Internet Coverage in Florida

[Seevee]

Hi,

What's the logistics of getting good internet in Florida, while cursing down the west side, and thru the Okechobee waterway?

Have Frontier (Fios) on the home and Verizon on the phone (but horribly expensive.

What other service do I need to have? Are there long range antennas that help?

Would like to be able to stream a few movies when bored, and be able to check weather, email and do some of my business while cruising.

(Gonna ask this same question about the loop sometime later)

Thx.

 

[BandB]

Hi,

What's the logistics of getting good internet in Florida, while cursing down the west side, and thru the Okechobee waterway?

Have Frontier (Fios) on the home and Verizon on the phone (but horribly expensive.

What other service do I need to have? Are there long range antennas that help?

Would like to be able to stream a few movies when bored, and be able to check weather, email and do some of my business while cruising.

(Gonna ask this same question about the loop sometime later)

Thx.

Maybe more cruising and less cursing? Well, Frontier is historically horrible and Verizon is very good but very expensive. Sprint's coverage is very poor on the western section of Okeechobee and horrible in Southwest FL as you near the keys. AT&T has coverage but it's only 3G in those areas. T-Mobile actually has good coverage around Okeechobee. SW FL they have the same issue as the others as no one has towers in the Everglades. So, if you want even 3G coverage for the Everglades area, all I've found to work consistently is AT&T.

As a provider through Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile, I really hate giving that answer.

The good news is that most don't spend much time in that dead Everglades region. Perhaps a day or two at most.

 

[Seevee]

Band B,

Thx, that's a good start.

Is service mostly thru a phone with a hotspot, or are there enough wifi towers to get the job done?

Also, are there antennas that extend the range?

I'll have to look into the TMobile, I have a phone with them and they have been very reasonable, but don't do internet with them. As for AA&T, will try them again. Got ticked at them years ago for shutting down service for three days on 3 phones which cost us. They made good but they were not fun, so dropped them. Perhaps they are better.

Thanks much!

 

[BandB]

Band B,

Thx, that's a good start.

Is service mostly thru a phone with a hotspot, or are there enough wifi towers to get the job done?

Also, are there antennas that extend the range?

I'll have to look into the TMobile, I have a phone with them and they have been very reasonable, but don't do internet with them. As for AA&T, will try them again. Got ticked at them years ago for shutting down service for three days on 3 phones which cost us. They made good but they were not fun, so dropped them. Perhaps they are better.

Thanks much!

Done through phones with hotspots or other internet services, not through landed WIFI towers in the weak areas. You can extend the range but not enough to bail yourself out in some of those areas. There simply are not many cell towers at the west end of the Okeechobee or in the Everglades. We use satellite. I would recommend some of the range extenders that have been discussed here previously. However, there are still some spots when cruising you won't have service.

 

[rwidman]

I have a Verizon hot spot and I've seldom been without a useable signal. Lake George on the St Johns River didn't work but the marina had WiFi. Many marinas have WiFi for customers. Sometimes it's good, sometimes, not so good.


Most of these companies have a coverage map on their websites.


My other thought is, you might be able to get by without Internet for short periods if you try. You shouldn't be bored on your trip. I find I have plenty to do when cruising.

 

[BandB]

My other thought is, you might be able to get by without Internet for short periods if you try. .

Wifey B: Blasphemy!

 

[dwhatty]

my other thought is, you might be able to get by without internet for short periods if you try.

How did we all survive before the internet?

 

[Seevee]

How did we all survive before the internet?

No internet? Are you crazy?

Love it.....

 

[Seevee]

Done through phones with hotspots or other internet services, not through landed WIFI towers in the weak areas. You can extend the range but not enough to bail yourself out in some of those areas. There simply are not many cell towers at the west end of the Okeechobee or in the Everglades. We use satellite. I would recommend some of the range extenders that have been discussed here previously. However, there are still some spots when cruising you won't have service.

BandB,

Good info....

As for satellite, did a search, and looks pretty reasonable, not much more that what we're paying at home.

Why wouldn't one just go satellite for everything, and carry the receiver with?
Assume there is some kind of receiver and antenna?

 

[Capt.Bill11]

BandB,

Good info....

As for satellite, did a search, and looks pretty reasonable, not much more that what we're paying at home.

Why wouldn't one just go satellite for everything, and carry the receiver with?
Assume there is some kind of receiver and antenna?

You need to look closer.

Marine tracking SAT internet is not "reasonable".

Unless potentially paying several thousand a month is reasonable to you.

And that doesn't include the equipment.

Satellite Internet At Sea: Hardware, Airtime, and Pricing

 

[BandB]

You were looking at just the television aspect, Seevee. It is just like land. Data satellite is far more expensive, as Capt Bill has said. The primary ones here you'll see with satellite for data are those of us who have businesses requiring us being in communication.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

One one hand I find it sad that with several years before we buy a boat, I have been doing research on internet connectivity options. On the other hand, I do enjoy the forums I participate in and by then, I hope to have a more regular presence on this one. Assuming this sort of media is still around then, of course. And assuming new connectivity technology has not revolutionized access by then.

If we were out there today, I'd be looking into amplified directional antennas. Or the cantenna if your priorities don't budged enough for the real thing. Either one can stretch the usable WiFi distance from a couple hundred feet to nearly a mile. At that distance, aiming the antenna becomes more of a challenge than signal strength deterioration because of the distance.

And that's fine if you're moored securely to something. At anchor is another matter. As I say, we have plenty of time to work it out.

 

[Seevee]

You were looking at just the television aspect, Seevee. It is just like land. Data satellite is far more expensive, as Capt Bill has said. The primary ones here you'll see with satellite for data are those of us who have businesses requiring us being in communication.

BandB,

Actually, I don't watch TV, only an occasional Netfilx, usually for the Admiral. 95% of my internet is communication (forums like this), weather and some business. If Netflix didn't work, I've got some 3 or 400 movies on a hard drive that I'll never get to.

It just seems like satellite would be mostly sold for those on the move. A search came up with the 3 best satellite internet providers, HughesNet, Exede, and dishNET.... ranging between $30 and $150 a month.... which is doable. What am I missing?

I don't absolutely need internet 24/7, but need something sometime daily, especially it some business is timely. If I can't get internet, I can always watch the weather channel reruns, and recorded porn. <g>.....