Mobile wifi for trip

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MKMc

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I have a few 12 hour drives coming up with a six year old and a teenager. Does anyone have any reasonably priced suggestions to get streaming in the truck for the trip? It would make it MUCH less stressful - thanks - Mike
 

stamp11127

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Tablets with as much memory as you can stuff in them. Download VLC Media player and what they want to watch beforehand. This allows them to watch what they want outside of coverage areas. Use free wifi when ever you stop for internet related stuff.
 
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MKMc

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Good info - thank you. Ipads loaded, but what I'm looking for is a dedicated unlimited data hotspot for a reasonable monthly fee ($50). Does that exist, because I can't find it in my net research.

As to running it through my phone, that won't work as my phone is through my employer on a shared data plan, so no go on that route.

Mike
 

bobmbx

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Good info - thank you. Ipads loaded, but what I'm looking for is a dedicated unlimited data hotspot for a reasonable monthly fee ($50). Does that exist, because I can't find it in my net research.

As to running it through my phone, that won't work as my phone is through my employer on a shared data plan, so no go on that route.

Mike
Your connection to the internet from your car will have to be via cellular, then distributed from your phone or internet-connected tablet/pad as a Wi-Fi hotspot, unless you think you can hopscotch from one unsecure Wi-Fi node to another as you drive (not gonna happen).

Maybe you can find someone on the road going the same direction with an open Wi-Fi hotspot and just "butt-in" on his plan.

About all you can do is pick a cellular provider, pay for their unlimited plan and use your "New" phone or tablet as the WiFi source.
 

crector080862

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That would be my suggestion call your cellular provider I'm sure they have unlimited data plans for your phone that will allow you to use your hotspot

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 

Trainmaster

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Your big challenge would be consistent cellular service on your highways. When we drive around here in the eastern suburbs, our calls are dropped every three minutes.
 

John Stover

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I use T-Mobile. I have two dedicated hot spots. They work great in the car and aren't expensive at all. One is for work w/ 20 GB, the other is for the grandkids and has 2GB. Those are "high speed" GB. The data plan is unlimited. I also set up a table on the back seat floorboard. I have a 12 Volt, 19" TV and a 12 Volt Sony Bluray. Works like a champ, too. If we connect to the hotspot, we have Netflix and all of the other shows on line. It was a fun project and worked out just fine. Just make sure everything is secure.
 

lbv150

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The best bet and cost effective for you would be a small portable modem they call them Jetpacks, hotspots, etc from your cellular carrier. I went all out in my '16 with an industrial grade permanently installed modem/router ($800) that uses a roof mounted antenna for cell & wifi on the Verizon network. Have not found a dead area yet.
 

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Adieu

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1) amazon prime lets you download like 25 episodes at a time of anything, and infinite amounts of Amazon-produced content

2) you can get a thingie that's basically a wifi router with an LTE data plan --- check that coverage exists along the highways you travel though... they start at like $50, the 800-dollar beast another poster here bought isn't representative of the costs

3) most phones and some operators have "wifi hotspot" (share LTE data with another device via wifi) functionality.... a lot of operators either block it or sell it as a paid add-on though
 

Adieu

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chuck s

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Maybe you can find someone on the road going the same direction with an open Wi-Fi hotspot and just "butt-in" on his plan.
We piggybacked off acquaintance's large motor home "hot spot" one time. As long as we stayed within 150 feet or so from them the signal was great. This was for data transfer, though, not streaming.

-- Chuck
 

gregcm21

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I'm a year late but we just purchased a Harman Spark through ATT with unlimited data for $25 month and no contract. The Harman Spark was $79. It plugs into the OBD2 port. So far no issues and works great.
 

max78

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Unlimited Cell Data plan and PDAnet is the only thing I have been able to find.

Every single plan I have seen for hotspot has a data limit that would be maxed in just a couple house with any real use. PDAnet will mask your tether as regular cell data usage and you will avoid that issue.

I have done it from phone to PC, no idea if it works phone to tablet.

Free PDAnet has a max limit, the paid version is unlimited.

Clearly I didnt look hard enough, there seem to be much better options these days.
 

Sgt Darkness

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I use AT&T and get unlimited data for 20 bucks a month but not sure if older Expy’s have the built in modem or not? I’m new to Fords so just not sure what years have a modem and what years don’t, but I learn a bit from these great forum members we have here everyday....
 

jkayca

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I use AT&T and get unlimited data for 20 bucks a month but not sure if older Expy’s have the built in modem or not? I’m new to Fords so just not sure what years have a modem and what years don’t, but I learn a bit from these great forum members we have here everyday....
Builtin LTE modems didn't come in until the 2018 models (4th gen).
 
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