WiFi

[Tony_B]

Is it safe to assume that pretty much all RV campgrounds, both public and private, offer free WiFi. Obviously, we wouldn't expect WiFi in primitive areas.

WiFi is important to us as it is our primary source of news and TV.

[RRinNFla]

Perhaps something can be learned from a recent experience we had.

We stopped at a campground in Cherry county, Nebraska, which is bigger than many states, but far less populated. When we checked in at the campground, I asked the camp host about over the air television. She told me that you could only get one PBS signal, but we could use the wi-fi to watch Netflix. She was correct about the television signal, but when I attempted to get on Wi-if to check email, it was obvious we would not be streaming Netflix. Perhaps she was already watching House of Cards.

You don't build an eight lane highway in a rural area, and, if you did, you would not allow someone moving a house to block all of the lanes for a long period of time.

The bottom line is that the cost to provide a streaming to all campers would be cost prohibitive, perhaps as much as $3000 per month. It is not realistic to expect a campground to spend that kind of money on internet infrastructure.

The only fair way for most campgrounds to offer internet access is to block streaming. That would prevent one person from hogging all of the bandwidth, and allow the rest of us to check our email. If you mest stream, pay for your own hot spot.

[JFNM]

PeteK-Hou wrote:
I know the internet is getting to the point where it is being thought of a utility, like electricity and water, it should just "be there and work".

Well said. Sadly, this is the "american way" - we (me included) are terrible abusers of "things". Life as a full-timer has taught me a great deal about conservation. I spend most of my time boondocking and solar provides for nearly all my power. A more conservative approach is very doable, it just takes a few changes. I work full-time as a software engineer and I have been able to operate with a 12Gb cellular data plan (some ideas here).

[PeteK-Hou]

Tony B wrote:
For Peter to say " you are exactly the type of internet user that the campgrounds try to keep off their network" makes us sound like abusers rather than someone surprised that campgrounds cant afford internet.

I never said anything about being abusive. You obviously use a lot of data, streaming a lot of audio and or video, which chews up bandwidth. CG's just don't have the infrastructure to support this, that is why I said you are the type of internet user they are trying to keep off the network. I know the internet is getting to the point where it is being thought of a utility, like electricity and water, it should just "be there and work". I view RV'ing as a way to 'get away' for a while, to leave all the day to day activities behind, relax and spend some quality time with family and friends, so I really don't care if WiFi is available. I am often on call for work when I go away, and need a reliable connection to to my job if called. I carry my own hot spot for this.

[Tony_B]

Sometimes I think that the establishment of certain expectancies is pretty much what the local businesses will give you. Obviously, profit is always trumping all else and that is understandably so. What I dont get is that marinas have to be more expensive to maintain than campgrounds. Thay are usually just as remote and maintaining docks with water and electricity has got to be more expensive than maintaining dirt with water and electricity. From what I have seen in the past, most campgrounds have more campers than marinas have boats. Marinas charge by the slip and so smaller boats pay much less than larger boats. Covered slips are more expensive than uncovered slips. Boat slip rentals can be as low as $150/mo and as high as $450/month. Usually for $450/mo, you are getting a 45' covered slip. Most marinas I have been to have swimming pools and pretty much the same amenities as campgrounds. I just thought it was odd that the price of maintaining a decent internet service in a campground would be so high as to not provide it.
Obviously, we will have to go in a different direction such as Direct TV and keep our Verizon Jet Pack for internet service. We have done that before.
For Peter to say " you are exactly the type of internet user that the campgrounds try to keep off their network" makes us sound like abusers rather than someone surprised that campgrounds cant afford internet.
We lived on Galveston Bay on our boat. Some of these marinas have 600 to 900 boats. That's a lot of free internet. I just thought that campgrounds would have it also. My mistake.

[PeteK-Hou]

Tony B wrote:
However, 10GB would not even cover me for a wekk or two just reading the news.
Thanks for all of the replies.

If you are using 10gb a week, you are exactly the type of internet user that the campgrounds try to keep off their network. You must do a lot of streaming. A lot of CG's are now limiting bandwidth so that you are able to send/receive email and do some basic web browsing but streaming any video or audio is impossible/impracticle.

[dave54]

I just assume the CG has no functional wifi even though the website says it does. May have wifi within 10 feet of the office, but inside your rig parked in the far corner of the CG -- probably not.

Since most of our internet time on the road is paying bills/finances and checking for important emails, we never use public wifi anyway. The verizon aircard ensures better privacy.

[garmp]

We had/have an ATT hotspot for the last year or so. Camping often in Missouri and at a couple of our favorite parks never a problem, last year. Early this spring as we set up camp and got no signal we learned that ATT pulled their tower/service to that area. DW went insane with no FaceBook so we're off to Wally World and got a Verizon. Ta Da! the world is at peace again and FaceBook is restored. Finished our stay and headed to our next MO State Park. Guess what doesn't work there? Yup the Verizon. Had time left on the ATT so fired that up. Now we carry two hotspots. Thank goodness 2gb will last us about 2 weeks of more, because we do no streaming. But still a royal pain figuring which to activate or just bite the bullet and do both. Only saving grace is that we rarely travel for more than 2-3 weeks at a time.

[Veebyes]

Lots of CGs say they have WIFI. Few have it CG wide & included with CG fees. Nothing is free. Lots have excuses for why the WIFI advertised does not work. The most popular being "We got hit by lightning a few days ago." "The tech is coming tomorrow." You get tired of hearing these excuses pretty quick. Often, all they have is an interior router, good only for very close to the office. Some will have an exterior router antenna. Better but still very limiting in performance. Very few have multiple linked routers.

Then there are the users who expect the service that they get at home & try to stream all kinds of stuff bogging an overworked router right down so that nobody gets anything.

[2gypsies1]

We went for weeks without knowing any news and it was sooooooo refreshing. 🙂

Once in while we'd spend a few quiet hours in the local library catching up on local or national news - without commercials or videos. We enjoy reading local news best. National is the same stuff.

We never watched television.

It's amazing that once you wean yourself off all this you don't even think about it.

[GoPackGo]

Tony B wrote:
This is a shocker to me. I have been living and traveling on my boat, both coastal and inland, and most marinas have free WiFi. I would have thought that certainly a land based operation would have it. I do have a Verizon Jet Pack for those odd areas when I am anchored in a cove. However, 10GB would not even cover me for a wekk or two just reading the news.
Thanks for all of the replies.

It's way easier for a marina if you think about it. For starters their wifi will be covering a much more compact area as compared to most CGs or resorts. The Boats in slips are only a few feet apart. It's perfectly level and there are no trees. And they probably already have a tower in place.

[bpounds]

I don't recall ever being on a site that had WIFI strong enough to stream video. I'm happy if it will just handle forums like this. Don't expect much better.

[catkins]

Commercial campgrounds have no to weak Wifi, public parks generally none. There are of course rare exceptions................

I agree with the posters saying you must have your own Wifi hotspot to count on being able to get online. There are of course areas where signal can be weak or not existent. Streaming TV would get VERY expensive VERY quickly.

We have a satellite dish and Direct TV (or Dish works too) and the monthly cost of that is less than paying a major price for lots of data. Normal email and mild internet surfing does not use a lot of data. This works in areas even where there is no internet signal as long as you have no deep tree coverage. Just a thought for you for TV.

Good luck with your new adventures!

[johnwalkerpa1]

Tony B wrote:
Is it safe to assume that pretty much all RV campgrounds, both public and private, offer free WiFi. Obviously, we wouldn't expect WiFi in primitive areas.

WiFi is important to us as it is our primary source of news and TV.

No, I consider good wifi at a campground to be a pleasant surprise, not something I would ever depend on.

I use my own cell plan for data and voice...And, while more reliable, its not a given either depending on where we are..

Using wifi (or cell) for TV is out of the question. You'd use way too much bandwidth on WIFI. While its possible to do it on your cell data plan under ideal conditions, the cost would be enormous...In the long run, it will be much cheaper to go with satellite...

[valhalla360]

JFNM wrote:
Even if a site does have wifi, folks like to stream video or do other things that destroys that bandwidth and ruins it for everyone. Can't wait until all campgrounds learn how to prevent streaming and other inconsiderate bandwidth hogging activities!

Reality is it's moving in the opposite direction in a race to escalate.

10 yrs ago, most campers didn't have any use for wifi and if the campground had wifi, it was just around the office and dial up slow.

Fast forward to today: A family of 4 now, has 4 phones, a couple tables and a couple of laptops with 3-4 running and trying connect to wifi at any time. They want to be able to download videos and make calls over wifi. They expect to connect at their campsite. The campgrounds are getting better but it's a constant struggle to keep up with demand.

The end result though is if you need internet access an air card is the only reliable way (assuming you move around and can't get a land line to your trailer).

[doxiemom11]

Streaming will get very expensive. Check out the verizon plans to get an example of your cost if you use too much. We have a jetpack device and use 12 Gigs a month. With connection fee $90 mo