Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Let's Talk Internet While Traveling


Part 1, WIFI

Since arriving in Mexico, in August, I've been using my iPhone for my internet needs.  But I didn't have enough data to watch the one tv show I like to watch or some other things as well.  So I started looking around for a solution.  When in the states I have a Verizon jetpack that gives me that extra boost in data every month but I can't use it down here. You might wonder why I didn't get a hotspot here in Mexico, the reason is I'm not a permanent resident and it gets a bit complicated getting a hotspot and setting up billing for the thing.  So researching I went.  I found that there are several companies that offer world wide WIFI hotspots for travelers and after reading much fine print on several websites I settled on this one.  I had it sent to a friend in California and she dropped it off yesterday on her way south to Baja Sur, southern baja.

After a bit of chatting with the Tep teckies we got it working this morning.

This is what I bought.

It comes in this nice little case.

What's in the case?  A black world wide electrical plug that
will adapt to any countries electrical system. 
 Instruction booklet, and little straps.
Also in this picture is my homemade paper clip tool used for another project.

And this is Teppy.

It seems to be working fine and I will try it out tonight while watching some tv.  

Since I've been here I haven't been able to use my indoor security camera or my temperature monitoring system because both those things need a stationary wifi hotspot.  Now both those things are up and running.  I can spy on the kitties while I"m not here and see how warm it is in the rv.  To review, this is the camera I use SENS8 and this is the temperature sensor unit I use SensorPush


Part 2 VPN

Some of you, well maybe most of you won't know what a VPN is?  I'll let Wikipedia tell you.


Virtual private network

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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VPN connectivity overview
virtual private network (VPN) extends a private network across a public network, and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. Applications running on a computing device, e.g., a laptop, desktop, smartphone, across a VPN may therefore benefit from the functionality, security, and management of the private network. Encryption is a common, though not an inherent, part of a VPN connection.[1]

So let me put this into Evelyn speak.  A VPN will protect me and my electronic devices from unseen bad guys on the internet.  It will mask where I am, so that the websites I go to will think I'm in the US not in Mexico.  No more having to deal with sites coming up in spanish.  And now Microsoft won't have to worry that my email is being hacked from Mexico.  I have no idea how secure the networks are in Mexico but now I don't need to worry.  I went with the VPN that is popular in Mexico, Express VPN.  And after chatting with their teckie today we got that dialed in as well.  It's been a technical kind of day.
I'd been putting both of these things off and it was time to get them taken care of.

Now for a weather report.  It rained here last week.  I've seen reports from locals in the area that we got 2.5 inches.  And as I"m writing this it is starting to rain again and the reports are that it will be a big storm.  I'm safe here in the rv park ad it will be fun to watch the waves on the beach.


Be back soon.