Hot spot on a boat

[ScottinMA]

In planning for our loop adventure I am hoping to learn the best option for using video conferencing aboard the boat. I currently have AT&T with a 15GB plan and first thought was to tether my iphone X as the hotspot to the laptop and change my data plan to unlimited (if that is even possible). I will need to video conference several hours at a time. But I wonder whether there is a better method and hoped to reach out to the group and request advice.

Scott

"Andiamo" 2004 Mainship 390

 

[kchace]

Having gone through all this maybe I can help. A hotspot should work for you, but typically it’s throttled. I used mine just the other day for videoconference and it worked with some pixelating and a couple of warnings that my connection was slow. There are also long distance Wifi products like Wirie and others and while they do work, you are totally at the mercy of the wifi you are connected to and of course each time you move the boat you have to hope you can get another good connection which is not always possible.
What I did this year for $20 a month additional got my iPad it’s own SIM card and unlimited data. For ordinary use that has been far better than relying on a marinas wifi which is typically overloaded or some other random wifi connection. I can’t emphasize enough that you may not be able to rely on marina wifi. Pretty much every marina I have been in has wifi but it’s so overloaded that the data rates can be down to like 1-3 mb. If I can get the videoconferencing to work on my iPad which I haven’t tried, it may be the best of all worlds. Depending on your hardware it may also be possible to SHARE video so you wouldn’t need to use a hotspot which always seems to be throttled. All that said, I still think a hotspot or possibly a direct connection to your service provider is the most likely and reliable way to get it done.
In any case, I think an unlimited plan will be essential. That’s what I have through Verizon.

Hope this helps.

Ken

 

[JohnEasley]

We’re doing the same thing, ATT phone as a hotspot. We’re able to run my wife’s iPad and TV (Roku, Netflix, etc) off of it with no problem. We can also do Zoom and FaceTime video conferencing with no issues.

 

[stiggy]

Had someone the other day suggest Nomad Internet. http://www.nomadinternet.com It's got that too good to be true feeling to it but they swear by it.

 

[ksanders]

I use a dedicated router with built in cellular modems.

My preferred brand is Cradlepoint, and the current one I have on the boat is the AER1600

 

[Airstream345]

Our onboard internet is a hotspot. We use a Netgear M1 Nighthawk with an AT&T sim from a reseller (Bix Wireless). While that device can also act as a WiFi router we offload WiFi to a dedicated Netgear router.

We’re able to stream (YouTube TV, Netflix, Prime, etc and I work aboard so Zoom video conferences, accessing corporate networks, etc.)

These plans are un-throttled and so far unlimited. We typically use about 400GB a month but since Covid our youngest is back with us from college and our usage is higher.

A few caveats:

1. These resellers can be shady. Previously we used OTR Mobile and they just turned off unexpectedly. Most are month to month so no big deal to switch. Plan to switch from time to time.

2. Connections are cellular so tower congestion or remote areas aren’t terrific. Same with carrier coverages.

3. Most of these plans don’t work outside of the US.

We love having internet as we move around. I’m hopeful as 5G becomes a reality we’ll be able to cruise and still work for a few years.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

To us WIFI at the dock is a LOT different than hot-spotting your smart phone.

We use our smart phones (Samsung S6) as hotspots on Verizon. We also have a Wilson phone booster. Works great, but is throttled down after 15GB. While in Canada it was only 0.05GB of so-called high speed international data.

The thing you have to remember is no cell towers/service, NO hotspot service.

 

[Beaverlake]

We have TMobile for seniors. $90/month unlimited for two lines plus Netflix is free (saved us $13/mo). I’ve considered a hotspot device but so far our unlimited is working for us re phone hotspot data usage in the US and (last year) in Canada. TMobile has the best carrier coverage in the WA state San Juan Islands (I think LeGare had a summer place up there). If/when I bump up against throttle limits I will spend the $80 plus $20/month for an unlimited hotspot device.

 

[SteveK]

.....................

The thing you have to remember is no cell towers/service, NO hotspot service.

And there you have it. There has to be a signal. So far the cell phone is the tethered hotspot for streaming shows with a limited plan I have not gone over as the phone switches to known wifi to save data plan.
Too many connections and the service becomes limited anyway, no plan will overcome that. Line of sight for cell towers mostly, or you have to be close by.
Keep reading these dicussions, waiting for the magic internet.

 

[High Wire]

We have the T-Mobile 55+ plan with a tablet as a hotspot. Been working well as we use about 100GB a month. We take it from NJ dirt home to FL dirt home to Irish Lady when we cruise. Ditched the cable company. Some of the plans with only 1 or 2 GB a month are a bad joke. You burn through that when your smartphones update their apps and a couple youtube videos.
We used to have a plan from a T-Mobile provider that closed up shop overnight. Worked great while it lasted. Seems they were extending their personal company employee benefit to thousands of users and were tens of thousands of dollars behind paying T-Mobile.

 

[Simi 60]

Wow, murica gets raped on interwebs.
Here in Straya, where most everything is silly pricing, we can get 100gb of full tits 4g data and unlimited phone and text for equivalent of $26 USD/ mth.

No extras, no plans, no contracts, no nothing.