Rural Internet

[mddorange]

A couple of the Electric CoOps in Texas have started building powerline data networks for their members. I wish ours would do that but, I think as the LTE networks are further built out, it will end up being a bad investment for the long term. The standard for 4G LTE maxes it out at 1GB, which will rival even fiber.

Yes, and 4G LTE is what AT&T Mobley runs on. I get it all the time, even when my cell phone won't connect.

 

[mrmikey]

You guys are lucky. all my daughter can get is Explorenet with their 'blazing fast' 5mbps for $100 with a 50GB download limit which is constantly dropping out. No cable, no fibre option where she lives, I'd go crazy with that, you could watch the pixels forming...........Mike

 

[Industrial Toys]

Explornet is a garbage company. Nice friendly English Speaking people out east (Canada I mean, not Bangalor) when you finally do reach them. But, every call starts with "High Call Volumes" blah, blah blah. They are always outselling their resources and you can't get a straight answer about anything.

So fortunately I cancelled them in November to go with a GREAT little company, GB Tel. Explornet never came to get their radio off my tower and never called. In May, I get billed almost $600.00 on my credit card for the radio.

They claimed their dealer rejected the service call. That is an even bigger pile of garbage, local dealer! They NEVER return calls. Maybe only for new customers.

Many, Many phone calls and hours later, I got a credit! Oh, by then, I had hired GB Tel to climb my tower and retrieve the rather expensive looking Explornet Radio. I now offered to drop it off at a dealer, and she told me just to recycle it!

 

[rekees4300]

That's what happens when dealing with those Mom/Pop outfits, here today gone tomorrow. Been there done that, now have Verizon Wireless. No more Mom/Pop for us!

 

[Einthewoods]

I use Viasat/Excede. I actually have two systems: one dedicated for work and one for the house. No other land based options at my place.

For my work, I am pure VPN and do audio, video and Web sharing along with all the other computer tasks. No problems.

Our home system we stream movies occasionally but usually just normal Internet usage.

At this point, having other options would mean I am too close to civilization for my taste. I moved here to be away from others, and with that comes adapting. :laughing:

 

[TheMan419]

I use Viasat/Excede. I actually have two systems: one dedicated for work and one for the house. No other land based options at my place.

For my work, I am pure VPN and do audio, video and Web sharing along with all the other computer tasks. No problems.

Our home system we stream movies occasionally but usually just normal Internet usage.

At this point, having other options would mean I am too close to civilization for my taste. I moved here to be away from others, and with that comes adapting. :laughing:

I am looking at them along with a 4g/LTE options. My worry with Viasat is we want to stream movies and the like. Also their statement that your speeds are "up to" x but depend on network congestion.

Any trouble with speeds during the evening?

 

[hawkeye08]

Many of the local internet providers can only afford to build infrastructure for the averages, not able to handle peak times. Evening here my 10/4 plan gives me 2-4 down, 1-2 up. Too many folks watching HD Netflix and Amazon prime video, especially when the OTA is all reruns. I am looking forward to 5G, perhaps we will have a decent signal at home.

I read the OP first post and went and checked it out, did a speed test with my phone, 3M down 1M up. We had AT&T wireless home phone with internet for awhile and it was slightly better with that device, but not as fast as our provider is most of the time.. interesting when I checked the speed test on phone, I did it on computer with current provider also. For that moment, I got 14 down 8 up.. back to 10/4 a few minutes later..

My brother lived a few counties west of me and the county decided to deploy fiber county wide and operate as part of electric utility. They already had poles and ROWs. They got part of the county done and ran out of money perhaps 10 years ago, now they are raising electric rates on everyone to pay to finish deploying fiber.

He had satellite with 10G data limit, wanted to get something else, but nothing available.

 

[Einthewoods]

I am looking at them along with a 4g/LTE options. My worry with Viasat is we want to stream movies and the like. Also their statement that your speeds are "up to" x but depend on network congestion.

Any trouble with speeds during the evening?

I have had infrequent issues where things will buffer from time to time, but nothing I'm not willing to live with. They have some new unlimited plan with newer gear than mine which is supposed to be even better than my speeds. I might upgrade to that at some point.

I should in full openness state though that I suspect my tolerance is very high compared to most for things like this. I live in the woods, love the lifestyle of being away from most things and don't let technology get me down. If it doesn't work, I'll go out to the barn to have a beer and listen to the radio.

Everyday though I use it for work. Do full on video conference calls and sharing, exchange multi-MB files all the time and never have trouble. All of that through a VPN which Viasat/Excede claim no support for.

 

[TheMan419]

I have had infrequent issues where things will buffer from time to time, but nothing I'm not willing to live with. They have some new unlimited plan with newer gear than mine which is supposed to be even better than my speeds. I might upgrade to that at some point.

I should in full openness state though that I suspect my tolerance is very high compared to most for things like this. I live in the woods, love the lifestyle of being away from most things and don't let technology get me down. If it doesn't work, I'll go out to the barn to have a beer and listen to the radio.

Everyday though I use it for work. Do full on video conference calls and sharing, exchange multi-MB files all the time and never have trouble. All of that through a VPN which Viasat/Excede claim no support for.

Given the crappy dsl we have now I am willing to live w problems.

I have been running speed test on my phone off and on today. I was getting 30 mbps down load at one point. That was outside. Inside I get like 4. But that is with my phone. If I have to get an external antenna so be it.

 

[Einthewoods]

Given the crappy dsl we have now I am willing to live w problems.

I have been running speed test on my phone off and on today. I was getting 30 mbps down load at one point. That was outside. Inside I get like 4. But that is with my phone. If I have to get an external antenna so be it.

Exede had no contracts when I got them two or so years ago. I think with their new unlimited fancy-shmancy plan there is a 2 yr commitment. No sure about the other normal plans. If you can get a plan with no commitment from them, give it a try for a month or two and have them come pick it up if you don't like it.

 

[TheMan419]

Exede had no contracts when I got them two or so years ago. I think with their new unlimited fancy-shmancy plan there is a 2 yr commitment. No sure about the other normal plans. If you can get a plan with no commitment from them, give it a try for a month or two and have them come pick it up if you don't like it.

They don稚 appear to have any. I plan to try ubifi and see. As long as I get better than my crappy dsl I値l be happy.

 

[Michael In Tennessee]

I'm using AT&T fixed base wireless. Cellular base station and a panel antenna on the roof pointed at the nearest tower. Seems to work OK. I've had it three months. The plan is 170GB per month. $70/month and $10 per 50GB overage. If you sing a 12 month contract, its $60/month. Now that I know it works, I'm calling Monday to convert to a 12 Month contract.

Its not available everywhere, but if it is, it should be considered.

They won't install if they can't get 10Mbit download. I occasionally get 40Mbit, but in the 30s is normal. I can stream Netflix, so its at least that good. It looks like I'll be using about 250 GB/month, so I'll incur about $20-30 in extra charges. But, its all I got unless I get satellite (and no one wants that).

 

[ustmd]

STx,

You have me thinking. I have been using a service provider who is most likely the same one you have been using.

I am going to give the UBIFI a call tomorrow.

 

[Aquamoose]

UbiFi has been working just tolerably and I’m now trying to optimize reception. Tried a booster but wasn’t having better results than just wiring the Yagi directly.

How are you mounting your antennas? Any put them up high on poles?

 

[STx]

STx,

You have me thinking. I have been using a service provider who is most likely the same one you have been using.

I am going to give the UBIFI a call tomorrow.

Ours is through a local phone company that services South Texas, VTX1. You have a lot more options than I do, being close to Austin. Before the latest 4G based providers, my options were VTX1, G-Tek or satellite.

 

[STx]

UbiFi has been working just tolerably and I’m now trying to optimize reception. Tried a booster but wasn’t having better results than just wiring the Yagi directly.

How are you mounting your antennas? Any put them up high on poles?

Since our AT&T service is strong here, I've gust got it sitting on a shelf inside the house. I've found directional antennas to work better than boosters in most cases, especially with something like this where the radio is already running as high as legally allowed.

 

[TractorGuy]

Yes, and 4G LTE is what AT&T Mobley runs on. I get it all the time, even when my cell phone won't connect.

Those of us that got in on that deal are lucky. Hope our luck holds out.

I almost snoozed and lost because I had tried and AT&T phone once and the service was terrible. It was through Virgin and AT&T would flat turn the data off in the evening. Our previous Virgin/Verizon phones never had that problem. Our current phones are on the regular Verizon prepaid plan and work fine for phone but data stream from our home is very slow. I leave them on wifi for home use. For some reason the data stream on the Mobley is fairly consistent except when it's not.

I have mine dangling inside blinds and get 4 Mbps down. If I get it just right in the window I could get 15-19 down but it gets screaming hot from the sun. I have an external antenna I keep meaning to try but it's hard to find the time when the 4 I get is adequate.

Mine has had to be restarted so often lately I finally bought a timer and set it to restart every day. So far so good with that but the AT&T tower it works from seems to loose power on occasion. Lost signal for several days a while back. I have had good luck contacting them and talking to a friendly American. Last time I put it in my truck and just barely got a signal in the front field. I called and got them to put in a tower issue complaint for me and it was back up the next day.

 

[tractorshopper]

STx,

First, I appreciate you letting us know about other potential options because I look all the time and feel stuck with my Verizon Wireloss with the throttling headaches because it's the best I've been able to get anywhere. I have the mini-tower on the side of my house and still goes in and out on it's timing and rainy weather doesn't help at all.

I emailed UbiFi after reading your post. Here's the response I got:

"Hello,

We utilize the 4g at&t network, there does look to be slightly limited coverage in the general area which may be the reason for the in and out you're currently experiencing. The nearest towers are 1.5-2.3 miles Southwest, however the signal looks to drop off before reaching you. I would recommend and external antenna paired with the Mofi for a better overall experience.

Being that we utilize the 4g at&t network towers to deliver the service, we DO NOT guarantee speeds you'd receive. It will be 4g/4g LTE speeds if in an area where 4g is accessible. Typical speeds we've seen reported from clients can be up to 15-40mbps in some areas but can also be as low as 1-10mbps in some. The service would be unlimited data with no highspeed throttling or highspeed data caps. However, as you would with any 4g provider, you will experience slower speeds during times of network congestion until the network clears up.
The purchase of the MoFi gateway is due up front, $299.99 (in addition to any external antenna or signal booster you may decide to go with). You will have a 30 day return policy on our equipment. Should you cancel the service or it not workout for you within your 30 day trial period, you can return the undamaged equipment with all of its contents for a refund. Please note, a 15% RESTOCKING FEE applies to all returned equipment. Outside of your 30 day trial, you will own the equipment. When placing your order online, once the modem is placed in the cart, the system will automatically add your 30 day trial for service. The current monthly service pricing is $89.99 with autopay required and will be charged to the card used upon checkout after your trial period, unless cancelled prior. "

I'm no expert with any of this, but can you or someone tell me what the they mean by external antenna or signal booster and how I'm supposed to set that up? I'm emailing them back to see if their techs do that while setting it up or what. I do live down in a bit of a bowl from the towers, so assume that's why my mobile service is in and out like I told them up front. Line of sight is what Verizon always tells me when I call to complain.

 

[Diggin It]

but can you or someone tell me what the they mean by external antenna or signal booster and how I'm supposed to set that up?

External antenna: On top of your house, a pole, tower etc. Cable runs from it through a wall or window to the box inside the house.

Signal booster: Same principle, outside antenna cable to inside box that amplifies the signal.

I was only getting one or two bars inside the house. With a booster, I get 4-5 bars most of the time.

 

[STx]

STx,

First, I appreciate you letting us know about other potential options because I look all the time and feel stuck with my Verizon Wireloss with the throttling headaches because it's the best I've been able to get anywhere. I have the mini-tower on the side of my house and still goes in and out on it's timing and rainy weather doesn't help at all.

I emailed UbiFi after reading your post. Here's the response I got:

"Hello,

We utilize the 4g at&t network, there does look to be slightly limited coverage in the general area which may be the reason for the in and out you're currently experiencing. The nearest towers are 1.5-2.3 miles Southwest, however the signal looks to drop off before reaching you. I would recommend and external antenna paired with the Mofi for a better overall experience.

Being that we utilize the 4g at&t network towers to deliver the service, we DO NOT guarantee speeds you'd receive. It will be 4g/4g LTE speeds if in an area where 4g is accessible. Typical speeds we've seen reported from clients can be up to 15-40mbps in some areas but can also be as low as 1-10mbps in some. The service would be unlimited data with no highspeed throttling or highspeed data caps. However, as you would with any 4g provider, you will experience slower speeds during times of network congestion until the network clears up.
The purchase of the MoFi gateway is due up front, $299.99 (in addition to any external antenna or signal booster you may decide to go with). You will have a 30 day return policy on our equipment. Should you cancel the service or it not workout for you within your 30 day trial period, you can return the undamaged equipment with all of its contents for a refund. Please note, a 15% RESTOCKING FEE applies to all returned equipment. Outside of your 30 day trial, you will own the equipment. When placing your order online, once the modem is placed in the cart, the system will automatically add your 30 day trial for service. The current monthly service pricing is $89.99 with autopay required and will be charged to the card used upon checkout after your trial period, unless cancelled prior. "

I'm no expert with any of this, but can you or someone tell me what the they mean by external antenna or signal booster and how I'm supposed to set that up? I'm emailing them back to see if their techs do that while setting it up or what. I do live down in a bit of a bowl from the towers, so assume that's why my mobile service is in and out like I told them up front. Line of sight is what Verizon always tells me when I call to complain.

They don't send a tech to do the install, they just send hardware. Since you know the direction of the antenna, I would put one of these on a pole as high as you can get it pointed in that direction - Wilson Outside Yagi Directional Antenna (5 Ohm) | 314411

I don't really see a signal booster helping much with the Mofi because they've already got the cell modem power maxed out, an antenna is going to give you the best bang.