Preview on an upcoming article
Jon Vermilye, a long-time RTA contributor wrote a WiFi report in 2004 that addressed your concerns, but the world has changed a bit since then. We're going to publish a new article, but in the meantime, here is the initial report....
Updated Field Report on Internet Access
by Jon Vermilye
A number of years ago (2004 to be exact) I authored a "Field Report" on access to WiFi while traveling. The report can be found here, and is very much outdated.
After a long (111 day) trip across the US & Canada pulling a travel trailer on secondary roads when ever possible & staying in state & national parks, I would like to provide an update on internet connectivity. During the trip I updated a daily web page that was often graphics intensive, and managed to keep up with the many photographic websites I read. For the trip I used an AT&T iPhone & a Verizon based cell modem & WiFi Ranger router located in my travel trailer. Since the router was DC powered I could use which ever service was available, even from the tow vehicle while driving.
WiFi has become available almost anywhere. Most libraries, fast food outlets, hotels & motels and interstate rest stops provide free WiFi. If you camp, many campgrounds provide free or inexpensive WiFi (although the quality at some is questionable). For the most part it is now possible to find free or low cost daily connections to the internet through WiFi.
While WiFi is still a viable method of connecting to the internet, the use of cell data has become a useful alternative. Depending on the type of service provided by the carrier, it can be faster than many WiFi sources, and is usually available while driving & in areas where there is no WiFi. While there are parts of the country, particularly rural areas where cell coverage is not available, I have found good connections in many remote areas.
The first decision is to choose a cellular provider. While there are many providers, for nationwide access the major providers are Verizon, AT&T & Sprint. Each has advantages & disadvantages, however it is well worth spending some time with coverage maps when choosing. If you have an iPhone, Coverage? is a handy app that includes a map showing AT&T, Verizon, Sprint & T-Mobile coverage down to street levels. You can turn on & off overlays for each carrier, and show Roaming, 2G, 3G & 4G coverage.
Each carrier also has on-line coverage maps, and there are websites like this one provided by CellReception.com, that can be useful. I have traveled across much of the US using both AT&T & Verizon, and found that Verizon provides better coverage, however there are many places where only AT&T was available. Again, coverage maps will help you make your choice of carriers.
Very few providers offer unlimited access to the internet. Even those that do usually slow down your connection if you use more than a predetermined amount of data. It is probably a good idea to determine how much data you use per month prior to choosing a data plan.
You will probably use less data on the road than at home (particularly if you have a high speed connection at home & a lower speed connection while traveling). Determining your data usage ahead of time will save you money. Most carriers offer packages based on the number of Gigabytes per month, typically in units of 5GB, 10GB, 20GB for data modems, and 200MB, 2GB, 4GB for smart phones. If you go over that amount they will either slow your connection to a crawl or charge you additional fees, typically $10.00 per GB, although sometimes at a much higher rate.
Most providers offer multiple methods of providing data service. Smart cell phones can often provide access through a wired connection (usually a USB cable), Bluetooth, or by providing a "Hot Spot" (a WiFi connection for your computer or other data devices).
Many will also provide non phone access through a "Hot Spot" device that usually allows up to 5 connected devices, or a cell modem (usually a USB device) that can be plugged into your computer. The "Hot Spot" devices such as Verizon's MiFi 4510L have self contained batteries and are the size of a smart phone.
If you have more than 5 devices you wish to connect or want a stronger WiFi signal for your equipment, there are routers available that can be used with cellular modems. Cradlepoint as well as some other companies makes a number of routers that can be used with cellular modems. Most provide both hard wired connections as well as a local WiFi signal.
Another possibility is to use a router that can work with multiple inputs. Routers such as the WiFi Ranger as well as at least one model from Cradlepoint can be connected to the internet through a USB cell modem or pick up a local WiFi network & rebroadcast it on your own network. You can choose either source, depending on availability & quality of connection. This is also useful when traveling outside the US when using a US based cell carrier. The rates for using a US carrier to provide cell based data in Canada & Mexico is prohibitively expensive. Using the WiFi Ranger system I could pull in to a campground or fast food restaurant & connect to their WiFi service. When using these specialized routers you only have to change one connection (at the router) rather than changing all your devices when moving from a cell based connection to WiFi.
If you know you will be in areas of weak coverage, there are amplifiers & external antennas available for both smart phones & cellular modems. I used a Wilson Sleek for my iPhone & a Wilson Vehicle Booster Kit for the trailer based USB modem. Both proved valuable in many parts of the country.
Most of the data providers are offering fast 4G service, however is currently is very limited in locations. If all you plan to do is read mail or view web sites with limited graphics, the slower connections will be fine, however if you work with large graphic files, 4G is a definite advantage. Within the next few years, most of the carriers will build out their 4G coverage to cover most of their network. Again, for now, check the provider's coverage map to determine whether the additional cost of 4G service is available at the locations you plan to use it.
All in all, access to the internet has improved remarkably since 2004. Not only is it faster, but is is available almost everywhere, even when on the move.
Jon
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Mark
Enjoying the referenced URL resources!
I looked at some of the zip codes I work in on the Cell Reception site (provided in Jon's article above). Mostly the comments are from whinny users -- so I ignore them -- but the lists of how many cell towers there are in a given area was very interesting. Jon has provided some really useful resource links in this post.
Jon, thanks for the update on the iPad and 4G versus 3G issues (AzBuck should feel under no restraint about taking exception with me... Just about everyone else does....)
Mark
Data mining and road trips
I wanted to drop in this article about data mining and how advertisers like Google are using the techniques. This is even more important for folks planning or on a road trip.
If you use any of the Google services -- search, gmail, U-Tube, etc -- you need to know that they are creating a profile on you -- with your actual name, telephone numbers, address, location, buying preferences, credit card information, etc.
Mark
