Hello patrice1,
Thank you for your question.
This topic is often discussed among RV'rs and I will provide you with
a list of sites that often discuss their experiences with various
solutions as well as some possibilities for providers. As you will
see, there are choices and compromises to be made, so you will want to
be informed before making a decision.
Let's first address landlines.
Most motorhomes either have or will add at a miminal cost an RJ-11
phone jack both inside and outside the coach. If you are buying used,
it is not difficult to add this yourself using parts available at any
Radio Shack.
If you are staying at campgrounds, you will find the large
preponderence to have phone hookups available at a niminal charge. A
directory such as Woodall's or Camping World's will usually list this
as a feature in the Campground Directory Guides. See
http://www.woodalls.com/shop/ . Of couse, if you are staying at
friends or relatives, you can also connect to their phone lines if
your cable is of sufficient length.
The more intersting part of this question is "constant internet
access".
I searched [rv +wireless +internet] to find the following for you:
http://www.rv-wireless-internet.com/
Internet from your RV! Wireless and Fast Mobile Internet!
"I am a Semi-Fulltime RVer. I am also an avid internet user. I spent
years frustrated, on the road, trying one thing after another to
connect to the net while traveling for long periods of time. It wasn't
until last year that I finally found something that WORKS.
I wrote this web-page, my user guide, and formed the RV-Wireless
company to fulfill the promise that my experimentation has led to.
Yes, you're finally going to be able to connect Broadband, almost
every day, and with almost no hassles. If that interests you,
welcome."
"What We Offer
I have written a comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide that will get
you online and offer you tons of resources for all that is discussed.
The guide will cover everything from getting connected, to the
difference between free and pay access. It is a step-by-step how-to
guide. As the author, I plan to help those who buy the guide get
online. You’ll get my e-mail address so you can ask questions that
will help me further improve the guide. Our forums will also available
so you can ask questions of others who are doing the exact same thing
as you."
There is a wealth of information at this site including a forum that
seems in its early days with only a few dozen members so far and links
to wireless providers.
This a pay site and the guide and one month's access to the forums and
features are $6.95. Do read further to see if this information appears
valuable to you. It does look very interesting.
*******************************************************
Some RV Camp Grounds are now providing wireless Internet as shown on
this page:
http://www.camplan.com/
CampLAN Wireless High Speed Internet
"RVers
Are your tired of being rushed to get Off Line ?
Modem port area closed or locked ?
Tired of standing or sitting in the laundry to get your email ?
Now you can surf the web, Get your email, and take as long as you like
with NO ONLINE TIME or LONG DISTANCE CHARGES In YOUR RV, at the
Campsite of your choice!!! On your own individual Wireless High Speed
Internet
connection........"
In short, this service rents you a wireless PCMCIA card for your
laptop at $5 per day and lists campgrounds that have this service
installed.
********************************************************
http://worldwideclassified.net/rvdesign/tt011.htm
RV Tech Talk has an article on wireless connectivity
"As a person who moves from place to place, a good internet
connectivity solution would be welcome. This is a very new field and
as many other new fields, not all players are headed in the same
direction. Many proprietary interests exist and the field is fraught
with meaningless letters, such as PCS or GSM.
I will, therefore, try to treat the ABCs with TLC."
There are links to providers at the bottom of this page as well as
links to other discussions. And links to wireless modems where you
will note most work only with Windows though a selection for Mac users
is also available.
*******************************************************
Broadband Wireless Exchange Magazine
http://www.bbwexchange.com/news/2002/dec/kvh122302.asp
Has an article on:
"New KVH TracNet 2.0 Offers Lower-cost,
Faster Mobile Broadband Wireless Internet Access for RVs
Enhanced System Expands Coverage Areas, Lowers Airtime Rates, and
Provides Greater Versatility via Exclusive Broadband Service
KVH Industries (Nasdaq: KVHI), the company that pioneered
in-motion broadband Internet access, recently introduced its new,
faster TracNet 2.0 Mobile High-speed Internet System for vehicles at
the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) National RV Trade
Show in Louisville, Kentucky. TracNet 2.0 offers an expanded array of
features that make it the most versatile mobile broadband Internet
system available to travelers throughout North America. Among these
enhancements are standard coverage that now includes Alaska and the
Caribbean, KVH's integrated Velocity Acceleration Software that
significantly boosts transmission speeds, and the ability to maintain
a two-way Internet connection even when the TracVision antenna is
being used for satellite TV reception. In addition, KVH is reducing
TracNet mobile airtime rates by 40%, making the service even more
affordable. "
This is another great site for information.
*********************************************************
http://www.network54.com/Hide/Forum/goto?forumid=3540
The RVComputing Discussion Group
This is a discussion board for wireless Internet for RV'rs.
********************************************************
http://home.earthlink.net/~wsadd/Horizons/Wire_02.htm
WIRELESS INTERNET & VOICE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE RVer
This article discusses the big 6 wireless Internet Cellular providers
including the author's personal experience.
"...If you are a full-time RV road warrior who wants to be "connected"
in as many places as possible, as fast as possible, and as
economically as possible, you’ll want to look at what I call the "big
6." They are: Voicestream, Cingular, Verizon, AT & T, Nextel, and
Sprint..."
***********************************************************
http://www.campingontheinternet.com/LinksCommunications.htm
Welcome to the companion site of the book,
"Camping On The Internet."
Another great list of resources:
Communications on the road - Cellular, computers, satellite TV.
Communications article by “phred” Tinseth (he’s been a member of the
Escapees RV Club for so long his number is 31.) Before you buy, read
his no-nonsense advice on cellular phones, getting online on the road,
internet service providers, and satellite TV.
http://www.phrannie.org/phredex.html
Roadnews.com - Learn how to travel together with your laptop computer.
http://www.roadnews.com/
Cell phones and the fulltime Rver, article by Ned Reiter
http://www.rvnetwork.com/members/reiter/prev1.html
Full-Timer.com - offers a low rate per minute calling card.
http://www.full-timer.com/
Cellular phone information from Point.com - Use this excellent site to
compare service plans, phones, and accessories. Highly recommended!
http://www.point.com/
Best Free Cellular - free cellphone offers, free calling card offers,
find the best cellphone rates in your area.
http://www.best-free-cellular-phone.com/
Computing On The Road, A series by Mel Chaney. Read this if you are
thinking about buying a cellular phone and a modem to plug it into!
Chaney also has some really good advice about online banking, and
batteries, chargers, and inverters. This man is a wealth of
information!
http://www.rversonline.org/RV4Computers.html
Things that simply don’t work, by Mel Chaney. Read this if you are
thinking about buying a cellular phone and a modem to plug it into.
(But keep in mind that he wrote it in 1999, and lots of things have
improved!)
http://www.rversonline.org/ArtDontWork.html
RV Computing, “Where computer users on the road get together.”
Discussion forums, live chat room, RV computer furniture.
http://www.rvcomputing.com
RVComputing Discussion Group - this busy discussion forum is a MUST
for people who are serious about RVs and computing. Well indexed, too.
http://network54.com/Hide/Forum/goto?forumid=3540
RVers Online, list of “modem-friendly” RV parks. (doesn't tell when
last update was.)
http://www.rversonline.org/RVMF.html
And more...
This site was last updated in 2001 and some links may not be operable
at this time.
*******************************************************
http://www.rversonline.org/VolList.html
http://www.rversonline.org/
RVERS Online
RVers HELPING RVers"
RVers Online is published with the objective of being the best online
independent public service information resource for RVers. With well
over a thousand pages of non-commercial RV-related information, and
online help for all types of RVing questions, this site is based on
"RVers helping RVers". Our goal is to provide a quality online
experience for RVers, park owners, and others participants in the
world of RVing. You will find no advertisements at this site, and
nothing offered for sale. We invite and welcome your participation.
http://www.rversonline.org/VolList.html
Here you will find a list of volunteers for RV information including
mobile computing:
"Computers for RVers
Larry McLemore has volunteered to share his expertise on the topic of
computing on the road. His background includes substantial training
received from internet tech sources, and he's agreed to help readers
with questions about traveling with computers. If Larry can't field
your specific question, he'll be able to provide you with some tips on
where to find the information you're looking for."
********************************************************
As you can see, there are numerous sites on the Internet discussing RV
connectivity and user's experiences.
I'll offer two more resources:
Usenet groups have been around for many years and have discussions on
almost anything conceivable. You can reach them through:
://www.google.com/grphp
here, if you search for RV, you will find the two discussions groups
dedicated to RV's:
rec.outdoors.rv.travel
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=rec.outdoors.rv-travel
and
alt.rv
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=alt.rv
You can search either of these groups for terms such as "wireless" or
"internet" to read older postings or post your own request for
experiences other RVr's have had in their search for reliable,
affordable connectivity. Most users here are happy to help and share
their knowledge and experiences.
I trust my research has provided you with a wealth of information to
answer your question. If a link above should fail to work or anything
require further explanation or research, please do post a Request for
Clarification prior to rating the answer and closing the question and
I will be pleased to assist further.
Regards,
-=clouseau=- |
