Best Internet Options?

I use cellular data and a signal booster and directional antenna. It will do a good job boosting an existing signal but if there is none it won’t help. The other mobile internet option is satellite but that’s very expensive, and you can’t cheat and use a stationary sat subscription unless you are staying in one place because sat internet is based on relatively small beam footprints so every time you move a hundred miles or so the system has to be reconfigured.

The directional antenna is from Wilson Electronics as is the low loss coax cable. The booster is from WeBoost. They are affiliated companies. You also need an adapter to connect the coax to the booster antenna input and a telescopic pole and some clamps. Takes a few minutes to set up and find the best signal strength. Cost was about $300 or do IIRC.

Originally posted by GlueGuy ...Satellite service is a mixed bag; available almost anywhere, but subject to trees, terrain, horrible latency, and big $$$....

It may be more of an East Coast thing but I generally find that if no cell signal is available at a campsite it’s because it’s down in a hole and there is decent connectivity somewhere nearby. There are lots of cell towers around they’re just blocked. There has only been one time where I got a signal with the directional antenna but nothing with just the booster and roof antenna on the TV. That was in dead flat eastern NC, line of sight to a distant cell tower, about 30 miles.

My booster sits in the tow vehicle while on the road so if I don’t get a signal at all at the campsite I leave it in the car and drive to a high spot once or twice a day to have comms and data. Usually it’s only a few miles. Sometimes just a short hike up a hill with only the phone works also. If I do get any kind of signal at the campsite I set up the directional antenna, move the booster to the trailer. That generally brings in enough signal strength to stream video. Survey the whole campground, I’ve often gotten a signal in the higher campsites but not lower ones.

If your phone can do wifi tethering (most will) and you have sufficient data, you can use that for internet for your laptop, tablet, etc. Depending on your carrier and data plan, you may be able to add 10-50 gb of data per month at a reasonable cost. This would generally be adequate for 'normal' internet use.

I'm often in paces where there is some, minimal but unreliable cell service. I don't have a booster but would be interested in buying ne.  Any thoughts on considerations or recommendations for which one?