One caveat about "free Wifi" at the Fort

[jbrostek]

I have posted up in a few threads that nowdays keeping a travel router around is a good plan. First it can be the router for a cable modem setup. But also able to be a client or repeater for low wifi signals in a room or at a campsite.

This one is 25 bucks

Another for 20 bucks

These are not high end routers, but should get the job done on vacation or business travel. I use a full blow router with DDWRT loaded on it, but I have a custom setup to pick up some hard to reach WIFI at my normal camping spot with an external antenna to get the park wifi and use the internal antenna to repeat it in the RV.

 

[bje1959]

We used this through the window to bring the cable inside. Motorhome didn't have an extra external connection. Worked fine and window shut the whole way.
http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Coaxial-...id=1441305640&sr=8-1&keywords=flat+cable+coax

 

[crznut]

Thanks for replies. We purchased a Belkin WIFI N Router, 34.99.

Our RV has one cable inlet outside and one cable hookup to TV inside. Am I correct that the fort modem comes with a splitter to give the TV it's signal and the modem it's internet signal?

 

[Unearned Happiness]

Another option: if you don't have a router you feel comfortable packing, and you don't want to take a trip off-site, you can order a cheap on one Amazon and have it shipped to the Fort before you arrive. They have several inexpensive options that are eligible for Prime shipping: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=wifi+router

I think the bigger issue has been the lack of modems.

Not sure if there are still shortages or not. I had no issues getting one the first week of August (2015), and the place seemed fairly busy. It could have just been luck.

 

[Goofy14sure]

and one cable hookup to TV inside. Am I correct that the fort modem comes with a splitter to give the TV it's signal and the modem it's internet signal?

Yep you are, a splitter is in the kit

 

[crznut]

We will be ther 9/12-9/19. Hopefully there will be a modem.

 

[Brocktoon]

Thanks for replies. We purchased a Belkin WIFI N Router, 34.99.

Our RV has one cable inlet outside and one cable hookup to TV inside. Am I correct that the fort modem comes with a splitter to give the TV it's signal and the modem it's internet signal?

Hopefully it wasn't a Belkin N600. It's one of Belkin's more popular models ... news just came out that it has multiple vulnerabilities:

https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/201168

 

[Bishoparc]

HOWEVER, the modem is wired

Thanks for posting this because I wouldn't have thought about bringing a wireless router!

 

[garneska]

First I had no problems getting a modem. I was worried I hit the trading post at 9 on Saturday night of the holiday weekend and got one. I know it's not a guarantee.

I thought someone wanted a pic of the kit. Going to try from phone which is not how I normally do pics. See if it works.

 

[DetouringMyWay]

Thanks for posting this! I now have a router ready to be packed for my December trip to the Fort. One question, though...we're going to be there during one of the busiest weeks of the year, and now I'm worried that we won't have a modem available for us. Is it possible to bring and use your own modem, or is there something special about Disney's cable that prevents outside modems from working? I have an extra modem since my cable company just upgraded us. Is it possible to use that instead of Disney's?

 

[rajak73]

Our Cougar has the tv hookups right next to storage area, put splitter there and modem in storage area, took along a router we had not used in years, hooked it up and could not for the life of me remember the password for this router, tried every password I could think of, didn't work and it was too old to have any support help too. Ended up at walmart buying a cheap router and putting it in the understorage too along with the modem and worked great! We had not problems getting a modem last December.

 

[bama_ed]

Thanks for posting this! I now have a router ready to be packed for my December trip to the Fort. One question, though...we're going to be there during one of the busiest weeks of the year, and now I'm worried that we won't have a modem available for us. Is it possible to bring and use your own modem, or is there something special about Disney's cable that prevents outside modems from working? I have an extra modem since my cable company just upgraded us. Is it possible to use that instead of Disney's?

DetouringMyWay,

Sorry, no, BYO modem doesn't work. The Disney modems are pre-configured to work on their network. Just head to the Meadow Trading Post first thing once you arrive and at the cash register ask for a kit or get on the waiting list.

Bama Ed

 

[garneska]

Took pics of the directions. Hopefully it's readable.

 

[garneska]

Page 3

 

[garneska]

This is supposed to be page 1

 

[garneska]

Trying again. I don't know why I bother from my phone.

 

[garneska]

Moved to iPad which still means typing is bad. I think this page says the same thing but might be clearer.

[GALLERY=][/GALLERY]

 

[my3princes]

We split the signal outside and ran a cable through the seal around the slideout to the modem. We did bring a router so we were able to run wifi. Unfortunately we had no signal at the post for the first 5 nights that we were there so no cable or internet. A very long story short, we learned that the cable and internet are out sourced and there is no easy or quick fix, if you call the front desk (at any resort) you will actually get an offsite call center, the laundry is also out sourced and you need a credit card to run all but one machine in each comfort station and the management really does try to make things right that are completely out of their hands because they have been out sourced. We had a frustrating start to our vacation, but it all ended well.

 

[paarras]

How good or fast is the Fort internet? Can you do more then look at pages? Can you watch video or netflix?

John

We've been able to stream video on multiple devices. In fact, we use a free app (Manything) to stream video and audio from our iPad camera (which is recording our dogs every move in the RV) while we watch her remotely on our iPhones. Has worked great every day we've used this app over the fort internet.

 

[paarras]

LOL I am completely computer illiterate, so this is all confusing to me. But I'm interested in getting what the Fort supplies, so we dont' have to run off our phones hotspot. That's what we did 2 years ago when we did a trip report... I know in our house, we have a device that our satellite internet provider installed in our house, and then we also had to buy a thing at walmart that puts out a signal out so all our wireless devices can type in the password and have internet. (We also have a second one of those that didn't seem to work as well, so it's just sitting in our closet) I'm assuming that thing we bought at Walmart is what I need to supply? And would we use the same password it had here in our house when we used it? Does the Fort supply everything else? We are renting from Florida Camper Rental- does anyone know if it's hard or easy to hook this stuff up to a rental? Thanks everyone- sorry for all the questions, but trying to prepare so I can contribute to the "group" October trip report

We also rented an rv from another provider and had problems getting Internet service to work. After callin the support phone number with the cable modem kit, the support guy arrived at our site and determined the problem was with the rv rental companies crappy coax cable and splitters that connects the cable tv/Internet service from the pole to the rv. He replaced the coax cable and splitter things worked fine afterwards. Hooking up the cable modem and user supplied wifi router is very easy. That should only take a couple of minutes, assuming you can easily move the TV to access the coax connections. (In the rv we rented, only one of the TVs was movable). I would suggest you also bring an extension cord or power strip to accommodate the extra devices which require a power connection. A plyers might also come in handy if you need to loosen some tight fitting coax connectors.