Wi-Fi in the Big Bend Area

[LandCruisers4Life]

I like gadgets in my Land Cruiser, so having a computer which I can snag wi-fi would be awesome if it is to be had out there. Anyone know whether Wi-Fi is around in the Big Bend area??
 

[RichardM]

There is wi-fi at the lodge in the Basin, but I've heard it has a very limited range (I don't own a laptop).  Most people hang out on the patio just outside the restaurant.  Bring an extension cord in case the table next to the outlet is full.

[dkerr24]

That's good news.  Thought maybe I'd bring along my Toughbook in case I wanted to upload any pics while there.

[RichardM]

I've also heard/read that the Big Bend Motor Inn has wi-fi in some spots.  You might contact them for details.

[EdB]

I think someone mentioned they found a wi-fi signal near PJ a couple years ago. Not sure if that would still be true now.

[dkerr24]

I'm headed down there tomorrow.  Will update this thread with the wi-fi hotspots I find in the park.

[LandCruisers4Life]

Cool beans man...

I love the remoteness of BB..... But I like connectivity. When I was there last time, we could hear truckers on our CB, but of course we couldn't talk to them - too weak. Regular CB radio is ridiculously under powered at 4 Watts. In an emergency, you might as well forget it and start walking. I am considering getting my HAM radio license so I can buy and install a mobile HAM radio in my Land Cruiser for long distance communications. Some HAM units operate with as much as 75 Watts of power, and have been known to reach as many as 90 miles away while communicating.

What would be cool is Wi-Fi all over the BB area (free Wi-Fi).....

[trtlrock]

I've also heard/read that the Big Bend Motor Inn has wi-fi in some spots.  You might contact them for details.

Their idea of wi-fi is a joke...maybe half-a-bar & 30 minutes to load a simple webpage...IF you're in the room closest to the Cafe.

And the idea of contacting them to get ANY kind of answer to ANY kind of question is funnier than you know.   

On the other hand, the Organic Coffee Shop / Grocery store (run by the British woman who's name I can't remember) has good wi-fi.  I also think Milagro & Starlight in Terlingua have wi-fi now.  Milagro advertises it (no AC plugs though, battery only), and I'm basing my Starlight thoughts on seeing several surfing laptops in there at late-lunch early-dinner hours.  Only one I can confirm from actual use is the Coffee Shop / Grocery Store.

There's also supposed to be wi-fi in the main registration lobby of the Lajitas Hotel, although I didn't have time to try it out...

[LandCruisers4Life]

I have a stumbler program for my Mac iBook. It's called "Macstumbler" and when you run it, it checks for local wi-fi networks within range of your computer.

I also have KisMac, which is a stumbler program as well and gives you more info.

Wardriving Big Bend... wow I never thought it would happen!
 

[presidio]

I've also heard/read that the Big Bend Motor Inn has wi-fi in some spots.

BBMI does have wi-fi. One spot, if you don't have a room, is in the parking lot between the gas station and the buildings to the south. Adequate signal, open access.

[presidio]

I have a stumbler program for my Mac iBook. It's called "Macstumbler" and when you run it, it checks for local wi-fi networks within range of your computer.

I also have KisMac, which is a stumbler program as well and gives you more info.

Netstumbler for windows does the same thing. Free program. Actually, the main advantage of netstumbler is that you don't have to keep refreshing the page to see signals that come within range. Except for that, just refreshing the page in network connections achieves the same end.

[Undertaker]

Big Bend Lodge has WiFi at the patio, starlight has it as do several other places in big bend area, wife has used it far more than I do as I go to BiBi to get away from civilization. Not sure digital has reached the BiBi area but then again I usually turn my cell and truck mounted Laptop OFF while in BiBi.  For those interested in HAM radio, a repeater station covers most of Big Bend and local area and does allow communication for some distance, straight line simplex is shorter but always greater than CB. And HAM radio now has a no code license. KD5YA

[aggiehiker]

I was at BB Motor Inn Cafe, or whatever it's called these days, in October. About 1:30 there was a mad rush of people coming in carrying laptops. Took us a while to figure out they were using the WiFi to check e-mail, etc. The cafe was closing at 2 that day.

[dkerr24]

Just got back from my BIBE trip (trip report coming soon) and the WiFi worked fine in the patio area around the gift shop/restaurant in the basin.

Weather was awesome the entire time I was there.  Sunny with highs in 60's to 70's everyday.

[fesser nohair]

Just got back.  Wi-Fi at the Starlight was good but slow.  At the Paisano in Marfa, the signal was good and fast.