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Carron

Oct 14, 2008, 3:24 AM

Post #1 of 5 (3588 views)

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Wireless Internet in Mexico

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For the past 3 years we have lived on a remote ranch in Coahuila without electrical service. A couple of months ago Hubby installed a solar/generator/battery setup and our first purchase after reading lights was a laptop.

Our house sits on a high ridge with direct line-of-sight into Texas in the distance and our US cell phones (T-Mobile) work beautifully. We expected WiFi would probably work the same through a US server.

After seeing several AT&T commercials at my son's house, showing Internet service possible in very isolated locations, we talked to their rep in Del Rio, Texas. He told us that, yes, we would have no trouble getting
service in Mexico, but the moment we cross the border into Mexico "roaming fees" kick in in addition to the flat monthly fee of $99, and those fees would be "exhorbitant" (his word).

So as a quick fix to get back on line, we re-rented a cheap little house we used to live in in Cd. Acuna and installed Infinitum through Telmex, which I am using now. But I prefer to live at the ranch and am wondering how others get WiFi service in Mexico.

johanson / Moderator

Oct 14, 2008, 8:36 AM

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Re: [Carron] Wireless Internet in Mexico

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There are several types of wireless. The type I have experience with is in the 2.4 gig range. We have it here along the shores of Lake Chapala. Basically the Internet Service Provider (ISP) has an antenna on top of a tall tower. Each customer who has to be line of site of that antenna has another antenna. The maximum effective range is less than 5 to 10 miles. I doubt that there would be a wireless ISP of this type in the US pointing an antenna toward Mexico.

The other type that I know a little to nothing about is the type offered by cell phone companies.

And of course there is satellite internet which is faster than dialup but very expensive

RickS

Oct 14, 2008, 8:52 AM

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Re: [Carron] Wireless Internet in Mexico

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(A technical point: there is a terminology difference between cellular Internet service, called WWAN or WiMax, and WiFi. WWAN [Wireless Wide Area Network] service is provided by cellular providers like T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint etc. Wifi is a 'different' kind of Internet service and is provided by a 'local' Internet Service Provider or something like an Internet Cafe or Hotel or RV Park (a hot spot with very limited range). WiFi requires a direct line of sight and has a limited range; and when the distance gets longer things like buildings and trees will disrupt service big time. WWAN braodband Internet, like your cellphone, is less disrupted by this and the range is dependant on your proximity to a cell tower. The biggest difference 'tho is that WWAN is mobile.... available anywhere your cellphone provider has service. You can travel with it out of your region and state. So, from the above you would almost definitely not be able to get "WiFi" at your isolated ranch..... there would be no ISP beaming out a WiFi signal close enough. WWAN on the other hand might be be available if your cellphone provider provides it.)

So, to your point... Does your US cell phone incur roaming charges at the ranch? If you are incuring no roaming charges then I see no reason why you would incur roaming charges with an Internet service from them. Roaming is basically detected by which tower you are receiving signals from at the ranch (some actually use GPS signals). I suggest calling T-Mobile in Del Rio and ask about their broadband Internet service there (not suggesting that you actually live across the border). If it is available in Del Rio, and you get cell service at the ranch, I don't know why you couldn't get broadband service there also. It might be worth a test.... get the service, see if it works and cancel it if there is a problem (service or cost). Unless your laptop came with a WWAN card/antenna built in (and here, I am NOT talking about a WiFi card built in!), you will have to buy an external card for it to work. T-Mobile would be able to tell you what is required. These cards do use a bit of laptop battery power, but you now have electricity!!!

Good luck....

raferguson

Oct 14, 2008, 10:09 AM

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Re: [RickS] Wireless Internet in Mexico

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Here are the choices as I see them:

Satellite wireless - not inexpensive, not as fast as a cable modem, but workable.

Plug in data card using cell phone network - not inexpensive, maybe faster that satellite wireless.

Using a cell phone plugged into your computer as a tethered modem - not inexpensive, may not be as fast as plug in data card. (I do this from time to time, works OK, around 100K, so faster than dialup, but slower than broadband).

In any event, you should give an address in the USA, preferably one as geographically close to where you are as possible.

Note that if they are being sticklers, the cell phone systems can figure out your location. I suspect that the satellite system does not have that ability, at least in terms of being accurate within a mile or so.

As far as satellite, Hughesnet has 1Meg downloads for $59/mo, so not cheap. Another issue is that these are generally professionally installed, although if you are handy with these things you could perhaps install it yourself, or hire a tech jock to install it for you.

Any of these systems could require a long term contract, probably not a good idea for you since you don't know how it will work out for you. Considering buying your own hardware, perhaps used on eBay, and then you could get service on a month-to-month basis.

What would I do? I would probably go for a data card and month to month service, preferably prepaid service, and see how it works out. However, speed may be limited in rural areas, as they may not have upgraded your local cell tower yet.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

Carron

Oct 14, 2008, 10:37 AM

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Re: [RickS] Wireless Internet in Mexico

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Thanks! No, our cell phones do not roam at the ranch, although many times when we cross the border back into Mexico from Texas we get an instant text message from T-Mobile before we get home that "even in a foreign country you can stay in touch with friends and family"blah blah. T-Mobile definitely knows where we are at all times.

We asked T-Mobile about Internet service before we contacted AT&T and they said it was not available in our area (meaning Del Rio, Texas, which is almost as remote as our ranch!). I have heard from a local friend that T-Mobile and Telmex have formed a partnership here in Mexico and his mother has a brand new home phone in Cd. Acuna with T-Mobile, but I don't have any more details.

I guess we will stick with our land-line from Telmex for the time being and enjoy being back in touch with the rest of the world for at least a few days each week.

(This post was edited by Carron on Oct 14, 2008, 10:52 AM)