Rural Internet

[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.