Anyone have "RV Link" WiFi router in your Rig? (and related questions.)

[Flyinbowtie]

Our new 5er came with an "RV LInk" system in it. I have learned that this is essential a WiFi hot spot, with the antenna up on the roof hidden in the TV antenna.
Magnadyne, the company who builds it, pushes you to getting a ATT wireless sim card, but I have read that sim cards from other providers will work. We have had Verizon since it was Pac Tell Cellular, and want to stick with them.
Anyone here have any experience with this system, and have anything to share?
We are thinking of how we could use it to make it worth the adding to the monthly nut Verizon gets, and wife likes the idea of having a Ring Camera on board to watch her little dog while we are out riding. I like the idea of adding a couple of leak detectors and connecting the solar system we are building so I can monitor it wireless beyond Bluetooth range.
I still gotta figure out how to convert the Bluetooth signal from the solar stuff to WiFi, or if this is even possible.
Old dog trying to learn new tricks here.

 

[rivermobster]

I sent this thread to someone I know...

 

[Paul Angerami]

If that's the wine guard RV Link system then they are kind of a pain to use and for some reason use a lot of bandwidth. In my professional opinion, what I would recommend is getting a mofi router and T-Mobile tablet plan for 20 bucks a month. I use and sell them. Works great and glamus and I've driven all the way to Idaho and back with it. You can call me and I would give you some good info

 

[sandshark1]

Depends on where you camp. In crowded areas like Glamis on a holiday weekend it is just about useless. Although AT&T seems to have better services in remote places.

People I camp with had the wifi hotspots and they all went to Starlink. Starlink works flawlessly out in the desert or remote areas.

 

[mjc]

I went with a Starlink dish. Take it off my house when I go and get everything I do at home with it.

 

[Sportin' Wood]

We have one. Pepwave. MobleMustHave.com is where we bought it three years ago. Still in use, but I would go to StarLink today. We also have a WeBoost with an extended antenna and an external antenna for the Pepwave. Cellular saturation is our biggest challenge. When a lot of people are using bandwidth on the cell towers we have issues. Connection is not the issue, bandwidth. We have SIM cards for AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. We have never used the T-Mobile.

I like that I have internet almost anywhere and often when others don't, but StarLink blows this system away I hear and the cost is about the same, maybe less with StarLink.

 

[rivermobster]

If that's the wine guard RV Link system then they are kind of a pain to use and for some reason use a lot of bandwidth. In my professional opinion, what I would recommend is getting a mofi router and T-Mobile tablet plan for 20 bucks a month. I use and sell them. Works great and glamus and I've driven all the way to Idaho and back with it. You can call me and I would give you some good info

Since Paul forgot to post his phone number...

Account Suspended

 

[Riverbound]

i have one on mine. waste of time and money. starlink for the win.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I just use my VZN Hotspot....grandfathered in with a corporate acct with true unlimited data I will never change...lol It works really well in probably 90% of the areas I travel to all over the USA.

I just checked....this current billing I am at 18.2TB (16.9TB on the hotspot)....no additional charges for me

 

[Flyinbowtie]

I appreciate all the input. I dunno what we are going to do just yet. I am finding that this gizmo it came with isn't anything to get too excited abut.
It appears that Starlink cancelled their split style plans were you could use it at home and then load up to go RVing. Now they have a separate RV/Boat plan. We have pretty good wireless internet out here in the dingweeds and do NOT have a good view of the north for starlink.
I may load their test app when I get a minute and see whats what.

DILLIGAF I wish I had that hotspot of yours LOL.

 

[outboard_256]

I have a versizon hotspot with a hard wired antenna in the trailer. I also use the hotspot while driving. Can the starlink do that? Is it hard to setup for use when driving. So far the hostpot has been working for me. Only one or two places I couldn't get good reception. Events like KOH it doesn't work.

 

[DarkJuJu]

I have a versizon hotspot with a hard wired antenna in the trailer. I also use the hotspot while driving. Can the starlink do that? Is it hard to setup for use when driving. So far the hostpot has been working for me. Only one or two places I couldn't get good reception. Events like KOH it doesn't work.

Yep

Starlink Business | Land Mobility

Reliable high-speed internet for businesses in-motion, starting at $65/mo. Flat High Performance Kit now available for $1,499. $2,499 Connect with our team or view our buyer's guide.

www.starlink.com

 

[outboard_256]

Yep

Starlink Business | Land Mobility

Reliable high-speed internet for businesses in-motion, starting at $65/mo. Flat High Performance Kit now available for $1,499. $2,499 Connect with our team or view our buyer's guide.

www.starlink.com

Dam, still too expensive for me. $600 for equipment and $150 a month.

I paid $400 for my hotspot and pay $30 a month for service. I don't have unlimited but I have enough data for 2 camping trips a month.

 

[Lunatic Fringe]

I just use my VZN Hotspot....grandfathered in with a corporate acct with true unlimited data I will never change...lol It works really well in probably 90% of the areas I travel to all over the USA.

I just checked....this current billing I am at 18.2TB (16.9TB on the hotspot)....no additional charges for me

At some point you'll wear out or they'll ask you to stop streaming so much midget porn.

18.2 TB means you hardly come up for air

 

[Lunatic Fringe]

I bought a Starlink set up for our trip to Sturgis.
$600 for the hardware and $120 per month when activated.
The nice part about the mobil version is it's month to month and can be paused.
The connection was super strong.

 

[DILLIGAF]

I appreciate all the input. I dunno what we are going to do just yet. I am finding that this gizmo it came with isn't anything to get too excited abut.
It appears that Starlink cancelled their split style plans were you could use it at home and then load up to go RVing. Now they have a separate RV/Boat plan. We have pretty good wireless internet out here in the dingweeds and do NOT have a good view of the north for starlink.
I may load their test app when I get a minute and see whats what.

DILLIGAF I wish I had that hotspot of yours LOL.

Thats why I will never change one thing on the plan. Once I make a change the unlimited goes away.

 

[paradise]

I just use my VZN Hotspot....grandfathered in with a corporate acct with true unlimited data I will never change...lol It works really well in probably 90% of the areas I travel to all over the USA.

I just checked....this current billing I am at 18.2TB (16.9TB on the hotspot)....no additional charges for me

Can you post the usage cropped away from any of your sensitive data? 16TB would be 50 Mbps 24/7 for 30 days straight. A 4k streaming movie uses about 20Mbps so you would need to be streaming multiple movies or downloading huge files literally all day long. Unless you’re doing something specifically bandwidth intensive that you know about you should look into that.

 

[DILLIGAF]

Can you post the usage cropped away from any of your sensitive data? 16TB would be 50 Mbps 24/7 for 30 days straight. A 4k streaming movie uses about 20Mbps so you would need to be streaming multiple movies or downloading huge files literally all day long. Unless you’re doing something specifically bandwidth intensive that you know about you should look into that.

I have a lot of background stuff running. Cameras, streaming svcs, wifi calling, lots of apps, TV, email, stocks, safari, news feeds, music, etc. Its been consistent over the last 3 years or so as I went totally remote. As far as I know there is nobody else logging in to my hotspot. I travel all over and have never seen anybody logged into it.

Are you thinking someone is using my hotspot without my knowledge?

 

[paradise]

I have a lot of background stuff running. Cameras, streaming svcs, wifi calling, lots of apps, TV, email, stocks, safari, news feeds, music, etc. Its been consistent over the last 3 years or so as I went totally remote. As far as I know there is nobody else logging in to my hotspot. I travel all over and have never seen anybody logged into it.

Are you thinking someone is using my hotspot without my knowledge?

If you’re saying the 17TB is total usage that makes sense over 3 years. I thought you were saying 17TB in a month

 

[DILLIGAF]

If you’re saying the 17TB is total usage that makes sense over 3 years. I thought you were saying 17TB in a month

What I posted is my current month via my hotspot. Thats a pretty good average over the past 3 years. I know its a lot and like I said.....never going to change my plan.....lol

 

[paradise]

What I posted is my current month via my hotspot. Thats a pretty good average over the past 3 years.

There’s no way you should be using that much data monthly. I mean it’s unlimited so it isn’t like it’s a cost issue but that seems very strange to me. May be worth a look

 

[DILLIGAF]

I have another phone on the plan and they also use as much as me monthly. It is their internet access as well. They are in a different state from me

 

[DILLIGAF]

There’s no way you should be using that much data monthly. I mean it’s unlimited so it isn’t like it’s a cost issue but that seems very strange to me. May be worth a look

A look at what?

 

[paradise]

A look at what?

Your usage. You can post what you’re actually looking at or you could call and speak to one of their people and see if that is really the usage they're seeing. I’ve seen usage misrepresented on bills and it may just be your plan causes it to show up funky.

Or log into your hotspot and see if it has usage history.

That seems like an excessive amount of monthly usage and I’d want to know what’s causing it. Whether that be one of my devices that is misconfigured and using a shit ton of data or an unrecognized device you can block. Or the most likely and best case is it’s just erroneous data.

 

[DILLIGAF]

Your usage. You can post what you’re actually looking at or you could call and speak to one of their people and see if that is really the usage they're seeing. I’ve seen usage misrepresented on bills and it may just be your plan causes it to show up funky.

Or log into your hotspot and see if it has usage history.

That seems like an excessive amount of monthly usage and I’d want to know what’s causing it. Whether that be one of my devices that is misconfigured and using a shit ton of data or an unrecognized device you can block. Or the most likely and best case is it’s just erroneous data.

My guess is VZN errors if incorrect.....Of course the other phone is up in the same range of data usage. I will poke around a bit but honestly not too worried about it. I do not believe there is any data breach on my phone.

I do look at the usage on the hotspot. Lots of different things using the hot spot but I am not sure what they are individually. One entry is Other devices at 15.4 TB but I have not found any other devices "logged on" to the hotspot.

I will call VZN and ask them for some help to ID the "other devices" I know a few years back when I talked to them they were shocked at my data usage....lol

Will post up here if I find out something interesting.

Thanks for the suggestions.....I know you do video apps-installs. My company of 30 years did a lot of that plus security cameras, wireless infrastructure, phone systems, data centers, etc but on the hardware side primarily for corporate accounts. Mostly the bandwidth requirements were handled by their own internal PM in charge of that particular project..