# Off grid internet options



## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

Ok, we are about to start our off grid cabin. It is several miles from any power or phone source.. We are so far out there is NO cell service with any provider. We will probably get a SAT phone for emergencies and most people within a 100 miles from here (maybe a dozen) use 2 way radios with a repeater to communicate. I can reach Havre,Mt which is about 100 miles from here on just a handheld radio. What are the best internet options for off grid areas? I will have solar as the power source. I do quite a bit of work online so it would make it easier if I could get internet somehow...


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Hughesnet satellite but it aint cheap and not as fast unles you pay more I had to have them for 4 year no other options
HughesNet® | 1-800-955-9365 | Satellite Internet


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

There are a few options in the "satellite" internet/phone providers so check what you have available and see who is the cheapest with broadband. HughsNet is limited to 1Mbs unless you spend a lot of money and the weather can easily disrupt communications so the satellite phone is a good idea for emergencies. Check around to see if the locals use CB radio. You can get a message through to someone if you have enough people willing to repeat your signal - as long as you can trust them to send the message on. My second BOL has a lot of folks using CBs and we can get a message to the nearest town where there is a phone if we need to.


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

PaulS said:


> There are a few options in the "satellite" internet/phone providers so check what you have available and see who is the cheapest with broadband. HughsNet is limited to 1Mbs unless you spend a lot of money and the weather can easily disrupt communications so the satellite phone is a good idea for emergencies. Check around to see if the locals use CB radio. You can get a message through to someone if you have enough people willing to repeat your signal - as long as you can trust them to send the message on. My second BOL has a lot of folks using CBs and we can get a message to the nearest town where there is a phone if we need to.


 Thanks, as for the cb's we actually use 2 way radios with repeaters that reach about 100 miles and if we are too far. We can do a relay like you say.. Everyone here is pretty cool. In the winter, we are so far out, we let eveyone between here and town know we are actually headed to town and they keep a look out. If someone doesn't show in a certain amount of time. Someone goes lookin for ya in case you are stuck or broke down.. So that is pretty cool that everyone is lookin out for one another!!! The 2 way radios we just started using pretty recently. We even have speakers set up at our homes so we can hear what is goin on just in case someone needs help...


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

The small two way radios are usually operating on the 2 meter band and the repeaters are not hardened so you may lose that ability if you are hit with a HEMP (High altitude nuclear EMP) (not the weed) but in the meantime they are hard to beat. I should tell you that some of the satellite providers do not support VoIP phone service so you have to get a different subscription for phone. Hughs is one that says it doesn't support VoIP phone service. There are probably local providers that do - at least that was what we found in our second BOL. It pays to check around - heck maybe your show will pick up the cost of it.

best wishes on your new home - winter is coming! you always have to remember - there are only two seasons - WINTER and GETTING READY FOR WINTER.


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

PaulS said:


> best wishes on your new home - winter is coming! you always have to remember - there are only two seasons - WINTER and GETTING READY FOR WINTER.


That's a fact!! We are already gettin ready for winter!!


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## hayden (Apr 30, 2012)

I have been a ham since 1987 and one thing I added to my preps was the ability to do packet radio. Packet is kind of like the old dial up modems. Slow, maybe 9600 baud rate but very reliable. I'm just a rookie at this but I know there is an email system on there. I haven't done it but I think you can send computer files also. One thing I did that was pretty cool was contact the International Space Station. I didn't talk to a crew member but used the repeater onboard to put out a message. Then went online to stations heard by the ISS and there was my call sign. I bought a 200 dollar terminal node controller but never got the cable made for that then found out I could just use my pc's soundcard and the rigblaster I already had. There are probably more hams on here that know much more about this form of radio. Just another back up form of communication. I keep some of my radios in a faraday cage ( about a 3 gallon popcorn tin) at all times.


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## livinitup0 (May 22, 2013)

yeah satellite is going to be pretty much your only option until you have reliable and fast cell service in the area....when that happens a 4g wifi hotspot is going to be your best bet.


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## Leon (Jan 30, 2012)

my android is a satellite phone and it can become a wirless wifi hotspot. I've used it out in the mountains, it works good.


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## PrepConsultant (Aug 28, 2012)

Leon said:


> my android is a satellite phone and it can become a wirless wifi hotspot. I've used it out in the mountains, it works good.


Nice,
I have a LG Spectrum 4g that I had thru Verizon and absolutely loved it!! It got service EVERYWHERE I ever went.Too bad right now it is absolutely worthless... EXCEPT HERE!! Once I get about 30 miles from here cell service disappears.. It would be nice to have an android satellite phone. Especially if it can also be a hot spot... I will have to look into that..


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

Avoid hughesnet at all cost. You get a limited amount of download. If you exceed that, whatever you are downloading will stop. Then 24 hours before you can use the service. Can't even check email during that 24 hours.


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