Finding a signal that is strong enough to support your RV Wifi can get tricky when you are on the road. Your RV can take you to some of the most remote and beautiful places nature has to offer. But, how do you take an internet signal with you on the road in your RV?
Learn everything you need to know about how you can outfit your RV to support a stable internet connection. Find out which equipment solutions are available, and what type of internet solution is best for your needs and usage. And, see how to take your RV fully off-the-grid with a Wifi solution that works all over the world.
Everything You Need to Know About RV Wifi – 2021
Upgrading your RV Wifi allows you to stay connected while enjoying the great-outdoors remote wonders. There are many solutions for improving your RV’s internet connection, and the best solution depends on your circumstances. Before you know which method provides the solution you need, you have to know the scope of solutions available for boosting your RV Wifi signal.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are taking advantage of the opportunity to work remotely, from the comfort of their RV. Working remotely, while traveling on the road in your RV can offer the best of both worlds. But, if you don’t plan, the first obstacle you run into is spotty and unreliable Wifi, making it impossible to reliably work, stream content, or browse information on the internet.
So, what are your RV Wifi options to make connecting to the internet more reliable when traveling? There are thousands of products out there, like mobile wifi, cell signal boosters, mobile hotspots, hotspot routers, satellites – and more. Figure out what you need for your RV by thinking about how much you want or need to use the internet while on the road, and how important a reliable connection is for your usage.
How Data-Heavy is Your Internet Usage When on the Road in Your RV?
If you plan to tour the countryside from your RV while working on the road, internet access is important. Everything you do on the internet involves data requests and transfers. So, the more internet you need, the more data you use.
Streaming online media content, like Hulu or Netflix uses between 1 to 3 gigabytes (GB) per hour. But, remote work often involves uploading and downloading files, which considerably increases your data usage. So, what options exist for securing a reliable internet connection from your RV?
Cell Phone Mobile Hotspot: Data Use Through Your Cell Carrier Network
The first solution to getting RV Wifi is to simply turn it on and connect to your smartphone mobile hotspot. Your cell phone can convert its existing cellular signal into a wifi connection. Once your mobile hotspot is “on” you can connect to it through your computer or another mobile device, just like any other wifi signal.
There are, however, limitations to the internet usage possible from your mobile hotspot. If you have ever used your cell phone hotspot before, you know that it doesn't take very long to exceed your pre-allotment of mobile data. The cell networks meter mobile hotspot usage separately from that of your normal cell data usage. And, once you exceed your data limit, you can, either pay more per month to receive a higher data-limit, or be confined to low-speed data for the rest of the month.
Most mobile carriers offer an unlimited data plan that includes your mobile hotspot data while in-network. An unlimited data plan doesn’t account, however, for when you are outside of the carrier's network. All things considered, an unlimited mobile data plan is great for anyone who wants to check-in with social media, watch a bit of streaming content, and other standard types of data usage.
Mobile Hotspot Router: Device and Data Plan for Increased Reliability
When you turn on your smartphone's mobile hotspot, it makes your phone work like a modem. But, since your phone is not necessarily purpose-built to act as a Wifi modem – and since your smartphone's CPU is preoccupied with all the other data it handles – the connection strength and speed of your mobile hotspot are limited. But, a mobile hotspot router is a next-step upgrade for greater reliability and speed.
A mobile hotspot router is essentially a purpose-built device that does the same thing as your phone's mobile hotspot – but much more effectively. A hotspot router uses the same data towers as a smartphone but functions the same as a wifi modem in your home. So, you bring your wifi connection on the road in your RV without the modem cables!
Mobile hotspot routers, like cellphones, require you to purchase a data plan. You might pay more or less for a plan, depending on the amount of data you need, and almost all carriers offer unlimited mobile router data plans. If your RV travels stay well within the range of your cell carriers' data towers, you should never have a problem getting a stable wifi connection from your RV.
Signal Boosters Increase Your Connection Strength and Range
A cell signal booster is a very handy device for remote working from your RV. A signal booster is a device that works to increase your signal by bouncing it off-of third-party cell towers. These towers don’t provide you with more data, but rather, they act as a magnifying glass for your carrier's signal. Signal boosters can improve your connection strength and range for your cell phone, mobile router, or satellite internet – enabling you to reliably take your RV off the beaten path without losing the signal.
Satellite Internet: The Ultimate Internet Solution for Boondockers
If your work and travel simply demand a constant connection that is equivalent to wifi from your home or business, the best choice is to get satellite internet. With satellite internet, the sky's the limit – there are nearly no restrictions on where you can get signals anywhere on Earth. Satellite internet costs the most of any other option, but you get what you pay for in reliability.
It all comes down to how important it is for you to have a strong, reliable connection to the internet at a moment's notice. If you only need the internet for personal usage and basic communication, a mobile router and signal booster can solve the problem. Whereas, a cell signal booster or wifi booster costs around $500, satellite internet costs a few thousand – and can cost over $15,000 for top-of-the-line installation. But, if you live and work from your RV, or spend a significant amount of time in dispersed camping sites where the signal is hard to come by, a satellite internet connection might be well worth the investment.
You can turn your RV into an opportunity to see places you would never dream of, and there is no better time. You might not always have the luxury of working remotely, but with the right equipment, you can always have the ability to work over the internet from your RV. Talk to an RV associate to learn more about RV Wifi upgrades and which is best for you.