Togo LTE and Wifi reviews, WANTED

[John Locke]

Recently Togo released their new Roadlink service using a Winegard antenna. The pitch is $30/mo for unlimited data when paid annually. It also offers location services using their app, in case you lose your RV I guess. It could also be handy for family to know where you're at without calling.

So my question is.... has anyone bought the $400 Togo/Winegard antenna, installed it and used it a couple months? I'm curious how well it works.

It claims to have a Wifi amplifier to extend reception of Wifi in campgrounds. I've never used a Wifi amplifier, so I'm just wondering if it's really any good. I'm also wondering if a campground would really have a wifi connection worth using. Hotels are often too slow to do much with, I'm thinking campgrounds would be even worse.

The unlimited data for $30/mo in the US seems like a great deal, but again, how well does it work?

There are no refunds on this system, so I'm looking for reviews on performance and reliability. Anybody have one?

[ThomB]

The internet part of the system is what many of us use... AT&T utilizing their ZTE Mobley and in the 25months and 25K miles we've only had a few occasions when it wasn't good enough for me to work. That itself to me is a deal! I've watched videos and read a bit about the unit for the rooftop and not really sure how it works but if for $400 if it works to get you the internet service that's a win assuming that you travel enough and need the data. (you cannot get the Mobley deal at this time) I've got $100 in the Mobley device and about $75 in a cheaper router. I also have a Weboost cellular booster that I'm not sure if their device boosts or not but if that were included then I'd say it would be a deal.

In the entire time we've traveled I think I've connected to wifi from the campground 2x. Both times were good enough to work but did have their slow-down times which I equate to the am when the retires are having their coffee and reading the news and email and in the evening when people are trying to stream their favorite shows. That said I see the same thing when we are in congested camp areas and the towers are overcrowded.

[Jim_HiTek]

I've been full time RV'ing for 15 years and MUST have working Wifi or I go nuts...and often change sites or even campgrounds to improve the signal.

But in recent years, Wifi upgrades have been coming along nicely at even small town RV parks so I don't do anything special OTHER THEN buying a USB Wifi Adapter with a looooonnnngggg cable. Cost about $50-$80 one time and no monthly of course. And with the long cable (25-35 feet) I'm able to position the transceiver anywhere around the RV and tape it up in a window if need be. Point is to have the antenna where it's 'line of sight' to the parks antenna.

So with that adapter connected to my computer, in a site where I have line-of-sight with the parks antenna, I really don't consider spending $30 or more per month for wifi...I pay nothing except for the adapter.

In a pinch, I make my phone ($12/mo) a hot spot and use that if I must bank or something. And of course I can hand carry my tablet to a McD's or any of thousands of other businesses for free Wifi.

These days, there's really no reason to pay for a plan when you can just use the parks Wifi for free. Example: I am staying for a month at a tiny (9 spots) RV park in a tiny town (3600 population) in the mountains of Nevada. Download speed is 16 Mbps, consistent. And I'm practically the only one in the park that uses it. I'm finding high speed Wifi all over the US these days so even though I write a travel blog and need consistent wifi with over 2 Mbps speeds, I have no trouble finding it. From giant resorts down to tiny mom & pop RV parks, high speed (or at least USABLE speed) Wifi is typical these days.

[creativepart]

Info on these systems and solid reviews are always available from www.rvmobileinternet.com.

RV Mobile Internet is a "pay to play" site. They have info for free but the really good detailed info requires a yearly fee of $85. However... I have been a member for 3-years and can tell you that I've saved far more than the yearly fee each year. For instance, they alerted members of the $22 Mobley deal very early allowing us to get in on that deal while others were way too late to take advantage.

https://www.rvmobileinternet.com/att...o-roadlink-c2/

Here's their introductory video - not a full review - of the system you're asking about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89QcTDdeZPI

[rhodesaz]

I too must have my internet, to run my business while we travel. However, I've learned I can function on as little as 5 Mbps. While many CG do not have high speed, they are fast enough to function. Of course, Net flicks, Amazon, YouTube, etc are all "not happening"! But Google Maps, Emails Etc, newspapers are good enough. I also bought a WiFi antenna. I put it on a 12 foot collapsible pole and affix it to the MH with suction cups. This allows the antenna to get above the obstruction next door and receive the signal. Total cost $100. It is not booster. But it keeps me inside and not walking to the office for WiFi! I have experienced 5 & 10 Mbps at many CG. My Verizon hotspot is only 1 Mbps. It will do in a pinch.

[Higshar]

To bad it is not available in Canada (as usual). Prices here are crazy

[John Locke]

It's been over 3 months. Has nobody installed the $400 TOGO setup yet? I was really hoping I wouldn't be the first Guinea pig to see if it's a good as they claim. The "canned" review in their website don't seem genuine to me. I'm getting down to the wire for timing, got a big trip planned for January. I need an unlimited Internet solution that's cost effective, better than my phone hotspot.

[John Locke]

After reading the Amazon reviews, today I purchased one of these devices on Amazon for $357 ($42 less than the MSRP of $399). Most everyone says it works great, however some have complained about the activation process, saying the ATT mobile app is poor, had a hard time to get it working. Others said activation was simple and straight-forward. But all say it works great after installation. One woman uses it at home with a wifi booster for home use from her RV. She says at $360/yr for ToGo it works better and saves her over $600/yr compared to her landline, $86/mo which was a slow home internet connection at best.

I will let everyone know how my installation goes when complete.

[John Locke]

Success. After receiving my Togo C2 unit a few days after ordered from Amazon, I installed the unit on the RV roof. The physical install was quite easy, using Dicor for sealing the screws in the roof, and Eternabond tape to secure the power cable on top of the roof for about a 3' run to the right side of the RV. My 32YE has 12VDC available right above the entry door in the entertainment center. I just tapped into the 12V line that goes to the OTA TV antenna amplifier. That area also had a blank wall socket cover available to mount the C2 on/off switch, right next to the OTA amplifier. Things went well, it looks like an OEM install. The kit that Winegard provides in the TOGO kit is pretty complete, with screws for the roof and wire spade connectors for the on/off switch, along with plenty of wire, and a roof cap for the power wire going through the roof.

Activating the unit was another story. You really have to read the instructions really close, and slow. On my third read, I finally figured out what they were trying to say. Here are some tips.

1. You must connect to the C2 unit via WiFi from your smart phone as step one, using the Winegard Connected app, available for IOS and Android.
2. After you successfully connect to it, then you have to connect the C2 unit to your home wifi network, by using your phone to provide the SSID and Password to your home network WHILE you're connected through the C2 unit via Wifi (NOT BLUETOOTH).
3. Register the unit through the app and using a QR code on the manual that comes with the unit, which has all the serial number info and EID for the sim card, etc.
4. After you get that accomplished, turn off the wifi and in the app you will then see an option to BUY DATA PLAN. You must use the phone cellular connection to buy that plan while disconnected from the C2 unit. I'm not sure why it requires you to disconnect, but I didn't see the BUY DATA option until I disconnected the wifi. Strange.

From there it's fairly straight forward, unless your bank declines the charge, thinking it's fraud. That's what happen to me. If that happens, your bank will contact you via Text and Email and you can approve it. However, YOU CANNOT do anything in the app to request ATT to try and charge the same card again. Nor can you start over with a different ID and card. Your account is basically on hold for that serial number unit. Just wait about 2hrs and ATT will bill again automatically, and things will start to work.

Whatever you do, DO NOT CALL ATT!! It's a total waste talking to them because they have NO IDEA what a Togo unit is, nor the special Togo plan for unlimited data for $360/yr. Nimrods! YOU MUST do this through the Winegard app, and figuring it out can be a challenge. I've been in the computer industry for 30yrs selling embedded PCs for automation apps, so I do know a think or two about PCs. I'm also a webmaster too, I've been around the block a few times learning software, etc. The instructions aren't very clear.

I cannot give you a report on the C2 performance yet, as I just got it working at home. Maybe next week I'll have a report, as we are getting ready to drive the RV to visit friends in Bishop, CA.

[John Locke]

Well, I thought I had success. I went on my trip to Bishop last weekend and the ATT cellular connection didn't work. I thought I had tested is good at home, but I was mistaken. Turns out it wasn't activated, even though ATT had my account setup with my credit card. I'm 99% sure this hickup was from Chase denying my charge thinking it was fraud, which I resolved last week to clear charges from ATT. After it cleared, my CC# appeared in the ATT website, implying the charge was complete. Warning, it's not complete until you get a receipt via email.

So today I tried to reinstate my account and start over, but the Winegard app that takes you to ATT to buy a data plan would not allow me to access my account. Frustrated, I called ATT again (the 5th time in a week). This time I got a guy that helped me get it going. I could tell he didn't know what a Winegard Togo C2 was. He couldn't find my account using my name, my address, my credit card or my contact phone#. It was like I didn't exist in the ATT's system. But when I gave him the IMEI# for the unit (I think that's the SIM card#), printed on the manual front, he says.... this is a "Sessions" system, which I have no clue what that means. He told me to log into ATT with a desktop computer at ATT.com/buyasession. That gave me the same screen I had on my cellphone, but it let me log into my account this time. After login my information was all still there, even my creditcard#. All I had to do is select the $360/yr plan again for unlimited data, re-enter my CC CVV#, and presto, it activated the SIM card. The tech at ATT saw it come alive. After rebooting my C2 system on the RV it started working with ATT's cell network.

I sure hope this is worth the hassle I went through. Maybe this detail will help others.

Now that I know what to do, and what to expect, I'm sure I can hookup another one fairly quick, as I've learned all the screens and sequence of events that need to happen. The Winegard manual is really bad. It could use LOTS of improvement.

I will give my data speed performance report after my next trip.

[ThomB]

If you get onto irv2.com there was a thread there about the unit and activation. One guy even did a 15 or 20 minute video about activating. Probably won’t help you now but maybe you have something to add over there?

[John Locke]

Originally Posted by ThomB

If you get onto irv2.com there was a thread there about the unit and activation. One guy even did a 15 or 20 minute video about activating. Probably won’t help you now but maybe you have something to add over there?

Where were you last week when I could have used some guidance?

I'll check it out. I'm just happy I figured it out finally.

[ThomB]

Originally Posted by John Locke

Where were you last week when I could have used some guidance?

I'll check it out. I'm just happy I figured it out finally.

LOL, sorry about that.

[John Locke]

I've just learned that ATT will be cancelling the $360/yr plan for their unlimited data, unthrottled. The last date to buy the unlimited plan is Jan 15th. There is no grandfathering offered either. At the end of the first year you'll have to buy into a more expensive plan from ATT. This is the ATT I know, a bunch of shysters that can't keep a commitment. I'm really ticked.

Because of this ATT change, which some of us were counting on when we spent $400 for the antenna hardware, which is proprietary to ATT, Winegard is going to offer unlocking instructions so you have the option to buy a dataplan from another carrier for the Togo/Winegard unit. I'm not sure what Togo will do with the app, since it may be specific to ATT, we'll have to wait and find out later I guess.

I here's a video that has all the information, basically what I stated above.

video from RV Miles

[creativepart]

Yes, this has been posted a few times elsewhere here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgl7ZwTfDc4