We have added significantly to our communications capabilities while traveling. I starts with both Sue and I now have Apple Smart phones. The phones will provide hot spot connections for our other computers. IPads and laptops . We have eliminated our standalone hotspot. Since Sue receives most of the calls My phone will generally be used as the hotspot.
Thanks to Matt we now have Tom Tom navigation on our phones. This helps reduce the clutter in the truck while providing the needed functionality.
Finally I have installed a Wi-Fi setup in the trailer to provide a local network in the trailer. This setup will provide enhanced connections to the campground Wi-Fi services. The system is from WiFiRanger. It consists of a router which is located in the trailer (WiFiRanger GO). The GO provides the local network within the trailer. This eliminates the problems of the aluminum trailer acting as a faraday shield to the radio signals. As you may know on previous trips we have experience significant problems connecting to campground services. This usually would involve sitting in the laundry room to get and connectivity.
The Go is then attached with Ethernet to and external antenna/ router (WiFiRanger Mobile). The Mobile is outside the trailer and placed on a pole to minimize the number of objects which the radio signals must penetrate. It also has a more powerful radio than installed in most computers. The mobile then provides our connection to the outside world. This could be either a public Wi_FI service or our hot spot phones.
I have been testing this all here at home and it has been working great. I’m now able to connect to our home network from inside the trailer. Before this installation we could not even see our house network from the trailer which was parked next to the house. I can even see neighbors signals which I have never seen before.
I have included some pictures of the install:
- This is a picture of the WiFiRanger Mobile mounted on a painters pole. I cut of a paint roller handle and attached the mobile with the u bolts provided. This allows me to remove the mobile and store it in the trailer when not in use.
- The next picture shows the mounting bracket is assembled out of very heavy gage plastic pipe. As you can see it is bolted to the trunk portion of the trailer. This placement keep it out of the way at all times. It could also be used as a flag pole holder. The top and bottom caps were drilled to fit the painters pole shaft. I think this will hold up in windy conditions.
Here you can see the complete outside configuration. Note the Ethernet cable is run in the bottom of the door.
Inside I mounted the GO with Velcro so it could be easily be removed. The Ethernet cable run along the side wall go to the Mobile outside on the pole. This was a convenient place to mount since the trailer already had 12v outlet in the upper cabinet. I should mention that this entire system runs on 12v thus to need for regular power.
- Just one over all view from inside the trailer.
You can find additional information about
WiFiRanger.com.
We will provide update on how well this works out.
