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communication:internet [2023/05/12 12:48]
princess_fluffypants [Carriers] |
communication:internet [2023/12/06 18:29] (current)
princess_fluffypants [Hardware] |
| - [[communication:security|security]] - know what is safe and what is not | - [[communication:security|security]] - know what is safe and what is not |
| - expense - mobile data is $$$ compared to residential broadband | - expense - mobile data is $$$ compared to residential broadband |
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| | See the [[https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/|Mobile Internet Resource Center]] for the latest news and updates regarding internet for people on the move. |
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| | [[https://engineerswhovanlife.com/category/van-life/internet/|Engineers who Vanlife]] have a good section on their website about internet options. |
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| {{:communication:squishy.jpg?direct&200 |}} | {{:communication:squishy.jpg?direct&200 |}} |
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| This is the holy grail of long-term van life, especially for those who prefer wilderness and remote areas. Historically Satellite internet services have been plagued by //very// high prices for minuscule data usage, and unrealistically bulky equipment (think DirectTV dishes). However with the advent of Starlink this is changing: https://www.starlink.com/rv | Starlink is the satellite internet service offered by Space-X, and offers a tier of service [[https://www.starlink.com/roam|specifically for RVs]]. $150/mo and a $600 receiver (or $2,500 for an in-motion 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. |
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| Starlink is the satellite internet service offered by Space-X, and offers a tier of service specifically for RVs. $135/mo and a $600 receiver (or $2,500 for an in-motion receiver) gets you extremely fast internet in most places in the country. | The catch is that Starlink works best in remote areas and often doesn't work //at all// in cities. Out west this is usually not a problem, but east of the Mississippi river there is usually too much population density for the service to be usable. See the coverage map here: https://www.starlink.com/map. This is a good solution for boondockers who set up camp in the wilderness, but it doesn't offer much usability for urban dwellers. The general rule is that if you have a cell phone signal, you're not remote enough to use Starlink and should stick to Cellular options as they'll probably be faster/more reliable. |
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| The catch is that Starlink //only// works in remote areas. If you have a cell phone signal, you're probably not far away enough from civilization to get Starlink. Out west this is usually not a problem, but east of the Mississippi river there is usually too much population density for the service to be usable. See the coverage map here: https://www.starlink.com/map. This is a good solution for boondockers who set up camp in the wilderness, but it doesn't offer much usability for urban dwellers. | |
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| The receiver((who's official name is "Dishy McFlatface")) is also fairly large (about the size of a pizza box) and takes a lot of power (50-100w continuous draw). The less expensive receiver isn'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 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. | The receiver((who's official name is "Dishy McFlatface")) is also fairly large (about the size of a pizza box) and takes a lot of power (50-100w continuous draw). The less expensive receiver isn'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 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. |
| Another downside is that to work, the receiver needs a completely unobstructed view of the entire sky. A single small tree somewhere in field of view is sometimes enough to make the connection drop out every few minutes, so 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). | Another downside is that to work, the receiver needs a completely unobstructed view of the entire sky. A single small tree somewhere in field of view is sometimes enough to make the connection drop out every few minutes, so 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). |
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| When using Starlink on the RV plan, your traffic is de-prioritized over users who have a fixed address in the area and you may experience slower speeds. | === Powering Starlink === |
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| The Starlink dish is powered from the included router, or a PoE injector which runs off of AC wall power. Experiments with powering the injector [[https://www.offgridcto.com/2022/05/23/starlink-on-pure-dc-power/|directly off of 12v DC]] using a Buck/Boost converter have yielded [[https://www.tuckstruck.net/truck-and-kit/geekery/modifying-the-starlink-power-supply-to-run-on-ac-and-dc/|net power savings of ~30%]]. | The Starlink dish is powered from the included router, which runs off of AC wall power. Unfortunately the transformer is integrated into the router itself, so using the router will require use of an inverter and the associated efficiency loss. |
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| | Running Starlink off of 12v is slightly challenging and will require providing your own router (see below for good Peplink and Cradlepoint options, but cheap consumer routers work fine for most people). You'll need to inject power into the cable going to Dishy, but it has proprietary connections, uses a non-standard Ethernet wiring and non-standard PoE((Power Over Ethernet)). Various options are available depending on skill level, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy6EqYZlscU|this video]] being a good start. Also see [[https://www.starlinkhardware.com/tutorial-12v-dc-power-supply-for-starlink-rv/|this article for less-destructive methods]] of powering Starlink directly from 12v. |
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| | People who have successfully powered Dishy [[https://www.offgridcto.com/2022/05/23/starlink-on-pure-dc-power/|directly off of 12v DC]] using a have reported [[https://www.tuckstruck.net/truck-and-kit/geekery/modifying-the-starlink-power-supply-to-run-on-ac-and-dc/|net power savings of ~30%]]. |
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| ==== Carriers ==== | ==== Carriers ==== |
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| * **Verizon** dominates the RV/vandweller market because it has the most coverage, including out-of-the-way places. This makes it the most popular carrier among nomads and [[camping:dispersed|boondockers]]. Verizon is infamous for being expensive and for doing jerky things like limiting built-in features on their phones. It can be a bit of a love-hate relationship ((There is no love, it's just hate)). | * **Verizon** dominates the RV/vandweller market because it has the most coverage, including out-of-the-way places. This makes it the most popular carrier among nomads and [[camping:dispersed|boondockers]]. Verizon is infamous for being expensive and for doing jerky things like arbitrarily ending plans or throttling data. It can be a bit of a love-hate relationship ((There is no love, it's just hate)). |
| * **AT&T** and **T-Mobile** are about equal -- full coverage near cities and spottier coverage in the boonies. They've been much better in recent years about offering data plans that are conductive to full time nomads, while Verizon is still quite expensive and limits total data usage. | * **AT&T** and **T-Mobile** are about equal -- full coverage near cities and spottier coverage in the boonies. They've been much better in recent years about offering data plans that are conductive to full time nomads, while Verizon is still quite expensive and limits total data usage. |
| * **Sprint** is rarely used due to minimal coverage | |
| * **MVNOs** | * **MVNOs** |
| * Often **you can buy data at cheaper rates**. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) are resellers who [[https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/which-network-is-your-mvno-on|buy excess capacity from major networks]] and sell it to customers at reduced prices. Examples: Boost (Sprint network), [[https://www.usmobile.com/referrals?data=Y29kZT1VWktEWUxOJm5hbWU9dXNlcm5hbWU=|U.S. Mobile]] (Verizon network) and many others. | * Often **you can buy data at cheaper rates**. Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) are resellers who [[https://www.whistleout.com/CellPhones/Guides/which-network-is-your-mvno-on|buy excess capacity from major networks]] and sell it to customers at reduced prices. Examples: Boost (T-Mobile/AT&T), [[https://www.usmobile.com/referrals?data=Y29kZT1VWktEWUxOJm5hbWU9dXNlcm5hbWU=|U.S. Mobile]] (Verizon network) and many others. |
| * The tradeoff is that your data may be deprioritized when a particular tower gets congested. Coverage in rural areas can often be less reliable, as the economics of scale mean that there is less excess capacity for these MVNOs to buy. Your data will still work, it'll just be slower when all those folks paying full retail start streaming Netflix at 7pm or whatever. Can't put up with that? Pay full price and take your chances with congestion anyhow. | * The tradeoff is that your data may be deprioritized when a particular tower gets congested. Coverage in rural areas can often be less reliable, as the economics of scale mean that there is less excess capacity for these MVNOs to buy. Your data will still work, it'll just be slower when all those folks paying full retail start streaming Netflix at 7pm or whatever. Can't put up with that? Pay full price and take your chances with congestion anyhow. |
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| Sometimes called "jetpacks", these small devices are about the size of a deck of cards and effectively function as cell phones doing a perpetual hotspot (like above) but without the phone. They broadcast a small local WiFi network that you can connect your laptop, maybe phone, and a few other devices to (typically they don't support more than 5 WiFi devices connecting to them). | Sometimes called "jetpacks", these small devices are about the size of a deck of cards and effectively function as cell phones doing a perpetual hotspot (like above) but without the phone. They broadcast a small local WiFi network that you can connect your laptop, maybe phone, and a few other devices to (typically they don't support more than 5 WiFi devices connecting to them). |
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| You buy them typically through your cellular provider, and they are billed monthly just like any other cell phone line. Usually carriers have different types of plans available for these devices, and while larger packages are available in the 100gig+ range they get very expensive. | You buy them typically through your cellular provider, and they are billed monthly just like any other cell phone line. Usually carriers have different types of plans available for these devices, including larger packages in the 100gig+ range. |
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| === Cellular Routers === | === Cellular Routers === |
| {{:communication:verizon-certified-automatic-failover-single-cellular-router-max-br1-mk2-2-1800x0-c-default.png?250 |}} | {{:communication:verizon-certified-automatic-failover-single-cellular-router-max-br1-mk2-2-1800x0-c-default.png?250 |}} |
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| Bigger versions of "Hotspot" devices, they offer more speed and capabilities at a higher cost. They typically have external antenna connection options, and sometimes the ability to bond multiple connection types together at once. Functionally they offer similarity to a consumer home Wi-Fi router, with the addition that you can stick a SIM card in them for internet instead of needing to plug them into your cable modem. | Bigger versions of "Hotspot" devices, they offer more speed and capabilities at a higher cost. Functionally they offer similarity to a consumer home Wi-Fi router, with the addition that you can stick a SIM card in them for internet instead of needing to plug them into your cable modem. They can also sometimes offer features like connection bonding and external antennas, which can GREATLY enhance cellular speed/availability if paired with an external roof-mounted antenna. |
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| | [[https://www.peplink.com|Peplink]] is extremely popular in the world of overlanders and cruisers (boaters). They offer good capabilities in terms of speed, features, and connectivity at a price that is more palatable to most people who are living in a van. Their [[https://www.peplink.com/products/max-br1-series/|Max BR1]] line of cellular routers offer a reasonable blend of capacity and capabilities for the price. |
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| | Something to pay attention is the number of spatial streams a router supports. This is typically something like **"2x2"** or **"4x4"** |
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| | A "2x2" cellular router means that the device can transmit and receive 2 spatial data streams at the same time. This can give both more speed and more range, as you'll actually have two separate antenna leads so you've got a better chance that at least one of them is getting a good signal. If it can get good signal with both, it'll bond them together for more speed. |
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| [[https://www.peplink.com\Peplink]] is extremely popular in the world of overlanders and cruisers (boaters). They offer good capabilities in terms of speed, features, and connectivity at a price that is more paletable to most people who are living in a van. Their [[https://www.peplink.com/products/max-br1-series/|Max BR1]] line of cellular routers offer a reasonable blend of capacity and capabilities for the price. | A "4x4" router can do four data streams, which is even faster and has even better range, but also means you need an antenna that has four leads on it which is more expensive. |
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| === Professional equipment === | === Professional equipment === |
| **Notes from a professional wireless network engineer** | **Notes from a professional wireless network engineer** |
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| //I use a [[https://cradlepoint.com/product/endpoints/ibr1700/|Cradlepoint IBR1700]] router connected to a [[https://panorama-antennas.com/site/High-Performance-4x4-MiMo-Antennas|Panorama Antennas LGMHM4-6-60-24-58 11-in-1 dome antenna]] which is mounted to the roof of the van. The router is ruggedized and designed to stand up to vehicle motion and vibration, and will run off of anything from 9-36v DC (it comes with a pigtail connector to wire into your battery system). It has a 4x4 MIMO cellular radio with the option to add a second, giving the ability to run two different SIM cards from two different providers and load-balance across them both at the same time. It also has three Wi-Fi radios (4x4 5GHz, 2x2 5GHz, and 2x2 2.4GHz), supports a native "WiFi-as-WAN" functionality, and integrates into the SD-WAN solution that allows me to connect easily to the datacenters that I oversea for my day job. | //I use a [[https://cradlepoint.com/product/endpoints/ibr1700/|Cradlepoint IBR1700]] router connected to a [[https://panorama-antennas.com/site/High-Performance-4x4-MiMo-Antennas|Panorama Antennas MAKO 5g LGMHM4-6-60-24-58 11-in-1 dome antenna]] which is mounted to the roof of the van. The router is ruggedized and designed to stand up to vehicle motion and vibration, and will run off of anything from 9-36v DC (it comes with a pigtail connector to wire into your battery system). It has a 4x4 MIMO cellular radio with the option to add a second, giving the ability to run two different SIM cards from two different providers and load-balance across them both at the same time. It also has three Wi-Fi radios (4x4 5GHz, 2x2 5GHz, and 2x2 2.4GHz), supports a native "WiFi-as-WAN" functionality, and integrates into the SD-WAN solution that allows me to connect easily to the datacenters that I oversea for my day job. |
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| The total price for this setup is around $2,500, and while the performance is incredible I hesitate to recommend it to non-IT people due to the cost and complexity of installation. It's not hard, but it's significantly more than a jetpack or consumer-grade wifi router from best buy.// | The total price for this setup is around $2,500, and while the performance is incredible I hesitate to recommend it to non-IT people due to the cost and complexity of installation. It's not hard, but it's significantly more than a jetpack or consumer-grade wifi router from best buy.// |
