Voom for one device - can I hotspot or use a travel router?

[Gabrielle R.]

On 10/12/2021 at 8:32 PM, foxgoodrich said:

Is it really important for both of you to be online at the same time?  If not, then just get the 1 device plan.  You can use as many devices as you want...we typically use iPhone, iPad, and a laptop...just not simultaneously.   So when you log out on the laptop, you can log in on the iPhone...then log out on the phone and log in with the iPad...or whatever.  If that's not good enough, and you both need to be online at the same time, then probably paying the price for 2 devices (simultaneously) would be worth it for you.  Give yourself what you need/want!

 

Well that helped me out a lot!!! I have a laptop I use for work and would read an email for work… but I’d like to check personal email… on my phone later.  so knowing I could do that helps me out!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

A windows 10 laptop can create a hotspot easy peasy.  

 

HERE

 

Mac Books 

 

HERE

Edited October 24, 2022 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Biker19]

10 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

A windows 10 laptop can create a hotspot easy peasy.  

 

HERE

 

While that works, the overhead needed to make it work makes a crappy throughput even worse. Surf performance on a legacy sat connection is a miserable experience on any device connected to that laptop.

[SRF]

On 10/10/2021 at 5:19 PM, BirdTravels said:

Your hotspot function does not use Wi-Fi. It uses your phone cell service data plan. So that would not work. 

 

In general, you are correct, phones only have one set of wifi chips, so only one wifi connection at a time.  So you cannot hotspot a wifi connection.

 

There are a few phones with dual wifi that can do this.  No, I do not remember which ones.

 

We use the one person at a time way.  It is not like either of us are online all the time.

Edited October 24, 2022 by SRF

[RobInMN]

13 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

In general, you are correct, phones only have one set of wifi chips, so only one wifi connection at a time.  So you cannot hotspot a wifi connection.

 

There are a few phones with dual wifi that can do this.  No, I do not remember which ones.

 

We use the one person at a time way.  It is not like either of us are online all the time.

While I only really care about the phones I buy and use, and I have not extensively researched this. I really do not believe that this is true anymore. It may have in the past, but I'd say at least over 4 or so years ago.

I know the last 3 or 4 models of Samsung Galaxy phones have been able to WiFi hotspot any connection the phone has, including a WiFi connection. I did this on my last couple cruises.

In some quick Googling, it would appear that this may be built into stock Android, and should be available on Samsung and Pixel phones (which covers most Androids?)

Maybe Apple is still in the dark ages here. I have no idea. Don't use them.

 

 

[cynkov]

If you purchase the VIP or Key pass will that include internet each day. The Key is $4.00 more per day 

The Key, your premier access to exclusive experiences during your vacation. Start your cruise worry-free with priority access into the terminal within your booked arrival time. Once onboard, enjoy a personal drop-off service that delivers your carry-on bags directly to your stateroom. Follow this up with an exclusive welcome lunch featuring the Chops Grille Lunch menu. Fit more into your vacation than ever before with private time at onboard activities, including Rock Climbing, FlowRider and more. Start your day off right with priority departure from ship-to-shore at tender ports of call. Then score VIP seating for our onboard shows. Share it all in real time with a VOOM® Surf & Stream 1 Device high speed internet package. End your adventure at your own pace with an exclusive à la carte breakfast and choice departure.

Edited April 13, 2023 by cynkov

[winstoda]

Very simple to do. Look into a RavPower FileHub Plus. Set up in your cabin and connect as many devices as you need. 

[pcur]

On 10/10/2021 at 12:09 PM, BuckeyeMark said:

If I buy the Voom Surf and Stream internet pkg for my device can I turn on the hotspot function on my phone and my wife use that to get her email, check FB etc?  Am running an iPhone 11.  Or do I need to get a vpn/travel router?

I did this between my iphone13 and Surface Pro X computer.  The problem I had was the latency between the master and slave devices.  There was a significant delay on the slave device.

[drb116]

We used a travel router (TP-Link AC750) and it worked well. We just set it up with the same network and password as we use at home and all of our devices connected automatically and were able to use the internet.

 

The first time, you just need to connect the router to the ship's wifi, and once you do that, the first time you log in from a device, it will go through the ship's log in process. Once you do that on one device, the remaining devices connect without having to go through the splash screen.

[Jimmy Chong]

On 4/13/2023 at 11:31 PM, drb116 said:

We used a travel router (TP-Link AC750) and it worked well. We just set it up with the same network and password as we use at home and all of our devices connected automatically and were able to use the internet.

 

The first time, you just need to connect the router to the ship's wifi, and once you do that, the first time you log in from a device, it will go through the ship's log in process. Once you do that on one device, the remaining devices connect without having to go through the splash screen.

Hi. We have that particular TP Link. We were wondering how the connection is setup the first time. You need to connect to the ships Wifi (obviously), but do you that with the TP Link or with your phone? Probably the latter since the device has a browser. After that, how to you connect the TP Link to the ships Wifi? Any help is appreciated.

[drb116]

1 hour ago, Jimmy Chong said:

Hi. We have that particular TP Link. We were wondering how the connection is setup the first time. You need to connect to the ships Wifi (obviously), but do you that with the TP Link or with your phone? Probably the latter since the device has a browser. After that, how to you connect the TP Link to the ships Wifi? Any help is appreciated.

 

Set the TP Link switch on the side to shared hotspot, then turn it on. Once it is on, you will connect to the TP Link directly (not the ship's wifi). You can do it with either a phone or a computer, but the key is to connect to the TP Link's wifi.

 

Once connected, you go to tplinkwifi.net in your browser and log in. (The address in on the back of the router). I believe the user id is admin and the initial password is admin.

 

Once inside, go through the quick set up. This will ask you to pick a wifi to connect to. This is when you select the ship's wifi. Don't worry about any kind of password or anything.

 

I believe that is all there is to the set up. Once that is complete it may reboot, but now anytime you connect to your TP router's wifi, your device will act as if it was connected to the ship's wifi. The first device that connects will bring up the ship's Zoom log in screen, but once one device logs in, the router will remained logged in. The next device you connect to the TP Link will not open the ship's Zoom window because the router is now logged in for all devices.

 

It is pretty easy. I struggled the first time, but it turns out my stateroom just had a really bad wifi connection. Since then, it connects seamlessly. I have sailed the same boat the last few times and it is nice because it remembers the connection. I just have to plug it an and I am all set!

[Jimmy Chong]

39 minutes ago, drb116 said:

...

 

Sweet! Sounds great. I am familiar with Mifi devices and such, but I was wondering how the TP-Link would connect to the ships Wifi. Thanks for the explanation. I will try this in October 🙂