We have a Sprint Sierra Wireless Hotspot that we haven't been able to get to connect to the network in several months. Sprint has sent me 2 different replacement spots to no avail. I get some 3G service on my Samsung Galaxy so I know there is service in the area. We're trying to decide whether to dump them, but we currently have over 15 months left on our contract and would need to pay a $150 early termination fee.
I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to make this hardware and service work for us.
We also have a Wilson Trucker antenna and an amplifier. We don't currently have it hooked up because we are getting excellent cell service (I have Sprint and Kevin has StraightTalk.)
Does anyone know if the hotspot I have can be connected to our or some other external antenna? If so, what do we need to do?
On a second related question, there is free wifi in the park where we are staying for the next few months. However, the signal is erratic and weak. Is there something we can do to improve the wifi connection and if so what would you recommend? If there is a reasonable solution on that front we might be able to put Sprint back on vacation on delay making a decision until our next stop.
We've read Jack Mayer's stuff and also the 3G Store, but right now we're frustrated and could use some straight talk from the experts out there! Thanks in advance.
Ckerr said
09:19 AM Sep 28, 2012
So I've been reading more (working nights at Amazon means I'm still awake) and it looks like the Wifi Ranger Go would boost our park wifi signal without a permanent installation on the roof of our rv since we are hoping to get something else in the future.
It would also function as a router should we decide to get a USB aircard through Millenicom at some point or use my phone as a hotspot.
What I don't understand is can we add an antenna/amp at some point (preferably the one we already have) should we need it. Or do I still need a CradlePoint type router?
Right now this is looking like a good $110 fix with future adaptability. I'm not seeing any real advantage to the next step up to the Wifi Ranger Sky at $250. Am I missing something?
Ckerr said
11:07 AM Sep 28, 2012
Thanks guys. Sounds like the Go is the right direction to go for now. Hopefully it will improve the park wifi enough for the time we are at Amazon. We are using it now, it's just frustrating because it keeps dropping and is slow so we're optimistic it will help. If not we can then go ahead and dump Sprint and switch to the Millenicom plan with a USB aircard, plug it into the Go and have more data for the same money with no contract.
Will also checkfor an antennea port on the Hotspot. There are 2 little round ports and also another small usb type port. Our current antennea set up is the Large RV Wireless package from the 3G Store with the Wilson Trucker antennea, amp and wireless indoor antennea. Will the wireless indoor antenna help with the hotspot or does it need to be hard wired in?
-- Edited by Ckerr on Friday 28th of September 2012 11:13:58 AM
Lucky Mike said
02:30 PM Sep 28, 2012
Buy mounting to the exterior roof area you remove obstructions and increase line of sight between you and the host antenna......the walls , other units,trees and weather all impede how you receive and transmit the signal........
if you wanted to mount your outside antenna temporary.......route the wire through the refrigerator vent and mount it to your TV antenna....or go out the rear of your coach and if you have roof ladder acess , mount to the ladder....
I have seen some mount the antenna on a camera tripod and put it on the roof when they arrived......
Jack Mayer said
04:09 PM Sep 28, 2012
The Go is a pretty good solution to start with and it does not preclude enhancing your capabilities later. It has fairly good receive sensitivity and transmit power. Far better than the original WFR (WiFiRanger), now called the Home. So that may or may not improve your wifi capture - it is impossible to say, because the originating signal may be so compromised that nothing will help. Or even if you do succeed in connecting reliably, the backhaul (Internet service) may be lousy or overloaded.
The Go is a complete router. You will not need a Cradlepoint or other cellular router if you use it. It does outperform the Cradlepoints in both capture and transmit, even without adding a Mobile to the picture.
My recommendation is to start with a Go and then worry about a Mobile if you find you really need it. Most will not. That is assuming you want to change what you are currently doing....
On the antenna thing....look on your mifi device and see if there is an antenna port - and look in the literature or online to see if one is on it. If so, buy the appropriate adapter and you should be able to hook in your existing antenna/amp. But only if it has an antenna port on it.
Max Signal said
04:48 PM Sep 28, 2012
Jack our current amplifiers do amplify 3G data and voice . They will also amplify the new 4G sprint is rolling out on 1900 but not thier 2500 Wimax offering . The new amplifiers will do 4G as well . There have been a few hickups but we are getting there . My manufacturer assures me we should have all FCC approvals and the new products should come to market some time in October.
Jack Mayer wrote:
The current generation of wireless amps from MaximumSingnal (The Large RV package) do not amplify data....so you will get no amplification of your mifi. They only work on voice. The new wireless amps - when they come out - will handle 4G data and voice (as well as 3G).
So the best you will get will be to plug the antenna into the mifi directly. Assuming you have the antenna port.
-- Edited by Max Signal on Friday 28th of September 2012 04:50:18 PM
RVKevi said
06:38 PM Sep 28, 2012
I've been trying to use the wifi in the park we are in, but it has been pretty bad. Sometimes I couldn't get a page to load no matter how long I waited. Turns out the park is aware of the problem and has had Time Warner out here trying to fix the problem to no avail, so far. We knew we wanted the Millenicom Advanced plan at some point, so we went ahead and got it. It arrived today, and all our problems are solved. This is great! I do want to get the Ranger Go router at some point, though.
Btw, thanks Jack, for your help!
-- Edited by RVKevi on Friday 28th of September 2012 06:39:07 PM
Jack Mayer said
07:20 PM Sep 28, 2012
The current generation of wireless amps from MaximumSingnal (The Large RV package) do not amplify data....so you will get no amplification of your mifi. They only work on voice. The new wireless amps - when they come out - will handle 4G data and voice (as well as 3G).
So the best you will get will be to plug the antenna into the mifi directly. Assuming you have the antenna port.
Jack Mayer said
08:10 PM Sep 29, 2012
Whoops....sorry Gord....I was thinking wired for some reason.....
ANd, anyone wanting to get an amp now, I would wait until the new Max signal wireless generation comes out. It will be worth waiting for, if you absolutely don;t need on right now....
Ckerr said
08:19 PM Nov 14, 2012
We opted to cancel our Sprint Hotspot. Because we are located in an area where they do not have any aircard service (although my phone works fine) they agreed to wave the $140 early cancellation fee so long as I returned the device in the provided envelope. I have to say they were very helpful and even credited my bill $45 for the last month where they were supposed to reduce my data plan, but somehow it didn't happen.
We also ordered the WiFi Ranger Go. It should be here tomorrow. Thanks for the discount code Jack! Hopefully that will make the park wifi work until Christmas.
If not, we will be signing up for the Millenicom plan. Eventually we'll go with Millenicom, but no point in paying it until after Christmas if the park wifi will work.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
Jack Mayer said
03:08 AM Nov 16, 2012
Ckerr wrote:
Thanks for the discount code Jack! Hopefully that will make the park wifi work until Christmas.
You're welcome - but thank the WFR guys....
For those wondering what the discount code thing is - the wifiranger folks have offered a 5% discount on any product if ordered with the discount code on my website. I get nothing from it....it is simply a way to thank my readers.
We have a Sprint Sierra Wireless Hotspot that we haven't been able to get to connect to the network in several months. Sprint has sent me 2 different replacement spots to no avail. I get some 3G service on my Samsung Galaxy so I know there is service in the area. We're trying to decide whether to dump them, but we currently have over 15 months left on our contract and would need to pay a $150 early termination fee.
I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to make this hardware and service work for us.
We also have a Wilson Trucker antenna and an amplifier. We don't currently have it hooked up because we are getting excellent cell service (I have Sprint and Kevin has StraightTalk.)
Does anyone know if the hotspot I have can be connected to our or some other external antenna? If so, what do we need to do?
On a second related question, there is free wifi in the park where we are staying for the next few months. However, the signal is erratic and weak. Is there something we can do to improve the wifi connection and if so what would you recommend? If there is a reasonable solution on that front we might be able to put Sprint back on vacation on delay making a decision until our next stop.
We've read Jack Mayer's stuff and also the 3G Store, but right now we're frustrated and could use some straight talk from the experts out there! Thanks in advance.
It would also function as a router should we decide to get a USB aircard through Millenicom at some point or use my phone as a hotspot.
What I don't understand is can we add an antenna/amp at some point (preferably the one we already have) should we need it. Or do I still need a CradlePoint type router?
Right now this is looking like a good $110 fix with future adaptability. I'm not seeing any real advantage to the next step up to the Wifi Ranger Sky at $250. Am I missing something?
Thanks guys. Sounds like the Go is the right direction to go for now. Hopefully it will improve the park wifi enough for the time we are at Amazon. We are using it now, it's just frustrating because it keeps dropping and is slow so we're optimistic it will help. If not we can then go ahead and dump Sprint and switch to the Millenicom plan with a USB aircard, plug it into the Go and have more data for the same money with no contract.
Will also checkfor an antennea port on the Hotspot. There are 2 little round ports and also another small usb type port. Our current antennea set up is the Large RV Wireless package from the 3G Store with the Wilson Trucker antennea, amp and wireless indoor antennea. Will the wireless indoor antenna help with the hotspot or does it need to be hard wired in?
-- Edited by Ckerr on Friday 28th of September 2012 11:13:58 AM
if you wanted to mount your outside antenna temporary.......route the wire through the refrigerator vent and mount it to your TV antenna....or go out the rear of your coach and if you have roof ladder acess , mount to the ladder....
I have seen some mount the antenna on a camera tripod and put it on the roof when they arrived......
The Go is a complete router. You will not need a Cradlepoint or other cellular router if you use it. It does outperform the Cradlepoints in both capture and transmit, even without adding a Mobile to the picture.
My recommendation is to start with a Go and then worry about a Mobile if you find you really need it. Most will not. That is assuming you want to change what you are currently doing....
On the antenna thing....look on your mifi device and see if there is an antenna port - and look in the literature or online to see if one is on it. If so, buy the appropriate adapter and you should be able to hook in your existing antenna/amp. But only if it has an antenna port on it.
-- Edited by Max Signal on Friday 28th of September 2012 04:50:18 PM
I've been trying to use the wifi in the park we are in, but it has been pretty bad. Sometimes I couldn't get a page to load no matter how long I waited. Turns out the park is aware of the problem and has had Time Warner out here trying to fix the problem to no avail, so far. We knew we wanted the Millenicom Advanced plan at some point, so we went ahead and got it. It arrived today, and all our problems are solved. This is great! I do want to get the Ranger Go router at some point, though.
Btw, thanks Jack, for your help!
-- Edited by RVKevi on Friday 28th of September 2012 06:39:07 PM
So the best you will get will be to plug the antenna into the mifi directly. Assuming you have the antenna port.
ANd, anyone wanting to get an amp now, I would wait until the new Max signal wireless generation comes out. It will be worth waiting for, if you absolutely don;t need on right now....
We also ordered the WiFi Ranger Go. It should be here tomorrow. Thanks for the discount code Jack! Hopefully that will make the park wifi work until Christmas.
If not, we will be signing up for the Millenicom plan. Eventually we'll go with Millenicom, but no point in paying it until after Christmas if the park wifi will work.
Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
You're welcome - but thank the WFR guys....
For those wondering what the discount code thing is - the wifiranger folks have offered a 5% discount on any product if ordered with the discount code on my website. I get nothing from it....it is simply a way to thank my readers.