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--- communication:internet [2024/07/11 12:37]
princess_fluffypants [Satellite Internet]
+++ communication:internet [2025/03/24 18:37] (current)
frater_secessus [Connecting to WiFi]
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 Starlink is the satellite internet service offered by Space-X, and offers a tier of service [[https://www.starlink.com/roam|specifically for RVs]]. $50-$150/mo and a $500-$2,500 receiver gets you extremely fast internet in most places in the country (Worldwide roaming is available for $200/mo). Although when on the RV/Roaming plan, your traffic is de-prioritized over users who have a fixed address in the area and you may experience slower speeds. This is more of a problem east of the Mississippi River.
-Starlink works best in remote areas and may not work well in cities.  The receiver((who's official name is "Dishy McFlatface")) also requires a //completely// unobstructed view of the sky; even power lines and small tree branches will cause frequent service drop outs. This is a good solution for boondockers who set up camp in the wilderness, but it offers less usability for urban dwellers. The general rule is that if you have a cell phone signal, you should stick to Cellular options as they'll probably be faster/more reliable.
+Starlink works best in remote areas and may not work well in cities.  The receiver((who's official name is "Dishy McFlatface")) also requires a //completely// unobstructed view of the sky; even power lines and small tree branches will cause frequent service drop outs. This is a good solution for boondockers who set up camp in the wilderness, but it offers less usability for urban dwellers.
-The receivers vary in size from the size of a laptop (Mini Dishy) to about the size of a pizza box, and can take a lot of power (up to 150w continuous draw, depending on the dish and weather conditions). The less expensive receivers aren't designed for the sort of vibration and forces imparted when driving, so the majority of Starlink users keep the dish inside the van with them and only deploy it when they're stopped somewhere for an extended period of time.  See one user's experience here:  https://www.tuckstruck.net/truck-and-kit/geekery/starlink-for-overlanders/. The in-motion $2,500 receiver //is// designed to mounted to the roof of vehicles and be operable while moving, but for most van dwellers the costs is not worth it.
+{{ :communication:starlink-mini-and-puppy.jpeg?nolink&400|}}
+The receivers vary in size from the size of a laptop (Mini Dishy) to about the size of an Xtra-Large pizza box (HP In-Motion Dishy), and can take a lot of power (50-150w continuous draw, depending on the dish and weather conditions). The less expensive receivers aren't designed for the sort of vibration and forces imparted when driving, so the majority of Starlink users keep the dish inside the van with them and only deploy it when they're stopped somewhere for an extended period of time.  See one user's experience here:  https://www.tuckstruck.net/truck-and-kit/geekery/starlink-for-overlanders/. The in-motion $2,500 receiver //is// designed to mounted to the roof of vehicles and be operable while moving, but for most van dwellers the costs is not worth it.
 Sometimes having the portable (non-vehicle-mounted) dish is preferable.  You can park in the shade, and run the dish out into a clearing (it's weatherproof).
@@ Line 168: / Line 170: @@
   * In ideal situations, [[https://panorama-antennas.com/site/High-Performance-4x4-MiMo-Antennas|purpose-made antennas]] are mounted to the roof of the vehicle and then connected to the receiving device inside. This is the best solution, however they are expensive and require drilling yet more holes in your van.
-=== Extenders & Repeaters ===
+=== Extenders and Repeaters ===
 Wifi extenders/repeaters/routers work by hopping a wifi signal from some further access point. They are  //multiple-device solutions//;  all your devices will leverage the repeated wifi.
-  * //Extending//((sometimes called "repeating")) takes the signal (Taco Bell Wifi, for example) and makes it available as Taco Bell Wifi in your van.  The Taco Bell Wifi signal is //extended// beyond its original design.
+  * //Repeating//((sometimes called relaying)) takes the Taco Bell Wifi and replays it as MyVanWiFi or whatever in your van. While slightly more complex to set up, this is the ideal solution.
-    * **Notes from a professional wireless network engineer:** These things are //terrible// and should be avoided in all but the rarest of circumstances. Because they're adding a repeating station to an already large collision domain, every WiFi repeater that is connected to a network **reduces the speed of the entire wireless network by 75%**. The best analogy is that they're the WiFi equivalent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_microphone|The People's Megaphone]], and like the people's megaphone they make all types of communication //vastly// slower. Using one of these might make more bars appear on your phone, but as a result you are crapping all over the WiFi for everyone else who is connected to it.
+    * Repeating works by having two separate WiFi devices connected back-to-back; One WiFi device acts as the "receiver", and connects to the host SSID (The Taco Bell WiFi). While the other WiFi device acts as your personal "transmitter" and broadcasts your local in-van network.
-  * //Relaying//((sometimes called routing)) takes the Taco Bell Wifi and replays it as MyVanWiFi or whatever in your van. While slightly more complex to set up, this is the ideal solution.
-    * Relaying works by having two separate WiFi devices connected back-to-back; One WiFi device acts as the "receiver", and connects to the host SSID (The Taco Bell WiFi). While the other WiFi device acts as your personal "transmitter" and broadcasts your local in-van network.
     * There are products out there that attempt to do this in a single device, with varying degrees of success.  However by using a receiver such as a Ubiquiti Nanostation Loco as a "receiver", and then plugged it into the WAN port whatever off-the-shelf Best Buy router you have laying around, you can accomplish this for less than $100.
     * Many commercial products such as the above-mentioned Cradlepoint routers support this setup with the term "WiFi-as-WAN".  Usually you'll use one of the cellular radios (the 2.4GHz or 5GHz) to connect to the Taco Bell Wifi, and then the other radio will broadcast MyVanWiFi.  Tri-band routers (which typically have two 5ghz radios and one 2.4ghz radio) are great for this as they give a lot of flexibility.
+  * //Extending//((sometimes called "repeating")) takes the signal (Taco Bell Wifi, for example) and makes it available as Taco Bell Wifi in your van.  The Taco Bell Wifi signal is //extended// beyond its original design.
+    * **Notes from a professional wireless network engineer:** These things are //terrible// and should be avoided in all but the rarest of circumstances. Because they're adding a repeating station to an already large collision domain, every WiFi repeater that is connected to a network **reduces the speed of the entire wireless network by 75%**. The best analogy is that they're the WiFi equivalent of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_microphone|The People's Megaphone]], and like the people's megaphone they make all types of communication //vastly// slower. Using one of these might make more bars appear on your phone, but as a result you are crapping all over the WiFi for everyone else who is connected to it.
 [[https://amzn.to/2GWOaCG|{{ https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31LsBv9brZL._SY90_.jpg}}]]Low-end and hobbyist units are inexpensive and can work okay, depending on your usage and technical ability.

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