internet access at various camps up north?

[dansmith11]

hey guys,

for those who have worked at various camps up north, what sort of experiences have you had in terms of network/internet access?

are most camps providing internet these days? is it normally heavily filtered or fairly wide open? performance half way decent? ie. could you stream net flix? or is it mostly only good for checking facebook etc.

trying to get an idea of whether its fairly consistent these days, or if it varies wildly between companies.

[lasimmon]

Likely depends where you are at. I have been in camps where you can stream netflix no problem.

[carson blocks]

The camps I've been at have had unfiltered internet, but speeds have varied from 'worse than dial-up' to 'better than any home connection'. Unfortunately up north I get more terrible connections than good ones. Make sure you've got some movies downloaded ahead of time to be safe.

[CompletelyNumb]

It varies more more than you can ever count on. Plan on not having it. Be happy if you do and its working well.

[blairtruck]

last camp i stayed in had free wifi that was so slow it felt like it was 1995 and i was waiting for a pic of anna nicole smith to load up. frame by frame.
ended up hotspoting from my phone. thank god for 6gig plan

[BigMass]

Originally posted by CompletelyNumb
It varies more more than you can ever count on. Plan on not having it. Be happy if you do and its working well.

sounds like a prison camp

[carson blocks]

Originally posted by BigMass


sounds like a prison camp

I call camp "Prison with a paycheque". You wake up, eat, work, and sleep on a set schedule, and live in a 8x10 cell sharing a bathroom with the inmate in the next cell. Your hour of free time is spent with a 12" TV that gets 6 fuzzy channels, and you line up for food at a certain time or you don't eat. I hated the first few days as I'm used to staying in nicer hotel rooms and doing everything on my own schedule, but after a week you get used to it.

[e31]

How far north are we talking? Some areas only get coverage when a (sometimes spotty) satellite is overhead.

[AndyL]

Originally posted by carson blocks


I call camp "Prison with a paycheque". You wake up, eat, work, and sleep on a set schedule, and live in a 8x10 cell sharing a bathroom with the inmate in the next cell. Your hour of free time is spent with a 12" TV that gets 6 fuzzy channels, and you line up for food at a certain time or you don't eat. I hated the first few days as I'm used to staying in nicer hotel rooms and doing everything on my own schedule, but after a week you get used to it.

You need to spend some time in mount robson at fort hills then :)

Albeit my interwebs was slower than sh*t there...

[revelations]

Oddly enough, the more remote the camp, the better the Internets is sometimes .... if there are issues, I have logged into the Admin console of the (generally smaller) camps' router (with default credentials) and change settings to try to boost speed. Every rig pig shouldnt have their laptop, Ipad AND phone on the wifi.

Most of the time it worked - sometimes not .... Thank god most camps have gyms

[16hypen3sp]

My permanent camp has Optik. I did the speed test on it just for shits and giggles. Pretty damn fast. Can't remember the numbers tho... But I was surprised. I also did a speed test on the actual company owned computers within the site. I was shocked ... 100 megs download/100 upload using Enmax Envision now owned by shaw I believe. Unbelievable.

But yah. We just upgraded to Optik for the camp. Tv is good. Internet is excellent. No complaints. Wifi in all rooms.

[KO22]

I work at Kearl (wapasu/henday camp) - Works great here.. no problems at all

[lellowrx7]

What camp is in concern?

All these have solid wifi or plug in internet free and yes I've streamed HD netflix on all no problem.

Albian village, Oilsands
Wapasu
Chelsea, Calumet, Mackay river
Athabasca, Beaver
Nortalta lodges
Ruth lake

Suncors camps Millennium and Borealis you've gotta pay for your own but its shaw so pick your poison and get as fast as you want.

Most modern camps have good internet, now if only they all had good food :/

[AndyL]

Originally posted by lellowrx7

Most modern camps have good internet, now if only they all had good food :/

*drool* I'm seeing MEG meals on my Facebook feed... I so need to get sent there :)

Back to fort hills this weekend. Looking forward to it :) they feed me good! And bonus - watching the core fitness class :drool: camp - not just for fat old white guys anymore :lol:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/10256330_10152464170335185_5062543918674934268_n.jpg
that was a "small" slice o prime rib from mt robson... lol (lots of other stuff going too, but gluten free for the suck)

I'll run a speed test when I'm there, it was slower than hell last time - but telus optik, TV was having issues so ... Maybe the connection was the problem...

[lellowrx7]

I will say some camps have great food!
but a fair amount still believe deep fried makes everyone happy as long as there is a salad bar with an assortment of dressings :banghead:
and the shitty assortment of sandwiches for lunch that don't get rotated out ever gets really really really did i mention really old towards the end of a 24 day hitch.

This is a CNRL Horizon Chelsea Camp
pretty damn solid as far as free goes

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3570280091.png

[sxtasy]

Can confirm, meg food is awesome. Camp is nice and clean, although Internet speed could be better, will do a test later

[bjstare]

Jesus, I'd never go to camp if it was like you guys are talking about.

This is the last camp I was in when I spent time up north. Everyone called it club med

http://blacksand.horizonnorth.ca/

Not only was the internet good, the food there was next level. Like, good by any standards, not just camp standards. Room had queen size bed, full ensuite, nice little desk and fridge. I almost miss being up there a little bit.... not.

[FraserB]

Originally posted by carson blocks


I call camp "Prison with a paycheque". You wake up, eat, work, and sleep on a set schedule, and live in a 8x10 cell sharing a bathroom with the inmate in the next cell. Your hour of free time is spent with a 12" TV that gets 6 fuzzy channels, and you line up for food at a certain time or you don't eat. I hated the first few days as I'm used to staying in nicer hotel rooms and doing everything on my own schedule, but after a week you get used to it.

You're going to the wrong camps I think.

Our rooms are cleaned daily/bed made up, fresh towels each day if we want, linens once a week. 10x12 I think (so not much bigger), but we have an ensuite. Internet can stream Netflix and YouTube with no real issues. Kitchen is open from 5AM-10PM with 3 or 4 hour windows for meals, lunch room is restocked throughout the day and is open 24/7.

[KO22]

Wapashits... everyone know's what i'm talking about right :cry:

[thetransporter]

does 4g work at camps?

where can you get a steak like that in Calgary?

Originally posted by AndyL


*drool* I'm seeing MEG meals on my Facebook feed... I so need to get sent there :)

Back to fort hills this weekend. Looking forward to it :) they feed me good! And bonus - watching the core fitness class :drool: camp - not just for fat old white guys anymore :lol:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/10256330_10152464170335185_5062543918674934268_n.jpg
that was a "small" slice o prime rib from mt robson... lol (lots of other stuff going too, but gluten free for the suck)

I'll run a speed test when I'm there, it was slower than hell last time - but telus optik, TV was having issues so ... Maybe the connection was the problem...

[16hypen3sp]

Originally posted by thetransporter
does 4g work at camps?

I don't have a 4G/LTE capable phone yet, but one of my leads has an iPhone 5S.

I seen that it was using LTE.

EDIT: According to the Telus and Rogers coverage maps, its all LTE.

[AndyL]

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3578443348.png

Fort hills - k wing this time round...

[4DoorGTZ]

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3582159024.png

Hardwired to the wall at Devon District Lodge..... upload looks uncapped.

[lellowrx7]

Bell or Telus is a must. Rogers barely has any service.
Bell uses all Telus towers in northern alberta.
But my LTE works just fine. i usually have 3 bars.
I do find that my battery dies faster up here though, probably a lot more searching for signal when on site than when sitting at home.

[Marsh]

Originally posted by sxtasy
Can confirm, meg food is awesome. Camp is nice and clean, although Internet speed could be better, will do a test later

Agreed. MEG definitely has one of the better camps I've seen. Food is superb, Internet speed is good enough, and Full Bell Satellite in the room :)

[AndyL]

What's Conoco Philips like?

Guess where I'm off to tonight... Yay!

[stealth]

Which ConocoPhillips? Surmont 1 or 2? Either way the food is good at both.

Surmont 2 has a nicer camp.

[AndyL]

Bah... Booking clusterf*ck.

Ended at PTI anzac lodge...

This place feels like an 8x10 cell... Don't even think it's a twin bed... No wifi (except in lobby) - no clue how ethernet is, comissary isn't open so can't go buy a cord... Cellphones have no reception except if you open the window and park it on the window sill...

Breakfast was pretty weaksauce; here's hoping dinner is better.

But on the bright side - she's not a dry camp! :clap:

edit... got cable...

!!!!
http://www.speedtest.net/result/3586372877.png (http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3586372877)

[AndyL]

Albian Village Aspen wing

http://www.speedtest.net/result/3653970096.png (http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3653970096)

no wifi...

But I'm told there's a bar! :thumbsup: