Paid wifi at Pilot FJ in 2021. Wireless internet cards? Good, bad, other?

For the VPN part of your question, I use Nord VPN. So far they’ve been the best. Value and protection wise.

 

Truck stop WiFi in the past was really bad. I gave up on it. I have not used pilot flying j. So can't say how it is today. Most drivers use cell phone towers. Verizon has the best nation wide coverage. They are pretty fast in most locations. I'm on Verizon thru Straight Talk bring you own phone program. Verizon slows the internet down or Straight Talk does. So I only get 5MB download. Itt fast enough for Youtube or streaming music or podcast. It's only $55 for 60GB a month and 10 GB of hotspot I never use. Straight Talk only work on Verizon owned towers so if you check covered is Verizon Prepared network. Verizon has good service in wyoming and out west but my understanding is they have contract with other companies. That how they have good coverage in Montana with having their own Towers. You need to be Verizon customer to get that deal/coverage

If you go directly to Verizon you can get probably 30 or 40 MB download. Maybe faster with 5G. Verizon it still kinda expensive today

 

I had poor connection at PFJ when I had the year long Wi-Fi plan. Might be because I like to park in the back row so it's further from the building. I'm also not a gamer or movie watcher. Mostly paperwork and communication online so no idea about speed..
YMMV

 

The internet connections vary widely between truck stops, time of day, and your position within the truck stops.

I had used my points to purchase a year of wi-fi and it was hit or miss with no way to predict before logging on how it was going to perform.

The same goes for loves, who give out free basic wifi. I made the mistake of purchasing premium access for 24 hours while taking a 34 and it wasn’t any better than the free connection.