PilotFlying J Wifi

ChrisGa23 · Mar 10, 2012

Was wondering if anyone is using their wifi service. Considering giving them a month try before committing to a year deal. Right now about 15ft from the building and only getting 2 bars on wifi. Which im sure the antenna is pointed toward the truck parking

I have unlimited 3g internet on my phone and tether to my computer but with 4 bars and 3g im getting .14-.41mb/s download and .14mb/s upload. I read on google that verizon is throttling down all unlimited 3g users internet speed. If you take their tiered internet deals it goes back to full speed or switch to 4g phone it goes back to full speed so im needing something faster. Trying to load and watch youtube videos are so painfully slow.

Rocketman · Mar 10, 2012

ChrisGa23 said:
Was wondering if anyone is using their wifi service. Considering giving them a month try before committing to a year deal. Right now about 15ft from the building and only getting 2 bars on wifi. Which im sure the antenna is pointed toward the truck parking

I have unlimited 3g internet on my phone and tether to my computer but with 4 bars and 3g im getting .14-.41mb/s download and .14mb/s upload. I read on google that verizon is throttling down all unlimited 3g users internet speed. If you take their tiered internet deals it goes back to full speed or switch to 4g phone it goes back to full speed so im needing something faster. Trying to load and watch youtube videos are so painfully slow.

Ive used the pilot/flying j wifi a few times. It was fair...usually. The problem you will have is finding a good spot to get a good signal. You are correct that the best signal will likely be in the truck lot somewhere.

Given that you have a connection, although slow, you probably wont gain enough at enough of the different locations to be happy. I definitely wouldnt advise buying a year subscription until you try it out.

ChrisGa23 · Mar 10, 2012

Trying it now bought 24 hours worth so far not to good. So far its a 2 bar connection that won't load web pages at all. Guess I just need to upgrade my phone to 4g So I can get my internet back faster. Before they throttled everything down I was getting 1.5 mb download on a great connection.

Rocketman · Mar 10, 2012

ChrisGa23 said:
Trying it now bought 24 hours worth so far not to good. So far its a 2 bar connection that won't load web pages at all. Guess I just need to upgrade my phone to 4g So I can get my internet back faster. Before they throttled everything down I was getting 1.5 mb download on a great connection.

You might try moving around a bit if there are other parking spots. It doesnt take much to make a big difference. There is likely full signal to be had, but as said, its probably out in the truck lot. You might find a spot out there just right for the sprinter. I would advise that you be careful though. That sprinter wont be much more than a speed bump..lol

Dreamer · Mar 10, 2012

I use it, but like others said, its pointed towards the truck lot I think. Check the list of available signals, usually there's 3. If you move up close, you can usually pick up the restaurant side. It all depends on the lot. Just dont pull up by the door lol.

Dale

Turtle · Mar 10, 2012

ChrisGa23 said:
Trying it now bought 24 hours worth so far not to good. So far its a 2 bar connection that won't load web pages at all. Guess I just need to upgrade my phone to 4g So I can get my internet back faster. Before they throttled everything down I was getting 1.5 mb download on a great connection.

I used to use it. Same experience as you, more bad locations than good ones. That's why I got an aircard from Verizon (3G and now 4G). I also tether the phone (have an unlimited 4G data plan on that one).

ChrisGa23 · Mar 10, 2012

Turtle do you experience slow 3g speeds ?

Turtle · Mar 10, 2012

ChrisGa23 said:
Turtle do you experience slow 3g speeds ?

Yeah, a lot of times. Sometimes it's fine, though. Dexter, MI and Hampshire, IL (TA out there by Elgin, sort of) can be brutally slow, and in my driveway (actually, anywhere in this town). And by slow, I'm talking slower than 300 baud dialup in some cases. Four bars, yet it'll be slower than that 2G (1xRTT), which is 36kbps to 56kbps. I was on earlier here at home and it was downloading at a rate of 8-10 kbps, which is 1 KB/second. When I get decent 3G it'll be between 500kbps and 1200 kbps (0.5-1.2mbps).

Sometimes out on the fringes or when there is some interference even 4G can be really slow like that, although I've never seen it as slow as that really slow 3G.

ChrisGa23 · Mar 10, 2012

I read through Google that Verizon and I think at-t throttle back 3g I sent in a message to Verizon asking why its slow all of a sudden the past 6 months or so. Last year this time it was really fast.

Turtle · Mar 10, 2012

Here's how Verizon Throttles. Good overview and explanation.

They tend to throttle more towards the end of the billing cycle, and it resets at the beginning. I've had molаsses 3G speeds at the very beginning of the cycle, so it's location rather than throttling. My billing cycle ends on the 4th and starts fresh on the 5th.

paullud · Mar 10, 2012

ChrisGa23 said:
Was wondering if anyone is using their wifi service. Considering giving them a month try before committing to a year deal. Right now about 15ft from the building and only getting 2 bars on wifi. Which im sure the antenna is pointed toward the truck parking

I have unlimited 3g internet on my phone and tether to my computer but with 4 bars and 3g im getting .14-.41mb/s download and .14mb/s upload. I read on google that verizon is throttling down all unlimited 3g users internet speed. If you take their tiered internet deals it goes back to full speed or switch to 4g phone it goes back to full speed so im needing something faster. Trying to load and watch youtube videos are so painfully slow.

When you are having slow speeds with Verizon it is temporary, they will throttle you down on a tower that is busy. If you move to another tower or if the tower is not busy your speed will go back to normal vs. AT&T that will make your phone's data capabilities worthless for a month. If it is continually slow try updating your PRL.(call *228 and wait for it to say it is done)

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

ChrisGa23 · Mar 10, 2012

Turtle said:
Here's how Verizon Throttles. Good overview and explanation.

They tend to throttle more towards the end of the billing cycle, and it resets at the beginning. I've had molаsses 3G speeds at the very beginning of the cycle, so it's location rather than throttling. My billing cycle ends on the 4th and starts fresh on the 5th.

thanks for the link. It makes pretty good sense for them to do that but still pretty annoying regardless. I do plan on upgrading to 4g phone for tethering but having a hard time deciding on which phone to get. Maybe this will fix this. On an average month I use maybe 5-6 gb sometimes more sometimes less.

Paullud I done the *228 earlier and didnt help. Luckly this pilot wifi has became a little faster so im not as aggervated at not being able to load and watch a single youtube video lol

Turtle · Mar 11, 2012

One thing about the newer Droids (and maybe others, I don't know, but my Bionic, for sure), is that you no longer have to do the *228 thing anymore. It happens automatically. Not very germane, I know. Call it a fun fact.

cableguymn · Mar 11, 2012

granted.. I am not a huge traveler any longer..

Why not sprint? They don't throttle (my MIL proved this. 10G in a month. all on 3g/4g..)

When you roam (and you will) it's on... Verizon's 4g/3g network. Just be sure roaming is included in your plan.

I have been around the country a bit. My EVO (rooted) teathers nicely and works while roaming. I did not see a difference in my bill.

Plus.. Sprint is cheaper.

paullud · Mar 11, 2012

Turtle said:
One thing about the newer Droids (and maybe others, I don't know, but my Bionic, for sure), is that you no longer have to do the *228 thing anymore. It happens automatically. Not very germane, I know. Call it a fun fact.

That is the case for 4G phones due to their SIM card.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

paullud · Mar 11, 2012

cableguymn said:
granted.. I am not a huge traveler any longer..

Why not sprint? They don't throttle (my MIL proved this. 10G in a month. all on 3g/4g..)

When you roam (and you will) it's on... Verizon's 4g/3g network. Just be sure roaming is included in your plan.

I have been around the country a bit. My EVO (rooted) teathers nicely and works while roaming. I did not see a difference in my bill.

Plus.. Sprint is cheaper.

Fun fact about Sprint, they won't throttle you but they will disconnect your line for roaming to much on calls or data. They will also disconnect you for using to much data even on their network.

Sent from my ADR6400L using EO Forums

Hightech_Hobo · Mar 11, 2012

Guys n gals....

Invest in a Alpha USB Wireless adaptor....and an External antenna..preferably 12 db or higher..bout a hundred bucks all told....I generally get a choice of 3 to 10 un-encrypted internet access points almost where ever I park...I am a Vanner so all McDonalds, Panara breads, wendys are really easy to get signals from....Worked great in truck stops when I was a straight truck driver...

I am now using my Verizon Wifi card only about 10% of the time now....I will probably drop it all together next year...

john12666 · Mar 11, 2012

ChrisGa23 said:
Was wondering if anyone is using their wifi service. Considering giving them a month try before committing to a year deal. Right now about 15ft from the building and only getting 2 bars on wifi. Which im sure the antenna is pointed toward the truck parking

I have unlimited 3g internet on my phone and tether to my computer but with 4 bars and 3g im getting .14-.41mb/s download and .14mb/s upload. I read on google that verizon is throttling down all unlimited 3g users internet speed. If you take their tiered internet deals it goes back to full speed or switch to 4g phone it goes back to full speed so im needing something faster. Trying to load and watch youtube videos are so painfully slow.

i,m useing it now in ann arbor michigan i paid for the month as i killed my t mobile air card and my phone with wifi hot spot gave up the ghost ...i find you need a good spot as close to the building as possible or you don,t get more than three bars .....i can,t get my ps3 to connect to the wifi though :-(

jbailey13 · Mar 16, 2012

Well, think about this.... wifi at Flying J is 54Mb SHARED by all trucks using Flying J's internet service. 54Mb is not fast... and when your truck neighbor is streaming movies, well, let's just say you are not getting what you would like... now, take that 54Mb and devide it by the number of trucks using it... there's your answer.

cableguymn · Mar 16, 2012

jbailey13 said:
Well, think about this.... wifi at Flying J is 54Mb SHARED by all trucks using Flying J's internet service. 54Mb is not fast... and when your truck neighbor is streaming movies, well, let's just say you are not getting what you would like... now, take that 54Mb and devide it by the number of trucks using it... there's your answer.

That is not how it works. Cheap home routers work that way. Commercial access points (like the ones at McDonald's and the truck stops) have many radios in them. each radio is able to send the full 54M to connected machines. The bottle neck then becomes the main feed to the access point. In Minnesota we are currently doing upgrades at major fast food chains (can't name names) and book sellers. We are dragging in 4 T1's to feed the beast.

If you can get a good signal in the parking lot, you'll get good speed. You only need 1 meg download speed for netflix (if you do NOTHING else that is) so even that 54M pipe can feed 54 computers.