Using tow vehicle wifi hotspot for camper

[Corky2]

My new tow vehicle came with an ATT wifi hotspot. It claims you can connect from up to 50' away. I checked out the ATT plans and I could get unlimited data for $200 prepaid per year. I'm wondering how good this would work for HD streaming for the RV tv's.

Had anyone done this with good results?

Thanks

 

[A.Texas.Yankee]

My new tow vehicle came with an ATT wifi hotspot. It claims you can connect from up to 50' away. I checked out the ATT plans and I could get unlimited data for $200 prepaid per year. I'm wondering how good this would work for HD streaming for the RV tv's.

Had anyone done this with good results?

Thanks

No, I can say it won't work very well at all. Mostly due to requirement vehicle is on for hotspot to be broadcasting the wifi (at least with Ford). Speeds might work well enough, but ATT typically throttles HD video over their cellular networks.

Also, range is limited with the vehicle hotspot.

Certainly would recommend a different route.

Sorry.



Newly full timing in our 2021 Momentum 395MS-R with our tow pig being a 2021 F-450 KR

 

[OurNewEra]

My new tow vehicle came with an ATT wifi hotspot. It claims you can connect from up to 50' away. I checked out the ATT plans and I could get unlimited data for $200 prepaid per year. I'm wondering how good this would work for HD streaming for the RV tv's.

Had anyone done this with good results?

Thanks

I'm not familiar with vehicle wifi but I don't think it would work that well.

Check out nomad Internet for true unlimited and no throttling. I believe there plans are $150 / mo. You have to purchase their device.

 

[WhittleBurner]

My new tow vehicle came with an ATT wifi hotspot. It claims you can connect from up to 50' away. I checked out the ATT plans and I could get unlimited data for $200 prepaid per year. I'm wondering how good this would work for HD streaming for the RV tv's.

Had anyone done this with good results?

Thanks

With our GMC to use the hot spot we have to have the ignition turned on.

 

[JKellerJr]

My new tow vehicle came with an ATT wifi hotspot. It claims you can connect from up to 50' away. I checked out the ATT plans and I could get unlimited data for $200 prepaid per year. I'm wondering how good this would work for HD streaming for the RV tv's.

Had anyone done this with good results?

Thanks

I use our GMC hotspot all the time in the trailer. The ignition has to be on accessory but the engine doesn’t have to be running. The range is limited so you need to park fairly close to the tv your using. I have no trouble streaming HD provided I have a decent signal. Never been throttled in the 4 years I have been using it.

 

[WhittleBurner]

I use our GMC hotspot all the time in the trailer. The ignition has to be on accessory but the engine doesn’t have to be running. The range is limited so you need to park fairly close to the tv your using. I have no trouble streaming HD provided I have a decent signal. Never been throttled in the 4 years I have been using it.

I tried that once but left the ignition on too long and ran the battery down.

 

[Spc530]

I have a 2021 F150 with the ATT hotspot trial and had the same thought as you. Didn’t work well at all. First you need the ignition on and in the Ford it automatically shuts off after an hour or so. The range never reached into the RV. We could get a signal sitting outside but had to be right next to the truck. All in all pretty much a hassle.

We went with Visible and are using that hotspot. $25 a month, unlimited talk, text and hotspot . The hotspot is throttled at 5 mbps but that fast enough for us.

 

[JKellerJr]

I tried that once but left the ignition on too long and ran the battery down.

Yes. I have done that more than once. Put in two yellow top ultimas last year and it’s better. Wont make it over night though. Have to remember to shut it down before bed!

 

[Corky2]

Thanks for all the feedback!

Well the fact that the truck accessory mode needs to stay on makes it a non-starter.

My wife and I do have phones that can be a hotspot and I use $15 anonymous pre-paid tracfone cards each month that rolls-over data, talk and text. I think we have accumulated over 40GB between the two of us currently. I can always add data alone for $10 per 1GB.

We would utilize free wifi when it's available and fast enough at camp grounds and then use tracfone data when it doesn't.

But I'll keep looking for a better option too so any additional recommendations are appreciated.

Also, I noticed Walmart offers its own prepaid anonymous plans for unlimited voice/text and data (40GB at High Speed, then 2G) + 10GB Mobile Hotspot e-PIN Top Up through T-Mobile's Nationwide Network. But this plan does not rollover.

 

[MachWun]

Thanks for all the feedback!

Well the fact that the truck accessory mode needs to stay on makes it a non-starter.

My wife and I do have phones that can be a hotspot and I use $15 anonymous pre-paid tracfone cards each month that rolls-over data, talk and text. I think we have accumulated over 40GB between the two of us currently. I can always add data alone for $10 per 1GB.

We would utilize free wifi when it's available and fast enough at camp grounds and then use tracfone data when it doesn't.

But I'll keep looking for a better option too so any additional recommendations are appreciated.

Also, I noticed Walmart offers its own prepaid anonymous plans for unlimited voice/text and data (40GB at High Speed, then 2G) + 10GB Mobile Hotspot e-PIN Top Up through T-Mobile's Nationwide Network. But this plan does not rollover.

Campground wifi is hardly ever viable. Either no good connection or when it is, so many are on it, no throughput. I used skyroam at $45 for unlimited and was sufficient to stream movies from home PC.

 

[trkester]

Forgive me if this turns out to be a duplicate reply. I replied and tried to edit my message then it disappeared.

I use Visible for all my data and an inexpensive phone from them. They have one and only one plan. $40 per month with truly unlimited data (no throttling to 2g after 22gb used). They use Verizons network so coverage has been good. They allow tethering of one device and I connect a gl.inet Beryl small router. Gives me connectivity for everything in and around the RV.

The only catch is max of 5mb download speeds for tethering. But that is fine with me. I can stream a TV show with reasonable quality. I can browse and email on multiple devices with no issues. Browsing while streaming does impact stream quality a little but I can live with it.

One added plus. I run the phone and router off USB in the trailer so it works while driving as well. My phone and my wife's operate thru the wifi connection to the trailer while we're driving saving data on our normal Pay by the gig phones.

Terry

 

[steve55]

I've used this for a couple years now. Works great in truck driving and in the trailer anytime the key is on. You'd have to turn power back on in truck every 20 or 30 minutes depending on your vehicle

 

[more tired since retired]

We have both a Verizon and Sprint hotspot. Both are unlimited. The Verizon is not throttled and runs $50.07 per month. This was originally a FMCA member plan (MiFi 8800L was 1 cent and you own it), but we are grandfathered into the plan by Verizon, which is not available from FMCA at this time.

The Sprint plan is $49.99/month for 10k GB (yes 10,000 G and no throttle. (Just as a test, we were able to reset the hot spots to 100,000 GB and actually used 30,000GB by streaming HDTV movies to a television, tablet and two phones for 3 weeks at the same time. I wanted to see how far we could push the hotspot which can handle up to 15 devices). This is available to FMCA members with a one time $49.99 rental for the hotspot (must return if you cancel the plan). The plan is not contract and you can suspend service in off season at $13.99/month. I've spoken with FMCA and it appears this plan will continue as is when the T-Mobile/Sprint merger is complete and running as one system by June, 2022. Also it is expected plan members will be receiving a T-Mobile 5g hotspot prior to the final merger. FMCA tech support has said they expect no changes in pricing.


We haven't been using the Sprint hotspot this month but this screen shows available data "limit" of 100,000 GB.

We use both hotspots when traveling and go with the one with the best signal/highest speed. On our last trip out west this summer Verizon coverage was pretty good, but the Sprint hotspot provided faster 4g service about 40% of the time and was the only service in several remote areas. Also my wife is a university professor and I would commit one hot spot to her for work and run the other for TV, SiriusXM app, wifi calling, etc.

We have ATT service (do not use data due to we are in my brother's business plan (he pays for our service) and don't want to eat into his companies data limits) Also our 2020 F-250 has an ATT hotspot, but the cost for data and limits are not at all appealing considering we have access to 2 hotspots with unlimited data. If we want to use something like Android Auto, we just use our phone which are tied into one of the hot spots.

If anyone is interested in FMCA, drop me a PM and I'll be happy to answer questions or point you in the right direction.

 

[fez111]

Mobile internet can be very expensive. We were looking for a viable and much more reliable alternative to our CenturyLink DSL (we live in the country...not even cable). It took a while to find it, but the non-profit Calyx Institute was the answer.

For a fixed donation they provide an Inseego MIFI (think Verizon Jet Pack), and unlimited, unthrottled data over the Sprint/T-Mobile network. Their website explains everything as to why they are non-profit and how the system works.

If purchased (donated) by the year it averages out to about $50 or so per month. We live 2 miles from a Sprint tower with a steel building right in line. We usually get anywhere from 9-35 megabytes speed. Here, right now, at a mostly-full State Park campsite, we are getting what is shown below. Although not cable modem speeds, this is still way faster than the 4.5 and .5 with CenturyLink!!! Now we take our Calyx MIFI on every vacation! Check it out...




https://calyxinstitute.org








https://calyxinstitute.org

 

[fez111]

Mobile internet can be very expensive. We were looking for a viable and much more reliable alternative to our CenturyLink DSL (we live in the country...not even cable). It took a while to find it, but the non-profit Calyx Institute was the answer.

For a fixed donation they provide an Inseego MIFI (think Verizon Jet Pack), and unlimited, unthrottled data over the Sprint/T-Mobile network. Their website explains everything as to why they are non-profit and how the system works.

If purchased (donated) by the year it averages out to about $50 or so per month. We live 2 miles from a Sprint tower with a steel building right in line. We noticed that when T-Mobile took over we now usually get anywhere from 9-35 megabytes speed. Here, right now, at a mostly-full State Park campsite, we are getting what is shown below. Although not cable modem speeds, this is still way faster than the 4.5 and .5 with CenturyLink!!! Now we take our Calyx MIFI on every vacation! Check it out...


View attachment 36621

https://calyxinstitute.org

 

[Martybhawk]

My TV is a 2020 GMC Sierra and I use it’s OnStar WiFi all the time. It’s $25/mo. I have had a good OnStar connection in every campsite we have been in so far. Parking just in front of the camper gives me a good solid connection. The downside is you do have to turn on the ignition (not cranked) for the WiFi to run. Hold down the ignition button for about 3 seconds and everything turns on. It stays on until you turn it off. Turn your Auto Headlights switch to off so your headlights don’t come on. If I’m going to run it for more than an hour I hook up a trickle charger and so far this has worked very well for me.

I have T-Mobile and have also used their $15/mo Hotspot add on to my phone. It works great if I have a good signal. We have been to a few places that had no signal for any of the carriers.

 

[Wandering5thwheelers]

I have Chevy Silverado with ATT internet coverage. It's satellite, obviously. I have no issues connecting to it, even with the truck attached to the trailer. Yes, you need the key on, but as you should have two keys, just use the other one to lock the truck (make sure you have your light mode to off, not auto. We connect the truck battery to a trickle charger which is plugged into the trailer, this way we have no issue with battery charge. It's amazing, like I said, as long as you get reception (there are some places in the US and Canada where it just hates to work), but I use mine all the time and at $15.00 per month for unlimited internet with no throttling that I can tell, we absolutely love it!

My new tow vehicle came with an ATT wifi hotspot. It claims you can connect from up to 50' away. I checked out the ATT plans and I could get unlimited data for $200 prepaid per year. I'm wondering how good this would work for HD streaming for the RV tv's.

Had anyone done this with good results?

Thanks

 

[Martybhawk]

What year is your Silverado? I pay $10 for OnStar and $15 for ATT WiFi. OnStar said I must have the OnStar account to get the WiFi??? I had been plugging trickle charger to campsite service box and never thought about using camper outside plug. Thx for that idea.

 

[JKellerJr]

I have Chevy Silverado with ATT internet coverage. It's satellite, obviously. I have no issues connecting to it

It’s not satellite, it’s cellular. Not sure if that’s what you meant.

 

[Wandering5thwheelers]

It’s a 2015, and yes, I pay the same as you as you’re correct you do need both. JKellerJr, it’s not cellular, it’s satellite through o star. I have no phone in my truck and on star told me it’s satellite.

What year is your Silverado? I pay $10 for OnStar and $15 for ATT WiFi. OnStar said I must have the OnStar account to get the WiFi??? I had been plugging trickle charger to campsite service box and never thought about using camper outside plug. Thx for that idea.