes. Use the Mobile Hotspot app on your phone. You have to allow any device to connect to it, so no danger of other people snooping or using your data.

Keep track of your data usage with the MyVerizon app. If you get close to your limit, bump up to the next level plan to avoid overages. As long as you stay away from video and lots of pictures, you should not go over 3Gb/month.

[ramgunner]

We have a hotspot with 22G of broadband from T-Mobile. It costs us $85/month, and we have 7G of broadband tethering on each of our phones. While you can't get it anymore directly from T-Mobile, you can get the 22G plan for $95 through http://www.millenicom.com

T-Mobile has greatly increased their service area, and we haven't had too many problems getting service. Far fewer issues than in the past.

[Snowman9000]

As a luxury solution, we have a the standalone Verizon MiFi hotspot. Even though we could just use our phones. It adds $10 a month to our bill. It's worth that to not hear the DW grumble about the extra steps with using the phones. Although I offset that cost by reducing our data allowance during months we don't travel. But I could do that without the MiFi too.

Turn it on, and it's ready to go.

🙂

[Bill_Satellite]

If you currently have a smartphone from any provider, start there. Just set the phone up to be a hot-spot (settings are available in the phone) and away you go. While Verizon has the best coverage Nationwide, all the providers have excellent service in much of the Country. If you currently are a Verizon subscriber you start at the top of the class!

[Merrykalia]

We have Straight Talk phones that are on the Verizon network, but when we camp, we take along a Gophone (AT&T) hotspot. We pay $50 for 30 days or 6 gigs, whichever comes first. It has worked for us and doesn't require us to pay for something during the "off" months, unless we want to.

[jerseyjim]

Going back MANY years ago, quite a few campgrounds offered a dial-up desk. First come, first served, wait your turn.
Then they moved on to wi-fi, systems like Tengo-net which, depending on the cg worked fine, sometimes worked, or had spontaneous problems.

Campgrounds still have these options you can use (especially the KOAs) and I have my VERIZON 4G Mi-Fi for 50 bucks a month...that I use all year. At the house,too. Like right now.

On my cross country trips, there are places in, say Texas, where my VERIZON Mi-Fi simply doesn't work, (but my phone does) so I use the (KOA) system with no problems. Of course, one must protect the laptop from the bad guys, so I have (paid) NORTON, (free)CCleaner and (free) Malwarebytes. With phones, I'm still back in the dark ages with a stone dependable hard to damage flip (also VERIZON) but that's me.

[sdianel_-acct_c]

Verizon Mi-Fi hotspot. You can turn it off (put it on vacation) when not using it (with restrictions). You can read about it on their website. Or they have a pay as you go plan.

[time2roll]

I have an iPad Pro with 4G data. Easy to provide secure hotspot to other devices.

[Gulfcoast]

I tried rigging phones to be a hotspot and everything else you can imagine, and was never happy. Finally, I decided to simply pay Verizon $50 a month for a hotspot that works reliably every where I go. Some months I use it and some I don't, but I have it when I need it with no worries since. I got tired of wondering will I have internet or not on my next trip.