Cable Modem Help

["EZ"]

I need some help. I'm very mechanical and very tool savvy and I have a lot of talents but computer hardware, software, Wi-Fi and all the stuff that goes with it just makes my head hurt!

I'm a salesman that can work from anywhere. I take the RV and my laptop and my cell phone and my Verizon MiFi hotspot and I'm good to go. I just spent almost 3 weeks in Florida and sold all my 2020 inventory without a hitch. My wife on the other hand works for a hospital coding medical billing. She is now working from home due to the COIVID-19 virus. Her company REQUIRES that she be plugged into an ethernet cable for her computer. NO Wi-Fi!!! They are afraid someone will steal someone's medical records. Most companies that do coding are not this way.

Needless to say my wife wants to be able to travel in our RV as much as I can, so she can go with me! I was in Florida almost 3 weeks and she only got to be there for 1 week and had to take vacation time to do it. So, I am trying to figure out a work-around for her so she can bring her computer and both monitors and still be able to work so she doesn't have to burn her vacation time.

My idea is that if a camp ground had cable, we should be able to hook a cable modem to the cable, then hook a Wi-Fi router to the cable modem, then hook her computer to the router with an ethernet cable. Correct?? Am I getting this right?

If that will work, what do I need to look for in the speed capability of a cable modem? I don't want to needlessly buy a Hellcat Hemi speed cable modem if the cable at a camp ground is going to be slow like a pinto. I've seen ads for cable modems on Amazon that say "fast speeds" of 300 Mbps and I've seen speeds like 6Gbps which would be infinitely faster, no? I'm not sure what "fast" is on a "normal" cable connection. (We have fiber optic at home with some pretty fast speeds) I'm not looking for the best or fastest or most expensive equipment either. Just something where she can get her work done without having to wait a long time for downloads and uploads.

Anybody have any suggestions? Here's a cable modem I found on Amazon. There are literally hundreds of them to choose from!!! Is this one decent? Will it work?
Amazon.com: Motorola MB8600 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem, 6 Gbps Max Speed. Approved for Comcast Xfinity Gigabit, Cox Gigablast, and More, Black: Computers & Accessories
OR this one???
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XH46MWW/?tag=rvf01-20

Thanks in advance for helping someone that had an electronics bypass as a child.

 

[Just George]

@"EZ" Would it be acceptable to use a cell phone (there are options other than a phone but for now just think phone) to connect to the internet (using Cellular, not WIFI)? If using Cellular network to connect to the internet is acceptable then I have a pretty basic set up that tethers my cell phone to a router & then the router is connected to my laptop via an Ethernet cable. If your wife is connecting to the her company through their VPN this may be a good solution.

 

[VTPete]

Get a peplink Max transit, plug the laptop into the LAN port. Use the SIM from your mifi in the Max transit. OR, I’d suggest getting another SIM from ATT for the Max transit, and hook your Verizon mifi up to the WAN port for load balancing both carriers. The max transit can use the campground Wi-Fi, but if you also use a VPN from her laptop you should be good to go.

or you could buy similar routers to the max transit from cradle point or Wi-Fi ranger. I think the cable modem idea is a nonstarter.

 

["EZ"]

@"EZ" Would it be acceptable to use a cell phone (there are options other than a phone but for now just think phone) to connect to the internet (using Cellular, not WIFI)? If using Cellular network to connect to the internet is acceptable then I have a pretty basic set up that tethers my cell phone to a router & then the router is connected to my laptop via an Ethernet cable. If your wife is connecting to the her company through their VPN this may be a good solution.

I didn't know that was even possible!!! I got on her computer one day just to see if I could get on my Wi-Fi system at home. I wasn't sure if they just SAID she had to be on an ethernet cable of if I could actually get her linked to the Wi-Fi system. Well, they have the computer set up so that the Wi-Fi isn't even an option! So I guess as long as it is plugged into an ethernet cable and the computer THINKS it is plugged into an ethernet cable andnot a cell phone it *may* work. I really don't know.

 

["EZ"]

I think the cable modem idea is a nonstarter.

So the cable modem won't accomplish what I'm trying to do? At all? ?

 

["EZ"]

@"EZ" Would it be acceptable to use a cell phone (there are options other than a phone but for now just think phone) to connect to the internet (using Cellular, not WIFI)? If using Cellular network to connect to the internet is acceptable then I have a pretty basic set up that tethers my cell phone to a router & then the router is connected to my laptop via an Ethernet cable. If your wife is connecting to the her company through their VPN this may be a good solution.

Can you tell me what items you use in your set up? I'm doing some research on Amazon to see how much this is going to cost. Thanks!

 

[Kevin D Pem]

It has been a few years, but My satellite box had Ethernet that hooked to a wifi modem. Not really that fast but will work anywhere you can get a clear view of the sky.

 

[Just George]

@"EZ" Here is my set up. It's low cost and very basic. The Peplink approach suggested by @VTPete would provide a more robust connection but it comes at an additional cost.

Here are the details and limitations of my set up. I've chosen to have a "dedicated" cell phone that I only use for internet in the coach. I could use either my or my wife's phone but that would mean no coach internet if one or the other was away from the coach. Plus with the dedicated phone I set it up once & done.

The cell provider for my coach set up is a company called Visible. Visible is a child company of Verizon. The Visible service uses Verizon 4G LTE only. NOTE "4G LTE only" so while Verizon has wide spread coverage of cell towers and signal their 4G LTE is a smaller footprint. I've typically not had any issue with the 4G LTE only but there have been spots where it was not available. I suppose this is really not much different that any cell service. Some times you have good coverage sometimes you don't. This is one area where the Peplink approach could be more robust since you can use sim cards from two different carriers so if one has poor coverage in your area hopefully the other will have coverage. Having two carriers means two cell plans so there is an associated additional cost.

Visible service will only work with specific cell phone models. The specific phones are listed on the Visible web site. In my case I purchased the phone for my coach directly from Visible and I chose the least expensive phone Visible offered.

The Visible service plan is $40/month with truly unlimited data. (Note the Visible service can be as low as $25 a month by joining their "party plan".) The Visible plan can limit hotspot data download speeds to 5Mbps and is limited to one tethered unit. This is where the next piece of equipment comes in. By the way I typically experience download speeds much higher then the 5Mbps. I've also experiences significantly slower speeds and like most cell provides & plans the more traffic on the tower the slower the service. Generally my experience has been positive regarding speed. More often that not I'm able to stream Netflix or prime in HD with little or no buffering.

Now for the next piece of equipment. You will want to tether the phone to a router. This is the router I'm using. This router has a USB port that the phone connects to "i.e. tether". There are RJ45 ports that you can connect the router to your computer via Ethernet cable. The router also provides a WIFI connection that you can use for any other devices you may want to connect to the internet. The advantage the router brings is once you have it set up you can connect multiple devices to the WIFI (which has password security) and it has 2 Ethernet connections. So with my dedicated phone & router all my devices are always connected to my WIFI or router Ethernet. There is no need to change connections to a park WIFI or other network as long as I have cell service.
In addition to using my Visible set up at the campground I leave it on while we travel and stream music via prime or iHeart or any other streaming service as we travel.

The last piece of gear you will need is a USB power supply that provides at least 2.4amps of 5v. This connects to the router and powers the router and phone. Power supplies that provide less current tend to cause some intermittent issues with the set up.

There is a ton of information on that other forum regarding the Visible service and the set up I've outlined here.



Regarding the cable modem idea. I agree with @VTPete. However along similar lines some parks that have cable service to the site "MAY" be able to provide internet to the site. My experience in the few places I've been where this was an option you had to contact the cable provided and sign up for internet service. Once you do that they provide the equipment. I've only seen this at parks / resorts where the sites are owned by individuals however the service may also be available at other parks, perhaps where there tend to be longer term stays. IF you happen to be at a park that is able to provide internet via cable to the site there would be no need for the cellular approach.


Sorry for the long response but I wanted to try to provide a comprehensive response including some of the limitations.

Hope this helps.

 

[AbdRahim]

Someday Came reminded me of the cellular. I did not think of this for your case. You will have to see if this is acceptable to her company. I have a Verizon Mi-fi which I keep tethered to my Wi-Fi Ranger (Wi-fi off). I can then connect the computer via ethernet to the WFR. However even though it is cellular the data is being transmitted through the air waves. More secure than wi-fi, yes, but I would check with the company to relieve you of liability, just in case.

 

["EZ"]

It has been a few years, but My satellite box had Ethernet that hooked to a wifi modem. Not really that fast but will work anywhere you can get a clear view of the sky.

I'm staying away from using the satelite dish. I don't even use it for TV. Eventually I'm getting rid of the dish at home too. it's gotten way too expensive.

 

["EZ"]

I really appreciate all the advice you guys have given me. I know it took time to answer my questions. I'm slowly starting to understand this crap but I'm still very unsure about what to buy.

Thanks again!!

 

[RKins]

It sounds like the IT dept disabled her wifi on the laptop so she couldn't use it, leaving only an ethernet connection. I think cellular internet would be fine. So you need to find a cellular modem that has an ethernet port on it - this one would work but is for AT&T and T-mobile only. You could find one for Verizon if desired. These modems are actually a cell connection, so you would buy a cell plan for it (or have the company pay for it.)

Netgear LB1120-100NAS 4G LTE Modem - Newegg.com

Buy NETGEAR 4G LTE Broadband Modem - Use LTE as Primary Internet Connection (LB1120) with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

You could hook directly to that modem or buy a cheap switch to allow a little flexibility - connect a ethernet cable from the modem to the switch and then connect the laptop to the switch via another cable. You can hook printers, etc to the switch.

NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged Switch (GS308) - Newegg.com

Buy NETGEAR 8 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch Unmanaged | GS308 with fast shipping and top-rated customer service. Once you know, you Newegg!

www.newegg.com

 

[TJ&LadyDi]

If your wife values her job, she should work with her company's IT department to find an acceptable way to do this while on the road. Setting up a work-around without company approval could create a liability for one or both parties. There's a reason that companies handling sensitive personal data set the systems up the way they do. Data security is a big issue.

Just my @.02 worth.

TJ

 

[VTPete]

I'd propose you experiment with your current hardware as a next step before any investments. Take your mifi unit (assuming it's the Verizon 8800L? let us know). Tether it via the USB connection to you wife's work computer. THe modem should ID the tethered device automatically. Go into the network configuration on your wife's PC and make sure all connections are disabled EXCEPT the tethered connection, no wifi!

Then see if your wife can access her corporate resources as she normally does. If it works, then you've demonstrated she can work over cellular connection. Time to reach out to her help desk at work and confirm the new configuration is ok. She should just say she's connecting directly via cellular modem and not using wifi, that's it. Don't overexplain it. It's ok and lots of people use cellular connections in a secure fashion. If the company is truly concerned about security then they already have configured their own VPN on her laptop to secure the connection regardless.

If it works and you then were to implement a solution such as those proposed above, you are still working in the exact same fashion. Ethernet connection or USB to you choice of modem is not a change. Just don't use any public wifi anywhere in the chain.

8800l manual

https://ss7.vzw.com/is/content/VerizonWireless/Devices/Verizon/Jetpack%20MiFi%208800L/User%20Manual/verizon-jetpack-mifi-8800l-um.pdf

Configure a USB Modem in Windows 10

How to Set Up USB Tethering on Windows 10

Learn how to USB tether on Windows 10 and never worry about connecting to public Wi-Fi again. You can set up USB tethering from your Android or iPhone.

www.lifewire.com

 

["EZ"]

I'd propose you experiment with your current hardware as a next step before any investments. Take your mifi unit (assuming it's the Verizon 8800L? let us know). Tether it via the USB connection to you wife's work computer. THe modem should ID the tethered device automatically. Go into the network configuration on your wife's PC and make sure all connections are disabled EXCEPT the tethered connection, no wifi!

Then see if your wife can access her corporate resources as she normally does. If it works, then you've demonstrated she can work over cellular connection. Time to reach out to her help desk at work and confirm the new configuration is ok. She should just say she's connecting directly via cellular modem and not using wifi, that's it. Don't overexplain it. It's ok and lots of people use cellular connections in a secure fashion. If the company is truly concerned about security then they already have configured their own VPN on her laptop to secure the connection regardless.

If it works and you then were to implement a solution such as those proposed above, you are still working in the exact same fashion. Ethernet connection or USB to you choice of modem is not a change. Just don't use any public wifi anywhere in the chain.

8800l manual

https://ss7.vzw.com/is/content/VerizonWireless/Devices/Verizon/Jetpack%20MiFi%208800L/User%20Manual/verizon-jetpack-mifi-8800l-um.pdf

Configure a USB Modem in Windows 10

How to Set Up USB Tethering on Windows 10

Learn how to USB tether on Windows 10 and never worry about connecting to public Wi-Fi again. You can set up USB tethering from your Android or iPhone.

www.lifewire.com

Thanks VTPete! I think I'll try that. I believe the Verizon MiFi we have is the 8800L It's only about 6 months old. I bought it to stream TV with in the Motorhome but quickly found out "Unlimited Data" doesn't mean unlimited data at fast speeds. ? However it does work really well for surfing the web with my lap top and my wife's iPad and our phones.

Will using the SIM card from the Verizon 8800L in a Peplink enable us to watch TV as well? Or will Verizon still throttle back the data speeds? This would be a bonus as our main concern is to get my wife's computer on-line. ?

 

[VTPete]

Thanks VTPete! I think I'll try that. I believe the Verizon MiFi we have is the 8800L It's only about 6 months old. I bought it to stream TV with in the Motorhome but quickly found out "Unlimited Data" doesn't mean unlimited data at fast speeds. ? However it does work really well for surfing the web with my lap top and my wife's iPad and our phones.

Will using the SIM card from the Verizon 8800L in a Peplink enable us to watch TV as well? Or will Verizon still throttle back the data speeds? This would be a bonus as our main concern is to get my wife's computer on-line. ?

Yes, but verizon will indeed throttle you after your 20 something GB .. But first things first try the experiment, PM me if you have any detailed questions

 

[lemondrop9344]

Tj et al have provided you the best advice so far. Don't try & go around the intent of what her employer is trying to accomplish .
Hippa regulations are why the employer has various controls on internet connectivity in place. I would encourage you to google Hippa regulations (to develop an understanding) & then work with the IT department of your wife's employer to arrive at a solution that is acceptable to them.
I would hope your wife's employer is providing a employer VPN for her to use when processing their work. If not, I would suspect they are in violation of the very Hippa regulations they are trying to enforce by avoiding WiFi connectivity.
Now let's put all the Hippa stuff aside. All of the ideas put forth are very workable, but, will they be acceptable to your wife's employer?
I live & work from my RV full time. My work consists of remotely connecting to servers, downloading data, processing data, uploading data, connecting remotely to PC's to trouble shoot & a variety of other things. On average, I consume right around a GB of data a day spread over 8 hours that I attribute to work that is similar (data consumption) to your wife's work. That should give you an idea of what sort of speed you will need for your wife's work.
A cellular modem/router (various manufacturers/various prices) that is capable of meeting Hippa regulations should be acceptable to your wife's employer. Conceptually, working from an RV is not much different (technology wise) than working from a geographical location that is not served by a land based (cable or DSL) internet service provider.
Good luck.

 

[MapNerd]

Wow. Lots going on here. I’ll try to help simplify for you.

1. No, your idea with the cable modem will not work. Logically, I can see how you got there, but there is one problem with the plan. RV parks are not subscribing to broadband internet over those lines, they are subscribing to cable TV. So the signal coming in over that line to your pedestal is a TV signal, not an internet signal. So while buying a cable modem would allow you to decode and use an internet signal on that cable at your pedestal, the signal is more than likely not going to be there for your cable modem to use.

2. Your wife’s company requires her to use an Ethernet cable to her computer from your modem. No WiFi. That’s actually not a terrible policy when dealing with personal health information because most people can barely make their internet router turn on, much less securely configure it. That said, the requirement is for her computer to connect to your internet modem/router via ethernet. How the connection is handled upstream from there is not something they could reasonably detect, control or enforce. So all you need is a solution that can pick up the WiFi signal from your MiFi Hotspot and make it available over an Ethernet cable.

Something like this should work fine for your needs:

Amazon.com

This device when placed in AP Mode will pick up the signal from your MiFi and make it available on its two Ethernet ports. Then, just plug in an Ethernet cable between this device and your wife’s computer.

To your wife’s employer, she will be in compliance.

 

["EZ"]

Wow. Lots going on here. I’ll try to help simplify for you.

1. No, your idea with the cable modem will not work. Logically, I can see how you got there, but there is one problem with the plan. RV parks are not subscribing to broadband internet over those lines, they are subscribing to cable TV. So the signal coming in over that line to your pedestal is a TV signal, not an internet signal. So while buying a cable modem would allow you to decode and use an internet signal on that cable at your pedestal, the signal is more than likely not going to be there for your cable modem to use.

2. Your wife’s company requires her to use an Ethernet cable to her computer from your modem. No WiFi. That’s actually not a terrible policy when dealing with personal health information because most people can barely make their internet router turn on, much less securely configure it. That said, the requirement is for her computer to connect to your internet modem/router via ethernet. How the connection is handled upstream from there is not something they could reasonably detect, control or enforce. So all you need is a solution that can pick up the WiFi signal from your MiFi Hotspot and make it available over an Ethernet cable.

Something like this should work fine for your needs:

Amazon.com

This device when placed in AP Mode will pick up the signal from your MiFi and make it available on its two Ethernet ports. Then, just plug in an Ethernet cable between this device and your wife’s computer.

To your wife’s employer, she will be in compliance.

Hey Mapnerd! I'm afraid you responded to an old post here. I wound up buying a Pepwave Max Transit 5G with the Cat 20 router. It works OK so far. I haven't installed the Pointang 7in1 antenna outside yet. I hope it picks up the cell towers better after I do. While in Florida I was having a terrible time getting it to load my AT&T sim card.

 

[MapNerd]

Hey Mapnerd! I'm afraid you responded to an old post here. I wound up buying a Pepwave Max Transit 5G with the Cat 20 router. It works OK so far. I haven't installed the Pointang 7in1 antenna outside yet. I hope it picks up the cell towers better after I do. While in Florida I was having a terrible time getting it to load my AT&T sim card.

I’m always late to the party. You might try getting a T-Mobile 100gb for $50 SIM Card. @Neal thinos it’s bunk but I find T-Mobile seems to fill the few AT&T gaps I encounter pretty well.