Winegard Connect 2 System for Cellular Hotspot and WiFi

[Dadeo6472]

I installed a Winegard Connect 2 on our 18RBE and bought one month of data service to test it. The unit was $225 on Amazon. Winegard data is about $50 a month, but we don't pay for the months we don't use the system. In our area the data is going thru AT&T's 4G cellular system. It's 25 mbs, more than adequate for our needs. The Connect2 easily found all the WiFi systems within about 3/4 of a mile, including the summer camp across the lake, about a mile away.

Installation was hassle free. With GD's and Winegard's phone tech support I found it easy to mount, wire up and activate. Calling Grand Design before I started was my best move. They saved me much time and aggravation by telling me where it was safe to mount, how to seal the roof and where a 12 volt wire for powering it up would be found. Winegard's instructions are easy to follow, but a word of warning: allow yourself more than enough time to finish the software update and setup process. Don't allow yourself to be interrupted or you might have to reset the software and start over.

If you are looking for a simple WiFi system that is easy to install and use, this is it.

 

[Dadeo6472]

Correction to post on price. I paid $263 for one in "used-excellent" condition. New ones start at $355.

I installed a Winegard Connect 2 on our 18RBE and bought one month of data service to test it. The unit was $225 on Amazon. Winegard data is about $50 a month, but we don't pay for the months we don't use the system. In our area the data is going thru AT&T's 4G cellular system. It's 25 mbs, more than adequate for our needs. The Connect2 easily found all the WiFi systems within about 3/4 of a mile, including the summer camp across the lake, about a mile away.

Installation was hassle free. With GD's and Winegard's phone tech support I found it easy to mount, wire up and activate. Calling Grand Design before I started was my best move. They saved me much time and aggravation by telling me where it was safe to mount, how to seal the roof and where a 12 volt wire for powering it up would be found. Winegard's instructions are easy to follow, but a word of warning: allow yourself more than enough time to finish the software update and setup process. Don't allow yourself to be interrupted or you might have to reset the software and start over.

If you are looking for a simple WiFi system that is easy to install and use, this is it.

 

[rzrbaxfan]

I'll second this. Still learning this thing, but we recently took ours two states away and I was able to work remotely and let the fam do a little streaming in the evening, and it worked great. I switched to a full time sim card instead of "borrowing" one from a secondary cell phone and am eager to use it again.

 

[Dadeo6472]

Well its been 2 years and our Winegard Connect2 is now having intermittent issues seeing the SIMcard. Winegard says I have a defective unit and it has to be replaced. As in completely removed from my camper. Because I bought a refurbished unit I have to pay $200 for another. I'm debating whether removing and replacing is worth ripping apart the roof and sealant again. The problem occurs only when turning on the unit. Once its on we and if we don't turn it off, the thing works and works fine for as long as we keep it on.