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09-16-2013, 06:12 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: anne
Trailer: Scamp
Texas
Posts: 29
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Wireless internet via hotspot
We have a 13' Scamp and we think that our hotspot isn't working due to the aluminum-coated insulation on the trailer! Does anybody here know anything about setting up an antenna of some kind so that we can use our phones inside the comfort of our Scamp? THANKS!!! Anne
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09-16-2013, 06:17 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
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We have had a Verizon hotspot for years and it works just fine in our Scamp without an outside antenna. We do ave an outside antena but really only use it when we're really 'out'. We do have a Wilson boost amplifier but that's a recent addition.
__________________
Norm and Ginny
2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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09-16-2013, 07:04 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Name: asdf
Trailer: asdf
Alabama
Posts: 346
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I have a 16 ft scamp and Verizon. My signal is good inside. To a large extent the proximity to a tower is key.
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09-16-2013, 07:19 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
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I'm glad this subject came up as I have a few questions.
First, I have NO real choice but to finish out my 2-year contract with AT&T. Got 15 months left on it.
I am upgrading to ATT's hotspot data plan mid-October. Will cost $30 more than I'm paying now.
I have an iphone 4s which I'm loving. When I finally hit the road, I don't expect to be overly thrilled with ATT -- had I known then (back in January) what I know now, I would have gone with Verizon and same iphone.
I've got a neat little Asus windows 8 laptop that will likely be all I shall tether to my iphone. Anyway, iphone 4s is 4G, but I don't expect I'll see much connection with 4G on the road, especially west of the Mississippi. I'm thinking of getting a Wilson Sleek 4G to boost signal, which I assume will make the whole experience of tethering laptop/iphone a better experience. I would prefer NOT to mess with an outside antenna. So, think I'll be ok with just the sleek and it's baby indoor antenna?
Thx -- Sharon
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09-16-2013, 07:23 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: asdf
Trailer: asdf
Alabama
Posts: 346
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Sharon, upgrading the plan may reset the 2 year clock!
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09-16-2013, 07:25 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
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C R A P -- just a little upgrade would set me back? That's NOT right. I will ask.
thank you for the heads up!!!
S
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09-16-2013, 07:30 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: asdf
Trailer: asdf
Alabama
Posts: 346
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I don't know that it will, just be careful. They will do anything to hook you in.
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09-16-2013, 07:34 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
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With ATT making your 4s a hotspot is a month by month charge, you can stop and start any month, just like additional data, month by month.
__________________
Jim
Never in doubt, often wrong
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09-16-2013, 07:41 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
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Jim, I had no idea. I went to my account today to see what's what on upgrading by making my phone a hotspot, and the verbiage certainly didn't indicate THAT option of a monthly thing only. I'm so flippin ignorant of this stuff, I think I'll call ATT and work it out with a human bean rather than selecting screen options that offer so little explanation.
Sharon
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09-16-2013, 07:45 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
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Sharon can you tether your pc to your phone without getting a hot spot?
Our phones can serve as hotspots.. Our Wilson boost can be used with or without the exterior antenna. We just run it out a Window and set on the bumper.
__________________
Norm and Ginny
2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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09-16-2013, 07:50 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
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Norm -- how the heck would I do that? When I say I'm ignorant off this wireless/cellular stuff, I'm not pulling your leg. You mean your phones are hotspots without any recourse to having your carrier get involved, other than providing extended data for a monthly fee?
S.
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09-16-2013, 07:55 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Name: asdf
Trailer: asdf
Alabama
Posts: 346
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I do both. I bought a repeater to get signal from one end of the house to the other. When I bought my TT I brought it along. Now it sits plugged in out in the tent. When I turn on my tether (hotspot) and leave it in the TT, the repeater picks that up and amplifies it for the area outside of the TT. It all works rather automatically as well. My computer and tablet can be set to grab either one, depending on which is the strongest, the phone inside or the repeater outside.
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09-16-2013, 07:59 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
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Att sends a signal and under your settings is the option to turn on or off your hotspot, $20/month for each month of use.
__________________
Jim
Never in doubt, often wrong
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09-16-2013, 08:03 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Name: Sharon
Trailer: Chez Nous - a 2011 Scamp 16'
Texas
Posts: 277
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Jim, and then ATT monitors your data usage and adds that cost on top of the $20 hotspot fee? Or do you get some additional data usage along with the hotspot fee?
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09-16-2013, 10:08 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Name: Marky
Trailer: Casita
Texas
Posts: 266
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If you have the five gig data plan the hotspot on your iPhone is free. If you're on a plan with less than 5 gig or the unlimited they will charge you $20 extra and put you in the 5 gig plan.
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09-16-2013, 10:25 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Name: Norm and Ginny
Trailer: Scamp 16
Florida
Posts: 7,517
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Sorry Sharon. I have a Samsung Galaxy on Verizon and each carrier is different. I have friends that have the Galaxy with 1 gig on Verizon and their phone can serve as a hot spot.
I don't know the ATT rules.
__________________
Norm and Ginny
2014 Honda Odyssey
1991 Scamp 16
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09-16-2013, 11:06 PM
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#17
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Member
Name: Keith
Trailer: Not yet
Florida
Posts: 84
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I have had several hotspots over the last few years and i travel a lot for work. Verizon was the best in most populated areas, ATT was good on the east coast and better then Verizon in some places too. Sprint was the worst prior to them getting the new LTE after I don’t know. I was going to add it to my iPhone but ATT wants to take me off the unlimited plan to do that and i have four phones so it will get expensive. Now to my point, I went to Walmart and they have pay as you go hotspots, I got one of those and it is working good for general web surfing, playing in this site and others like it and Facebook. It doesn’t do well with streaming movies from Netflixs or HBO because your paying for the data as you go. What I like is I don’t use it that much and the date does not expire so I can renew when it gets low and I use it in areas with no wifi. It is cheaper this way and I don’t have a contract, so that is another option you can look at. There is also a site which will give you the hotspot free but you need to leave your wifi open so others can use it and they and you have commercials and pop ups that come up as a trade off for the free data. I didn’t go that route I did Walmart.
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09-17-2013, 07:28 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
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I have the 3 gig plan for seniors with ATT, which I have never even got near to using so I guess it is 5 gig and free, all I know it is $20 more- about $85/month vs $65 normal
__________________
Jim
Never in doubt, often wrong
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09-17-2013, 08:48 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Name: asdf
Trailer: asdf
Alabama
Posts: 346
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Keith, how much is the data?
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09-17-2013, 08:53 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Name: Jon
Trailer: Escape 21C
New York
Posts: 2,387
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SharonM
I'm glad this subject came up as I have a few questions.
First, I have NO real choice but to finish out my 2-year contract with AT&T. Got 15 months left on it.
I am upgrading to ATT's hotspot data plan mid-October. Will cost $30 more than I'm paying now.
I have an iphone 4s which I'm loving. When I finally hit the road, I don't expect to be overly thrilled with ATT -- had I known then (back in January) what I know now, I would have gone with Verizon and same iphone.
I've got a neat little Asus windows 8 laptop that will likely be all I shall tether to my iphone. Anyway, iphone 4s is 4G, but I don't expect I'll see much connection with 4G on the road, especially west of the Mississippi. I'm thinking of getting a Wilson Sleek 4G to boost signal, which I assume will make the whole experience of tethering laptop/iphone a better experience. I would prefer NOT to mess with an outside antenna. So, think I'll be ok with just the sleek and it's baby indoor antenna?
Thx -- Sharon
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While the aluminum coated insulation might reduce signal strength, I doubt it would completely eliminate the use of a hotspot. I can use mine in an overhead compartment lined with reflex insulation as long as there is a useable signal outside the trailer.
That said, and in partial answer to Sharon's questions - the combination of the Sleek & a good outside antenna is impressive. I have a 4G Sleek that can be switched between AT&T & Verizon and a Wilson 301133 Trucker Antenna. The difference between the hotspot alone & the combined amplifier & antenna is 21db, a huge increase.
I know you didn't want to mess with an outside antenna, but the one that comes with the Sleek is not an "indoor antenna". It needs to be separated from the Sleek a good distance to work properly, and needs sit on a metal ground plane (a 6" diameter disk would do). It is designed to attach magnetically to the roof of your vehicle, which won't work with fiberglass. Unless you find a way to get the antenna outside (and on a ground plane) you won't get the full advantage of the Sleek.
I'll also agree with others - Verizon provides far better coverage in rural areas than AT&T. I have both - an AT&T iPhone & a Millenicom hotspot for data (running on the Verizon system). After travels throughout the US, while I have found locations that were only served by AT&T, there were far more that were only covered by Verizon.
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