If you see an RV nearby with a Datastorm satellite dish, odds are they have an active Internet connection and a wireless network. The dishes I’m talking about are bigger than the TV dishes, and they’re oval in shape. Here is a picture of ours:

If you see one of these dishes nearby, you should look on your computer and see if there is a corresponding wireless network showing up under ‘View Available Wireless Networks.’ If you find it, you may be able to connect and get online.

Using a neighbor’s Internet connection is like borrowing anything else that belongs to them. You need to ask. You’ll find that most RVers are happy to share. But they certainly don’t have to! They paid a lot of money to get High-Speed Internet access – they may want (or need) all the bandwidth for themselves.

Most RVers will secure their wireless network with a password (key). If you ever see GeeksOnTour.com show up as a wireless network on your list – it means we’re nearby. Come say hi! We’ll be glad to give you our key to use the Internet from our Satellite dish.

If you do ‘borrow’ your neighbor’s Internet connection, don’t abuse it. Use it only for checking your email and simple web-browsing. Don’t watch streaming videos or download large files. There is a limit to the amount of bandwidth that most satellite dishes are allowed per day. If you push your neighbor over that limit, they can lose their high speed Internet for a period of time - usually 24 hours. That would make the dish-owner pretty grouchy! You don’t want to be the cause.

It is a great way to get Internet when there is normally no access. I know people with Internet satellite dishes who are very popular with caravans to Mexico! Because of their dish, the caravan is a traveling Wi-Fi hotspot. We just used a friendly RVers dish to provide Internet access to a meeting room at a rally … read the story on our blog.

Chris Guld
www.geeksontour.com