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Internet at rallys [message #153833] Tue, 20 December 2011 22:00 Go to next message
bukzin is currently offline  bukzin   United States
Messages: 840
Registered: April 2004
Location: North California
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Senior Member
This is an article about sharing and boosting
weak cell/WiFi signals.


Have any of you tried one of the mentioned boxes?


http://www.laptop-junction.com/toast/content/3g-router-fixed-internet-access



Bukzin
1977 Palm Beach
Re: Internet at rallys [message #153850 is a reply to message #153833] Wed, 21 December 2011 01:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ken Burton is currently offline  Ken Burton   United States
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
Senior Member
At all of the rallys I have set up we have never had to resort to the measured use slower 3G and 4G solutions. It is definitely viable if you can not get any other unmeasured, faster service.

When you have 50 or more users sharing one up stream pipe, one has to be careful that a few people do not decide to start watching streaming video all night or start downloading huge files. This has not been a problem in the past but it could be if more the one or two tried it at the same time. I have found that most people at rallies only want to check email and browse a few web sites like the forum, or GmcPhotos, or bdub. If that is your rally's use then the 3G or 4G solution ought to work.

I attended one rally a few years back that I did not set up where the upstream connection as a slow wireless solution. One seminar presenter was trying to present a topic on Internet facilities available to the RV user. Unfortunately the room was full of people with laptops and when they all tried to do the same thing at the same time they took the whole system down due to lack of upstream capacity to the Internet.

My conclusion is what you are suggesting is doable but be careful not to exceed it's capabilities.


Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
Re: [GMCnet] Internet at rallys [message #153967 is a reply to message #153833] Wed, 21 December 2011 19:03 Go to previous message
Byron Songer is currently offline  Byron Songer   United States
Messages: 1912
Registered: August 2007
Location: Louisville, KY
Karma: -2
Senior Member

First, that article is a good one and filled with interesting and
practical information.

Second, I'll say I've read Ken Burton's response which is, typically, spot
on.

Third, here's my two cents worth. This, too, is based on experience.

In a previous life I consulted with small, rural towns wanting to bring
"fast internet access" to the citizens. I was trained in using Motorola
equipment to create a wireless backbone. That backbone was sent from a
central location that had a wired connection to the internet making the
small town an ISP. The signal was bounced around the area among a
collection of high locations (water towers, etc). From those distribution
points the signal went to the homes or subscribers. Compared to dial-up,
which most people had, it was fast. Each client was provided a certain
amount of bandwidth which we throttled at 768 down and 256 up. In other
words, it was set up so they could download three times faster than they
could upload. The relative speed (at that time) was similar to what one
would expect with a good 3G connection.

All of that is to say, you can be satisfied with it if you don't or can't
get faster, such as DSL or cable.

That was a few years ago and this is now.

I have recommended to some people that travel a lot and don¡¯t need flying
fast internet to do just as this link suggests; get a 3G mobile broadband
device and use it with a small router designed to handle the connectivity.
Depending on the service you get, the cost can be rather competitive. For
sure, you can get access where DSL and cable do not yet go. (With DSL
there is a distance limitation from the phone company's hub that is more
restrictive than from a cable TV provider. Cable can also be faster than
DSL.)

Since my wife's job requires she work via internet connection, we have two
devices we use depending on where we'll get the better service; a Virgin
Mobile and a Verizon device. Both are pay-as-you-go services and have a
flat rate for one month of service. Virgin Mobile's plan is the more cost
effective of the two. Performance is adequate for her needs and, at times,
outstrips the capabilities we've often found at RV parks where the WiFi
service is shared among a bunch of campers (30 or more) over a slow
connection to the ISP.

The important thing is to get a piece of equipment that supports an
external antenna. Several Cradlepoint routers will handle a USB mobile
broadband device 3G or 4G, a few ethernet ports (to connect a shared
printer or directly connect a desktop) and supply WiFi beyond the
capability of a MiFi device. (Cradelepoint is the OEM for MiFi devices
regardless of provider.)

Your performance will vary based on the number of users and what they are
doing at any one point in time. As Ken said, if everyone wants to watch
streaming telecasts then performance will bog down.

Finally, I alluded to something else -- 4G. That's coming. When it does we
may very well disconnect from the cable provider and only use
4G/Cradlepoint for our needs. 4G is still a couple of years away from
being generally available in areas where there's a concentration of people
(descent metropolitan area). Heck, 3G isn't everywhere yet, either.

The nice thing is that what you use in the coach you can use in the house
and the other way around.

Thanks for point us to the article.


Byron Songer
Louisville, KY
News and Web Editor, GMC Eastern States
http://www.gmceast.com

Sights to see and places to stay ¡©- -
Find or submit a GMCer recommendation.
http://www.gmceast.com/travel











-----Original Message-----

>
>
>This is an article about sharing and boosting
>weak cell/WiFi signals.
>
>
>Have any of you tried one of the mentioned boxes?
>
>
>http://www.laptop-junction.com/toast/content/3g-router-fixed-internet-acce
>ss
>
>
>--
>Bukzin
>1977 Palm Beach
>Chico California
>_______________________________________________


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-- Byron Songer
Full-timing to enjoy the USA
Former owner but still an admirer
GMC paint schemes at -
http://www.songerconsulting.net
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