In recent years traveling has become much easier due to the easy access to the Internet. We use our laptops to stay in contact, pay our bills, to do research, for mapping and directions, as well as entertainment - sports scores and even Spider Solitaire!
Many of the campgrounds now provide free WIFI Internet service that you can receive while parked in your RV! Others provide Internet at a clubhouse or other common area. The minimum service we now find is a phone line for Internet use and I haven't done this in so long I don't think I can remember how to do it anymore!
Most of the newer laptops (made within the past three years) have WIFI built in and you simply log on. If you plan on traveling with a desktop model then you will need to install a WIFI card and hope for parks that offer WIFI in all the campsites.
Many of the truck stops (like Flying J) have WIFI in their truck parking area but this is easy to use but there is a cost and you need to log on and to pay. Coffee shoppes and coffee cafes also provide either free or low cost WIFI access.
Many RVers use what they call "Air Cards" for WIFI access. We use this method most of the time. You get a card for your computer (slips into the slot at the side of your computer) and it allows you access to the Internet via one of the wireless carriers. We are using the AT&T (Cingular) service but our experience tells us that Verizon is even faster. You can get your card for free by signing up with a service contract with one of the providers for usually a two year period. We actually purchased our card on EBay and choose a model compatible with Cingular. Because we own our own card we have service without a service contract so we can cancel it if we have time periods where we are not traveling - hasn't happened as yet!
Because be both travel with our computers we have set up a WIFI system in our coach using our air card and a special router that works with the air card. This method works just great for us.
It is really cool to be traveling down an Interstate Highway and getting football scores for the driver - or sending off e-mail. This system is definitely slower than WIFI but it works great and is much faster than telephone connections.
Satellite Internet is here and it is doing well! Anytime you see a motorhome with a funny shaped satellite dish (wider than higher) and if it says MotoSat you can guess they are accessing the Internet with this method. Many of the RVers keep their Internet "open" so others can also use their WIFI but it is good manners to ask before using it. Others place passwords into their system so only those with the password can use their system. Sometimes if you strike up a friendship with even a password protected satellite system, the owners will happily share their access with you! This system only works when the coach is parked and not moving.
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