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.

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 consumer accessible 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 for US based nomads. 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 are focused on US based nomads - RVers and cruisers. All of the gear and data plans we track in our News Center and Gear Center are options available & certified for purchase in the US. That keeps us more than busy enough.

However, a lot of our content is global - concepts like signal enhancing strategies, modem specifications, Wi-Fi, networking, privacy, assembling your arsenal, testing your performance, etc.

So if you're willing to apply what you learn here to the specifics of your country, you may find a membership worthwhile. But you won't find cellular data plan and specific listings for gear available in other countries - you'll need to continue your research outside this resource center.

For our Canadian friends, we do keep a higher overview guide to help you with considerations for options within Canada and when traveling to the US.

And for our US based nomads, we keep a variety of OCONUS (outside the continental US) guides for shorter trips to Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Alaska and Internationally. But we are not focused on long term solutions outside the US.

Researching your ideal mobile internet setup can take time, and ramping up to hit the road can be a chaotic period of time with a lot of distractions.  Also, deals and specials come up that might be worthwhile snagging before they disappear (like sweet data plans) - and equipment shortages can mean longer shipping times.

So if mobile internet is going to be an important part of your mobile lifestyle, it can definitely make sense to join a few months before your anticipated departure date. Trying to rush the research, decisions & purchases for the last minute can lead to a compromised setup based on what you can quickly acquire.

We've had members join anywhere from 1 day to 2 years before hitting the road as part of their research process.  2-6 months however is probably a decent window to give you plenty of time to focus on this sometimes complex topic. But really, it depends on how much time you want to give yourself to come up to speed.

We do advise however - in general - not to purchase gear more than 2-3 month in advance of needing it - technology changes rapidly and quickly can become obsolete. But there may be exceptions to this from time to time.

We do have many members who join after hitting the road - when they've discovered that what they set out with just isn't meeting their needs. Or they just want to stay in the know of when it might be time to upgrade components of their system.

Whenever you decide to join, we look forward to assisting you.

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 / viewing the content - Membership is best utilized if you're committed to educating yourself and utilizing this resource in the self-help intention it is presented. Please utilize the in-depth guides, classrooms, resource collections & 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 and nor is it included in our low membership costs.
• 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 a business day and we post a status alert when we know we'll have limited availability due to holidays, lack of signal (such as due to field testing excursions), etc. Major breaking events can also command our team's full attention.
• 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 and are joining to keep connected to do so - we consider that covered under personal use. Welcome!

Nomads Also in the Industry

If you both run or work for a business that provides services to our audience and are also an RVer/boater yourself joining for personal education to keep connected - 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'.

We also ask that you not use member exclusive content to support your own role or customers. We know this is a muddy area, because obviously you'll personally learn stuff that betters your business. But sharing member exclusive content with your customers, or using our resources to look up answers to support your customers or build your own content - is just not cool nor the intentions of MIRC. Please instead refer your customers to our site and encourage them to become members themselves.

Industry Businesses

Our content is intended for personal use only - not for helping related businesses target their products & services at RVers & boaters. We are not a business to business service in this respect.

This includes mobile internet gear manufacturers, vendors, data plan resellers, builders, renovators, tech consultant or other business wanting to gain access specifically for support of their business.

We know some want to join as a token of supporting us, but this goes against our no sponsorship unbiased approach. Please respect that.

At present time we do not offer a commercial level membership.

We ask that unless you are personally an RVer or boater yourself and joining for the intentions of our resources, please don't join.

If you want communication with us about your products or services or show your support for our community, please reach out directly. We authentically cover mobile internet gear appropriate for our audience, and appreciate a direct line of communications so we can accurately do so. We also might welcome exclusive discounts (but not affiliate relationships) we can pass along to our members.

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 is not a contract or commitment - you can cancel future renewals anytime from within your member account.

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.

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.)