Last updated: 01/21/2012

Communications on the Road

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Copyright © 2002-2011 John Mayer. All rights reserved. For reuse policy see Reuse Policy

In this Section:

New and Noteworthy:

Maximumsignal has agreed to give a $50 discount to the readers of this website on the Large RV  wireless amplifiers. I have tested these amps and they perform quite well. I also own a Large RV amplifier. Check them out online, and you can read my review of the mobile version of this amplifier by clicking the link in the Resource section just below here.

There are other options for signal improvement available that you can read about in the sections that follow. But if you want a wireless amp these are the best available that I have seen.  Use the discount code "jackmayerlrv" for the large RV product - without the quotes around them, of course. Or just tell them you want the discount when calling. I get nothing from this - it is simply MaximumSignals way of thanking my readers, since they have been loyal purchasers of their products.  And, if this product was not the best available solution on the market I would not recommend it.   (Note: if someone thinks they have a better solution, I'm willing to test it...)

Resources:

  • Maximum Signal has cellular amps, antennas, adaptors and various accessories. They carry Cyfre amplifiers, which are a high quality alternative to Wilson products, and my first choice for amps. They also have some wireless amps that work very well.
  • 3Gstore is the best place for cellular air cards, cellular routers, and adaptors. They carry a full line of the Wilson  and Cradlepoint products. They also provide a lot of educational information on their website. A really good reason to purchase from them is the support you get.
  • WiFiRanger is a cellular router that provides for WiFi networks as a WAN source as well as the 3G or 4G cellular network. It has an external radio/antenna that can pick up wifi from farther away than other WiFi as WAN products.
  • I tested a new 3G wireless amplifier from Signal Control Technology. Great amp - the only wireless amp I have tested that I would recommend. The test report in pdf format can be downloaded HERE. You can buy it at Maximum Signal.
  • Download Building Your Own CPE  for building your own wifi boost capability using a CPE - either a duplication of the WiFiRanger WFRBoost Mobile, or your own version to interface to most cellular routers. This allows capture of WiFi signals from up to 2 miles or more under ideal conditions.
  • NEW...Download a test report on the latest Cyfre 819 wired amplifier HERE. It is the wired amp to buy.
  • NEW...Download a test report comparing two magnetic mount antennas HERE. You will be surprised at the results.
  • NEW...Download a review of the Pepwave Surf OTG (On The Go) cellular router with WiFi as WAN HERE.

 

I have no affiliation with any of these providers. I recommend them on their merits alone, and my recommendations do change over time. I have done some independent testing of some of the products they sell, but I receive no compensation for that.

 


This section covers ways to acquire and improve cellular and WiFi signals and redistribute them in your RV. The principles cover both voice communications and data communications. The problems are the same:

  • Poor line of sight (LOS) to the signal source. This includes blocked LOS, and metal or dense objects between your location and the signal source. In most cases, getting an antenna higher up will help. How you achieve this depends on what equipment you have.
  • Radio equipment that is not powerful enough; including poor antennas. This covers weak signal in cell phones as well as poor wifi in RV parks. This is typically solved with a more powerful radio or supplementing your signal with amplification and/or a better antenna. The same principles apply to both wifi and cellular.

It may sound simplistic, but solving these issues is really what the myriad of available products do. How far you go in resolving them usually is indicative of the price involved. Simple solutions are usually the cheapest, but don't fully address the issues, while complex solutions cost more but provide better performance.

 

Cell Phone Providers

 

We often get asked which cell phone provider to use for best coverage. There is no definitive answer – it really depends on where you travel and how you place your calls. We use Verizon America’s Choice Family Plan. This has provided us excellent coverage across the nation. Others use AT&T and report equally good coverage. It just depends on where you place your calls from. Fulltiming friends of ours were on our Verizon Family Plan. They also had their own AT&T plan, which they gave up. They found that for their use Verizon gives them better coverage than AT&T in the places they travelled. In my opinion, if you are a user of Verizon or AT&T, then I would just stick with your current provider and see how it goes. You can always switch later.

 

Some people use and like ATT. In places where ATT has a strong network they may be a good choice. However, for people that travel widely the other providers have a better network - especially when it comes to data. You might find the following quote of interest (and it is still the case in 2011):

 

Robert X. Cringely, InfoWorld
Nov 14, 2009
In survey after survey, AT&T has been kicked to the curb by consumers. The American Consumer Satisfaction Index puts Ma Bell's bastard child a distant fifth (out of six) among wireless carriers. (Verizon tops the list, FYI.) J.D. Power ranks AT&T's call quality dead last. Consumer Reports (available online for subscribers only) also ranks AT&T among the bottom feeders.

 

Notice we have not mentioned any of the “smaller” companies. They may give really good service in a specific area – in fact better than Verizon or AT&T – but they do not have the nationwide coverage (in practice) that the big guys have. Personally, I would not recommend them, but if you are already with one of them you have nothing to loose by sticking with them and seeing what happens.

 

If you are buying new phones, or are eligible for an upgrade, then make sure you get a phone that has an external antenna connector if you can. As a fulltimer, or extended timer, you are sure to be in marginal service areas. The ability to add an external antenna, and the use of an amplifier, will enable good connections in areas where you would not be able to hold a signal without them. But to use either the external antenna or amp you must have a phone that has an external antenna connector. Many phones have them well hidden under little plugs near the antenna. Many of the newer phones do not have external antenna connectors - this is especially true of "smartphones". So you may be "forced" to use a phone without one - there are inductive "patch" antennas available, as well a cradles and wireless amps that help solve this issue - these devices are discussed in the antenna and amplifier sections below.

 

Cell Phone Antennas and Amplifiers

 

An external cellular antenna will help with both data and voice calls if and only if there is a signal of some sort present. The antenna can not "magically" produce a signal for you. But if there is any signal available in the area you are in, the antenna will make a "night and day" difference in voice quality, the ability to sustain a call with out "drops", and the speed of a data connection. In combination with a good amplifier a proper antenna will take you from no signal - and no ability to make or receive calls - to "normal" operation. For any constant traveler I recommend that you get a good antenna and amplifier from the beginning. It is only a matter of time before you encounter an area of marginal signal. If you do not move around a lot, and have a decent signal in your routine locations, then you really would not benefit from an antenna and/or an amplifier so it would be best to save your money for other "toys".

 

There are a number of antennas for use with cell phones.  There is much hype associated with antennas, and many claims for performance not matched with real life results. Antennas are rated in the amount of "gain" (over using no antenna) that they provide. This is typically stated in dBi - as in, 6dBi of gain. You would think this would be a scientific measurement and an antenna with 12dBi of gain would outperform an antenna with 6dBi of gain. But this is not always the case, so real-world experience and testing is important in choosing an antenna.

 

Most antennas come with 12' or so of cable. That may not be enough for where you want to mount the antenna. But with antennas, the length and quality of the cable is as important as the antenna itself. The shorter the cable run, the better - adding extension cable to the antenna should be avoided if possible. If forced to extend the antenna cable, then only high quality cable should be used. Good cable is relatively expensive - expect to pay for it.

 

Many RVers use the Wilson Trucker Antenna. There are actually several models of the Wilson Trucker - and all three of the commonly used models perform well.

 

One is designed for use on RVs and has a long threaded shaft extension designed to go directly through the roof of the RV. It can  be cut off and mounted on a bracket on the roof if you do not want to penetrate your roof with it. We use this shorter antenna permanently mounted to the side of one of our solar panels. The advantage of using this on the roof is that the antenna is relatively short and will not get caught on tree branches as easily.

 

The second model of the Wilson Trucker is designed to be mirror mounted on a truck mirror. The disadvantage of roof mounting this is that it sticks up pretty far and is subject to limb damage. If you choose to use this on the roof, make sure you mount it on the far left of your rig, and use an antenna spring to minimize damage. There is a version of this taller antenna with an integrated spring mount - the antennas perform the same, they are differentiated only by their mounting methods.

 

In my opinion, the proper use of this version of the antenna is 1) on a mirror arm, as designed, 2) a permanent mount on the side of the RV with just the top of the antenna projecting above the roof (the radials need to be above the roofline), 3) on a PVC pipe or extension pole that is temporarily attached to the RV slide or ladder with clamps when in camp.

Both versions of the Wilson can be used on fiberglass RVs. They do not require a ground plane. All antennas should be mounted so that they are not obstructed by air conditioners or other objects on the RV roof. Clear line-of-site to the cell tower is required for best reception.

 

The Wilson comes with 12’ of cable. You should carefully consider where you prefer to sit when you use the phone. See if the cable can be easily routed to that location without extending it. Extending the cable attenuates (decreases) the cellular signal.  On one rig we dropped the cable from the short antenna down the refrigerator vent. The amplifier was under the refrigerator, and the 12-volt power required for the amp was tapped off of the refrigerator power. The air card and router lived under the refrigerator too. Each installation will be different, but you need 12-volt power for the amp, and a location that minimizes cable run.

An excellent alternative to the Wilson antenna is the Super Trucker Antenna, sold by Maximum Signal. This is a high gain 30" antenna enclosed in a fiberglass radome. It comes with the mount and spring for a very reasonable price. I own this antenna and it performs very well. As well or better than the Wilson Trucker in side-by-side comparisons. It would be best mounted on the side of the RV. It does have a built in ground plane so it can be mounted to fiberglass. MaximumSignal also sells a "regular" Trucker antenna. It performs about like the Wilson Trucker, but costs a little less. It also can be mounted on fiberglass.

If you want an antenna on your toad (car) then I’d suggest the magnetic mount antenna available from Maximum Signal. It is available as part of an amplifier kit, or you can buy it individually. I also own this antenna and it performs far better than the specifications would indicate. In fact, under most circumstances it performs as well or better than the Wilson Trucker I own. This antenna requires a ground plane, so if you are mounting it on your RV make sure you mount it on at least a 10" piece of metal (10" - square or round). A metal cookie sheet or pizza pan attached to the RV roof with adhesive caulk provides a good enough ground plane. Paint it with Rustoleum or some appropriate paint, if you like. If you have the amplifier in your RV you can easily move it out to your toad if you need really good reception when you are driving around.

Here are my suggestions for the “typical” RV setup.

  • For permanent mounting on the roof I would probably get the RV version of the Wilson trucker antenna because it is shorter on the roof of the rig - otherwise it is the same unit as the mirror mount one. You can either mount it through your ceiling directly into your RV, or on a separate mount on the roof and cut off the section designed to go through your roof.   Or, you can get the 21" Omni RV antenna that has an integrated spring base. Look here: 3GStore. The alternative is the longer trucker. I'd use the longer one if I wanted to mount it on the side of the rig, shorter one if ON the roof. Both are the same unit and operate the same. Neither needs a ground plane. Actually, if I was mounting on the side of the rig I'd use the Super Trucker noted above.

  • A car antenna should be magnetic mount, and attachable to the amplifier. I prefer the MaximumSignal magnetic mount antenna - it will connect directly to the Cyfre amplifier. It is available as part of the Mobile Kit, which includes the amp, an antenna and all the connectors and chargers needed. This kit is an excellent value and works great.

  • The Cyfre amplifier from Maximum Signal is my first choice for a wired amp (see the Amplifier section, below). The mobile kit supplies everything you need and will give you an excellent magnetic mount antenna for use on your "toad". If you insist on a Wilson amp, then the Wilson amplifier for Verizon and Cingular is the one on the referenced link.

  • You will need the specific adaptors that go on the end of the 6' cable that comes with the amplifier and connects that cable to your phone. They will tell you what you need when you call. Or you can find them on their adaptor area of the website.

You may need an extension for the amp or the wire from the amp to the phone. Try to avoid this if possible, since it diminishes the signal.

 

 

Antenna Mounting Methods

 

 

Cell antenna on pole.jpg (68139 bytes)We use the taller Wilson in conjunction with a painters pole that extends to 14' for temporary mounting. As you can see from the picture, the antenna is fastened to the top of the pole with wire ties. The pole is clamped to the rear awning rail and top of the ladder - this stabilizes it in even heavy wind. The top of the antenna is about 8' above the rig - this provides us good reception in most areas where the phone alone does not work. Most of the time we do not need the antenna and do not put up the pole, but in fringe areas it is quick and simple to erect. If we need even better reception we can use the amplifier, too. We have two amplifiers; the Wilson amplifier is dedicated to use with the air card, along with the shorter Wilson antenna. The Cyfre amplifier moves between the RV and truck/Jeep and is used with either the magnetic mount antenna on the Jeep, the Super Trucker antenna on the truck, or the Wilson or magnetic mount on the RV (yes, we have a lot of antennas). Using 2 antennas in this fashion means we do not have to switch the phone and the air card between the antenna/amp. Some people permanently mount the pole and antenna, and just lower the top section before traveling. If you do this, you should consider the "travel height" of the antenna to minimize tree strikes. The wire is run through the window you see in the picture. We use a 10' antenna extension cable to give us enough length to put the phone where we like it.

 

 

An alternative to using a pole to temporarily mount the antenna is to permanently mount it on the side of your batwing TV antenna. This allows for flat storage on the roof during travel, and for a high elevation when the batwing is raised. This may not meet your needs in a motorhome, since you might want to use the antenna while driving and it will not work well in the horizontal position.

 

Cell on batwing 1.jpg (18041 bytes)Cell on batwing 2.jpg (25816 bytes)Cell on batwing 3.jpg (20799 bytes)

 

George Miller came up with a nifty mounting method using an exterior door handle riveted to the mast of the batwing. Using the door handle allows the mirror mount that comes with the Wilson to be used, and offsets the antenna radials from the roof to permit flush storage. Your specific batwing may require an adaptation of this technique - but this will give you some ideas. Like the pole-mount method, you can route the antenna cable in through a window or slide for temporary use, but a permanent routing of the cable is probably more convenient with the batwing mount.

 

Raised_far_x.jpg (391115 bytes)Base_retracted_x.jpg (270285 bytes)You can also permanently mount the antenna to your ladder on a retractable pole system that you fabricate from schedule 40 PVC pipe. I usually use 1 1/4" PVC pipe for the outer "sleeve" and use 1" PVC for the inner "pole" - they fit together with a nice friction fit. The outer sleeve is attached to the ladder with stainless steel hose clamps of an appropriate size. The inner pipe is inserted into the sleeve and pinned in place through the outer sleeve with a lynch pin in 2 locations - the raised position, and the lowered travel position. The travel position retracts the antenna alongside the ladder, reducing the overall height to no higher than your air conditioner - thus avoiding most tree limbs.

 

The far picture shows the antenna in it's raised position. Depending on how long the "sleeve" is and the location of the "pin" you can generally get the antenna 4' above the roof and still be able to easily position it from the ground. The second picture shows the antenna retracted for travel. You need to ensure that the inner "pole" (the 1" PVC) is not so long that it could hit in a dip while travelling. A careful look at the picture will show the pin hole location - place it where it works for your combination of sleeve length and mounting height. You can also see the antenna wire exiting from the bottom of the inner pole. For travel, this is just loosely folded over and pushed up inside the pole - friction will keep it in place, but it is a good practice to cap the bottom of the pole with a 1" cap (drill a hole in it to drain water).

 

Closeup_base_x.jpg (242835 bytes)

Raised_x.jpg (569168 bytes)The close-up on the far left shows the antenna in the raised position, pinned with the lynch pin. You can find these pins in any hardware section - usually in the specialty hardware drawers. Note that the pin is located such that there is room to grab the inner pole that the antenna mounts to. This allows you to twist it into position and locate the brackets on the end of the pole to clear the ladder easily. If you cut the inner pole flush you will not be able to easily retract the antenna. For travel, there is another hole drilled through the inner pole higher up. The pin is pulled, the pole lowered, and re-pinned in the travel position.

 

When attaching the outer sleeve to the ladder, make sure you snug up the pipe clamps fairly firmly. Once you put some miles on the rig check them for tightness, or you may find yourself dragging the pole down the road. Generally, this is not a problem. I use clear plastic tubing cut in 1" pieces and "sliced" to wrap the ladder under the clamp. That prevents any damage to the ladder from the clamp. If you look closely you will see the plastic tubing under the clamp in the picture on the left.

 

The antenna is attached to the top of the pole with a simple bracket fabricated from 1/8"x2" flat aluminum stock. Simply bend it in a "L" shape and drill a 3/8" hole in the top L to bolt the antenna through. Use a stainless nut with lock washer, and coat the treads with red thread lock before tightening. Attach the long part of the "L" to the 1" pole with two 1 3/4" stainless bolts with nylo-lock nuts. The nuts and bolts keep the inner pole from dropping through the sleeve when retracted.

 

Your 15' extension line from inside attaches to the 12' antenna line when the external antenna is required. Routing locations for the 15' extension are installation dependent, but many people just pop it through the slide seal, or in through a window.

 

Parts list:

  • 1- 10' 1" PVC

  • 1 - 10' 1 1/4" PVC

  • Aluminum stock to make "L" bracket

  • 2 - stainless 3/8 washers, one 3/8 lock washer, one 3/8x24 nut to attach antenna to "L" bracket

  • 2 - 1  3/4" stainless bolts with nylo-lock nuts

  • 1 - 1/4"x2" lynch pin with rounded back retainer

  • 3 - stainless hose clamps (large enough to attach to ladder). You can use more, but you need at least 3.

  • 1' - clear plastic tubing (used to cushion clamp and prevent damage from ladder - cut a section out of the tubing).

  • 1 - cell phone antenna (the Super Trucker from MaximumSIgnal or the taller Wilson trucker work well, but any taller antenna will work).

 


click on pictures to enlarge

 

WilsonMirrorTextweb.jpg (61102 bytes)The picture to the left shows two antennas mounted to the side of a 5th wheel. The far one is a wifi antenna - in this case an 8dbi omni antenna mounted on a 1" PVC pole inserted into a 1 1/4" piece of PVC. For travel, the wifi antenna is removed from the outer sleeve and snapped into PVC clamps that you can see just above the window awning.

 

The right antenna is a mirror mount Wilson Trucker, permanently mounted to the left side of the RV. This keeps it relatively safe from tree limbs. There is also a spring on this Wilson (we added it) to offer further impact protection.

 

Both of these antenna leads enter the RV directly through the wall into a cabinet. The disadvantage of this mounting method is the permanent holes in the side of the rig. But in many cases this is the most logical way to get the leads inside. Particularly in the case of a slide out where the entertainment center and desk is located, this may be the only viable option.

 

Bullet Painters pole.jpg (53348 bytes)

 Bullet Painters Pole close 2.jpg (67132 bytes)

This is a Ubiquity Bullet with 8dbi omni antenna mounted to a painters pole. This makes a great temporary mount - you take it down when you travel. The Bullet makes a very good CPE. See the sections below for additional details on using this for better wifi capture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wisp top2_x.jpg (365460 bytes)Wisp pin2_x.jpg (317435 bytes)Wisp top closeup_x.jpg (35597 bytes)Wisp rig entry_x.jpg (71539 bytes)These pictures show a carrier-grade radio configured as a CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) being used to acquire RV park wifi. The antenna mast is similar in concept to the Wilson Trucker antenna mast. The major difference is that the device shown has an inbuilt directional antenna, so it has to be pointed toward the wifi signal. This means that the mast must be able to be rotated and locked into place with the pin. This is accomplished with 8 holes in the outer sleeve - you can see these in the second picture. The radio is rotated to the proper location and the pin is used to lock it in place. The Ethernet cable is plugged into an outside RJ45 jack when the radio is deployed. Inside, this is connected to a wireless router that repeats the RV park wifi signal. The CPE is a powerful device, and can transmit signal to another comparable radio up to six miles or more. In use as shown capturing RV park wifi it is easily effective at 2 miles if you have clear line-of-sight to the wifi signal.

 

 

Wired Amplifiers

 

The amplifiers covered in this section - both wired and wireless - only work with 3G devices. There are currently no amplifiers available for the new 4G networks. With Verizon, 3G is on the 800MHz and 1900MHz bands, and 4G is on the 700MHz band. This situation is sure to change in the future, so keep your eyes open for 4G amps as you move to the 4G services.

 

WilsonAmp.gif (16828 bytes)Probably the best know cellular amplifier on the market today is made by Wilson. The Wilson direct connect dual band (800 MHz and 1900MHz) cellular amplifier will boost an existing cellular signal quite a bit. Of course, you have to have a signal to start with. We have found that our wired Wilson amp will take a signal that does not even show on our phone, and increase it to 3 bars. This takes us from no service to very good service.

 

The type of amp you need depends on your phone provider and what technology they use. We use Verizon so we use the dual band CDMA amplifier. The Wilson amps come with a 12-volt car adaptor - if you want a 120-volt adaptor it is extra. They also come with a 6' extension cord that you use between your phone and the amplifier. If you want to be farther from the amp than 6' you need to purchase an extension cable with the appropriate connectors on it. You also need the appropriate adaptor for your phone, so make sure you order that with the amp. If you already use an external antenna, then that adaptor can be used - you only need one.

 

The connections go like this: from the phone an adaptor specific to your phone model connects to the 6' extension cable. The extension cable plugs into the phone side of the amp. On the antenna side of the amp you plug in your external antenna.

 

The Wilson amps put out 3 watts on the 800MHz band, and 2 watts at the 1900MHz band.

 

It is best if you use an antenna and amplifier that plug directly into your phones antenna port. If you are unfortunate enough to have a phone - like a Blackberry, for example - that does not have an external antenna port there are options. The Wilson 811210 dual band amplifier uses a little Velcro connector that you Velcro to your phone near the antenna when using the amp. Or, you can buy an add-on cable with the patch if you already have an amp - the model 301140 is shown at the left. They do work pretty well, but obviously not as well as the dedicated antenna port. The amplifier is a little cheaper, though. Maximum Signal also sells these inductive antenna pickups for their Cyfre amplifiers. All inductive pickups need to be secured right over the internal antenna in order to be effective, so you may have to experiment based on the location of your phones antenna.

  

Wilson is not the only maker of cellular amplifiers. Maximum Signal sells the high-quality Cyfre amps for a very reasonable price. They are one of the few (or only) amplifiers approved for use by the cellular carriers. They are cheaper than the Wilson, as well. Originally, we used one of these amplifiers for our cell phone, and relegated our older Wilson amplifier for the aircard. Now we use a Cyfre with the aircard and use a wireless amp with the other devices. The Cyfre is an excellent amp, runs completely cool, is cheaper than a Wilson, and is approved by the cellular providers. In combination with the Maximum Signal Trucker antenna (different than the Wilson Trucker) it makes a very good combination for pulling in maximum signal. In testing in 2009 this amplifier outperformed the Wilson slightly in my personal testing, and is the one I would choose first. It does use different connectors than the Wilson antennas, so if you want to combine it with an existing Wilson you have to get the appropriate adaptor - which is only a few dollars. The best thing to do if starting from scratch is to combine it with a Maximum Signal trucker, if side mounting. If roof mounting I'd recommend either the short Wilson RV antenna, or the magnetic mount from Maximum Signal.

 

Let me be real clear about the amplifiers. We have both a Wilson and a Cyfre, and I have tested both of them with various combinations of antennas (5 different antennas). While we have had the Wilson for many years and gotten good use from it (and still do) the Cyfre is a superior amplifier in my experience. We would buy another Cyfre if purchasing a replacement for one of our current amplifiers.

 

Note: In June 2011 I completed testing of a revised Cyfre 819 amplifier. This amp is greatly improved in performance and now completely "stomps" the Wilson in performance. You can download my test report here.

 

Wireless Amplifiers

 

Wireless amplifiers allow multiple devices (phones and aircards) to use the same amplifier without a physical connection to the amp. They all use two antennas. The "phone" antenna is inside the RV and is used to communicate with the phone(s), aircard or other cellular-capable devices (maybe your Kindle). The "tower" antenna is external to the RV and communicates to the cellular tower. The "phone" antenna has to be some distance away from the external "tower" antenna. That distance varies depending on the hardware and software used in the amp - it may be as far as 45' of separation, or as little as 12'. That may be hard to do in an RV and still be able to conveniently use your cellular devices.

 

It is tempting to use a wireless amp and eliminate the requirement for a phone antenna adaptor, and to enable use of multiple devices at the same time (2 phones, a phone and aircard, etc).  In the past my problem with this is that I could not found a wireless amp configuration that works well in an RV environment.  The other issue is that the "phone" antenna (interior antenna) typically has to be pretty close to the phone or aircard. In many instances I have tested there is no signal boost on the phone unless the phone is within 2-3' of the interior antenna.

 

In late 2010 Signal Control Technology announced availability of an FCC and Carrier approved wireless amplifier. This  is the ONLY carrier-approved wireless amplifier available. There are several versions; a home version, a mobile version (for smaller vehicles), a Large RV version and a Small RV version. These new amplifiers work for both vice and data.

 

I was involved in the engineering testing of  these amps. They are an impressive piece of technology, and I own the Large RV package. You can read the test report on the mobile unit that I provided to the manufacturer. MaximumSignal sells these units - look at the Small RV or Large RV packages. But remember, a wired unit is still going to perform better, which is why my aircard is permanently attached to a Cyfre amp and roof mount antenna. Also, these products are "Made in the USA", if that matters to you.

 

Wilson has a wireless vehicle amp available. I have tested it, and with the supplied interior antenna you must be within a couple of feet of the antenna to get any boost. Improving the antenna will improve the coverage area out to about 6-8'. If this is acceptable to you, then you might try  it out. Wilson also has a SOHO wireless kit available. I have not tested this kit, but I am told it can work in an RV, with about 4-6' of distance from the "phone" antenna being the typical available range.

 

The Cyfre wireless amplifiers that MaximumSignal sells are NOT RECOMMENDED for use with cellular data - they are intended for voice only.

 

 

 

 

Splitter/Combiner

 

Splitter_combiner.jpg (142797 bytes)If you have two phones, or a data card and phone, and want to share a single wired amplifier then you previously only had two choices; either get another amp and antenna, or use a wireless amp that supports multiple connections. Now you can also buy a splitter to allow two devices to physically connect to a single amplifier/antenna. Take a look at the Maximum Signal website for additional information on a signal splitter under $100. The 3GStore also sells these splitters.

 

The disadvantage of using a signal splitter is that it diminishes (attenuates) the signal. But if you place it before the amp then the amplifier should overcome most/all of this. The splitter shown attenuates the signal 3 db. This is an acceptable tradeoff for the function provided but only if you use it with an amplifier. Do not use a splitter without an amplifier - it attenuates the signal too much.

 

 

Internet on the Road

  • Millenicom
  • 4G Technology
  • Cellular Data Modems and Routers
  • MiFi Router
  • WiFiRanger Intelligent Router
  • WFRBoost
  • "Dream" Cellular Internet System
  • WiFi
  • Powering Your Devices
  • My Setup

 

Introduction

The purpose of this section is to provide the information necessary to make rational decisions on products, with the goal being to connect to the Internet from your RV. The idea is to make sure that all of your local devices - computers, tablets, wireless printers, TV, DVR, etc. only "know" about one network - the local one (LAN). The difference between your RV and a "home" setup is that in the RV there is the potential for multiple ways to connect the RV LAN to the Internet, based on where you are. In a home environment (meaning a "fixed" environment) only one method is typically used to connect to the Internet - often that is DSL or Cable.

Ideally, only the router "knows" about the multiple methods of connecting to the Internet. It manages all of those methods and presents a single network to your devices. That way the devices do not have to be configured multiple times as you move locations.

So, what are the methods that the router connects to the Internet with? Park wifi, cellular modem, or perhaps via conventional wired methods such as DSL or cable.

Complicating this is how you acquire signal the best in each case. For wifi, it is a remote antenna or the Bullet (CPE) solution. For aircard, it is a wired amp and remote antenna. It is really that simple....

 

Millenicom

Millenicom (www.millenicom.com) is a reseller of mobile (cellular) broadband. They sell plans on the Sprint and Verizon 3G and 4G network.  The Advanced Plan is Verizon. This gives you 20 gigabytes a month with no contract. You have to buy their aircard - you can not use your card, if you have one. The Unlimited Plan and the BYOD Plan are both Sprint, and have an effective limit of 50 gigabytes a month. On all the plans you can keep the aircard they supply when you terminate service. There are setup charges, but no termination charges.

The current plans (as of 11/2011) are offering a 3G/4G Verizon hotspot capability with a Samsung "mifi"-like device that is a combination wireless router/aircard. For early adopters you get 10 gigabytes of 4G data and an additional 10 gigabytes of 3G data for a promotional price of $70/month, with no contracts. It sounds like a great deal if you want to get on 4G cheaply....but is it?  Many people who are mobile travelers have tried this hardware and returned it. It seems to have issues transitioning between 3G/4G. Also, there is no antenna port on this - so you need to be in a good signal area. You also need to be able to live with the limitations of a mifi-like device. So evaluate this carefully before jumping on it.

Millenicom can not tell you who provides the network for the various plans - it is part of their resellers agreement. But the information above is accurate. On both the Verizon and Sprint service you get full access to the network, just like a "native" customer. There are no restrictions or throttling of data.

4G Technology

4G is the term coined by the cellular carriers to refer to the new/next generation of transmission standards for cellular voice and data. While what is currently available is not truly 4G by definition of the standards bodies, it is still marketed as 4G to represent the fact that it requires new equipment, and is significantly faster than the current 3G technology. Effective actual speeds of Verizon LTE have been seen in use up to 42 mbps. This is actual use - not theoretical. As the systems become loaded Verizon says the expected speeds will be in the 5-12 mbps area (downloads), or perhaps a little faster. Still quite fast compared to today's 3G speeds, which average in use up to 1.2 mbps or so.

Verizon and Sprint (along with its partner Clearwire) have the largest 4G networks at the moment. Verizon's service is called LTE and they started the rollout in December, 2010. It operates initially on the new 700 MHz bandwidth in many locations - but it can be on any of the Verizon bands (700, 800 and 1900 mhz). Because it may operate on a different frequency than the existing network it requires new modems (aircards), perhaps new external antennas, and new amplifiers. Sprint's service is called Mobile WiMAX and operates on the 2.5 GHz band. It also requires new equipment. While the newer services do require equipment upgrades, it is worth the trouble and expense for the greater speed and better integration of voice and data on a pure IP network. From an end-user perspective through 2011 the issue is the degree of availability of the networks. Neither network is widespread enough that most RVers will be able to take advantage of it - yet. By early to mid 2012 this should change. But if you do frequent areas where 4G is available you will want to take advantage of the speed. AT&T has an HSPA+ network that has higher speeds than their previous networks. They will move to LTE starting in mid 2011, but this will take some time. While the HSPA+ network is not bad, it is not that widely deployed. AT&T has a pretty poor data network when compared to the other providers, but if it is prevalent in your area it may be the only choice, or the best choice.

All of the vendors currently provide aircards that can handle 3G and 4G. Many no longer sell 3G-only aircards even in early 2011, and I expect that will be the trend as we go forward. The issue with the current crop of 3G/4G cards is that they are new technology, and like anything new there are some issues with them switching between 3G and 4G. These issues will be worked out as the new networks are deployed, and I don't expect this will be an issue long.

So what do you do?

If you are a current Verizon user of the 3G system Verizon has made moving to 4G attractive by pricing a 5GB/month 4G data service at $50 ($10 cheaper than your current 3G service). This can save you money if you are on a 5GB contract and not grandfathered into the unlimited plan. If you move to the 4G plan, even with an overage of 1GB for a month (total use 6GB) you would only pay your regular $60, since data overages on the 4G plan are $10/1 GB. Not a bad deal. And you can get 10 GB for $80. The Pantech 4G aircard works on the 3G system with your current antennas and amps, but if you want those same capabilities on the 4G system you need additional equipment - which is not yet available, but should be in late Q1 2011. Keep that in mind. The best Verizon modem for 4G is the Pantech LTE UML290. This has dual antenna ports - one for 3G and one for 4G.

Sprint users can get unlimited 4G for $60 a month and fall back to 5GB of 3G on that plan. So if you frequent a 4G Sprint area that is a great bargain. Most people will consume more data on 4G because of the available speeds. But if you are most often in a 3G Sprint area you get no real benefit from the 4G pricing plan, and Verizon would be a better deal. And history has shown that Verizon will roll out the network faster and more broadly than Sprint - another factor to keep in mind.

If you are new Verizon aircard user, you have no choice but to go to the 4G plan, since they no longer market the 3G data plan for aircards. However, new users who want 3G should buy the Millenicom Advanced Plan, which will give you 20 GB a month on the Verizon network with no contract. Check them out at Millenicom.com. Once the 4G networks are more prevalent you can switch over to 4G, since you are not under contract. If you live or work in a 4G area then you will probably want to go right to 4G.

The cellular companies constantly change pricing plans. Verizon recently released a new "tiered"-structure data plan that I included below. 3G modems are not shown in the chart, but are still priced at $60/5GB for current users. New users have to go to 4G. I included this only to give you an idea of the data plan structure - you need to go look at the Verizon plans directly on their site when researching your best option.

 

Cellular Data Modems and Routers

Prior to 2007 Verizon permitted use of a handset and their Mobile Office kit to connect to the Internet. If your account was enabled for National Access then you could do this free of charge (it used minutes off your plan). Since 2007 Verizon has been eliminating this undocumented feature. Now, for most people, the only alternative is to purchase some sort of data plan for use with certain tethered handsets or to purchase an aircard that acts as a dedicated cellular modem. For most fulltime RV users, the air card is the preferred option since it is more flexible than a tethered handset. Unlike the use of the Mobile Office Kit  that just used your voice plan minutes to send data for "free", an aircard requires a separate data plan.

 

So what exactly IS an aircard? In simple terms, the aircard is a dedicated device (actually a modem) that allows you to send data over the cellular network instead of voice (as with a cell phone). The cellular provider then takes this data from the cell tower and connects it to the internet, just like a home-based ISP does. At home, many people use DSL provided by their local phone companies. There is a device that the computer plugs into called a DSL modem (often combined with a wireless router). The aircard takes the place of this DSL modem. In some regards, the aircard seems very much like a wifi adaptor - it is a wireless device that allows connection to the internet. But the technology used is totally different, although the result is the same.

 

The aircard is inserted into a PC or a "cellular router" and translates the data  into the form that the cell system that you are subscribed to can understand. All of this occurs on the same cell towers that voice calls go through, although it is handled separately. Your air card has it's own "number" to identify it - although normally you do not have to know anything about this (except for on your bill).

 

There are currently only two form factors (physical configurations) of aircards used. One is a USB connection, and the other uses the Express Card format to plug into the computer or cellular router. The older PC Card format is no longer widely used, since all new computers only have USB and Express card slots in them. Most aircards are now the USB form factor - and I would not buy a card that was not.

 

As a "companion" to the aircard you can purchase a cellular router from a third-party supplier to use with your aircard - Verizon and Sprint do not sell or support conventional cellular routers, with the exception of the MiFi (or MiFi-like) devices that I cover later. The router performs the same function as a "normal" home router does, but it is a special device that "knows about" cellular modems, instead of DSL modems or cable modems.  So you can not use your current house router with an aircard - it would not know how to "talk" to it, any more than a DSL router would know how to talk to a cable TV network. Using a cellular router allows you to set up a wireless network just like with a "normal" wireless router. Instead of using DSL or a cable provider for the backhaul (the attachment to the Internet), these special cellular routers allow you to plug your aircard into them for the backhaul.  To talk to your computer, the router uses a wifi connection. You then use your computers wifi connection to access the Internet, just like with a conventional wifi network. (So, from your computer to the cellular router you use wifi; from the cellular router to the internet you use the cellular data system via the aircard.)


The advantage of using the router is multifold:

  • Multiple computers can share your aircard connection.

  • Your aircard is protected from damage, since it is not being moved around a lot.

  • It is more convenient to connect the aircard to an external antenna and/or amplifier.

  • You can hardwire a desktop into the LAN port on the router via Ethernet, if required. Or hardwire other devices like a printer or NAS (Network Attached Storage).

  • Your laptop battery will last longer than having the aircard directly connected.

  • If you have a trailer, the internet connection can be used while driving without moving the aircard to the truck. Everything stays in its place, only your computer is moved to the truck.

  • You do NOT have to load Verizon software (VZ Access Manager) on your computer. Many people (including me) have had a lot of problems with this software.

If you are thinking of an aircard instead of a satellite system, or as an alternative to just using WiFi, there are a number of things to consider:

  • Most important is the supplier. The cellular companies do not support use of cellular routers other than the mifi-like devices. It is best to use a third party supplier that can provide proper technical support. Personally, I like the 3GStore. They have proven over the years to give superb customer service/support, and their prices are VERY good.

  • Which network provider: Sprint and Verizon have the fastest networks and the most towers. Verizon may arguably have the better system, since they are rolling out the broadband faster than Sprint, but both are good. The 4G network is arguable at the beginning of 2011, but I'm betting on Verizon and recommend them. ATT does have a data system, but it does not have as much nationwide coverage. Millenicom, discussed in the 4G section, has excellent 3G plans through both Verizon and Sprint. They are probably the best option for 3G-only data. Virgin Mobile has an unlimited plan through the Sprint network that is currently $40/month, but be advised that if you exceed 5GB in a month they throttle you back to 256kbps for the rest of that billing period.

  • Does the aircard support Rev. A networks? Do not buy a card that does not. Rev A networks provide faster upload speeds. All new cards these days should support Rev A. This is no longer an issue unless you are buying a used aircard.

  • Which type of aircard: USB or Expresscard? Both work equally well, but ExpressCard modems are pretty rare these days. I recommend only USB cards. USB will work on desktops or laptops, but are more prone to connector damage. If you are not using a router then damage to the aircard is a serious consideration with USB.

  • Which technology:  3G networks are the norm at the moment - all carriers support 3G. 4G is the newer "emerging" technology that allows greater speeds. You will eventually want to go to 4G, so make sure you buy a router that will support it. You may want to put off jumping immediately to 4G, and stick with 3G for now - read the 4G section below.

  • External antenna: the chosen air card should have an external antenna port. You WILL need the external antenna in many areas. Make sure that the adaptor cable you need to connect to the antenna cable from the aircard is available. If purchasing a 4G aircard, it should have separate antenna ports for 3G and 4G, since they use different antennas (although there are some antennas that cover all the frequencies).

  • With USB modems size of the device varies. Smaller is better, especially if you use it directly in the laptop. Some USB aircards have microSD card slots in them which allow you to store data on them as well.

  • Does the card have an inbuilt antenna that can be moved around (and raised) for better reception. This can be critical for best speed but is not as important if always connected to a router and external antenna.

  • Does the card work with the router you want. Even if you don't feel you need a router right now, you ought to at least tentatively pick one out and factor that into your decision process. Not all aircards will work with all routers.

  • Cost is always an issue. Don't pay for features you do not need.

Important: This is my opinion only, take it for what it is worth. Do not shop price on a router and aircard. Shop service. Especially if you are not a networking expert. If and when something goes wrong you need someone to call. 3GStore has an excellent track record of providing outstanding service. Take my advice and buy your aircard and router from them. You are far more likely to get issues resolved with their technical support than any other way I know of.

 

 

Because we fulltime in our RV, and space is at a premium - plus I only need the wireless connectivity provided by the wifi portion of the cellular router - I initially chose a very compact router. I bought the CradlePoint  CRT350 and a USB aircard to go with it. For the aircard I chose the Verizon USB727 (made by Novatel) because of the compact form factor, the ability to use a microSD card with it, and the fact that it has a very good loop antenna should I choose to use it without the external antenna.

 

AirCard ruler.jpg (178471 bytes)The CRT350 is very small, as you can see from the pictures (click to enlarge). Some of the cons of this router are: no external wifi antenna so you can not improve the wifi coverage area with an antenna, it requires a USB aircard (no Expresscard support) and it only supports one LAN connection (for connecting via Ethernet to a desktop, for example).  These were not issues for my use at the time, but they might be for your particular situation.  Note that when connected to the router the aircard sticks out quite a bit. It is definitely subject to damage to the USB connector if knocked about. The newer alternative to this router is the CRT500. The biggest difference between them is that the 500 has an external wifi antenna for better range and supports Expresscards. Other than that they have about the same functions and form factor. The CRT500 costs a bit more, but is worth the price difference. I would choose it over the CRT350. The CTR 500 also supports 4G networks, which is a critical router feature going forward.

 

If I wanted more connectivity options (LAN and WAN) and the flexibility of an "N" wifi network plus external antennas then I would look carefully at the Cradlepoint MBR1000 router (look here for a review and specs). The disadvantage of this router (in my view) is that it is much larger, and costs considerably more. It does have external antennas to increase its range - but they are not removable. However, it has some great features if you need them. At the time I bought my original router the MBR1000 was not available. In December 2010 I did acquire an MBR1000 from the 3GStore, and it is superior in most ways to the 350. But it is BIG. Not an issue in my application, but for some it may be. The beauty of the 1000 is that it has better range, and I can easily attach more than one device to the LAN ports. It is also able to handle 4G aircards - the 350 will not handle 4G devices. In January 2011 I acquired a WiFiRanger.  There is more info on this new router below.

 

antenna_amp_usb_router.gif (34947 bytes)Along with the proper adaptor cable to hook the external antenna connector on the USB727 to my amplifier, I also purchased the optional car adaptor for the router. This allows me to hook the router to a 12-volt power source and permanently install it in my RV. In my case, it is located under the refrigerator where my cellular amplifier lives. The advantage of this is that I always have an internet connection available - even if boondocking or driving down the road. The signal from the internal wifi antenna on the CRT350 is good enough to get through the solid metal cab of my truck without a problem. The picture to the left (from the 3GStore) shows how the four pieces combine to make a complete system. Those are not the exact components I used - but you get the idea. The router hooked to the amp and external antenna maximizes my cellular data signal and allows me to keep connected longer and with faster speeds than just the internal air card antenna. This allows Danielle to use the laptop to check fuel prices, campgrounds, etc. while we are driving. Plus, it is kinda neat to see an email pop up while driving down the road ....With the new MBR1000 and WiFiRanger I set it up in a similar fashion. It is always connected to a dedicated Cyfre amp and Wilson Trucker antenna.

 

I chose the Cradlepoint router because it has the reputation for holding a stable connection and has good manufacturer support for firmware updates. Unlike the older KR1/DLink it has never reset the connection. I was concerned with the lack of an external WiFi antenna, since I wanted to be able to use my computer outside and in the truck. But the range of the Cradlepoint WiFi is more than enough for that - I'm getting at least 50-75' of very usable connection distance. After four years of use I am still totally satisfied with this configuration of equipment. I upgraded to the MBR 1000 mostly because of the "N" networking and the ability to connect more than one device to the router. The combination of equipment I chose may not meet your needs, so you need to consider the factors above when planning your purchase. Plus, like everything else electronic,  there are constantly new products available. Usually better and cheaper than the old ones. So make sure you investigate the latest equipment.

 

AirCard contents.jpg (148225 bytes)The 3GStore is a great resource for technical info, and they can help you with your decisions. They are also cheaper than Verizon, and most importantly will provide you excellent technical support after the sale. Verizon will not provide adequate technical support for an air card or router (including the MiFi which they sell).

 

It used to be that if you exceeded the 5GB of data that Verizon includes with its plan you could be cut off. Now, you simply get charged $10 for each additional GB of data. But what does 5GB mean to the "normal" user? Five gigabytes a month is 166 MB a day - every day. You would be unlikely to exceed this limit unless you were downloading/uploading very large files routinely, downloading movies, or streaming a lot of video or audio. Software updates can be large so you might consider turning off the automatic download feature and manage software downloads when you are on a wifi system, or when you know the size. The EVDOInfo website (part of the 3GStore) has a good table of what different types of online activity cost in data sizes. It should give you a good feeling about the 5 GB limit. If you are just surfing the web, doing email, updating websites and blogs, and occasionally viewing YouTube videos, then you should never exceed the 5 GB limit. If, however, you run a business online that requires large file uploads, lots of photos, or constant video streaming, then you need to investigate a little closer.

 

MiFi Wireless Router/Modem

Verizon, Sprint and AT&T all offer the MiFi for Internet access. The MiFi is a small, playing card-sized device that combines a wireless router and cellular modem (aircard) into one device. It is battery-driven, or can be plugged into AC or DC for static location use. The battery lasts about 3-4 hours, or more, depending on use. The device is small enough to slip into a shirt pocket for “walk-around” hotspot capability – or just throw it on the dash of your car. It allows any WiFi-capable device (like an iPod Touch, iPad, Android tablet, or Droid phone for example) to connect to the Internet without any cables or other modifications. In that sense it takes the place of the popular Cradlepoint cellular routers combined with an aircard. All in your pocket. The data plan pricing is the same as an aircard. However, the equipment cost is less than an aircard and router. Recently Sprint has made a 4G MiFi available - this handles 3G and 4G networks. Verizon also just announced the MiFi 4510L 4G modem.

 

 

For the travelling RVer this device at first blush seems like a great alternative to the Cradlepoint router/aircard combination. But for most RVers I do not think it is the right choice. But if my issues with it are not applicable to you it may work very well for you. Only YOU can balance the pros/cons and determine what works the best in your circumstances.

  • There is no antenna port on the older MiFi. So a wired antenna/amplifier is not able to be used. If you currently have an antenna and amp, it is useless. Alternative: you can get an amplifier with an inductance patch antenna -  these use a small patch that attaches onto the MiFi with Velcro to pick up the signal. You attach it over the antenna location on the MiFi. Look at the Wilson SignalBoost Model 811211 for an example of these. The new Verizon 4510L 4G MiFi has an external antenna adaptor that handles a combined 3G/4G antenna. So with the newer technology the lack of an antenna is no longer a barrier to use of the MiFi.
  • The MiFi does not allow a physical Ethernet connection – there are no Ethernet ports on it. Only wireless connections are supported. This is not an issue unless you have wired devices you would like to attach, or unless you would like to tether it via Ethernet. It will only tether via USB. And when tethered it only supports that one computer – WiFi is not enabled when tethered.
  • WiFi range is very limited. About 30’ at best. If this is enough then fine, however, the Cradlepoint routers have enough range for you to use them while driving down the road in your RV, or outside around your site. While the MiFi can be moved around to accommodate those needs, it is easier to set something up and leave it in place.
  • Only five simultaneous connections are available. That may be an issue for some people, what with iPod Touches, iPhones, iPads, wireless printers, wifi enabled cameras, storage (NAS backup), and other devices wanting to share the local network.
  • You are locked into one piece of hardware that performs two primary functions. There is no way to upgrade just the router or just the modem. As more advanced functions are available in either area, you will not be able to selectively upgrade. For some, that is not a consideration, but you should be aware of it.

If you have a MiFi and find that you need to boost the signal there are several options. First, you can add an external antenna and connect it to the MiFi with an inductive antenna adaptor (shown above). This works acceptably and may boost the signal enough. If you need more boost, you can combine this with an amplifier of your choice and still use the inductive connection from the amp to the MiFi. But Cyfre makes an interesting alternative if it meets your needs. It is a combination cradle/amplifier that holds the Mifi (or a phone, like a Droid X), provides an RF port for a physical antenna connection, and amplifies the signal. The MiFi or phone MUST be in the cradle for it to work. Take a look at it on the Maximumsignal website. This works well with the Cyfre 819 wired amplifier referenced above. Wilson also makes a cradle that you can find on the 3GStore website: Wilson Sleek Cell Phone Booster. If you use either cradle with a phone you either have to use the speakerphone or a headset/bluetooth adaptor for the car radio.

WiFiRanger

   

                        WiFiRanger                                         WFRBoost (Ubiquity Bullet with antenna)

Let me be perfectly clear: for most people this new router is the one you should have....read more on why I think so, below. I may seem to be pushing the WiFiRanger - but that is based on its merits, not because I have anything to do with the company (other than acting as a beta tester). There is no other product available that performs all the functions of the WFR with a simple user interface. The best place to purchase it is the 3GStore - they will provide you great customer support, should you need it.

The WifiRanger (WFR) is a wireless router. Like home routers it provides for a local network for your use, with both wired and wireless capabilities. What distinguishes it from conventional home routers is its ability to keep you connected to the Internet in a mobile environment, as well as a fixed environment like a house.

WFR Package.jpg (94334 bytes)

To the left is the packaged WiFiRanger. It comes with a power supply and a short extension cable for the USB cellular modem. Make sure you use the extension cable, or you could damage the aircard. If you order the RV version you will get a 12-volt power supply as well as the 120-volt one. If you order from the 3GStore you need to order the 12-volt power supply separately.

If you order from the WiFiRanger website they have been pre-configuring your local network for you. You supply them the SSID and the security code and the device is ready to go when you get it. This makes it very simple to set up. Basically plug it all in, insert your aircard and turn it on. It could not be simpler. If you have an open wifi network visible it will even automatically connect, straight out of the box. Once you are running you will likely want to make some configuration changes. The user interface is very simple - the entire thing is designed for networking novices. So the acronyms and "network talk" are kept to a minimum. If you are uncomfortable reading all the technical stuff here, then the WFR is your best bet. It is as simple as it can get.

 

The WiFiRanger can connect to the Internet via:

  • 3G cellular modem
  • 4G cellular modem (Verizon LTE)
  • WiFi (called WiFi for WAN)
  • Satellite
  • DSL
  • Cable modem

So what else can it do?

  • The local WLAN (wireless LAN) is an "N" network. The router supports B, G and N wireless standards on the LAN. It uses MIMO antenna technology and a radio with 19dBm of power, for better range. In difficult reception conditions the router can often connect to wifi networks that your laptop can not.
  • One USB port for your 3G or 4G cellular modem
  • There are four LAN ports for your hardwired devices
  • There is one WAN port, where you plug in your satellite, DSL, or cable modem. Or, you can also use this WAN port to extend your wifi capture via the WFRBoost.
  • You can have cellular, WiFi and a broadband modem (DSL, Cable or Satellite) all connected at the same time. You can specify the active connection path to the Internet, and the preferred order of use of the others, if your primary connection fails.
  • You can have a local wireless network that is a private LAN and another wireless network that is a public LAN. You can share the public LAN and keep it separate from your private LAN. So users on the public network can not access your computers.
  • The router saves your login credentials for secured wifi networks, or for unsecured networks requiring login (like Tengo service found in many RV parks). It can automatically log you into these when they are in range. You can specify the order of use.
  • The router automatically scans for wireless networks. It allows you to set up automatic connections based on various criteria like speed.
  • It can connect directly to 12-volt power.
  • You can "mesh" multiple WFRs together to make up an extended network. They communicate with each other to provide a seamless Internet capability.

When would I use this?

  • The WFR can replace any cellular router that handles a single cellular modem. It can not replace a multi-modem cellular router if you need that feature. Most people do not need to run multiple aircards at the same time, so the WFR effectively replaces most cellular routers.
  • If you want to extend your ability to connect to wifi networks this is the best device available. Why? Because it has an integrated ability to use wifi as your Internet connection, easy configuration, auto-failover to your cellular modem, and MOST IMPORTANT, it has the WFRBoost capability. No one else has an integrated capability to boost your wifi signal.
  • If you want a single LAN that all your devices connect to this is likely the best router for you. Mainly because it has a good wireless radio, an excellent MIMO antenna, and very good range.  Allowing all your devices to connect to just your local LAN and never having to reconfigure them as you move locations is a very convenient feature. It does not have an external wireless antenna for your local LAN, so if you need extreme range locally you need to evaluate this router carefully. But for anything within 100-200' it should suffice. If you want to extend the range of your local LAN you could mesh together two or more WiFiRanger Pro's to "fill in the holes".
  • You could use this router to simplify sharing a common Internet connection with a close neighbor via the "mesh" feature. Only one location would need an Internet connection. The second location would use the WFR to pick up the wireless signal and repeat it locally. While you can do the same thing with other technology, the WFR makes setup and management far simpler.

What competes with the WiFiRanger?

  • The Cradlepoint CTR35, MBR95, MBR1400 and other Cradlepoint routers in the new NetBSD OS family have WiFi as WAN (ability to repeat a wifi signal). But they do not have the WFRBoost feature. The Pepwave Surf OTG also has WiFi as WAN and a cellular modem capability. But it has limited router function. You can read a test report I did on the Pepwave Surf OTG here.

When would I NOT buy the WiFiRanger?

  • Frankly, there is little reason not to buy it. For most people that need a mobile router it will be a good choice. However there are some things to consider.
  • Size: it is bigger than the CTR35 or the MiFi. The MiFi can not act as a wifi repeater, but for the ultimate in mobility you can't beat the MiFi.
  • It can not perform load balancing across multiple devices like the Cradlepoint CTR500, MBR1000 or MBR1200. Most people do not need this feature. For more on load balancing see the excellent article on EVDOInfo.com (if the link is broken look at the MBR1200 router information).
  • Make sure the WFR handles your aircard. It only works with USB cards.
  • It may not handle your tethered phone. If you need to tether, make sure this will meet your needs.

There are two versions of the WiFiRanger available: the WiFiRanger and WiFiRanger Pro. The main difference in the Pro model is the ability to interface to the WFRBoost capability. But the Pro is also used for better IP management, MotoSat interface, and for meshing. I recommend the Pro because of its ability to interface to the WFRBoost - this is a capability that most RVers will want.

I STRONGLY recommend that you buy the WiFiRanger Pro from the 3GStore. The support you will receive if you do happen to have an issue is second to none, and alone is reason enough to buy from them. Look here for the WiFiRanger Pro.

If this was going to be my only mobile router I previously recommended that people wait a little to buy. I now believe that the router is stable enough for most peoples use that you can buy with a very good likelihood that you will have no major problems. The manufacturer is VERY responsive to issues and listens to their user base.

 

 

WiFiRanger Boost (WFRBoost)

   

 

The WiFiRanger has the ability to interact with a separate device called the WFRBoost (this comes in Mobile and Fixed versions). The WFRBoost is a separate carrier-grade radio with its own antenna that is able to act as a wifi repeater. It picks up the wifi signal with its powerful antenna and then sends it via an Ethernet cable up to 250' to the WiFiRanger. There it is repeated on the local WLAN for your use. This provides the ability to capture wifi from much greater distances than just using the WiFiRanger by itself. If you read the section on CPEs (Customer Premises Equipment) you will understand that the WFRBoost is a carrier-grade device configured as a CPE (in the case shown here a Ubiquity Bullet). You  can download the data sheet here.

Until now it has been very difficult to configure and manage CPEs for people not experienced with networking. The WiFiRanger integrates the configuration and management of the WFRBoost into the Control Panel with a simple web interface. It greatly simplifies dealing with a set of complex network devices and allows the average user to gain the benefit that formerly was only available to those willing to learn enough about networking to deal with setting up a separate network device.

The top set of pictures shows the roof mount version of the WRFBoost Mobile. The LED lighted version is not yet commercially available.

What you see in the picture to the left is the WiFiRanger at the bottom, the device on the left is on the roof of the RV - the mount shown is a ladder or batwing antenna mount. It has a set up U-bolts to clamp a vertical surface. The WFRPod supplies power to the rooftop unit via POE (power over Ethernet). It's power source is either 12 volt DC or 120 volt AC - it comes standard with both capabilities. With the WiFiRanger you also get a 120 volt power brick and a 5' USB cable. The entire thing - WiFiRanger Pro cellular router, the rooftop unit with its powerful (separate) radio/antenna, "clamp" mounting bracket and the power pod retails for $299.99. This is an outstanding value for what you are getting.

If you plan on capturing WiFi signals with the WiFiRanger then I strongly suggest that you want to use a WFRBoost to do so. In fact, in my opinion, every RV installation of the WiFiRanger should be using a WFRBoost Mobile, unless you do not intend to use wifi at all.

The WFRBoost overcomes ALL of the issues with wifi signal capture in RVs.

  • It is located on the roof, so it has better line-of-sight to the wifi Access Point
  • It has a very good antenna, so it performs better
  • It uses Ethernet Cat5 cable to connect to the WiFiRanger, so there is no signal attenuation like found with a remotely mounted router antenna (such as Jefa routers with an antenna extension).
  • It has a powerful radio; the standard Boost has a 100mW radio, and you can get a Boost with up to a 1000mW radio. Contrast this to the typical laptop antenna with a 10-15mW radio. This allows for longer-distance transmissions to the WiFi Access Point (AP).
  • The Boost has a very good radio receiver in it. It is far more sensitive than most consumer wifi radios, so it can operate at longer distances from the AP.

Just an example of the capabilities:

  1. Without the Boost, in one park my WiFiRanger picked up 8 SSIDs (access points). With the WFRBoost activated I could see 54  SSIDs. That is quite a difference. (There were 15 park APs. The rest were private routers in homes or other RVs.)
  2. Using the WFRBoost Mobile I logged into an RV Park wifi network 1.1 miles from my RV. I was slightly higher than the park and had clear line-of-sight to the park APs. My signal rssi was -86 dbi.
  3. Using the same equipment as the WFRBoost, I have established connections between two points 5 miles apart. You won't be able to pick up APs that far away - I just used this as an example of the power of the units. But using a WFRBoost will greatly enhance your ability to pick up wifi. And if the Access Point you want to pick up is transmitting with enough power, and the landscape allows, connecting at over two miles should not be a problem.

No other router on the market has a device like this integrated with it. This is a unique capability and it alone is reason enough  to buy a WiFiRanger Pro, in my opinion.

click to expand

Bullet2.jpg (37630 bytes)Bullet as Booster.jpg (52683 bytes)Bullet Painters Pole close.jpg (56075 bytes)Bullet Mount 1 close.jpg (50928 bytes)There are more pictures of the WFRBoost Mobile in my Picasa Album, along with an example of mounting a home-built version of the Boost on a batwing.

For the more technically inclined, the WFRBoost Mobile is a Ubiquity Bullet and the WFRBoost Fixed is a Ubiquity Picostation. The Mobile version (Bullet) is married to a short Laird omni antenna and mounted on a nice aluminum mount that can go on the top of your RV. It is shorter than a standard RV air conditioner, and is available in brushed aluminum, or black anodized aluminum. There are (optional) colored LEDs mounted behind the laser-cut logos - much like you see on the feed horn arm of the Motosat TV satellite receivers - blue LEDs are shown here. A very sexy mount - pictured in brushed aluminum, at the start of this section.

Shown in the picture series above on the far left is a Bullet, and a Bullet with an 8dbi omni antenna mounted to it. The second picture is my "homebuilt" WFRBoost that was used for testing the Boost feature (firmware), temporarily mounted to the ladder of my RV. The production model will  mount the Bullet as shown in the opening photos in this section. The third picture shows a Bullet mounted to a painters pole. This is a temporary mount - strap it to the ladder once it is raised. The fourth picture shows a Bullet held in a commercial mount intended for mounting Deliberant Access Points. This mount can hold things in any position.

You can use the Nanostation in place of the WFRBoost if you want a directional capability. In fact, you can use any AirOS device that can be placed in Station mode (don't worry if you don't understand this - it's for the "techies"). You can also use a Bullet with your antenna of choice (directional or omni). You do not have to buy the hardware packaged by the WiFiRanger factory - although that is what I would recommend, since the packaged solution they supply is superior to what you can otherwise obtain.

Some people have been using Deliberant hardware as wifi capture devices - including myself, for many years. These will not work as a WFRBoost. I've been considering developing the software required to utilize the Deliberant products with the WFR, but the Bullet is really an ideal CPE in this context, so it 's unlikely I'll spend the time to enable the Deliberants. I've been using Bullets exclusively in recent years for CPEs.

If you would like to build your own WFRBoost take a look at Building Your Own CPE. I recommend that you buy the commercial version, though.

 

 

Dream Cellular Internet System

 

If I could start over again and money was no object then this is what I would buy. Make sure you check these items out for yourself - things change rapidly in electronics and this may not be current info, or it may not be applicable to your needs. Be especially careful to understand the router and its features/limitations as they apply to you.

  • Provider: Verizon. I'm grandfathered into the old unlimited plan. If starting service now, I would go with Millenicom for 3G data service (they do offer 4G with a Samsung "mifi" device - but that device has issues) and buy their "Advanced Plan" which gives you 20 gigabytes of data a month and places you on the Verizon network. There is no contract commitment with Millenicom - you can cancel at any time. I'll move to 4G when it becomes more widely available and will almost certainly stay with the Verizon network.

  • Aircard: USB 760 from Verizon for 3G service. By the end of 2011 I would probably go with the Pantech LTE UML290 4G modem (or its replacement). This does 3G and 4G and has antenna ports for both.

  • Cellular Router: WiFiRanger (WFR). This handles 3G and 4G networks. If I did not want the WiFi as WAN capability, then the Cradlepoint MBR1000 from 3GStore (note, my choice used to be the MBR900, but there have been a high number of failures of the 900 recently). This has available firmware to handle 4G.

  • Amplifiers: two amplifiers - one dedicated to data and the other to all other functions. The data amp would be a Cyfre wired amp with its own antenna. The second amp would cover all other devices - voice, tablets, eReaders, etc. It would be an SCT wireless "Large RV" amplifier from Maximumsignal.net. As of this writing, there are no amps available for the Verizon 700mhz frequency that is used for 4G - but that should change shortly.

  • Antennas: It depends on the mounting location, see discussion above. For permanent mount on RV roof, the Wilson RV (with adaptor to mate to Cyfre amp). For side mount or temporary mount, the Maximum Signal Super Trucker. For use on a car the Maximum Signal magnetic mount. For 4G (Verizon 700 mhz) many of the available antennas cover this frequency, but you have to check the specifications carefully. The SCT wireless amp kit comes with two very good antennas.

 

WiFi

First, it is helpful to understand a little about how wifi works, some of the jargon, and the technical limitations of the technology. Wifi is a two-way radio system that operates on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. For our purposes, we will assume that we are dealing with 2.4 GHz radios, since that is what is commonly used by a consumer device. Like any radio system, it takes “two to tango” – the wifi radio in your laptop, smartphone, tablet or other device has to “talk to” the Access Point (AP) set up by the provider of the wifi system. This AP (Access Point) is the radio that eventually connects you back to the Internet. If this provider is an outside company selling/providing the service they are generically referred to as the WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider). Examples of a WISP might be Tengo (a popular RV park wireless provider), a city-wide wifi system, or a provider of wifi to a hotel complex. When WISP’s set up wireless networks in geographically distributed areas there are often “dead spots” in radio coverage. These areas may have signal available, but to most wifi devices the signal is not strong enough to effectively use. In many cases a CPE device (Customer Premises Equipment) is used by the WISP to pull the signal in rather than put in more APs. This is cheaper for the operator and more effective for the end user in most cases. More about these CPEs later.

Before you can connect to any wifi network you have to discover the network. One of the best tools for seeing what wifi networks are available around you is inSSIDer, which is free wifi scanning software. It will tell you lots of things about the network that many of the tools that are included with your computer will not.

OK, enough of the acronyms. Now that we have a little background info, let’s look at what affects your wifi experience. Since we are dealing with radios, the obvious things are power, and blocking the line-of-sight to the AP. Radio waves at the 2.4 GHz frequency are pretty easily blocked by dense objects like cement walls, anything with water in them, and metal. The typical RV park is a pretty hostile environment: you have an RV with (perhaps) metal sides next to you that blocks your line-of-sight (LOS) to the AP, and you are in trees. The trees have water in the leaves/needles/branches, which is very bad for signal propagation.  In addition, you are using a laptop or other device with a weak radio in it, and you are often pretty far (in relative terms) from the AP. Providing wifi in a typical RV park is a very challenging technical problem from both from the providers view, and the consumers view – which is why so many people experience issues with it.

In summary, the issues with wifi are typically (in order):

  • Weak radio in laptop

  • Poor antenna in laptop

  • Line of sight to the AP is compromised (this covers issues with trees, hills, buildings, RVs blocking the signal and height of YOUR antenna)

A Better WiFi Adaptor

The typical laptop or consumer wifi-enabled device has a radio in it with 10-15mW (milliwatts) of power (or less).  And the antenna is built into the device, which is not the optimal situation. The simplest and cheapest way to improve wifi performance is to replace this radio and antenna set with an improved wifi adaptor with an external antenna - these connect to the computer through a USB cable. This new adaptor should have more power output, and a higher performing antenna on it – it might even have a directional antenna (like a panel) that you have to point at the signal source (the AP). Simply turn off the in-built wifi adaptor, and follow the instructions for installing and using the new one. It is pretty simple – everyone should be able to do this. Look for an adaptor with at least 200mW of power, a removable antenna and the ability to plug in a longer USB cable. Plugging in a longer cable (up to a 16’ passive cable) allows you to position the new adaptor in the best location for reception – like maybe high in a window of your RV. Note that you are now “tethered” to the device – you have a cord coming from the laptop to the device, so it somewhat limits mobility.  And you have only improved that one laptops connection.

The picture shows an Alpha adaptor (Alfa AWUS036NH), but there are other good adaptors on the market. Often these come with a more powerful antenna - as pictured there is a 9dbi magnetic mount antenna included with the adaptor, as well as the inbuilt one (which is removable). This particular Alpha has a 2000mW radio - although testing shows it does not perform at that level, it is still a very powerful radio. The online price is usually around $40. There is a similar 1000mW version of the Alpha that is usually cheaper, and adequate for this application. Popular manufacturers of these high-power external adaptors are Alpha, Orinoco, RealTek, and Hawking.  Meritline.com usually has high-powered adaptors for reasonable prices.

Typically, these better adaptors are used with a longer USB cable to position them on the side of the RV where the AP is. Often they are mounted to a window - either with included suction cup mounts, or with Velcro. You can get a "passive" USB cable up to 16'. If you need a USB cable over 16’ look at some of the “active” cables like this one that allows for 10 meters between your laptop and the adaptor. Just make sure anything you buy in an extension cable has the correct ends on it. Why would you need such a long cable? Remember that line-of-sight to the Access Point is critical for best reception, and having the long cable allows you the option of better positioning the adapter. These adapters are not waterproof, but they can be put into glad storage containers (or Rubbermaid containers) and positioned on the roof of the RV if required. They can even be elevated on painters poles like shown for the Wilson cellular antenna in the Antenna section earlier on this page. You just need to make sure you weatherproof them.

A simple USB adaptor is typically an under $50 solution, but it is for a single device. What if you want to be able to support multiple devices at the same time? Well, you could deploy multiple USB adaptors if you are just dealing with laptops – but these don’t work for many other wifi-enabled devices. Usually, with multiple devices you want a local area network (LAN) that all your devices connect to, and then that connects to the Internet through an aircard or wifi. This allows all your devices to just know about your private network and you don’t have to keep changing things around on individual devices when you find another wifi network to access the Internet.  But now you “get to” manage a network of your own. This can keep you up at night when things go wrong.

Improved Radio with Local LAN

While an external USB adaptor can greatly improve your wifi experience, it only works for the single computer that it is attached to. It will not help you with your other devices. For that you need to supply your own local network that all of your devices can connect to. The wifi network you connect through will supply the Internet service for your local LAN, and you will then redistribute this on your local wireless/wired network for your other devices. This is the same as using a cable modem or DSL modem to supply your Internet "backhaul" and then redistributing it. The difference is that you are using the RV Park or other providers wifi signal for the connection to the Internet, instead of a "hard wired" backhaul like DSL or cable. Some manufacturers of devices are calling this ability to use wifi as the backhaul WiFi as WAN. This expression comes from using the wifi connection as the  Wide Area Network (WAN) - in this context WAN simply means the source of the Internet connection. For a cellular router you could as easily say "cellular as WAN".

The easiest way for a novice to have a local wireless network and connect to wifi as the backhaul to the Internet is probably with the PepWave Surf Mini, which has a 200mW transmitter in it (there is also a 400mW version). The PepWave combines the ability to hook into RV Park wifi, and simultaneously support a personal wireless LAN  just for your use. It is relatively easy to configure and manage, but you do have to understand a little about networking. It is available through many sources, but because a networking novice may run into issues I recommend that you purchase it through the 3GStore; if you run into issues you will have help a phone call away. If you buy it off of EBay who are you going to call when you have a configuration issue?

The PepWave can also be connected to the WAN port of a router - either a cellular router or a conventional router like a Linksys. Properly configured, this allows the PepWave to essentially operate as the WiFi as WAN for any router. Another reason to buy from the 3GStore is that they provide configuration details on how this is done, and if you mess it up you can call them.

There is now a newer version of the Pepwave Surf called an OTG (On The Go). This integrates a cellular modem capability into the existing Pepwave Surf functions. You can read a test report on this latest Surf product here.

The PepWave is nice, but it has limitations. First, it is an indoor device – it is not weatherproof so you cannot put it on the roof of the RV (although some have done so in a weatherproof enclosure). Second, although it has an external antenna with an RP-SMA male connector it can be complicated to extend this antenna to the roof, where it would get best reception. Third, if you need more than one Ethernet port you will have to add a switch to it, or connect it as a WiFi as WAN device to something like a Cradlepoint 1000 that has LAN ports. Normally, I recommend that the PepWave be high up on a window on the side of the RV that faces the AP.  It comes with suction cups to mount it this way. If you can get any sign of the wifi signal on your laptop without the PepWave, then the PepWave will be a good solution for you – use inSSIDer for discovering the signal strength of the networks in the area.

The WiFiRanger is a device that operates much like the PepWave, but also handles cellular modems as a source of Internet, as well as wifi. What differentiates the WFR (WiFiRanger) from the PepWave, besides the fact it can utilize a cellular modem, is its four LAN ports. It is also a general-purpose router, not just a specific-function device like the PepWave. It is much more flexible, and it has a pretty easy user interface for configuration and management. The WFR will also handle interfacing to a remote CPE (customer Premises Equipment) on the roof of your RV or residence. This solves one of the issues with wifi-capture that the other devices do not; that of having clear line of sight to the AP.

The WFR provides the most flexibility and greatest feature set of the products available on the market today. It can support 3G and 4G cellular modems, satellite, DSL, Cable and WiFi as WAN sources. It can then repeat those signals wirelessly on its N wireless network (it also supports G devices). It has four LAN ports for your wired network devices like printers, TV, or Network Attached Storage (NAS). It will automatically "failover" between WAN sources - in other words if you are connected via wifi and that network goes down, it will automatically connect you to the cellular network (or any other network you have available). For improved wifi capture it can use Ubiquity products in its "WFRBoost" mode. This is fully integrated with the Control Panel, so you do not have to manually mange multiple devices. All of these capabilities have been present in the past - just not in a single device with a simple user interface. The WiFiRanger is discussed in detail in its own section.

Another product that does a similar thing is the Cradlepoint CTR35 wireless N router. The CTR35 supports “wifi as WAN” just like the WFR, as well as data sources from cellular, cable, and DSL modems – just like the WFR. It retails for slightly under the price of the WFR. I have not yet tested the CTR35, but Cradlepoint certainly has a good track record in bringing cellular routers to the market. Also available from Cradlepoint are the MBR95, MBR1400 and the CBR400 - these also handle WiFi as WAN (most of the newer versions of the Cradlepoint routers will likely feature WiFi as WAN). None of the Cradlepoint routers support an integrated connection with a remote CPE (WiFiBoost), like the WFR will.

There are other solutions that combine portions of what we have discussed to solve wifi connection issues. To round out a sampling of them take a look at the following: Jefa Tech, RadioLabs. If you look carefully at the solutions you see advertised you will notice that the products solve one or more of the following issues, in order of sophistication and cost:

  • Power – most have advanced higher-powered transmitters in them.
  • Antenna – either a better antenna, or an antenna that can be remotely mounted for better line of sight (LOS) to the AP
  • Multiple users – a local WLAN (wireless LAN) so that you can connect multiple devices to the same Internet connection
  • Multiple Internet (backhaul) sources – the ability to handle wifi, cellular modems, DSL, cable modems, etc. Sometimes all in one device.

So what device or combination of devices “does it all”? That would be a router that handled multiple Internet sources and had good local connectivity (your local LAN) in combination with a remote (rooftop) CPE for the best wifi capture. Today, the only device that does that is the WiFiRanger.

 

Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)

CPE is a general term used to refer to devices that contain a radio set and antenna and are used to pick up the wifi signal (or other type of signal) and then provide it to your  LAN or computer. They may be specialty devices, intended to only be used to bridge between the broadcast network and your private LAN, or they may be a generalized carrier-grade radio that can function in multiple fashions – as a bridge, a router, an AP, etc. A CPE has a higher powered radio than that available in your laptop, a better antenna, and it is mounted outside with clear line of sight (LOS) to the AP (Access Point). Thus it solves the biggest issues with wifi reception (LOS, power, antenna quality). The CPE is directly wired to your router or your computer with Ethernet cable – which is a digital signal that can be sent around 300’ without degradation. This overcomes the typical issue with extending an antenna from your wifi adaptor; an antenna connection is analog and the signal degrades rapidly when sent over a long antenna cable.

Wisp top2_x.jpg (365460 bytes)Shown to the left is a Deliberant radio deployed as a CPE. This particular model has a 14dbi panel antenna built into it, and 500mW of power. It is capable of connections in excess of five miles when connecting to another radio of the same type in point-to-point or AP mode, and capable of connecting to wifi networks at a mile or more when used as a client bridge (CPE). Of course, that is under nearly ideal conditions. While use of this carrier-class equipment provides for a very good signal capture, it also adds a great deal of complexity to the solution. This is why most people do not deploy it. It requires the end user to understand the device, how to configure it, how to design the network, how to install and (perhaps) build Ethernet lines, and how to successfully interface the CPE to the local LAN. Because these CPEs have typically been sold to professional installers, there are few instructions with them – they are simply not aimed at the consumer market.  The WFRBoost available with the WiFiRanger is an example of a CPE - it is the first CPE packaged with a consumer product, and with configuration integrated with the wireless router. Because the WFBoost has integrated configuration and management with the WiFiRanger software, it is the first easy to use CPE in the consumer marketplace.

Bullet thru roof outside 2.jpg (86259 bytes)Bullet thru roof inside.jpg (63537 bytes)You can also mount a CPE on the roof of a truck or other vehicle. On the left you can see a small outside omni antenna (black)  just behind the roof rack, with a Ubiquity Bullet connected to it thru the roof. Of course, you need the inside space to mount the radio if you do it this way. In this case you can connect the CPE to a wireless router like the WiFiRanger and repeat the signal, or you could just hardwire it to the Ethernet port of a laptop or a miniature desktop computer dedicated to servicing the vehicle. It would allow easy capture of signals at hotels, shopping malls, fast food restaurants, libraries, etc. If you are looking for a mini desktop for vehicle use take a look at the Asus Eee Box series.

There are many commercial radios on the market that are used to deploy wifi networks. Almost all of them can be used as CPEs with proper configuration. My preferred CPEs are from Ubiquity and Deliberant. Both companies make highly configurable devices that are priced right and are very reliable. Over the years I’ve used many of their products to deploy both wifi networks, and as CPEs.

Bullet as Booster.jpg (52683 bytes)My favorite CPEs at the moment are the Ubiquity Bullet or Nanostation. The Bullet is easily combined with an omni antenna (shown on the left, temporarily mounted to the ladder), and the Nanostation has an in-built directional antenna, so you have two methods of signal capture. When using a directional antenna you have to carefully consider the mounting method, and your willingness to aim the device before use. Directional antennas provide for better signal capture over longer distances, and in more difficult circumstances – but the downside is determining where the wifi signal originates, and then aiming the CPE. Typically, directional antennas are best used in fixed locations that are permanent, while omni antennas provide for a good method of signal capture on mobile vehicles like an RV. Some people do mount directional antennas on RVs, but typically this is not necessary for RV Park, or close-in signal capture. An 8dbi omni antenna, combined with a Ubiquity Bullet, will pull in wifi signal from 800-3000’ pretty readily. Of course it does somewhat depend on the quality of the signal from the AP.

You can set up a CPE to capture and feed wifi signal to any router. You do not need special routers like the WiFiRanger. However, if you go that route, you will be responsible for configuring and managing the CPE as well as the router for your local LAN. It requires an understanding of IP addressing and some of the details of network setup. In the WiFiRanger these details are handled by the firmware in the Ranger - you never have to directly access the CPE device itself.

You can download my DIY Guide to Building Your Own CPE by clicking the link. You can save this file as a PDF for offline reference. It will get you started.

If you would like to "play around with" a CPE and interface it to your existing Cradlepoint (or other) router, and feel you have the time and skills to do so, then I would recommend you use a Ubiquity Bullet as your CPE. This is relatively low cost (around $50 with the Ethernet injector), has a nice small form factor to work with, and allows for a choice of antennas. I would recommend a short 8dbi omni antenna which you can find for around $30 if you look carefully online. You can mount it to your ladder, like I show in the picture, or you can look at the Antenna section here, and utilize a mount attached to the batwing TV lift. The Bullet is 100mW and generally priced at $39, Bullet2 is 400mW, the Bullet M (newest model, part of the AirMax family) is 600 mW and  the Bullet2HP is 1000mW (around $80). These require the POE15 HD27012 Power Over Ethernet injector (15 volt) and can take up to a 24-volt POE for longer distances. For use with an RV I'd recommend the Bullet (100 mW) or the Bullet2HP; the M models are not needed in this application. The Bullets can run off of 9-24 volt power, depending on the distance of the cat5 cable. For RV use with runs around 60' you can usually eliminate the 120-volt transformer and directly connect the injector to 12-volt battery power. However, you have to maintain polarity. If you don't know what you are doing, don't do this.

Here is how to configure it, for those interested - this should work for any AirOS device:

To set up an AirOS device as a CPE (client bridge) you can use this document from the Ubiquity website. If that link no longer works, you can download it from here.

To set up a bridge between two locations (like to share an Internet connection between two houses) read this wiki on the Ubiquity website.

WARNING:

When configuring or setting up these devices you will be using a "Power over Ethernet" power injector. This supplies power to the device over the Ethernet line. Four of the eight lines inside the Cat5 cable are used for power, and four are used for data between the CPE and your router or computer (when directly connecting to it for configuration). MAKE SURE that you plug your computer or router into the LAN side of the injector - sometimes labeled "Data". If you mistakenly plug it into the "Power" or "POE" connector directly it very likely will burn up your Ethernet port on your computer. The POE line goes to the CPE, NOT to your computer or router.

Powering Your Devices

 

Amplifiers and routers require an outside power source. Both can run on either 12-volt or 120-volt. When installing your system you really should set it up for 12-volt use. This will allow you to use everything when boondocking or when driving down the road. In particular, the router needs to be on when driving if you want Internet access. It is useful to get emails, and to search for points of interest or look at live weather radar while travelling. You will have the technology - why not use it. If you set up everything for 12 volts then there will be no shuffling of cables on travel day, or when boondocking.

 

You may have to order a 12-volt adaptor for the router. Most of the amplifiers come with the 12-volt hookup. You may also have to locate the devices near an existing 12-volt plug, or wire in a new 12-volt service to supply them in your chosen location. This is generally possible to do without too much trouble. Just make sure you use heavy enough wire if you have to add a new 12-volt outlet. There are voltage drop tables in the Solar sections of this website.

 

You don't have to worry about the antenna - they are passive devices. They need no power.

 

My Setup

 

I currently use the following:

  • My local LAN is driven by a WiFiRanger. On that LAN are a wireless multifunction printer, three full-size laptops (15" and two 17"), and a Eee Netbook. For storage there is a four terabyte NAS (Network Attached Storage with 2x2 mirrored drives). The DTV satellite receiver and TV are also on the LAN and are hardwired through a switch in the entertainment center.

  • In addition to the WiFiRanger I also have a Cradlepoint 1000 permanently mounted in my communications center next to the WFR. That is my "standby" router, and is what I used prior to the WiFiRanger. If something happens to the WFR then it is a simple matter to move a few lines to the Cradlepoint: one USB line for the aircard, and three Ethernet lines (one for the CPE, one for the NAS, and one for a switch that feeds the TV and DTV receiver at the entertainment center).

  • DroidX smartphone. This can connect through my local LAN as well as the cellular network. Everything I do is Google based to the extent possible, so it is totally integrated between the smartphone and the computers.

  • I have a hand-built WFRBoost (CPE) on the roof of the RV attached via Ethernet to the WiFiRanger. I built this from on-hand components. This will shortly be replaced with the commercial version of the Boost. Prior to my using the WiFiRanger I used this CPE directly connected to the Cradlepoint 1000. Since I have various radios available to me my CPE varies with what I have on hand, but has been a Bullet for some time. For a directional CPE I use a Nanostation (NS2) when I need it.

  • I use a USB 727 aircard on the Verizon network. This is plugged into the WiFiRanger's USB port via a USB cable. The aircard is connected to a Cyfre wired amp and the antenna is a Wilson RV.

  • For the rest of the cellular devices (phones) I use a wireless SCT Large RV amplifier. This allows the cell phones better reception.

 

Satellite Systems

Originally, I intended to discuss use of satellite systems for Internet access here. Now that the cellular based systems meet most peoples needs I've decided not to have a Satellite section. A good resource for satellite system discussions is Mark and Dale Bruss's website. If you decide you are interested in satellite system or just need to bounce ideas off of someone that is an expert, the VERY BEST resource for a mobile system is Bill Adams, Internet Anywhere. He provides the best installation, and the best product support in the mobile industry. I would not buy from anyone else if I was buying a sat system.