what is the best and cheapest internet access solution for a laptop while traveling?

Alright Snowwy. This one is for you.

I'm at the Sapp Bros off California and 215.
I just dropped at Wheeler Cat down the road.



I know it says 350mi,.. some reason Speedtest put me in Colorado. I chose the Comcast server in SLC instead.

I'm picking up a container as my partial up the road. I've got 1 more skid steer to drop in Missoula Mt. I'll stop in at Ogden and see what results I get there.

So far so good.

Hurst

 

Up at the Flying J in Ogden now.

Had a full 5 bars back at Sapp Bros. Only 3 bars here.



Still very doable and internet working great.

Heading up to Idaho City, dropping container off and then picking up 4 pallets. Will do a test there. From there dropping last machine off up in Mt. Then running I90 over to Wa.

So far the way I see it,..

Verizon > Sprint




Hurst

 

At Pilot in Stanfield Or
so the 200ml to La Grande isn't correct.

 

for me. sprint better.

like i said. verizon has sucked for me up there.

 

When I was in SLC Speedtest thought I was in Denver. Now that I'm up here in Missoula it thinks I'm SLC,.. LOL

Anyway,..
Speedtest at Missoula Mt.


I dunno Snowwy,.. so far seems neither of your services are seeing the quality that I'm seeing.

I'm on my way to Richland Wa,.. right by Kennewick. So I'll run some more tests along the way. I'm getting good service out here. Couple dead spots down in between mountains,.. but thats will happen with any service when mountains block the signal.

I know for a fact Sprint has a total dead zone on i90 from West Montana across Idaho and not till you get near Spokane will Sprint have a signal. Thats unacceptable to me.

Edit:

Are you running anything in your truck that might effect your cell signal? Like super high powered CB AMP/s?

Again,.. I'm just reaching. Trying to figure out why your service seems spotchy.

Hurst

 

U don't know if sprint works the 90 or not. you don't have their service to tell.

they used to be dead from reno to grand island. not anymore.

your using your cell phone. I'm using my laptop. I've noticed that cell phone tests twice as high. it's the only way I'm seeing numbers like yours. Cuz the laptop only hits half that speed.

 

I had Sprint up until June of this year. My wife was with my when the ecm hot lead disconnected from the battery on Look Out pass. Sprint had no signal. Verizon saved the day.

So unless they magically put up new towers between June and now.... they will still have that dead zone.

And no sir. Not using my phone for the speed test. I only used the phone to test 1 time. When you use the mobile app you dont get the image.. instead you get a link to the stats. I've been using my laptop the entire time except for 1 test.

Hurst

 

see, you gave up on sprint in june. so you really have no idea what their coverage is. and neither do i, yet.

sprint isn't adding towers, they are using what's out there already. ftc gave sprint permission in august.

here's an article that came out in september. one of a couple of articles about what's going on with sprint.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/07/sprint-lte-coverage-regional-carrier/

i didn't have my sprint phone reactivated just for kicks and giggles.

madras, oregon. on laptop



phone tested almost 20 down 18 up

20 miles to the south, in redmond. i did my 1st drop. sprint had the upperhand in 4g speed. right here, where i'm at now. sprint has full 3g bars but speed is almost non existent.

2nd drop in portland in morning.

 

Haugan Mt,.. just before Look Out Pass.



Says 1100 mile,.. but thats because Speedtest put me in Kansas. Obviously I'm not.

I'll be in Richland Wa tomorrow morning. The picking up in Umatilla, heading out to Colorado Springs.

No your right,.. unless Sprint picked up a bunch of towers in last 6 months,.. they could very well have service.

I'm still sticking with Verizon. I'm having better service at more location then when I was with Sprint.

Thats why you need to do speed tests with Sprint,.. show me where your getting better service. I'll show you every where I am with Verizon.

My phone is the Galaxy Note 4. I just got it. I had the Galaxy S4 before this. Both phones are fantastic with no signal problems.

I had an HTC EVO 3D with Sprint. Loved that phone. Always had a pretty good signal voice signal in most places. Data was hit or miss all the time. They forced an update on me and the phone started rebooting on me and then finally just turned off and refused to come back on while I was out on the road. No communications at all.

I bob tailed to a Sprint store in Bollingbrook Il. They talked my into the Samsung Galaxy S2. I hated that phone. Worst signal and dropped calls all the time. I then got the Galaxy S4 and things improved,. signal still scetchy in many places plus the dead zones I experience. When I switched to Verizon I got the S4 with them as well. But day and night difference regarding 4GLTE and Sprint which had no LTE at the time,. so data was just 3G most of the time. Often the Sprint phone would just have 1x. This was my experience with them.

You need to show Sprint doing better to debunk me about bragging on Verizon so much.
Maybe try some different servers to see if you get better results?

So far I think is Verizon showing better service.

Hurst

 

can't give sprint bragging rights yet. this whole new network thing just getting started. gonna take a couple of years yet, and by that time, i hope to NOT be living the life of a trucking gypsie.

it might also be time for a new phone with new tech. after all, my phone model was discontinued 15 months ago.

i'll be strolling by umatilla sometime early afternoon, for home.