IS Wifi Available on the Road?

Yes wifi is available at just about all of the major truck stops. Also places like Mcdonalds, coffee houses etc...

I have a wifi card through Verizon and it works in some of the most remote places! (except when you absolutely need it too!)

I would definitely take the laptop! There are so many uses for it out there. One of my favs was "Google Earth". You can type in the address of the shipper/receiver and look at it on google earth to see what type of area you will be going to. You can usually see if there is ample parking or if the loading docks are tight etc... If it looks like its in the "hood" you may want to plan to try and sleep elsewhere if need be. I would also use it when we were over by the coast in Cali. Places like Salinas and so forth where you get produce can sometimes take awhile so I would look for places along the beach I could fit a big truck into. Found many little secret parking places this way!

Besides all that, you want your laptop so you can get on the forum! Sucks trying to post on your cellphone!

 

Great question! I was wondering how to connect to WIFI on the road, myself. I think that if I couldn't "Google" at a moment's notice I would implode.

Ellie

 

Don what kind of phone do you have?

 

chompi I have Verizon Mifi too. I would not have a connection in some unknown places but I ordered the external antennae and it really works. I took the advice from a member here to get it and I can get online everywhere now with it. I got the kind that sticks on the window. Right now I am sitting out in the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin but streaming Dancing with the Stars and posting on forums lol.

 

I was wondering because I have an iPhone with unlimited data which I plan to tether so I can use my macbook, iPad and ps3 to get wifi. However this only works when you have a cellphone signal. You might want to check you coverage area with smart talk to see if your data will work in the middle of nowhere.

 

Wifi is every where now days. You'll have no problem being able to hook on to it. The truck stop wifi can be slow at times, depends where your parked and how many are on it. Alot of phone companies will also be able to get you on the web just watch them charges tho. Don't know if its nation wide or not but i use clear wifi for 35$ a month and its unlimited use. But i'm local so dont know if it would work otr.

What i used to do when i first started out there before i had any money to be able to get my own wifi, i would park near hotels,motels and such and just piggy back off them for a short time. Now i dont suggest that but it works in a pinch if you have to get on.

 

You can get internet pretty easy on the road. I put off buying internet through my phone because it's so easy to find on the road.

Truckstops have it...usually for a small fee. You can use your loyalty cards for that though. It's usually not very fast. So for gaming or video, it's not very good.

I go to Starbucks and McDonalds a lot too. It's fun to sit and hang out, drink coffee and just kinda hang out on the internet, listen to conversations, check out the babes......and maybe even get lucky enough to meet a babe or two =P

My " condo " is never far away! =)

You will likely be too busy driving and sleeping to mess with the CPU much ...I am anyways.

Only on my 34s and occasionally when I get some lousy assignments, do I get time to play on my computer. Like now, I'm stuck in WA, with a short 150mile run to make today...looking at time off this weekend which has dispatch throwing me crap runs so I can make it home.