by Chris Guld, Geeks on Tour: We spent the past week in Essex Junction Vermont at the FMCA Northeast Area Rally (NEAR.)  To our surprise and delight, there was Wi-Fi available right at our parking spot.  We could tell it came from the fairgrounds since it was named, “CVFairmn1.”  We were at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds.  We like taking advantage of available Wi-Fi so as to avoid going over our bandwidth allotment on our Verizon contract. 

We connected right up and to our double surprise it was blazing fast.  And, I do mean blazing. 

Until all the coaches got parked!  The Wi-Fi slowed to a crawl and became unusable.  We had to go back to our Verizon connection.

Then, when we taught our Google Earth seminar, we tried the Wi-Fi again.  Google Earth has some pretty hefty bandwidth requirements.  There are some things we just can’t show if we’re using our tethered cellphone. 

The Wi-Fi worked great!  We zoomed around Google Earth, turned on several layers, and still could dive into a Street View without a hiccup.  This was on the same CVFair network, so we tried it again when we got back home.  No good.  It was so bad that it refused to display a web page.  The connection showed as 5 bars, and the connection speed (as opposed to the throughput speed) was fine – it wasn’t a signal issue.

We waited a couple hours and tried it again … we were back to high speed.  Thrilling high speed!  For those of you who like numbers,  I did a download speed test with TestMy.net and got 4.2 Mbps on the Wi-Fi as opposed to .5 Mbps on Verizon.

So … what was going on?  Well, there’s no way of really knowing without talking to the network administrator and using some diagnostic tools.  But Jim and I have our suspicions from having seen symptoms like this before – when he was the network administrator and did have the diagnostic tools. 

We think it was an individual connecting to the network, and their computer had the kind of virus that turns it into a ‘zombie.’  These ‘zombies’ are being controlled by some spammer and are programmed to send out thousands of spam messages.  When an infected computer connects to a Wi-Fi hotspot, it starts sending these spam messages and simply takes over all the available bandwidth – leaving none for the rest of us.  The owner of the computer is usually completely unaware, cursing the slow Wi-Fi along with everyone else. 

As soon as the zombie disconnects from the network – all is well.

What can you do about this?  Not much. But I think it’s still good for you to know.  If you’re in a Wi-Fi hotspot where there is a support phone number to call – that often means there is a system administrator who can monitor the activity and kick off an offending user.  It’s certainly worth a call. 

By coincidence, we also heard this week from a friend staying in a park that uses a satellite dish as the Internet source to their Wi-Fi hotspot.  One person connected to the network, downloading full length movies, pushed the network over the FAP (Fair Access Policy) limits.  This essentially eliminates Internet service for the whole network for 24 hours. To understand more, you can watch this video on FAP. 

Chris and Jim Guld

www.GeeksOnTour.com

Related posts:

1. Can I use the WiFi from a Nearby RV’s Satellite Dish?
2. Internet by Data Card for Travelers
3. Wi-Fi is Like a Box of Chocolates

1. Satellite
2. Cellular
3. Wi-Fi

www.GeeksOnTour.com
Computer Education for Travelers

Related posts:

1. Connecting to the Internet on the Road: 3 ways
2. Internet by Data Card for Travelers
3. I Love my Satellite Internet

What is a Data Card?

You get it from a cellular provider, it connects to a nearby cell tower. It receives and transmits data. Think of it as a cell phone for your computer. The card pictured below fits into the Express Card slot in your laptop computer. Be sure your laptop *has* an express card slot before purchasing the card!

Recommended data ‘cards’ today connect to your computer’s USB port. Like the device pictured at right. Every laptop has a USB port.

Cellular Data Cards are also referred to as Mobile Broadband Modems. A ‘modem’ is a device that connects your computer to a communications network. In this case, the communications network is one of the cellular carriers like Verizon, Sprint, AT&T or TMobile.

Why are Data Cards so popular?

In the short time that they have been available, the Cellular Data Cards have become the primary way that travelers connect to the Internet. They are SO easy. The first time you use it you will need to install some simple drivers from the disk provided. From then on, getting online can be as simple as plugging in the device and booting up your computer. If there is a cell tower within range, you’re online. You may have to click on a button to ‘connect’, but even that can be set up automatically.

Data cards are the only technology that allow you to be online while driving down the road.

Coverage has improved dramatically, the cellular providers have been busy adding towers all over the country. If you tried this in 2006 or 07 and didn’t like it, you should try again! We talk to RVers all the time who say they’ve traveled the entire country and *almost* always are able to get online with their cellular data cards. They love their data cards.

How fast are they?

The speed of your Internet connection will depend on the cell tower that you’re connecting to. If you’re close to a fast tower, you’ll be thrilled with the speed you get – it’s as good as the DSL you’re used to at home. If you’re not in a digital coverage area, you’ll be lucky to get dial up speed.

How do you know you’re in a high-speed area? We use Verizon, and when we see a Verizon Wireless, 1X-EVDO indicator on our phone with more than 2 bars, we know we’re in a high-speed area. If we’re on ‘Extended Network’ or see 1X without the EVDO indicator, we can connect but it will be slow. My litmus test is to watch a video. I am currently connected with Verizon (tethered cell phone) and I just watched a 5 minute video on Youtube.com without a hiccup. That’s a good connection! For those of you who like numbers, here is a speed test I just performed at TestMy.net:

You’ll have to learn what the indicators are for your provider and equipment. Other terms that indicate high-speed include HSPA (AT&T’s network) and 3G. Actually, 3G is used to describe high-speed mobile internet in general. It means 3d Generation. You may already be hearing rumors about 4G!

Why would you use anything else?

Price is the first limiting factor. Mobile Broadband services usually cost $60/month and require you to commit to a 2 year contract. Wi-Fi is $1 – $5/day, no commitment required and, in many places, it’s even free.

Usage limits is the other specific factor. Most plans limit you to 5 Gigabytes per month. This has nothing to do with minutes – it has everything to do with what you’re doing on the Internet. If you read email, browse websites, upload and download pictures, 5 Gigabytes is more than enough for a month. If you share your connection with one or more other people, and any of you watch videos online – you could go over. A full length movie is often 2 Gigabytes.

There is a charge per megabyte of overage. We know people who have been billed $1,000 and more in a month where they were over and didn’t realize it! Rarely does a Wi-Fi hotspot have any bandwidth limits. When you’re at a good Wi-Fi hotspot, that’s when you can get those big downloads like Windows service packs and full length movies.

Coverage is still limited. If you want to boondock in the middle of a National Forest in Wyoming, odds are you will not be within range of a cellular tower. Satellite is still the only way to insure that you have an Internet connection *anywhere.*

Do The Geeks use a data card?

Yes, and No. We have a Datastorm Internet satellite dish, and we love our satellite dish. Last fall, our 5 year old system needed some new parts. We planned to spend the winter in a park with good Wi-Fi, so we opted to turn off the Satellite service. Since we got back on the road this spring, we have been able to make do with a combination of Wi-Fi and our Verizon phone ‘tethered.‘ So – we are using Verizon for an Internet connection, but we don’t have a data card. The cell phone cannot connect at the highest EVDO speed – Rev A – but we do get Rev 0.

We’re getting by with the combination of Wi-Fi and tethered cell phone, but we do miss our satellite Internet. We find that some of our itinerary is based on knowing where there is good Wi-Fi, or good Verizon signal. When our dish was active we could go wherever we wanted.

What’s New?

This technology is a fast-moving field. There’s lots of recent news.

1. Verizon’s price for overages has been lowered from 25¢/Mg to 5¢/Mg
2. Verizon’s price for tethered cell phone Internet access has lowered from $59/mo to $49/mo
3. Verizon has introduced a Data Card/router combination device called the Mi-Fi,
4. Walkinghotspot.com is a software solution that turns your SmartPhone into a Wi-Fi hotspot with unlimited broadband access. Not available for Verizon phone. Pretty magic stuff.

Related posts:

1. Tethered Cell Phones for Internet
2. Internet to Go
3. Internet by Droid

So you want to hit the road but can’t imagine being without your DSL or cable for high-speed Internet access. If only you could have all your Internet-based computer resources with you, you could go anywhere and stay away indefinitely, right?

You can take it with you!

With a high-speed Internet connection, you can travel wherever you want and still be in communication via e-mail, photos, and even videos. Your travels can be shared with all your family and friends by using online photo albums and travel journals. You can do your banking online and manage your mail-forwarding addresses using Web-based services.

Many of us now do our jobs while on the road, thanks to the Internet. My husband and I have been computer support professionals since the early 1980s. In 2003 we sold our home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and took to the road. We knew we needed an Internet connection, so we equipped our motorhome with a two-way Internet satellite dish. My clients hardly even knew I was gone! We love our satellite dish, but it’s not the only way to connect while traveling.

Three types of Internet connections on the road

You can’t take your DSL or cable connection with you — they require a wire. And wires won’t stretch to the end of your driveway, let alone to the next state or the other side of the country. So, the connection has to be wireless. There are three different wireless technologies to which you can connect:

1. Satellite: Connect to a satellite 22,300 miles away.
2. Cellular: Connect to cellular providers’ towers up to 30 miles away.
3. Wi-Fi: Connect to a wireless network, also known as a “hot spot,” up to 300 feet away.

Satellite

We chose the satellite option, because we wanted to be able to camp in wilderness parks and still be able to conduct our business on the Internet. As long as we have a clear view of the southern sky, we can connect. We spent nearly $6,000 to purchase and install the equipment — an automatic, roof-mounted satellite dish called the Datastorm. We justified it by saying, “With it, we have a business; without it, we don’t.” When we thought of it as a business investment, $6,000 didn’t seem like much at all. The monthly service fee is $80.

A less expensive satellite option is a manually pointed, tripod-mounted dish. The equipment ranges from $700 to $1,500, with monthly service running about $60. It takes around a half hour to set up each time you park, as opposed to pushing a button for the automatic type. Plus, you need space to store the dish and tripod when you travel.

Cellular

Cellular is becoming more popular, and from a cost perspective, it is the middle choice. The initial equipment cost is negligible. Prices for the data card you need can be as little as $50 or as high as $250. Sometimes the data card is included in the price of your computer or as part of a promotion. You need a contract with a cellular provider such as Verizon or Sprint — typically, it’s a two-year commitment at approximately $60 per month.

In the past year, cellular data-card technology has come a long way. We talk with many travelers who love their data cards. As with standard cellular voice service, coverage area is important. Some areas may be best covered by Sprint, some by Alltel, but on average, we hear the best reports from Verizon customers. All providers have areas with no service.

You also need to know that, just because you can connect, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you’ll have high speed. When you use a data card, you connect through your service provider’s nearest cell tower. These providers continually upgrade equipment on older towers and add new cell towers with even faster data service, called EVDO (an acronym for “Evolution Data Only” or “Evolution Data Optimized”). So, your location makes a big difference in your ability to connect, and at what speed.

You also need to understand your cellular provider’s terms of service (TOS). The phone and the data card are two different charges, even if they’re posted on the same bill. Our friends Greg and Marilyn Gundy traveled to Alaska this summer (see their fun and informative blog at http://www.gundyville.blogspot.com) and used a Verizon data card as their primary method of Internet access. Here are Greg’s comments:

“RE: Alaska: Verizon works almost everywhere — everywhere, that is, where any other cell phone works, and some places where others won’t. Many if not most of the campgrounds have Wi-Fi — some terrible ones, some good ones, a few great ones; most are free, some are pay-go, and a few are a combo that require ’signing in’ once per hour to stay hooked up. The PC card works nearly everywhere the phone does, but at times it is just too slow to be worthwhile. The PC card in Canada, even when it works (and it often does) incurs an additional charge on the bill — even with the North American plan; the phone works in Canada without additional charge.”

Wi-Fi

Many RV parks offer Wi-Fi, the most popular option. Most RV park directories will indicate when Wi-Fi is available. You also can find Wi-Fi in libraries and many coffee shops. Wi-Fi covers a small area known as a “hot spot.” Whereas a cell tower covers approximately 30 miles (radius), a Wi-Fi hot spot’s access point covers only 100 to 300 feet. Wi-Fi originally was developed for home and small office networks. To make it work in an RV park, the original technology is stretched by adding more power and multiple access points.

It’s very easy for an RV park to add Wi-Fi to the office/clubhouse. All that’s needed is one access point/router on the Internet connection that serves the office. Then anyone willing to bring his or her laptop to the clubhouse has access. (Making Wi-Fi available to all the RV sites is much more difficult.)

The equipment needed on your computer to use Wi-Fi is inexpensive. Most laptops built within the past two years have a Wi-Fi adapter built in. If your computer doesn’t have one built in, or it doesn’t work at a given location, you can purchase an external USB-type adapter for about $40 to $100.

The primary reason that Wi-Fi is the most widely used Internet access technology on the road is that there is no contract involved. You pay only for what you use, as you use it, for example, $4 per day; $18 per week; $30 per month. Many hot spots offer the service for free, especially the ones where it’s only available in the clubhouse or office.

Which is right for you?

How you use the Internet determines which technology — satellite, cellular, or Wi-Fi — is the most suitable for you and your situation.

Our friends Andy and Diane Thomas hit the road about the same time we did, but they weren’t planning to work. They had just sold their business and were going to use that money to take a year off and see the country. They wanted the Internet, but it wasn’t critical for them to have access to it every day. They found many campgrounds with Wi-Fi hot spots where they could connect to the Internet.

When their campground didn’t provide Wi-Fi, they would drive to a local library and connect. Most libraries have some kind of high-speed (broadband) Internet connection. If they had to do without Internet for a few days, it was no big deal. So, Wi-Fi was great. They paid $3 to $4 a day when they used it, and many parks offered it for free. If they had to carry their laptop to the clubhouse to use the Wi-Fi, they didn’t mind. In fact, they often met interesting people that way.

One year of vacation turned into a desire to stay on the road for a portion of every year. Their goal is to visit all the national parks in the United States. I love visiting their Weblog (www.dianeandy.blogspot.com) and seeing all the gorgeous places they’ve been. They still have a lot of parks left to see, and they can no longer justify an indefinite “vacation.” So, they learned how to conduct online stock trading.

The second time Andy and Diane went on the road, they called ahead to be sure each campground offered Wi-Fi. Regardless of their careful questions, they didn’t always have an Internet connection when needed. They learned to ask more questions. Instead of simply asking, “Do you have Wi-Fi?” they would also ask, “Is it working?” and “Can we get it at our site?” They weren’t having as much fun this time around.

Before heading out the third time, they gathered their pennies — lots of them — and had a satellite dish installed on their motorhome. Now they don’t have to call ahead at all! They don’t need the park’s Wi-Fi, because they have their own Internet. They can even go to the out-of-the-way national parks and work while there. They may not have phone service or electricity, but they have Internet! Read this entry from their blog:

“We don’t have cell service, but we do have Internet. Gosh, we love this satellite dish! In both Kings Canyon and in Sequoia national parks we had sites that had enough space through the trees to allow for a connection. Since we have no electric hookups, we’ve turned the generator on to raise the dish, we leave it up, and connect whenever we turn the generator on. It’s nice to have e-mail access since we don’t have cell service. At least we can communicate this way.”

Even with the satellite dish, there came a point when the honeymoon ended. In stock trading, 10 minutes can be an eternity. I might say that our satellite Internet connection has worked flawlessly for four years, but I do plenty of work on my computer that doesn’t require the Internet. I might not even notice a 10-minute outage, but with stock traders, that 10 minutes can make or break their day!

And it happens.

Diane and Andy also went through a period of technical difficulties. After all, satellites really are rocket science! There’s a lot that can go wrong, and they had a period of a few weeks with on/off service. During that time, they tried once again to find RV parks with good Wi-Fi.

My bet is that when they head out the next time, they’ll also have a data card with cellular Internet service. If you absolutely, positively must have Internet access, you need to use all three methods.

Go ahead! Get away and stay connected

The good news is that RVers now have several choices for obtaining high-speed Internet on the road, and they all work pretty well.

The bad news is that RVers now have several choices for obtaining high-speed Internet on the road, and not one works everywhere all the time.

In summary, the three methods for obtaining high-speed Internet on the road are Wi-Fi, cellular, and satellite.

1. If you absolutely, positively need the Internet at all times, you’ll need all three.
2. If you’re a casual Internet user, Wi-Fi should meet your needs just fine.
3. If your needs are somewhere in the middle, and you’re willing to commit to a two-year contract, cellular is a smart choice. Wi-Fi can be your backup when you’re in an area with no cell phone service.

Wi-Fi FAQs

Since Wi-Fi is used by the most people, it generates the most questions:

How fast is Wi-Fi?

It depends. Usually Wi-Fi is very fast, but it depends on the source of the Internet connection. An airport in a major metropolitan area may use a dedicated T1 line, making it blazing fast. In an RV park in the mountains, it might be a standard satellite dish sharing on the Wi-Fi network, which will be pretty slow. It also depends on how many people are using it and what they’re doing. Wi-Fi is a shared system.

Do I need an Internet service provider (ISP) in order to use Wi-Fi?

No. When you’re at a Wi-Fi hot spot, you are sharing the Internet service at that location. You only need an ISP (e.g. AOL, Earthlink, or Netzero) if you’re going to use dial-up.

My laptop has built-in Wi-Fi capability. Will that work?

Maybe. First of all, make sure the internal Wi-Fi is turned on. On some laptops you need to press a button or a key combination to turn it on. If you are close enough to an access point (the antennas that send the Internet signal out), it should work fine. If you are a distance from the access point, have obstructions in the way, or are at a bad angle, it may not work. Internal Wi-Fi adapters (and cards) are intended for small indoor installations. For good connections in an RV park, you need more power for the distance, and you need to be able to point your antenna toward the access point antenna. It’s a two-way radio; the signal needs to get to you, and you need to be able to send your signal back. Line of sight is critical. Sometimes simply moving your adapter/computer to the other side of your coach makes a big difference.

Can I buy a better adapter to achieve a stronger connection?

Yes! We recommend the USB-type adapters for the RV park environment, mainly because they are on a wire and can be positioned for the best connection (remember those old “rabbit ears”?). Costs range from $30 to $200. Ask for a USB 802.11 (b or g) Wi-Fi adapter. When you use a USB adapter, you should turn off the internal one.

Is it safe to do online banking using a Wi-Fi Internet connection?

Yes, if your computer is up-to-date with the latest operating system files and antivirus and antispyware programs. Wi-Fi is no less safe than any other method of connecting to the Internet. Your computer’s safety is your responsibility.

Bank Web sites are secure no matter how you’re connected to the Internet. They provide security (encryption), which is enabled from your computer, through the wireless network, through the public Internet to the bank’s Web site — and back. You’ll see a lock as well as the https: in the address bar. So, even if a hacker were able to capture your wireless transmission, he or she wouldn’t be able to decipher it.

That said, never send financial or other private information in an e-mail.

Can someone else on the same Wi-Fi hot spot access files on my computer?

It is possible; unlikely, but possible. A Wi-Fi hot spot is a network, and networks provide methods to share files among different computers. If you turn off file and printer sharing, it becomes impossible for anyone to access your computer. In Windows XP you do this by: Start/Control Panel/Network Connections. Right-click on your wireless connection, choose Properties, and uncheck File and Printer Sharing. Windows Vista handles this automatically by selecting a public hot spot.

Why do I get a better connection in the middle of the night?

Radio frequency interference can be a problem. Wi-Fi is 2.4 gigahertz — the same as microwaves. When everyone is cooking dinner, it can be harder to maintain a Wi-Fi connection. Those 2.4-Ghz cordless phones also can interfere.

It’s a lot like AM radio that can receive signals from a station three states away when the radio waves are quiet at night.

Related posts:

1. Internet by Data Card for Travelers
2. RVs, Computers, and Internet Access
3. I Love my Satellite Internet

If you see one of these dishes nearby, you should look on your computer and see if there is a corresponding wireless network showing up under ‘View Available Wireless Networks.’ If you find it, you may be able to connect and get online.

Using a neighbor’s Internet connection is like borrowing anything else that belongs to them. You need to ask. You’ll find that most RVers are happy to share. But they certainly don’t have to! They paid a lot of money to get High-Speed Internet access – they may want (or need) all the bandwidth for themselves.

Most RVers will secure their wireless network with a password (key). If you ever see GeeksOnTour.com show up as a wireless network on your list – it means we’re nearby. Come say hi! We’ll be glad to give you our key to use the Internet from our Satellite dish.

If you do ‘borrow’ your neighbor’s Internet connection, don’t abuse it. Use it only for checking your email and simple web-browsing. Don’t watch streaming videos or download large files. There is a limit to the amount of bandwidth that most satellite dishes are allowed per day. If you push your neighbor over that limit, they can lose their high speed Internet for a period of time – usually 24 hours. That would make the dish-owner pretty grouchy! You don’t want to be the cause.

It is a great way to get Internet when there is normally no access. I know people with Internet satellite dishes who are very popular with caravans to Mexico! Because of their dish, the caravan is a traveling Wi-Fi hotspot. We just used a friendly RVers dish to provide Internet access to a meeting room at a rally … read the story on our blog.

Chris Guld
www.geeksontour.com

Related posts:

1. Can I use the WiFi from a Neighboring RV’s Satellite Dish?
2. I Love my Satellite Internet
3. Internet, Satellite Dishes, and Trees

My background is in computer training, database development, and website development. Jim is a hardware and network guy. Between the two of us, we can figure out just about anything when it comes to computers. And I love to write about it all.

When we first started our RV lifestyle in 2003, an informal survey of RVers showed that about half of them traveled with a computer in their RV. Today, I estimate that number at closer to 90%! And, half of those have TWO computers inside! For some of these folks, it is their first computer. They managed to retire from the workplace before computer use was required, and they only have one now because the grandkids want to send them email!

Not all RVers are computer beginners. There are a growing number, like us, who are not retired and who keep working on the road by using their computers. The people who most need this blog topic, however, are the beginners, so I plan to keep the posts at a basic level.

In our line of work, it is essential to have Internet access wherever we go. Before we ever hit the road, we equipped our motorhome with a rooftop, automatic, Internet satellite dish called the Datastorm. It set us back about $6,000 which sounds like a lot, but when you consider it a business startup investment it’s not so much! Here’s a picture of our rig.

There are now several ways to connect to the Internet on the road, and that will be a primary topic for my blog entries. For casual Internet users, you’ll find Wi-Fi hotspots all over the place. There is no contract or other commitment – you pay by the day, week or month. The fees are very reasonable and many hotspots even provide it for free.

If you’re like us, and need Internet *everywhere* then the satellite dish is the way to go.

The third option is cellular. Buying a ‘data card’ from a provider like Verizon and connecting to the Internet whenever you’re in range of a cell tower – which is most everywhere these days. This option is growing in popularity, we talk to people all the time who *love* their data cards.

I’ll be writing more on all of these options in subsequent posts. Make sure to check in here often! I also am active on the RV.net Technology Corner forum – as are lots of other ‘geeks’! Anything you want to know about using computers on the road – you can ask there.

Chris Guld
http://www.geeksontour.com/

Related posts:

1. Internet by Data Card for Travelers
2. Traveling with Computers
3. Internet to Go

We proved that while parked in my Dad’s driveway.  Our normal way of connecting to the Internet is with our Datastorm Satellite Dish.  His driveway looks wide open, we don’t even consider that trees will be blocking our connection to the satellite.

But, no.  If you follow the line of sight where the dish is aiming, there are these trees in the neighbors yard.  Wimpy as they look to me, they are enough to block our connection.

Ok, on to plan B.  My Dad has a nice, fast cable connection to the Internet for his computer in the house.  Jim just hooks up a router and, voila, we have Wi-Fi out in the driveway.  Nice.

One night there was a nasty thunderstorm.  I’ve never seen such a dramatic lightning display.  The power never actually went out, but it dimmed enough to cause problems with electronics and the cable connection to the Internet was down.  At 7am I got a call from a client that had an emergency password problem with a website I made for them.  I *needed* to log in and change that password *now*.  Oh no, I have no Internet connection.  It probably was just a problem with the cable modem that needed to be reset after that storm, but that was in the house, and I didn’t want to disturb them this early.

Plan C: plug in my Verizon cell phone using the USB cable that came with the Mobile Office Kit.  Open the software and click ‘Connect’.  Aaahhhhhhh, I’m online again.  I’m so glad I have this backup option – but – I can just hear the dollars clicking away because the plan we have uses our minutes when we’re connected to the Internet.  It would be so easy to go over.  It’s better than paying a specific monthly amount just for Internet connection since we go for months without using it at all. 

There are more ways to connect, but those are my 3.  What are yours?

Related posts:

1. Internet, Satellite Dishes, and Trees
2. Wireless Internet – 3 ways
3. Internet to Go

This next photo was taken at a Datastorm Rally.  There were about 60 2-way Internet satellite dishes deployed here!  No problem getting online here!

We don’t leave it wide open however.  The WiFi network that we have set up with our satellite Internet connection has WEP encryption on and you need to know the key in order to use it.  As I said, we’re a friendly sort and we want to talk to you about using the Internet.  We’re happy to share, but we want to know who is using it.

We have a little sign in our window that says, “Want Internet, Ask Us”.  And the name or ‘SSID’ of our Wireless Network is “Want Internet – Ask Us”.  We are probably a little more accessible than some others because we also sell the Datastorms.  But, an informal survey of other dish-owners confirm that they’re happy to share – all ya gotta do is ask.

Please be prepared for a ‘No’ answer though.  There are some people who are very dependent on their Internet connection and need every *bit* of bandwidth they can get.  The systems are expensive, and the monthly service ain’t cheap either ($60 – 200.)  Dish-owners are certainly under no obligation to share, but you’ll find that most of them *want* to. 

Related posts:

1. Can I use the WiFi from a Nearby RV’s Satellite Dish?
2. Internet, Satellite Dishes, and Trees
3. I Love my Satellite Internet

One of the topics of discussion was what channel should you be on…

Read more …

Related posts:

1. Can I use the WiFi from a Nearby RV’s Satellite Dish?
2. Can I use the WiFi from a Neighboring RV’s Satellite Dish?
3. Welcome to WiFi Savvy

Read more …

No related posts.