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Nothing here is copyrighted -- I'd be honored if you'd reuse anything here for your website
If you've got a laptop and an RV and are still using dial-up, then you probably just want to get some ideas on where/how to hook-up to a dial-up connection -- check out my Online On-The-Road Page!
In 2003, I discovered WiFi and made the following Update: HOLD EVERYTHING! If you've got a laptop and are looking for the best way to hookup on the road, check out my WiFi information! If there's a HotSpot nearby, that's the way to go! ALSO - Great news about cheaper Satellite Internet Access!
2006 Update: The technology is improving almost faster than I can update the site. Below, I'll include the latest news on internet-on-the-road, which I'll attempt to update frequently. Since I'm not able to test everything, some of this will be hearsay and I'll leave it to you to check further before spending your hard-earned dollars.
April 2007:
* For the very latest up-to-date news, check my Retirement Tips and RV Stuff Newsletter for my monthly updates on Internet-On-The-Road (IOTR) News.
* As I said above, if you're still using dial-up and just looking for a phone line, check out my Online On-The-Road page on my Retirement Tips website.
* If you're moving around a lot, looking for continuous access faster than dial-up and over an extended period of time, go to the menus above and check out Wireless Card, Laptop-Cellphone, PDA-Webphone, or (if you can afford it) Satellite. I think the Wireless Card is the best speed for the best price, but at this time still requires a 2-year contract.
* If you're like me, RVing occasionally and wanting high-speed access, but willing to forego the internet now and then, the most economical and reliable way to go is wireless internet (WiFi). As time goes on, I think there will be more and more WiFi HotSpots, some free and some charging, so this will become the preferred method for us occasional RVers (IMHO). At this time, a charge of $5 per day or $20 per week seems to be the most common.
* A note about WiFi: At many RV resorts, you'll find private individuals that have their broadband DSL or cable modem set up such that it can be accessed free with your WiFi card. Always check when you get parked to see if one of these freebies is available. Read about NetStumbler on my WiFi page - a free software package for finding WiFi HotSpots.
June 2011:
* Amazingly enough, most of what I said back in 2007 is pretty well still accurate, except for the following changes and additions:
* I've really slowed down on producing those newsletters and no longer include the IOTR News.
* There are now prepaid wireless cards that don't require a 2-year contract.
* Many travelers today have one of the new internet-ready cell phones, such as Blackberries, Droids or iPhones, so most of that info above is irrelevant for them.
* As predicted, there are more and more free WiFi locations; I seldom pay for mine anymore and tend to camp at places that advertise free WiFi.
* Some regard using someone else's internet connection as illegal or at least unethical, but I feel that if they don't want to share, they can set the encryption key so a password is required for access. If they don't password-protect their connection, that seems to say that they don't care (IMHO).
* Here are a couple of useful links that I'm putting here so I don't lose them: To see what/where you're connected http://www.ip2location.com/; To see what your upload/download speeds are http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/
* I just happened upon an article about the Verizon Mobile 4G Hotspot - look under the WiFi section for details.
* Also, for what it's worth, two more interesting links - not sure why you might need your IP address, but to find it go to http://www.ipmarker.com/ and to get the IP for a URL - http://www.ipmarker.com/domain-to-ip-lookup/.
November 2011:
* For those who travel a lot, need fairly continuous internet access, and don't mind spending $350, you might want to look into the Rogue Wave. The seller claims access to WiFi a mile away. I've never used/seen one, but got the info from Chuck Woodbury's newsletter, so it's probably good. Check it out on their website http://www.greatrvstuff.com/2011/10/rogue-wave-pulls-in-wifi-signals-from.html.
Internet-On-The-Road (IOTR)
In 1968, I discovered computers. In 1984, I discovered RVs. In 1996, I discovered the internet. Since then, I've been spending much of my On-The-Road time trying to figure out the best way to use my computer in my RV to access the internet. In 1999, I created this website to pass along what I've learned. Hope you find it useful. ... Bob Hoffman, Webmaster (rjhoffman@yahoo.com)
I originally built most of the site in 2000, when dial-up was the primary method of access. When I was in Quartzsite, Arizona around New Year's 2000, I saw the RV pictured below and was intrigued by the fact that a person could spend a bunch of money on RV accessories, but still not have internet connection. That's when I built the following ... (Note updates below in 2003, 2006, 2007, & 2011)
Are You Equipped?
He looks equipped ...
Plenty of electricity!
Plenty of TV connection!
But No Internet Connection!
