[mcwood4d]

Dish with a box you transport is one option but any on demand services will likely require internet service. **Consider** adopting a streaming service as your cable TV service.
- we have "Youtube TV" which has unlimited (cloud) DVR storage, up to 6 accounts and up to 3 simultaneous streams. No box to carry and all your "stuff" is with you wherever you go.

When you head home after your stay here, call your internet provider and put your account into "seasonal suspend" ($8/mo.?).

I recommend spectrum. No monthly fee for modem. Buy your own WiFi router and have it installed (geek squad?) if you're not comfortable doing it yourself.

Those monthly cost add up if you're running two homes. ☹️

[arbajeda]

Slingbox 500 and Amazon Firestick. Set the Slingbox up at the residence where you have your cable account. The Firestick has a Slingplayer app that lets you watch that cable channel lineup wherever in the world you are. You will need Internet access in both places. I used this when we lived in another state and it worked fine.

[arbajeda]

Just moving your cable box will not work. On the data label you will see a field called "MAC address." This has to be added to the local network in order to get access. It doesn't happen automatically, you have to have an account locally.

[davem4616]

go the seasonal service route

otherwise you're just adding more complexity to your life and carrying a lot of extra stuff back and forth

[wsachs]

Try looking into Sling TV

[NY2TV]

Be careful with seasonal hold. If you have anything in your house that needs WiFi while you are gone, such as a thermostat or security system, you need to pay more than the $8 with Comcast to keep it on but at a lower speed.

[Andyb]

I have a portable tailgater for sale , used with Dish TV if interested.

[Pmelo]

I added a data line with T-Mobile and use my tablet as a hot spot

[kpd3062]

Thanks for all the great input. It sounds like two accounts with vacate/ seasonal holds will be the best option.

[PinellasLeos]

I have an AT&T Nighthawk with an unlimited monthly plan that I use for multiple houses (internet, Netflix, Prime, Roku etc.) It doesn’t throttle an is a true unlimited plan. About $200 for the Nighthawk to purchase and $78.00/mo for the service. We use this in TV as well as NW Florida at a remote lake home with no issues while streaming or on the web. Also useful in the car when our Verizon cell service is bad (our phones will connect via AT&T/internet in the bad Verizon cell areas)

So $78.00/mo split between three homes and in the vehicle works out to a good deal for us. This assumes you can find someone offering the unlimited plan in your area. A small company in the Panama City area still does.

[davephan]

I think it's a better idea to pay for the two Internet accounts if you have security cameras, remote control thermostat, and a security system. When your 1,000 miles away from your other home, I think having some idea of what is going on at the other home gives you peace of mind.

If you maintain Internet services at two different homes, you should also invest in an automatic Internet detection power switch. If you have a problem with your DSL modem or cable modem, and other devices, the automatic power switch will automatically power cycle those devices to re-establish your connectivity. That way you can reduce the number of times you'll need to call someone to drive to your remote home and physically reset things. These remote power switches are available from the 5G Store on the Internet.

On the other hand, if you aren't concerned at all about what's happening at your remote home, then I think putting the account on hold is the best option.

[DrHitch]

The only thing I would add is:

1) Although the original poster was NOT using their provider for phone service, if you do move your box from one house to the other, be careful as the E911 will go to the wrong address.

2) Some people have home automation hubs that need to be reached remotely such as flood or freeze alarms, watchdog cameras, etc.

[Special Ed]

We have Verizon phones. They have a 'jet pack' that we use for our internet. We have a jet pack at each house. We use direct TV, and carry our boxes with us.

[tophcfa]

We looked into this. Two accounts with the seasonal hold thing only works if you have a relatively fixed schedule. For snowbirds who come to the Villages once a year for several months each winter it works great. For part time residents like us, who come to the Villages several times throughout the year, whenever we can get away from our responsibilities up north, it doesn’t work. You can’t simply turn your services on and off about 10 times per year for two or three weeks at a time. We have the full triple bundle with Comcast up north. When in the Villages we have xfinity mobile phone service with unlimited data. We can make our phones WIFI hotspots and use our tablets for basic computer stuff like checking e-mails, making t-times and dinner reservations, booking our Southwest boarding number, checking TOV, etc.. Our service is too slow for streaming. For television we put in an Antenna and get several free TV stations from Orlando and occasionally watch DVD’s. We have accumulated a library of about 100 movies on DVD for about 50 cents a piece at Estate sales. The only time I miss having cable television is when there is a Patriots game that is not on free TV, so I go to Gator Dockside in Spanish Springs and watch the game. We find there is so much fun stuff to do while we are at our Villages home, we never have enough time to do everything we want without wasting time on a computer or watching TV. Plus, we have learned that the occasional digital detox is a good and healthy thing.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

If you use Comcast, all you have to do is go to this map, zoom in on the second address and see if there is a hotspot close enough for you to log on wirelessly.