Internet And WiFi On The Road

I use virgin mobile (mifi) works good costs me round 50 bux

I use Virgin Mobile, too. I bought a Samsung Galaxy 2 phone that runs Android for $275 but I have NO contract. VM uses Sprint towers. For $60/mo I have unlimited calls, texts, internet & data at 3G & 4G speeds. I have wi-fi enabled on my phone and use it as a mobile hot spot. I can connect up to five devices to it. Works great! I'll never go back to a contract again. I can use my phone to stream movies from my Netflix & Amazon accounts to my Kindle Fire. Or I can watch them on my laptop. I also check out e audio books from the library to the Kindle or phone, connect to the stereo with adapter cable and listen while driving. Since it's electronic media there's nothing to return when the loan is up. Win/win!

Clear can be ok in some cases but when I had it at my home I could not use it for skype or yahoo messenger. It was way to slow. Also they have only limited areas of service.

I had this question, and I believe it was Steve in here told me about some Verizon apps, on the droid phone, that work as well as the Verizon service, but are free. I am completing my first week on the road, and so far, I have yet to break the laptop out in the truck, but I am with a team company, so we keep moving a lot. I also have my Nook Tablet though, and I have been using that with my phone as a wifi hotspot to spend a little time on line. The phone wifi works great!

Free is always.awesome;) What are the names of the apps?

I have Verizon service on my droid phone and fortunately for me I am grandfathered into unlimited data usage. I use an app called FoxFi which recently partenered with another app called PdaNet+, it allows your phone to serve as a hot spot for free...And I Love free. It works either tethered with usb, Blue tooth or WiFi. I use the WiFi and find it works fantastic. I download movies and TV shows all the time and it is very quick, especially if you have a 4G connection. There is also an app called I Heart Radio, I use that alot so I can listen to stations from my home town. I just plug an cord into the head phone jack to the radio in the truck and waalaa, a steady stream of music without having to pay for satellite radio...another free perk.

Thanks Steve;)

You must go with verizon. The coverage is hands down the best and they are priced accordingly. (the high end)

I have an iPhone with 8gig data per month. My wife has a normal "non-smart" phone and I pay $200 a month. I actually use the connection for day trading out in the country. It is the only carrier that reaches into the sticks of Tennessee.

So, one line for you and a smart phone for hot spot and "normal" data at 4gig ish to start will be right around a $100.

It is really the only carrier option if you need wide coverage.

Truck Driver - hello

You're only real decision is iPhone or an Android device.

iPhone is more plug and play - easy to use. Android phones are more hackable and modifiable - this is why the kids love em. Open code

There are hack type apps for android that let you "tether" to the internet without paying the data fee's, but this is getting to be a dangerous game due to better detection from carriers. Verizon is very sharp. And the penalties make it not worth it anymore.

oops .... and I just assumed you wanted a phone.

Just a dedicated hotspot device will run you half that, but jeez all the benefits of smart phone these days is a must, no? :)

I still highly recommend Verizon.

https://www.truckingtruth.com/truckers-forum/includes/smileys/smile.gif

You must go with verizon. The coverage is hands down the best and they are priced accordingly. (the high end)

I have an iPhone with 8gig data per month. My wife has a normal "non-smart" phone and I pay $200 a month. I actually use the connection for day trading out in the country. It is the only carrier that reaches into the sticks of Tennessee.

So, one line for you and a smart phone for hot spot and "normal" data at 4gig ish to start will be right around a $100.

It is really the only carrier option if you need wide coverage.

Truck Driver - hello https://www.truckingtruth.com/truckers-forum/includes/smileys/smile.gif

You're only real decision is iPhone or an Android device.

iPhone is more plug and play - easy to use. Android phones are more hackable and modifiable - this is why the kids love em. Open code

There are hack type apps for android that let you "tether" to the internet without paying the data fee's, but this is getting to be a dangerous game due to better detection from carriers. Verizon is very sharp. And the penalties make it not worth it anymore.

Dang.... I can't get my smileys to work yet... lol

It's tough being a newbie.. :)

Question about laptops on the road. Does the vibration mess with the hard drive? I've heard that refrigerators don't last as long because of this. Have any of you notice a problem with laptops also? Would it be better to get a solid state storage computer? I might be allowed to keep my 5yr old laptop from my current job when I leave, but taking it OTR depends on which company hires me because it takes a 450watt power adapter, more than a cigarette lighter plug inverter will handle. I'd need a company installed inverter direct to battery even when truck is running. If I have to I could give the old laptop to my kid and buy one for the road with my vacation cash out money. I would look at Dell Latitude series because they are more rugidized.

There are a ton of companies that make very rugged cases for special situations like high heat, high vibration, and impact resistance. That would probably be the best way to go - get the laptop that suits you well, a good case to protect it, and a web-based backup service to backup your critical data for the inevitable hard drive fail.