New to RVing and will need Internet?? What do I need to get Internet and Stream TV?

**Wicked ace** · 07-31-2020, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by Silverado333

Can you please further explain how you use/set up your Netgear Router on an unlimited plan? I just set a up my iPhone and DW's iPhone for AT&T Hotspots. 30G each. I can use mine, and if we use all of it, we can use hers as a backup. For $25.00 for both - seemed fair to me.

A few things may have been missed. Unless that Netgear router has an LTE modem with it's own SIM card built in it really is no different than any other wireless router. Also using your phone as a WIFI hotspot isn't the best use of the resource as any carrier will throttle at about 20 - 22 Gb usage. If you tether your phone using the USB charge cable to a computer or modem you can use your phone as a data source and get up to about 50Gb. They may let you slide the first few months but will act. The phone companies have gotten wise and will take action to limit your data use either way.

**el Rojo** · 07-31-2020, 07:46 AM

Originally Posted by Wicked ace

A few things may have been missed. Unless that Netgear router has an LTE modem with it's own SIM card built in it really is no different than any other wireless router. Also using your phone as a WIFI hotspot isn't the best use of the resource as any carrier will throttle at about 20 - 22 Gb usage. If you tether your phone using the USB charge cable to a computer or modem you can use your phone as a data source and get up to about 50Gb. They may let you slide the first few months but will act. The phone companies have gotten wise and will take action to limit your data use either way.

Can you explain how you use your phone tethered to your computer? I understand how to attach them via the USB charge cable, but what does it take to search the internet on your computer through your cell connection?

Thanks Red

**Wicked ace** · 07-31-2020, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by el Rojo

Can you explain how you use your phone tethered to your computer? I understand how to attach them via the USB charge cable, but what does it take to search the internet on your computer through your cell connection?

Thanks Red

Initially I teathered the phone myself which I think you can still do but the carriers got wise quickly and disabled features in Android to allow it. This quick search explains how to do it. Know too that the carrier can tell you are using data tethered.
https://www.lifewire.com/set-up-usb-...ows-10-4584419

For years now I have used the Android App PDANet to mask the fact I was using a data link by tethering. I think you can get the trial still which gives access for a long enough period to get familiar. You will need to be able to activate "USB debugging" which may not be accessible on a phone acquired through your carrier. I paid for a lifetime subscription ( about $4.00) many years ago and it has been well worth it. Last fall is the first time I experienced throttling by my carrier. I checked and saw my data was at about 50Gb when it happened.
http://pdanet.co/install/

**DaveMatthewsBand** · 08-01-2020, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by Xlsmle

If you have good cell service like LTE and have unlimited data, With apple products u can attach a lightning cable to hdmi adapter to your rv tv hdmi inputs and run videos off of netflix, amazon, you tube, hulu or disney + as long as you have an account with those guys and have the apps on you iphone or ipad. Works great. However, make sure it is an apple certified adapter and not a knock off. Knock offs dont normally have the special code to access the streaming on these services.

Yes, but the phone outputs the same resolution (of the phone screen) to the TV which doesn't look great.
I think it's similar to 720p which is barely HD quality. It also makes the phone's video processor work harder than normal and the phone can overheat.

**DaveMatthewsBand** · 08-01-2020, 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by bertschb

Are there truly unlimited data plans for phones with no data caps and no throttling? If so, can you tell me which provider offers them? All I ever see are "unlimited" plans that offer 20-30GB per month and after that they throttle your speed...

Bix Wireless.

I routinely hit 300+ GB a month.
Technically there's a cap enforced by AT&T when you hit 400GB but come on, that's a shlt ton of data!
As for throttling? Never.
I'm getting 12 dn / 18 up right now. I rarely see lower than 6 dn / 10 up and have seen 23 dn / 36 up late at night.
I'm using a MoFi4500 Router to broadcast the data from the Bix SIM. I can split it to 10 different devices.
Also, keep in mind this is using the standard antenna that came with the router.
I have no external antenna but I do have a 12" x 24" section of aluminium foil behind the router (concave) to help focus the WiFi signal forward which is where we are most of the time when we're using it.
I gain a few mbps up and down just doing this.
Lastly, I don't use a Weboost and the router is inside the cabinet over my TV.