cell service and internet not available at campsite

bulldog182 · 01-31-2017, 06:49 PM

So I am a newbie. I ordered a Jayflight 38 FDDS. The camp site we are using this year has WiFi but only around their office which is a couple hundred yards from my camp site approximately. The cell service is about a mile and a half away. By the way I have Verizon. My question is there anything I can purchase to acquire that cell service as in a stronger antenna or something to grab the WiFi from the office area? Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

john.huff.904 · 01-31-2017, 06:55 PM

I am dealing with this as well! I found a website called simplewifi.com that has a kit that I hear is very easy to install and set up. I have emailed the company directly because I had the exact same problem as you and this kit should solve the problem. It is around $200 for everything you will need.

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john.huff.904 · 01-31-2017, 06:57 PM

Oh yeah you will need a clear line of site to the office with wifi from your wifi antenna.

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**Mustang65** · 01-31-2017, 07:06 PM

We have a Wi-Fi Extender Social Community here on the form if you are interested. Click on Community in the gold bar above, then Social Group, and scroll down to find Wi-Fi Signal Extenders

My Registry

Don

Link to JOF's Wi-Signal Extenders

Cell Phone signal Amplifier
WeBoost

bulldog182 · 01-31-2017, 07:36 PM

so the way my campsite is set up is the office is up on top of the hill and the camp sites are down below. not a steep hill but never the less a slope. do you think I would still be able to use one of these to get the wifi to my trailer?

**Mustang65** · 01-31-2017, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulldog182

so the way my campsite is set up is the office is up on top of the hill and the camp sites are down below. not a steep hill but never the less a slope. do you think I would still be able to use one of these to get the wifi to my trailer?

I have been able to get the signal form the CG offices in a few CG's (not all), but it was a clear line of site and a big picture window facing my TT. I could get on line and check my email, websites were slow. It really depends where that Wi-Fi router is inside the office.

Each mfr is different when it comes to how much power they have (within FCC limits). In Colorado, I was able to stream video (Tampa Bay Rays ball game) from a Home Depot store that was about 1.5 miles away. Each night at midnight, I had to re-log back into their server. I spend enough $$$ in their stores each year so I do not feel bad about using their connection. It was on a ridge in plain sight. They do work. If you put trees or buildings between you and the AP, all bets are off.

They work great in CG's where the AP may be 100 yards away. If you are in a CG that has old equipment, a 10-20Mb data plan, or a lot of campers playing games, surfing the web..... you will get a stronger signal (less errors) but as for the speed it will not help

I keep the TT next to the house and keep the EnGenius Wi-Fi signal extender running 24/7 as I use the internet in the back yard, Pandora.....

My Registry

Don

BuddyRay · 01-31-2017, 10:13 PM

On the Cell Phone side, check out Weboost: https://www.weboost.com/
they have a cell booster specifically made for RV's. They also have them for your TV.

Neither are cheap.

You might find it cheaper to offer to buy the Campground a WiFi access point and mount it outside the office on a pole or something.
But even with a good Router or Access point, if they don't have a great DSL or Cable connection it won't matter. It's amazing how many campgrounds by a 2gb DSL connection from Ma Bell and then are suprised when their guest complain because they are getting incredibly slow internet - it's because 20 of their fellow campers are all trying to stream a netflix movie on a tiny pipe.

**norty1** · 02-01-2017, 07:26 AM

Many cg's had a adequate wifi system or got one as soon as people started complaining. I find that the majority of them do not have the bandwidth to meet all the needs that our multiple devices and appetite for getting info from the many sources now available.

I usually use them for email and some low impact net surfing. Watching movies online and such bogs most every one down because 50 more are doing the same thing.

bulldog182 · 02-01-2017, 07:42 AM

Ok...so how about this. My trailer says it is pre wired for Satellite / cable hook up. Is there anything I can plug into that to get wifi? Either from the campground or some other way as in a booster? I am trying to avoid putting holes in a brand new trailer for several reason ...one being if a leak developed and destroys something Jayco and rightfully so can I caused it, and also do not want to go through all that just for a chance that maybe it works. I am fine with buying the equipment but not making holes in the trailer to run cable. Thoughts?

**Mustang65** · 02-01-2017, 10:31 AM

Go to this post.... it discusses Satellite Internet access.

Don

http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f7...ely-42539.html

Phil2008 · 02-01-2017, 10:40 AM

My thoughts on this issue are as follows. Cell reception an almost necessity now a days. As far as wifi not a must have. The whole idea of camping is getting away and enjoying the outdoors. Here in New Brunswick the provincial government started a program last year encouraging people to unplug and start enjoying the outdoors. If you go to any provincial park the only place to get wifi is outside the office. If I want to sit outside face glued to a tablet I can do that at home and could have saved myself 35 grand. Just my thoughts.

**Mustang65** · 02-01-2017, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil2008

My thoughts on this issue are as follows. Cell reception an almost necessity now a days. As far as wifi not a must have. The whole idea of camping is getting away and enjoying the outdoors. Here in New Brunswick the provincial government started a program last year encouraging people to unplug and start enjoying the outdoors. If you go to any provincial park the only place to get wifi is outside the office. If I want to sit outside face glued to a tablet I can do that at home and could have saved myself 35 grand. Just my thoughts.

Ahhhhhh, but there are some of us (a lot that I know) that are on the road and or are seasonal spot holders. In my case, we are out of the city for 5+ months, so it is daily living for us. I sit by the creek with my laptop or tablet. May have Pandora pumping music in the background, or a movie on the tablet, or buying/selling stocks on the laptop (Pays for our travels). The nice part of Mon/Fri is that I have all the band-width that I need, the weekends when we the CG fills up, we sit around and read.

Hey, it's a tough life, but someone has to live it!!!!

The best of both worlds.

Don

bansai · 02-01-2017, 11:52 AM

I was just thumbing through the camping world ad that showed up in the mail yesterday.

Winegard also makes a wifi extender it's item number #95100 in their catalog. The install looks super simple, but this thing is 549 bucks, on sale no less.

I think I'll have to kick in my ham radio skill set and invent a cheaper solution. I've also been looking for solutions to this problem for a while now, since I like to 'work from home' on the road.

M&A · 02-01-2017, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bansai

I was just thumbing through the camping world ad that showed up in the mail yesterday.

Winegard also makes a wifi extender it's item number #95100 in their catalog. The install looks super simple, but this thing is 549 bucks, on sale no less.

I think I'll have to kick in my ham radio skill set and invent a cheaper solution. I've also been looking for solutions to this problem for a while now, since I like to 'work from home' on the road.

I use an old "wrap" board running RouterOS from Mikrotik with a B/G/N card set to look for the strongest open AP, NAT'ed to the other card as an encrypted AP but on 5 GHz so as to not desense. Sometimes I'll use longer stick outside with a mast-mount amp. That Winegard really looks good but I've got about $40 in mine.

Phil2008 · 02-01-2017, 02:38 PM

Gotcha. Makes sense now.

SloPoke · 02-01-2017, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M&A

I use an old "wrap" board running RouterOS from Mikrotik with a B/G/N card set to look for the strongest open AP, NAT'ed to the other card as an encrypted AP but on 5 GHz so as to not desense. Sometimes I'll use longer stick outside with a mast-mount amp. That Winegard really looks good but I've got about $40 in mine.

Same thing is available in an outdoor enclosure. We bought the Mikrotik SXT. The unit needs to be B and G.

We attached it to a 8-foot PVC pipe and point the directional antenna at the location of the WiFi host. works very well.

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