Best Wifi Router for Bus

[Scott & Heather]

Ok guys, I'm a former IT Network Consultant, so it is with humility that I admit I am having a hard time sorting out a relatively simple problem in our bus. Here's what I want:

We have free wifi in the RV park here in Texas. They issue you a password every 30 days (print it out on paper) and the password isn't a passkey, it logs you into the wifi via a login page...similar to some hotel wifi etc. The signal isn't strong enough to reach cleanly throughout the bus so I bought a wifi-extender/booster. Worked great except it didn't have a way to enter in credentials so it kept dropping the internet connection and none of the devices connected to it, had reliable internet. When I sit outside the bus, I get full signal from the park wifi with my laptop and can connect to it, and it stores the password for 30 days and the internet is reliable. How do I get that inside my bus? Is there a router/wifi-booster/extender that can log into a login page (not a passkey) and then re-broadcast said internet inside my bus? I have tried everything...I even set up a virtual router in the bus using my wireless desktop pc and virtual router software, but it doesn't work properly. I need a real physical router that can boost the signal via an external antenna, and can hold onto credentials for various wifi login systems. Someone please help. Chris and Cherie, if you're reading this, I need you... S.O.S.

[TomC]

If you're mostly in the same RV park living, this isn't for you. But-we use a cell phone based hot spot. Then as long as we have a cell phone signal, we have Wifi. It is usually 72bps-which is fast enough. It isn't the cheapest, but sure is nice to have wherever you go. I use it in my car when making sales calls. My wife has used it while moving when we're in the city with good strong cell coverage. Good Luck, TomC

[Scott & Heather]

Thanks Tom. We have Verizon hotspot too. And get LTE speeds. But we are already in a park with WIFI and could reduce our Verizon bill $150 per month by actually turning down our data quota and utilizing the park WIFI since we will be here for the rest of the year.

[Dreamscape]

We bought our router and booster from here. https://www.wifiranger.com/

Also bought an antenna to add to the boost. It has worked very well for us. The router sits inside a cabinet up front and the antenna with the boost is attached to our crank up local tv antenna.

You are always going to be limited with an RV Park WiFi. The Wifi Ranger just gives the security needed and the booster strengthens the signal.

Jack Mayer on the Escapees forum is really the go to guy for internet connectivity.

http://www.rvnetwork.com/index.php?showtopic=117050

[Seangie]

Scott -

The authentication system in the park is using layer 2 (Mac addresses) to authenticate computers.  It will see the layer 2 Mac address on the repeater and not authenticate any traffic that the repeater passes as the Mac adduced on that repeater is not in the parks system.

A couple ways around this....usually you can add an exception in an authentication system where you could go to the person operating or who has access to the system and give them the physical address of the repeater and have them add that to the authentication list.

The other way is if the repeater has a location to change the Mac address (some network equipment supports this but not all) then change the address of the repeater to one of the devices that has already been authenticated.  Having duplicate Macs on a network can cause some issues but usually its not a problem.

If you can find a device that is strictly a layer 1 repeater meaning that it has no network capability at all but just takes a signal in a specific range and repeats it then you should have no issues.

You could take a wifi USB key and build an external antenna for it

Miss you guys.

-Sean

[Scott & Heather]

My brother to the rescue. Ok...so, that being said, it sounds like I just merely need to rebroadcast the park wifi into my bus and then allow my computers to access and enter the codes in them. So what unit do I buy to do this?? When I used an extender recently, the internet was terrible. Kept disconnecting and asking for a code was drama. I returned it.

[Scott & Heather]

Just got off the phone with WIFI RANGER. Yep. looks like I'm spending $360 on a new router and outdoor antenna. Their router will store the credentials and then pass on the "logged in" internet to all my devices. Easy peasy. But definitely not cheap. I also need to buy the Wilson Electronics LTE 4G cellular booster antenna too for times when we don't have good cell reception. So yeah, I'll be broke, but I'll have internet. 

[Seangie]

We have the Wilson 4G LTE repeater.  Because we have unlimited wifi tethering,  we really have no need for a wifi repeater.  90% of the time cellular is better than the wifi at the parks anyways.  Would be nice to have both though!

-Sean

[Oonrahnjay]

...we are already in a park with WIFI and could reduce our Verizon bill $150 per month by actually turning down our data quota

       Haugh, cofff, khuuhhch, sputter ... $150 a month?   $1800 a year???  Awww, gee, my $22 a month flip phone is starting to look *really* good right now ...  (even if it wouldn't know what them InnerWebs is, even if you smashed it flat with a WiFi router ...)

[eagle19952]

You could dip further into the piggy bank and add these to your arsenal...



http://www.cnet.com/products/sengled-led-smart-bulbs/?ftag=CAD9f89b0c&bhid=21592759233282005771856137042356

[Oonrahnjay]

You could dip further into the piggy bank and add these to your arsenal...

http://www.cnet.com/products/sengled-led-smart-bulbs/?ftag=CAD9f89b0c&bhid=21592759233282005771856137042356 

       They lost me at "pair it with your network using the Sengled app on your Android or iOS device".  Until I can figure out WTH *that* means, I'll keep my 9 year old flip phone -- and my $$$$!

[Scott & Heather]

Those LED's wifi repeaters are awesome! Someone had a great idea! haha! cool!

[Oonrahnjay]

Those LED's wifi repeaters are awesome! Someone had a great idea! haha! cool!   

      Yeah, pretty cool but at €59 -- that's about $64 US (or $349 Canadian).  Nope, can't go that far!

[technomadia]

Chris and Cherie, if you're reading this, I need you... S.O.S.

Was just directed here.. sorry for coming late. Sounds like you've been pointed in the right direction with WiFiRanger, which is what we would have recommended too. Good company, great customer support and they specialize in RVers needs for WiFi and routing.

If you need us in the future for mobile internet related stuff, we actually have a whole website (we've teamed up with the awesome Jack Mayer on it) dedicated to tracking the industry news, reviewing products and guiding our fellow RVers through these sometimes confusing & always changing technical challenges. 
You can find us over at www.RVMobileInternet.com - be sure to sign up for our  free newsletter to stay in the know.

For instance, right now you can snag some sweet close-out deals on Wilson LTE boosters as they rebrand to weBoost: http://www.rvmobileinternet.com/wilson-electronics-mobile-cellular-booster-close-out-deals/

All our best.. and may the bandwidth be with you!
- Cherie

[Scott & Heather]

Much thanks! I found your site, but any chance I get to lure you back over here to post, I take I enjoyed when you guys posted here more often...but I understand life get's crazy too. Thanks...I maybe in touch with you as we build the ultimate wireless bus.