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Mobile Internet Aficionados (MIA)
Is Mobile Internet an Important Part of your Lifestyle?
If you consider internet access almost as necessary as fuel, water, food and electricity - then we created this website for you.
Assembling the mobile internet solution that fits your unique lifestyle can be an overwhelming challenge.
Especially since the options change so rapidly!
We've made it our full time job to create resources to help make this stuff easier to understand, provide education and keep on top of this constantly changing topic.
So you can concentrate on what drives you!
What is the MIA? (Mobile Internet Aficionados)
Whether you're working from the road or water, attending online classes, keeping in touch with friends & family, planning your next destination, sharing your adventures or keeping entertained - the MIA was designed for you.
Our Goal: To Save you Time, Money & Frustration
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We are Member Funded
You won't find 3rd party advertising here, we're not sponsored and we're not dependent on trying to sell you gear or plans.
Our main funding comes from our members - they make this resource center possible allowing us to focus on this topic so you can focus on what drives you.
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Community
The MIA is a community of travelers who consider mobile internet an important part of their adventures. As a community, we can learn together and share our experiences in a space focused on this niche topic.
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Afficionados
A MIA membership goes further than our free content - more in-depth guides, product reviews & field testing results, alerts, videos, interactive guidance, vendor discounts and insider tips.
We began full time RVing in 2006 while working remotely as technology advisors & software developers. We now split our time between RV and boat.
We were fielding so many questions on our personal blog about how we stayed connected, so we created this resource center.
It's our passion and now our full time "job".
What Our Members Are Saying:
Worth Every Penny
There are several benefits to membership in this group, but by far the most valuable part for us is receiving current information and updated reviews on changing technology and products that may enhance our mobile internet experience.
Our ability to live on the road and generate income is highly tied to internet access and speed without giving up travel to the remote, beautiful places we love.
Getting timely, expert analysis of this ever-changing landscape is worth every penny of the membership.
Heads Up THANK YOU!!!
Thanx to the HEADS UP, today I walked into a nearby Verizon store. Purchased an 8800L MiFi, attached to a Unlimited Prepaid plan. 8800L was $199, first month plan was $70, and the 8800L is currently being charged up to start using.
Cherie and Chris, your inspiration, motivation, and adventures are FUNtabulous; however, your RV Mobile Internet info is outstandingly superb. Much appreciated.
Best of the Best!
Mobile Internet Resource Center is a top-notch mobile technology resource. Chris Dunphy & Cherie Ve Ard have been on the road full time for the past 10 years.
Working remotely as they roam – they practice what they preach through first hand experience.
You will learn critical information that will help you stay connected as you travel.
We Look to the Experts
As mobile Internet and cellular plans are an ever-changing landscape, we look to mobile Internet and technology experts to keep up with the latest. The best resources we have found include RVMobileInternet.com. Their service has saved us thousands of dollars in connectivity fees since joining in 2014, and helps us stay on top of the latest plans and ensures that we always have the best solution for our needs.
Fantastic service that pays for itself over and over
We have been extremely happy members of Mobile Internet Resource Center since they launched and are huge fans of the valuable content and up to date information provided by Chris, Cherie and team.
We trust their advice and follow it regularly, which always results in an improved technology solution AND significant cost savings.
It’s a service we regularly recommend to our RVLove followers and RV Success School students, for whom connectivity is important.
You simply cannot beat the value for money and the peace of mind.
Worth every penny
I’m a full time remote worker so tons of data is a pretty firm requirement for me. I was taking so much time researching what was the best deal and wondering if promotions were starting that I was going crazy!
Having someone else keep on top of what are the best data deals and promotions and then emailing me to make sure I am one of the first to know is just awesome. Add to that the handbook, the videos, the forums, the product reviews etc.
I can’t believe I waited so long to sign up. Thanks for all the work you do!
MIA…Mobile Internet Afficianatos saves $ and time.
Chris and Cherie do an excellent job providing great advice and knowledge for anybody trying to have reliable Internet while traveling in an RV.
MIA has saved us a lot of money and frustrations trying to stay connected.
With advice on equipment, cellular service and general knowledge the membership fee is a small educational expense. Thanks so much for your service.
Best Resource For Mobile Internet Technology
Finding this site was like solving the DaVinci code for mobile internet!
While you can get some great information on the free portion of the web site, with the MIA membership you get access to all of the nitty-gritty details as well as awesome in-depth summaries and training. THIS is the kind of information one needs when researching the technologies available and the products that use those technologies before hitting the road.
Any time there’s a relevant change or new story specific to mobile internet, MIA is on top of it! They sometimes get the scoop well before it’s public!
Well worth it!
We started full-timing over 3 years ago and what I couldn’t figure out was how I was going to get internet on the road. Thankfully we found Chris and Cherie’s web site and using their suggestions we snagged an unlimited Verizon data plan for a very cheap price.
I never would have discovered this and would be paying hundreds of dollars more for less data. I will gladly be a premium member and pay the annual fee because we have saved so much money already.
They keep us informed of new information and I’m so grateful.
AWESOME Support and Information!
My husband Jeff and I travel in our Fifth Wheel RV 5-6 months throughout the year. We purchased everything recommended and had terrific internet connectivity across the United States. We highly recommend The Mobile Internet Resource Center!!! They are Excellent!
Coming up to Speed
I was blown away by the Mobile Internet University Classroom which is a supplement to the book. In an afternoon, I learned what would have taken months to dig out on my own .
Our number one source to mobile connectivity!
As full time RV’ers one of the hardest things to do is keep up on all of the latest technology. It takes a great deal of time, effort, and gadget accessibility to research the pros and cons of the devices suitable for our life style.
Cherie and Chris understand many of the technical limitations we face on the road and they help us find the best and most affordable way to stay connected.
We at liv2rv.com strongly recommend MIA as our number one source to mobile connectivity!
The Good and Bad of it
I tend to research a lot before I buy, before joining MIA I made many good decissions and some really expensive and frustrating bad ones. Ideas sound good on paper, MIA Has provided a source of real world experience. Thanks for the insight and community.
You make things too easy!
Mobile internet solutions are decisions that I have been putting off for nearly a year because of the amount of time it was going to take me to do the proper research.
All I did was spend a little bit of money on your membership, take a few hours to read all of the incredible research you had completed, and magically, I had nearly everything that I needed to move forward.
And that makes me a happy (full time) camper!
Join the Mobile Internet Aficionados
Internet options in North America, and specifically the USA, are plentiful. It can be a bear to wrap your head around. These guys are the gurus and can help guide you along based on your needs and budget.
They have more gear reviews than I have sunglasses. And for those that know me, that’s a statement.
Absolutely Worth It
Everything we’ve learned about mobile internet we’ve learned from them. Their yearly membership is ABSOLUTELY worth it and we would not be able to travel full-time without them.
If there is only one membership you will buy before traveling and working full-time, it should be this one.
Everything You Need to know about Staying Connected to the Internet in your RV
Chris Dunphy and Cherie Ve Ard, also known as the Technomads, have been full time RVers since 2006. They publish the Mobile Internet Resource Center, perhaps the most comprehensive and helpful website you’ll find for all things related to RVing and the Internet.
A dream saved
In the Spring of 2014 we headed out on a 70 camping excursion trip across the Western US. Intending to work remotely.
The trip was awesome but I’m not going to lie, staying connected to the Internet for work was a disaster.
Once back home, we felt like future trips like this one were out of the question. Fulltiming, an impossible dream.
Then we stumbled across the Mobile Internet Resource Center and The Mobile Internet Handbook. Becoming a member and reading this book were salvation for our wanderlust. Now we are truly ready to venture forth with the knowledge and equipment to succeed.
I can’t recommend this site enough
If you rely on mobile connectivity for your travels and are looking for concise, clear and relevant info I can’t recommend this site enough.
I’ve learned more in just a few weeks on here then I could have in months of self-research.
This is the place to turn
Hands down, the best resource for staying connected on the road comes from the folks over at Technomadia. Mobile Internet Resource Center is a membership site that provides full updates on every major change in the world of mobile data.
Need help getting your RV connected and ready to roll? This is the place to turn.
Best source I know of unbiased mobile internet information
I’m a member and I can attest that I can sound like I really know what I’m talking about, but only because I have read these guys.
The Icing On The Cake
Being a Mobile Internet Aficionado member has saved me hundreds of dollars in just one year. Mobile Internet is a rapidly changing technology and MIA members are always among the first to know about the latest and greatest. The cost of this membership is well worth every penny!
I could never be this happy in a full-time mobile lifestyle without internet connectivity.
Thank you, Chris & Cherie, for all you do.
A much needed and Valuable Resource
Planning on RV-ing when we retire and so joined the MIA to see what’s what as we are rather heavy internet users here at home in our Sticks’n’Bricks.
Was very happy to find plenty of resources to actually enable us to go from a weak DSL plan to a much faster Cellular plan here at home. The information is all collected for RV-ers, but you can adapt it to suit what you may need at home too.
Couldn’t have done any of it without the help of Chris and Cherie and all the other people “in the know” on the forums always there to answer my newbie questions.
Amazing resource for staying connected while traveling
This book has been the perfect resource for me while I researched the best way to stay connected while on the road. I’ve turned to it again and again to decide how best to set up my bus for working on the road.
Cherie and Chris also provide great assistance with their site as well.
Buy the book, join the site. You won’t regret it. Reasonable price and converts techie stuff to English. Thanks!
I have learned more than I could ever hope to imagine
In this fast changing technology they have provided breaking news and provided thought about what coming changes might mean to me. They have provided answers to specific questions and I have learned more than I could ever hope to imagine.
I highly recommend joining MIA along with the book and look forward to many years of continued knowledge as this technology continues to change.
Worth Every Penny
No matter what your mobile internet needs are, we wouldn’t consider buying anything without consulting this website first! They not only know the best gear; they are also always up-to-date on the best data plans from every cellular network.
Small Membership Fee Is Worth It
I’m tech savvy and thought I could figure it all out without joining. WRONG!
Since I joined in June 2016, I’ve slashed my Verizon bill, protected my UDP (unlimited data plan), and now have more cellular data and options than I thought possible.
The small membership fee is worth it and has already been recouped in savings.
Worth It! Consistent exceptional reporting.
Chris & Cherie have a corner on the market when it comes to all things dealing with RV mobile internet. No one else addresses these topics in the way they do. October 2014 alone — with its Double Data deals and the Millenicom situation — has been worth the price of admission. Consistent exceptional reporting.
You will not find a better resource
Everything, and I mean everything, you need to know about getting and staying connected on the road (or water). From extensively tested gear guides to tips on working remotely, streaming movies, and boosting signals, you will not find a better resource for mobile internet information anywhere.
Helped me tremendously along with saving me money
I am a proud member of MIA and I am also an IT professional with over 25 years experience mainly in large corporate networking. I have a number of Cisco and other certifications and am very knowledgeable about networks and networking.
That being said, when it comes to Mobile Networking, Chris and Cherie are experts and I continually learn new things from them.
They are continuously testing various devices in the field and reporting their results.
I cannot recommend MIA enough.
Worth Its Weight in Gold
We’ve worked hard to maximize the internet connectivity that drives our business. Yes, we’re RVing so we can enjoy freedom and fun and not work ridiculous hours. Without dependable RV internet, however, we’d be at the mercy of whatever free WiFi we can find.
That’s no way to run a business.
Our Mobile Internet Resource Center membership has been worth its weight in gold. We’ve used it to create what so far has been a reliable, four-network mobile connectivity arsenal – and do it at a price that doesn’t kill our bank account.
One of the Best Investments
Working from the road, I need quality Internet service. No work = no play. One of the best investments that I have paid for has been a yearly membership to the Mobile Internet Resource Center.
Don’t Leave Home Without It!
If you rely on internet connectivity on the road like I do, you absolutely must become a member of RVMobileInternet.com’s “Mobile Internet Aficionados”.
The detailed research and technical resources that MIA provides to its members are invaluable, and you can’t get them anywhere else that I know of.
And Chris, Cherie and the rest of the MIA community provide help on obscure questions and problems when you need it. My membership has doubtless already saved me many hours and dollars in having to figure this stuff out for myself!
They’ve Done the Work!
They’ve done all the work to find the answers for everyone! It’s tons of information. They’ve helped us make decisions that has really improved our travels.
View their Video Review of the MIA: https://youtu.be/8QEo4GHc-E8
Love the attention to detail!
Love the attention to detail!
My Go To Place for Tech on the Road
While we do not work on the road (yet) we do use the internet for all of our travel planning and information to help us stay connected to the world. MIA membership was a logical choice.
We have come to trust Chris and Cherie, and Kiki too.
Top notch research and info served in a not too geeky format, but geeky enough to satisfy the more technical folks, too.
Don’t think twice about becoming a member!
If you are considering becoming a member …just do it!!
It’s been one of our best investments we have made in our journey to preparing ourselves for RV life. Honestly, we have been overwhelmed by the level of professionalism, depth of knowledge and unbelievably fast responsiveness. And the online resource centre….unbelievably well organized and user friendly. What a gift you are to the rv/boating community!
So happy for you that you have taken your strengths and passion and moulded it into a career that truly embraces your lifestyle choices and helps others. You and your team ROCK.
One Word – Awesome!
Worth every penny in terms of the membership, the discounts you are able to provide on equipment and the very useful apps you developed for coverage, not to mention the public YouTube content you provide which was one of the deciding factors for us to hit the road
I recommend you guys wherever I go
The savings in internet fees from one tip alone has easily paid for my MIA membership.
I recommend you guys wherever I go.
And while I’m at it, I just want to say I love the new website! Great step forward in simplicity and useability.
Invaluable Resource
If staying connected while being on the road is important to you, this invaluable resource will help you make the right choices.
Get access to all of the latest news and information about mobile communications!
This group keeps me ahead of the connectivity curve!
Staying connected on the move is a part of our livelihood but trying to stay up to date with everything from carriers to plan changes and new devices, has become impossible…that is until The Mobile Internet Aficionados group came about.
This group has become an invaluable source of information and I have never felt more informed or educated.
This group keeps me ahead of the connectivity curve!
The Ultimate Resource for Mobile Internet Connectivity
With so many routers, hot spots, antennas, services, options, and plans available, not to mention trying to figure out what works better or is a better fit for your situation, it can be mind-numbing trying to search for and filter through the information you need and the hype you don’t.
My subscription to the MIA is the best money I could have ever spent, because they (Chris and Cherie) do this for you, DAILY, and provide an excellent text (print or eBook) to also educate you on what all of it means.
RVMobileInternet.com is the only RV’ing website I check every day!
They are the people that read the fine print
We owe our blog and podcast and everything we do online to Chris & Cherie because without their information, Heath & I would still be bickering over who could sit closest to our hotspot so our email would load faster.
They are on top of all the latest news, the best gadgets, and the best networks. I love knowing that as part of their community, I never have to do any of the research for what plans are best because they’ve already got a blog or a video or a post on it with all the details fully explained.
Excellent resource for full time RVers
This group is a very valuable resource for anyone trying to stay connected while traveling.
I have just begun to scratch the surface of all the information that they provide and am very pleased with the guidance I have gotten to date.
Thanks for being there for us!!!
MIA membership paid for itself many times over!
I signed up before I knew much of anything about mobile internet and I can’t believe how much money I’ve saved with the knowledge I’ve gotten from the newsletters and the forums.
I got in with Omnilynx before they shut it down and got a free hotspot. Then I was able to walk through the UDP AOL process myself.
I can honestly say that signing up to be an MIA has saved me over $1100 in the past 6 months and I’m sure the newsletters will keep me saving more as time goes on. Thanks guys for the awesome information source!
Great Real time info
I like the fact that you guys are evaluating the latest hardware, probably saved me dollars and heartaches with one of your last evaluations. The cost to join is worth every penny.. Lance Hall
Why I’m A Continuing Member Of This Group
When you started MIA, I joined right up, not knowing what I might learn. The top three things I did glean from it are WeBoost cell boosters, WiFi Ranger routers, and AT&T doubling data if you buy at least 15 GB. I would not have known about any of these, were it not for you and MIA.
I plan to always stay a member as a way to say “thanks” for all of your advice; paid and not paid. It’s my way of adding to your “tip jar.” You guys rock!
You guys have really helped!
My wife and I have recently retired and are hitting the road full time.
First off you have really helped us in our endeavors to stay connected while we start off on our adventures. We are definitely not tech savvy but you have really made it simple to understand and acquire the proper equipment to get started with and a little bit of insight of what we might need as we progress along.
We truly appreciate everything that you provide and definitely recommend you to everyone that we run into. Hopefully our paths will cross one day and we can thank you in person.
The gurus that beat all other gurus
Let’s face it guys, you are the gurus that beat all other gurus. What you don’t know you learn and what you learn you are able to disseminate in an easy to learn and absorb way.
I’ve been in tech and the computer industry for over 35 years and you guys are still able to blow my socks off with your in depth knowledge.
New full timers getting it together…
This year we rented our Hawaii home and left the islands to explore the US and Canada full time in our fifth wheel for several years. Understanding the different strategies to stay online, especially while boondocking in remote locations, is important. My Mobile Internet Resource Center membership has provided the information I need to stock my tech cabinet intelligently. Thank you so much! I recommend this membership to anyone trying to stay connected on the road.
The Solution is the Mobile Internet Resource Center
Apparently we are not the only people to encounter this struggle.
We found the creators of the Mobile Internet Resource Center, Chris and Cherie. These fellow RVers have shared in the struggle of having reliable internet and they share all the latest and greatest in mobile plans, devices, etc.
It’s a wealth of information, and they’re always up to date on new gear & plans.
Their video endorsement (mistake #4 at around 6:45)
What would we do without the MIA?
My entire arsenal of data plans, cell phone boosters and ways to find Wi-Fi are because of Chris and Cherie and their efforts through Mobile Internet Aficionados.
My wife and are going on our third year of fulltime RVing, and we’re able to stay connected on the road because of what we’ve learned on here.
It is money WELL spent to continue our membership with MIA.
Membership Should be a Key Item
We work full-time on the road so good Internet access is a top priority. The Mobile Internet Resource Center was instrumental in making us feel comfortable that we’ll have connectivity on the road. It hasn’t failed us yet and should be a key item for any full-timer that still needs internet access 40+ hours a week.
Thank you Chris and Cherie!
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you do for me and other full-time RVers. I rely on Internet for my blog and new online design business. Thanks to your help and timely advice, I lucked into a Verizon UDP in 2014. Since then, I have benefited from your constant monitoring of the mobile Internet world and have recommended you to others.
My MIA membership has repaid me several-fold and is an invaluable investment for any RVers who need to have Internet.
This is how I stay on top of wireless data programs
The information on Chris and Cherie’s website is extremely valuable. Just this week their information about signing up for T-Mobile before the program disappears saved me a lot of money.
I was able to sign up for the T-Mobile’s $35 plan and decreased my Verizon plan by $35 and now I have the same amount of data and I also have the unlimited data for YouTube, etc.
I highly recommend their program.
It’s Been Invaluable
I am so thankful for Cherie and Chris at the Mobile Internet Resource Center. I am pretty inept when it comes to technology. But with The Mobile Internet Handbook, their website, and forums, I think I have a much better handle on it now.
We’ve been able to get an unlimited Verizon plan thanks to them, and will be using their resources to get an antenna and a wifi booster that will work best for us. Thanks so much guys, it’s been invaluable!
You made getting our unlimited plan easy!
Without your detailed instructions on getting the unlimited jetpack, I probably would have messed the order up, but you made it fail proof. Your line by line instructions were clear and exactly what I needed to talk to the sales rep and get the unlimited plan.
I also liked the little extra push at the end where you said, “Your job this weekend is to go get this unlimited plan.” That was a little extra nudge and well received. Well done to you and thank you.
MIA Membership
MIA Membership
Library Card Access
Coupon Code Policy
Coupon codes are only valid for the first year of a new Mobile Internet Aficionado memberships ('Library Card Access' not eligible) and only one can be used per new member.
Have our Book? Save $5 - How to Redeem:
For the 2015 and later editions: Check the 'Going Further' or 'Ongoing Conversations' chapter at the back of the book for your $5 coupon code.
For the 2014 Edition - Enter in the third to last word defined in the glossary (at the end of the book) as the code. This lets us know you already own the book.
There are other ways to support the resource center in addition to becoming a member.
Join Risk Free
We're pleased to offer a ton of free guides & videos here on the resource center that should give you a good feel for our style and depth of content. We encourage you to utlize the free stuff before joining and see if our content clicks with you.
While it's our hope that by the time you decide to join, you've already received value from our resource center and want to support it ... we understand that might not be the case.
If for any reason in the first 30 days you don't find becoming a member was the right fit for you - just ask. We'll be happy to refund your full membership fee. No questions asked.
More Information On the Membership Levels:
Our Library Card Holder level is the basic membership - it gets you access to just the exclusive member content.
It's meant for those who are more self paced with an existing understanding of this technology, don't desire interactive assistance and/or who have already assembled their setup and just want to stay up to date on the latest.
The benefits included are:
Exclusive Content - Guides, Reviews, Videos
We release most of our in-depth mobile internet guides, product reviews, guides, produced videos and field testing data to our paid members exclusively.
You'll also find extra tips and insider info embedded in some news articles, just for members.
Note: Library Card Holders however do not get access to insider content which can include breaking stories, heads-up, unconfirmed scoops & tips which are posted in our interactive forum areas.
Click for a sample of a member newsletter.
E-mail Notifications & Newsletters
Members get a specially written newsletter delivered by e-mail at least monthly (usually twice) summarizing new content on this site, and can optionally subscribe to get e-mail alerts when new stories are posted.
This means you don't have to pro-actively check in to see what's up if you don't want to - just check your mail, skim the newsletter and know if there's anything up that might impact you.
Our newsletters are more in-depth and comprehensive than our free public monthly summary, and might contain member exclusive insider tips (there may be links to threads in our forums with addition information - which are NOT included for Library Card Holders.)
Special Alerts - We issue special breaking news alerts if we hear of anything that might impact our members that needs to be acted on quickly - such as a limited time promotion, threats to popular solutions or substantial shifts in the industry.
As long as you pay attention to your inbox, you won't miss the important stuff.
The Mobile Internet Handbook!
Since this is our textbook - you get our book in PDF/ePub format, and any updates that come out during your membership term, at no extra charge.
And of course members get full access to our constantly updated content online that complements the book.
The MIA is our full membership level and includes all of our current benefits. It's most ideal for those starting their research to assemble their setup, are doing a total refresh or for those who want to tap into the wealth of knowledge a community can provide.
Library Card Access
You get all Library Card benefits, plus:
Mobile Internet 101
This structured course walks you through our guides - ramping you up from understanding your options, assessing your needs to selecting your plans & gear. Get a free preview of Section 1 in Our Classroom.
Interactive Guidance
Got questions? Need help or guidance? MIAs have multiple venues for reaching our staff for more personalized feedback.
Ask in our member exclusive forums, in comments on articles & guides, in our private Facebook Group and during monthly casual Q&A video webinars.
We can't promise we'll always be able to answer your questions with a definitive solution, but we'll do our best to share what we know and point you in the right direction.
If there's a critical news topic going on, we may also host a special edition webinar.
Insider Aficionado Access
We constantly have our eyes out in multiple places to try keep ahead of the industry. When we're at liberty to do so, members get advanced notice - include tips we've picked up on, upcoming products, warnings of upcoming changes, breaking stories we're still researching and heads-up on limited time offerings.
Community
Interact with other travelers who are also navigating keeping online while being mobile.
Because together, we all have more experience and wisdom to share.
Vendor Discounts
While we are not sponsored by any vendor or manufacturer, several extend special discounts to our MIA members as their show of support. Enjoy special discounts from WiFiRanger, weBoost, King, TechnoRV, LivinLite, RepeaterStore, Mobile Internet Satellite, 5GStore and more.
While we're not authorized to disclose the discounts in public - if you're in the market, our content can help you make wise decisions AND you can potentially save more than your membership cost.
Join for a single year, or lock in a discounted annual rate by signing up for auto-renewal.
Member T-Shirt
Our members also have access to purchase our Mobile. Connected. T-Shirt year round!
We do occasionally offer this shirt to the public, and release special editions too.
Membership FAQs & Policies
We used to offer one-on-one private advising as an additional service when we first started out - and conducted nearly 150 sessions.
We discontinued those in 2017.
We had hoped that we'd eventually be able to find a pattern and be able to just setup some default packages to recommend (and perhaps just switch to affiliate funding) or perhaps even create an automated decision tree app for our members.
But we found out this is far more complicated - the variabilities of each of our mobile internet needs balanced with our travel styles and technical comfort levels are too wide.
After years of running this resource center and now having assisted thousands find their right solution - we firmly believe in our approach.
Which is each of us has to take the time to assess our needs, understand the challenges and select our own setup.
We feel this best prepares you for managing your setup when you're out there because you better understand it and the trade-offs - and as new gear & plans become available, you're better able to evaluate if it's time to switch out components.
So we focus on creating tools & resources to aid in your education and research - including keeping them all constantly updated as the options change.
And our staff is available for helping guide you in our forums, private group and webinars.
And besides - with all the work we do here to keep this resource center updated and the growing membership we're serving today - there just aren't enough spare hours or brain cells left to also dedicate 2-3 hours per household for the private sessions needed to advise accurately.
We'd rather use that time to help the many.
There's no denying it, this topic is technical. We do our best to break it down into non-tech terms and explain things that most should able to understand - but there's only so far we can go and still provide accurate information.
Before joining, we'd recommend you read through and view some of our free content (such as our Overview) - if you're able to get through that without too big of a headache, then you'll likely do well with our member content too. We strive to use similar language as you find there, and keep a full Glossary of terms integrated into every article.
If you're willing to be patient, do your research and pace yourself - you should be able to get through things.
In our classroom, we have each lesson marked as Basic, Intermediate or Advanced. We don't recommend approaching more advanced topics until you have a good foundation.
We are constantly on the look out for new products, and we do make an attempt to acquire a decent sampling of the promising options.
We overview most mobile specific gear with specs and general impressions, and members can leave reviews for each other. As a secondary mission here on the resource center, we also review a sampling of products as part of the in-depth content we create for MIA members.
However, it would be impossible to review every single product available. We tend to research the 'best in class' options and review those.
Remember our staff lives RV & boats too, and we have limited space for installing & storing gear - and our primary mission here is tracking the industry, keeping you up to date and providing member guidance.
We also don't just turn on a gadget and see if it works - we take it out to multiple locations and take readings over time. This could take months for us to get sufficient hands on experience to make an assessment and fully review a product. We do share our field testing data as we collect it with members.
Also, we do not cover most general mobile technology equipment - such as computers, TVs, streaming devices, smartphones, printers & tablets.
Our reviews are focused on consumer accessible equipment specific to mobile internet - such as dedicated hotspots, mobile routers, mobile cellular boosters, antennas and mobile WiFi repeating gear. We do not review equipment designed and marketed for stationary use and only dabble in enterprise level gear.
We know RVers and cruisers aren't the only ones who depend on the internet options we cover. Truckers, rural folks, nomads, travelers, storm chasers and cord-cutters also might rely on wireless connections instead of hardwired internet.
And we know many folks travel part time, and desire a setup that might be usable 'at home' and on the road. Or those living in mobile substrates might be stationary for long periods of time.
We absolutely welcome you to join (we even have off topic areas in our forums so you can connect with each other), but just know upfront we are very focused on mobile internet options. Our 'Top Picks', product listings and advice are specific to mobile situations and installation on an RV or boat.
Installation & equipment options for stationary homes, offices and trucks might have different considerations. And the approaches are different (such as routers that can provide Wi-Fi to a 2500 sq ft house is different than a mobile router that is designed to only cover 200 sq ft.)
Residential and stationary specific options are not our area of expertise and we do not focus on them. Mobile keeps our staff more than busy enough as is.
There is a heck of a lot of cross over however and you will learn a lot, and have access to our ongoing research & knowledge. We'll do our best to point out where the differences & considerations are when asked, but we make no promises that we'll be able to provide specific guidance for non-mobile use.
You will need to adapt what you learn here to apply to your own situation, and continue research on your own.
We want to make sure you fully understand what your membership includes, and doesn't include. Here are some specific things that the MIA is not intended for:
- Substitute for Reading The Mobile Internet Handbook or other content on this site - Membership is best utilized if you're committed to educating yourself and utilizing this resource in the self-help intention it is presented. We strongly advise you keep your included copy of The Mobile Internet Handbook handy, start with the Mobile Internet University and utilize the in-depth guides & video content throughout the site. Also, keep in the know with your member alerts as this industry constantly changes.
- E-mail and/or private guidance - We are community centric - and ask members to post their questions in the Q&A forums or our private MIA Facebook group. This helps other members learn & chime in as well.
- In-depth Advising - Our focus is creating content that helps you understand your options. It's designed to be self-paced and self-help. To effectively provide that content, we have to stay constantly on top of the industry, analyzing news and updating applicable guides. While we welcome questions in our member areas as you pursue your research, we're unable to assess your unique needs and recommend a suitable solution. Having conducted private advising sessions in the past, we know this takes multiple hours of time to do right - which is time we just don't have available. We are a small team after all.
- 24/7 Instant Responses - We're full time nomads ourselves - we don't just play them on the internet. That's how we know about this stuff. Our own time and bandwidth availability can vary quite a bit. and we do encourage our staff to have a work/life balance. We set aside time (and effort to have connectivity) to read the Q&A forums to respond to member questions. We will do our very best to respond to inquiries within 2 business days and we post a status alert when we know we'll be out of touch longer than that (such as vacations, extensive field testing time when we're mostly offline or just traveling through known areas of bad signal).
- Technical Support - The MIA is not a substitute for the customer support provided by the manufacturer or vendor you purchased equipment from, or for the solutions you've implemented. We are however happy to help you troubleshoot a problem, confirm a problem or point you in the right direction to get help.
- General Mobile Tech - Many folks know us for our Technomadia.com blog, where we do write about our personal experiences with mobile tech (computers, tablets, solar, lithium batteries, GPS, lighting, apps, etc.). This site is specifically about mobile internet options & equipment - and we super focus on it here. It keeps us busy enough as is to stay on top of. However, our members do have access to our off topic discussion forum, and we do welcome questions there if you have them. We'll answer when we can.
- Commercial Use: Our content is intended for personal use only - not for helping related businesses target their products & services at RVers & boaters. If you would like our assistance in getting a market overview or in-depth feedback in your product development, please contact us. When we have time, we do offer business-to-business consulting services.
- Remember... membership is intended to provide education, a venue for asking questions to further your understanding for building your personal mobile internet setup. And keeping you keep up to date on the industry. We feel it's important that you understand the solutions you're purchasing, as when you're 'out there' - you may not be able to get online to get help setting up your equipment.
A membership is intended for personal use, and a single membership covers one nomadic household. If you are running a business from your nomadic household and are joining to work remotely yourself - we consider that covered under personal use.
At present time however we do not offer a commercial level membership - such as for an RV builder, tech consultant or other business wanting to offer guidance to multiple nomadic households.
If you both run a business that provides services to our audience and are working remotely yourself - please note our mobile internet vendors & company representative policy: We do not allow products or services we cover to have an official presence in member interactive places.
However, we recognize that some who represent mobile internet related products are also travelers themselves, and would like to join for their own personal interest. And we welcome this. We just ask that if you do represent a product that you refrain from posting anything that could be seen as marketing of the product. If you see a fellow member with a question about your product that you can answer, that is most appreciated - just please be transparent about your affiliation, and keep it supportive not 'selling'.
Our content is intended for personal use only - not for helping related businesses target their products & services at RVers & boaters. If you would like our assistance in getting a market overview or in-depth feedback in your product development, please contact us. When we have time, we do offer business-to-business consulting services.
For those considering joining us long term - we offer a discount for signing up for an auto renewing subscription. Ongoing support helps us better plan our resources around future funding.
The Annual Subscription option locks in the rate for as long as your payment profile stays active.
This option does require Paypal, as they manage the payment profile and future billing.
This is not a contract or commitment - you can cancel future renewals anytime from within your member account or PayPal.
Not sure if you're in for the long term? No problem - you can sign up for a year at a time, and elect to manually renew at then current rates. PayPal is not required for this option.
In order to keep prices as low as possible for everyone, we only offer a few select discounts:
- Purchasers of our book (find the discount code in the back)
- Members of partnered clubs, including Escapees/ Xscapers, RVillage Gold and Boondockers Welcome (check your membership discounts there)
- Readers of some select awesome bloggers who are friends of the resource center.
Please note our coupon code policy - only one coupon per member, and discounts are only valid for the first year of a full MIA membership (other membership levels not included.)
The Mobile Internet Resource Center is brought to you by Two Steps Beyond LLC, and hosted by the technomads of