smartphone as hotspot for remote work

[CampSight]

I'm about to start a remote job and would like to occasionally camp while doing so. I'll be issued a laptop and will need to perform 2D documentation work of 3D CAD designs.

For those of whom are using their smartphone as a hotspot when the CG WiFi isn't adequate, I'd like to know your experiences and recommendations. My phone plan allows only so much data for this purpose each month so I don't want to get stuck being unable to do my job during a trip.

[CampSight]

Thanks for the replies.

[chovy]

I use mintmobile.com ($15/mo for 4gb data). I just upgraded to 40gb (unlimited*) for $30. If I were you I would only connect to the phones hot spot when you need to get online. Then log off. otherwise you will burn through your data plan.

I am getting a trailer and hopefully Starlink will be available this year sometime.

[2oldman]

rlw999 wrote:
Reading the app's description, it's not clear that it can even do this reliably.

or legally.

[rlw999]

2oldman wrote:

Desert Drew wrote:
If you have an Android phone PDANet is the way to go...It allows unlimited usage without using your phones data plan ...

How is that possible?

I think he means that it uses the phone data, but not the hotspot data. Many plans are available with unlimited data to the phone handset, but a smaller metered bucket (like 10GB) for hotspot data.

Reading the app's description, it's not clear that it can even do this reliably.

[2oldman]

Desert Drew wrote:
If you have an Android phone PDANet is the way to go...It allows unlimited usage without using your phones data plan ...

How is that possible?

[theoldwizard1]

Anything with images,especially advertising, eats up your data allotment.

There are a few true unlimited plans, but you have to read the fine print ! If you really want to make it work, get a dedicated cellular to WiFi router with an external antenna.

[rlw999]

CampSight wrote:
I'm about to start a remote job and would like to occasionally camp while doing so. I'll be issued a laptop and will need to perform 2D documentation work of 3D CAD designs.

For those of whom are using their smartphone as a hotspot when the CG WiFi isn't adequate, I'd like to know your experiences and recommendations. My phone plan allows only so much data for this purpose each month so I don't want to get stuck being unable to do my job during a trip.

A lot depends on where you're going and how well it's covered by cell towers. There's one nearby campground I go to in a valley that's seemingly served by a single cell tower for all providers. While I can get good signal (4 out of 5 bars), the actual throughput is pretty low, I'm lucky to see 1 mbit/second of downstream and less than that upstream.

It's fine for checking email and some light web browsing, but if you're regularly transferring large files up/down from the company's file server, it's not going to be a good experience for you.

In a more urban area with better cell coverage I can easily get 40mbit/sec or more and my upstream bandwidth is better than my cable internet at home. I have both AT&T and Verizon SIM's and I switch to whichever gives me better signal.

[agesilaus]

Real 5G will never be anything but a metropolitan phenomena. The range is too short and it is blocked by almost anything. The carriers are calling some 4G as 5G since their bloated hype has collapsed.

[Sagebrush]

It all depends on the available signal strength. I'm starting to see 5G here in Alabama and that helps greatly. I use ATT 4G in most places, around 60 to 90 GB a month. I was with Verizon, but they had far too many dead spots in the rural SE. For a time ATT was worse and Verizon was much better, but now it has changed for the areas I go to the most. ATT does cost more, but at least I can get a signal most of the time! Really need a booster and an antenna you can raise, makes a big difference. Upload speed is the challenge, in the sticks its usually slow for me in the evenings.

[sch911]

Make sure you have an Unlimited plan with a good provider. I use AT&T and can use up to 30GB per month right on my Pixel 5's internal Hotspot. Since your doing CAD work your needs will be high. Good luck.

[agesilaus]

I'd say it depends on your consumption, at 100 GB/mo or so I'd say Visible is good. If you start pushing past that then I don't know, it's beyond my personal experience. So far this trip we have had a slow connect, last night in Vernon TX, once in over thirty stops including a lot of boondocking. But we have a booster and an omnidirectional antenna on an extendable pole. Tho I haven't extended the pole once so the antenna is 10 to 11 ft up.
You will want a good booster.

[bgum]

We have Visible and we use our cell phones as Hotspot while camping. Most CG don't have a big enough pipe. We haven't tried any great volumes of data but are happy with the Hotspot.

[Desert_Drew]

If you have an Android phone PDANet is the way to go...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pdanet&hl=en_US&gl=US

It allows unlimited usage without using your phones data plan and it is faster than a normal hotspot! My wife and I live where there are no phone or cable lines, this is the best solution!