Chinook RV

Wife and I just bought a 1998 concourse 6 days ago and are brand new to rv'ing. We have a tablet we would like to use while driving. Can we use our cell phone from AT&T to be a router or "hot spot"? Does it cost anything? Pros and cons please. And I must say... What a great forum especially for newbies like us!! We do not have a laptop and someone gave us the tablet for a gift.

Yes, just use your phone as a hotspot and the wifi with your tablet. We do this all the time. Check with your cell provider about your data package specifics.

My Verizon service includes the ability to Hotspot at no additional fee. You are using data from your phone so know the limits for both what you phone uses and if there are limitations for hotspot limits. For instance i have an unlimited data package but my hotspot data slows greatly after 15GB.

You'll also figure out which stores and businesses typically offer free WiFi while on the road. Walmart, McDonalds, Starbucks, etc. If you set your phone in WiFi mode and walk around the parking lot a bit, you can typically find a nonchalant place to park for a break where you'll pick up their signal from the RV. I'll go somewhere with WiFi and download a movie for that evening's entertainment. That way I'm not eating up my cell data.

You'll also find some decent offline navigation apps if you're using the tab for maps. They're a few bucks, but once downloaded, you won't need to tether while getting directions since you'll have the whole country or world map on your device.