[John]

We have gone the other way and only use cellular data now. Wifi is just too unreliable in most places. Cellular data has become so cheap it is not worth to hassle with Wifi any longer.

As long as you have one 4G cell phone you can turn on its personal hot spot and provide Wifi service to other devices in the coach.

Gerald

[Andre]

collecting a WiFi signal and amplifying the same for better reception. The key is the actual WiFi signal which is notoriously bad in most RV parks, campgrounds etc. – The WiFi Ranger can not improve the bandwidth, it can only amplify the poor signal. I think they are a waste of money.

A hotspot standalone device or smartphone is a much better option because it is your own WiFi signal and is not shared with anyone else.

Of course, you pay for the privilege because it uses your data.

I am amazed at how many people do still rely on RV park WiFi and then complain loudly when the park WiFi does not work. Remember, you get what you pay for.

A WiFi Ranger will not change that.

[Dick]

I have used WI-FI extender in the past. I drilled a hole in the rear fiberglass cap about a foot behind the seam that runs across the back of the bus between the roof and the rear cap. That put the hole into the area where the old tube tv used to be. I used a cable cover to seal the hole along with some roof sealent.

All that being said I almost never use the parks Wi-Fi anymore, for all the reasons mentioned in the above post, plus for secuty issues.

[Dan]

I have a WIFI Ranger, and I am glad I have it. I 100% agree that the wifi in most places we stay is marginal at best, but I think the WFR provides me with some other advantages:

1, I use it to establish an internal wifi network on the bus that is always there. The iPads for the Crestron use it, the Apple TV uses it (mainy for streaming for the Mac Mini on board with 5TBs worth of movies and shows).

2. When we are parked at my home or warehouse, where ther is good bandwidth on my home or warehouse network, we have blazing internet on “Busnet” to allow for software updates for all the AV systems on the bus.

3. Maybe about 1/2 the time the internet at campground, when hosted up on “Busnet” will be adequate for basic email and a bit of web surfing (checking up on PC!)

4. When external wifi is poor or non-existant, the WFR can manually (or automatically) establish a cellular connection via the Verizon USB modem I have plugged in to the WFR.

5 We stayed 2 places this winter that provided a free cable modem with the campsite. We simple plugged it into the WFR and had great internet.

Yes you coud do all of this in various other way, but the ease of swithing around the internet souce using the WFR works well for me.

[Greg]

I use the hotspot on my iphone, most of the time I get a LTE signal and I connect my ipad or laptop to the hotspot and get internet connect nearly as good as my home wifi.

[Tim]

Jon, are you getting all of this?

[Dick]

I have a jet pack from Verison or use my hot spot from the phone all over the USA and Canada it always works

[Davy]

Like most others, we use our iPhones as hot spots. If our data usage is high in a month, we scout for A restaurant with wifi for any large downloads.

[Chuck]

I have no clue what all this discussion is about. I am sure the methods I use to get on the internet when I am in the bus must be as old as dirt, but I always have internet access. It never has failed me and I am sure the high tech methods being discussed work just dandy, but I don’t understand the reason for all the bandwidth that has been wasted.

[Sid]

Jon,

pick up today’s Wall Street journal. Nice article on how many flip phones are still used and available.

[Archived]

Cell phone manufacturers are like converters…………They just keep adding technology until nobody can understand the product.

They are going to have to drag me kicking and screaming into the world of smartphones. I realized this morning everything we get is becoming more and more complicated and I am sure everyone is smarter than me because even simple devices have gone way past ridiculous.

We have a timer for one of our lights. I bought one so I could have the light come on by itself and then turn off at a given hour. Instead of being the kind with a round dial you set to the current time and some tabs to set the on and off times, this one was digital. I had to read three pages of instructions to figure it out and set it. Then when it got unplugged and had to be reset I couldn’t find the instructions. Because I am afflicted with the Australian disease CRAFT I was unable to reset it, so I ended up buying a new one.

I am sure the same is true of the average smart phone, or whatever the latest gadget is. If you don’t play with it often you cannot figure it out. So far I remember how to work my flip phone. I can turn it on, turn it off, and dial a number and hit send. No camera to figure out, no text to have to learn, no voice mail to know how to access. What is this wifi and the technology everyone is talking about? What is special about that compared to mifi?

[Per]

I want to ask before Jon ask what does LTE mean?

[Per]

Jon, it must be something in the water because I’ve got a similar affliction called CRS. I do confess to having a smartphone (my wife made me do it)…

Roger, my wife says LTE stand for Long-Term Evolution, a standard for wireless communication of high-speed data, but she’s reading from Wikipedia so I don’t think she’s all that smart (shhhh….)

Kirby

[Greg]

I’m still trying to figure out things called blue tooth or blue ray. It must be some lazer light show type thing. I still haven’t figured out what vhs means and what the significance of the 12:00 always flashing means.

But I am all in favor of driverless cars, because nobody is driving anymore. They are all talking on the smart phone which isn’t very smart.

[Archived]

Kirby and Linda: thanks for the answer but unfortunately I still don’t know what that means. I guess I will be ok with that.