How Can RVers Connect to the Internet: an Article by Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Introduction: I was surfing the internet on my aircard this weekend from my parents RV. We were in a campground that didn't offer wifi, so using the aircard from the RV was the best option. I started thinking about how handy aircards must be for people in the RV lifestyle.

I started searching a little on the web and found many articles about using aircards while on the road in a camper or RV, but this one by Ms. Bruzenak stood out and luckily I was allowed to reprint it. So, here it goes. This is the only article on Aircard Information that I haven't written, but it has a lot of good info. Check it out. Also, recently, I've helped my brother put together his own blog. It's about breathalyzers and interlock systems. So, check it out if you have time.

Convenience and Effectiveness
By Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
Most RVers use the Internet to stay in touch with family and friends. Many use it for banking and bill paying. Finding campgrounds, attractions, places to work or volunteer, are all easier if you have a computer and an Internet connection. The methods RVers use to connect are: cell phone modem or Aircard, satellite Internet, RV park Wi-Fi, other Wi-Fi signals, public computers, PocketMail (for e-mail only.) and a dial-up modem connection at an RV park.
Three factors will help you determine which form of Internet access is best for you.

• How often you want/need to connect
• Your budget
• Where you travel

How often do you connect?
For RVers who need a dependable, regular (daily) connection no matter where they travel for business purposes, satellite Internet is a good choice. It works in remote areas when nothing else does. Trees can obstruct the signal, though.
RVers who stay along the Interstates and metropolitan areas are more likely to find a good signal from an Aircard, also known as a broadband card. Each cell phone company, though, has areas where their service does not work, especially in more remote areas. Overall, Aircards are getting better, faster and with a signal available in more places.
If you only check e-mail occasionally, you might not even want a computer that gets an Internet signal. Checking at public libraries or using PocketMail could work fine.
How much can it cost?
Budget is a factor too. The satellite Internet equipment is a minimum of $1500 for the tripod-mounted dish, $5000+ for a rooftop mount that automatically locates the signal. If you catch a sale and rebate, the Aircard or cellular modem is free. The regular price is as much as $200. The basic monthly service for both Aircard and satellite Internet costs about $60; other plans are more expensive.
If you rely strictly on Wi-Fi, cost can be deceptive. You can often find a free signal by driving around, but how much time and fuel are you spending finding it? Some parks and coffee shops charge for Wi-Fi. If you need a subscription for even 24 hours very frequently, you could end up paying a lot per month for service. If you only check e-mail two or three times a week when you have a signal, then you can avoid paying. Consider all that when making a choice.
Where do you travel?
If you like remote areas, you may have difficulty connecting with anything but a satellite Internet dish. If you are usually in more populated areas, check the coverage for the company you are considering for an Aircard or modem; all have holes in their service, not only in remote areas, but in certain states or areas. My sister lives in the L.A. area, north of Pasadena. At her house I have to go outside for my Verizon cell phone to work or stand by certain windows. It works elsewhere in her area. (We couldn't use the Aircard or satellite Internet there either.) If you park in areas with lots of trees frequently, satellite Internet may not work.
What's the solution?
No one method of connecting to the Internet works all the time. I need to check e-mail and get on the Web nearly every day. We were in Big Bend for several months in 2005-06 and had no cell phone service. My Aircard did not work either. We first got a landline, which got clogged up with users as soon as the kids were home from school. We ended up purchasing a satellite Internet dish, which worked well.
The satellite Internet works great - except when it doesn't. In 2007 we traveled with satellite Internet. Even so, we used Wi-Fi in RV parks where we stayed if we were there for only one night rather then set up the dish. We would call ahead to find out. In Maine, we had no signal because of trees; the promised Wi-Fi in the park wasn't operational yet. We used a landline at the family cottage and some days drove about 15 miles to a coffee shop/bookstore for free Wi-Fi. A few times on our travels, I went into the RV park office and used their dial-up or high-speed modems.
Several RVers we know have recently given up their satellite Internet dishes in favor of an Aircard. In fact, we too have switched to a newer Verizon Aircard because of problems with speed with Hughes. We know the Aircard won't work 100 percent of the time but are prepared to look for other ways to connect.
What we like about the Aircard is that it is tiny and easily finds the signal. We can both use the same Aircard by using a router. With satellite Internet, even though George was quite fast at setting it up, it still took 10-15 minutes, was more involved, and we needed a place to store the dish and tripod. The signal for satellite Internet is more difficult to find than for satellite TV because you have three parameters to match instead of two. The Motostat system that is mounted on your RV roof and finds the signal automatically works well but is much more expensive and you can be limited in where you park so trees don't interfere. With the tripod mount, you can move the dish around. With Motostat, you need to move your RV if you don't get a signal.
To come up with the solution that works best for you, weigh all the factors. Choosing either an Aircard or satellite Internet does involve a two-year commitment when you sign up so think it through before committing. And, be prepared to use an alternative method when your main choice doesn't work.
Jaimie Hall Bruzenak is an RV Lifestyle Expert. She has been RVing since 1992. She and her late husband weren't retired so RVed on a budget and worked on the road. She is the author of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road and other RV books. See http://www.RVLifestyleExperts.com for more information about the RV lifestyle.
©2008. Permission to reprint as long as the full article and bio is included.
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Update: Netbook with Built in Aircard Gets Cheaper

In a previous post, I wrote about an Acer Aspire netbook that sells for $100 at Radio Shack. It comes with a built in AT&T aircard. Well, that deal has gotten better. Radio Shack is now selling the Acer Aspire for $79.

It seems too good to be true, and there is a catch. To get the netbook for that low price, you have to sign up for a monthly contract with AT&T. This contract lasts for two years and costs about $60 per month.

For some people who just want a cheap netbook, this is not a good deal. However, if you are in the market for a netbook and want an aircard too, this may be the deal for you. Basically, you will be paying the same price for the monthly data contract as anybody else with an AT&T aircard, and you get a cheap netbook from Acer as an added bonus.

I didn't go this route because I don't want a built in aircard. I need to be able to disconnect my aircard and use it with my laptop or my desktop. But, if you want a very small and portable computer that can connect to the internet at high speeds from anywhere with 3G cell service, you might want to check out Radio Shack's offer.

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My AirCard Works With My Mac

Well, I switched to Mac and my aircard still works. My wife was concerned that the iMac I bought would not work with our aircard or any of the other peripherals. But it works just fine.

I installed the software from the CD that came with my air card on the iMac, plugged the aircard into the USB port that Apple puts on each side of their keyboards, and I was on the internet at high speed just like on the PC. Actually, the icons and pop-windows on my air card software look much cooler on the Mac. I thought all that stuff would look the same on either OS.

If you're thinking about switching to Apple, I say do it. Your aircard will probably work just fine. Macs are popular now. That means the wireless broadband providers like AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, etc. have to make their aircards compatible with mac computers.

Actually my iMac is more compatible with my video camera and printer than my PC is. But that's just my opinion. Actually, I think it's a matter of personality. My wife likes her PC better and doesn't want to switch. That's fine. She gets along with her windows computer and I get along with my mac.

Well, it's good to be back at Aircard Information. I haven't been writing here recently. I've have, however, written an article about aircards at eHow, and one about my switch to Apple. Check those out if you are so inclined.

How Does an Aircard Work?

People keep asking me how my aircard works. When I'm sitting in a cafe or in the park surfing the net with my laptop and aircard, people will often ask, "What is that?" I tell them it's a wireless aircard, and they usually say, "Well, how does that air card work?"

Now, I could launch into a long explanation about how the aircard communicates with cell phone towers using a 3G or EVDO signal, but I think what they mean is how do you get one of those and get it to work so I can sit in the park and surf the web too.

Here's the answer.

• Find out which cell phone provider has the best 3G signal in your area. Unless you live way out in the country, they probably all have very good signals. It may be easiest to use your current wireless provider.
  
• Then go to the provider and tell them you want an aircard and a service plan. They will probably give you the aircard and charge you 20 or 30 bucks to set it up. Then, for about $60 a month you can use the aircard as a cell phone for your computer.

What do you mean a cell phone for my computer? That's how an aircard works. It lets your laptop or desktop connect to the internet through cell phone towers. The same way that you pick up your phone and call someone, your computer can use the aircard to call an internet server.

How Much Does an Aircard Cost?

Aircards are free! Well, not exactly but sort of. Most companies who provide wireless broadband through aircards do give away free aircards at no cost. However, there are costs that follow that initial free giveaway.

In my case, I was given a free aircard from Alltel, but I paid $25 to have it set up and configured. I also signed a two year contract for a service plan that costs $60 per month. My wireless card was free because it is subsidized by the cost of the data service plan.

So how much does an aircard cost? Here's how it usually breaks down:

• Aircard .................................. Free
• Set up fee .............................. $20 - $30
• Monthly service plan ........... About $60

These are just estimations. If you want an aircard with built in memory or extra USB connections or any other bells and whistles you may end up paying more. Also, some providers charge more if you download more than a set amount of megabytes per month. I like Alltel because have no limit on data downloads or uploads. However, they are merging with Verizon and these plans may soon be a thing of the past.

Also, I've heard of a wireless company called Cricket that offers wireless broadband through an aircard for $40 a month, on a month by month basis, without a long term contract. Cricket aircards may not be able to gain access in many places because they are smaller than most other providers and seem to be targeting major urban and suburban areas.

My advice is to shop around. Check with the various aircard providers and see what they offer. The prices are usually similiar wherever you get your "free" aircard, so focus on getting the best plan for you.