How To Get Internet While Camping

The campervan lifestyle is often about getting away from the hustle and bustle of life. It’s about getting away from our phones and into nature. Some campers enjoy not having internet access and disconnecting from the world.

However, what if this isn’t you? What if you desire internet on your road trips. This article will explore a variety of options so you how to get internet while camping.

Using your mobile data

Using your mobile data is the most obvious way to access the internet whilst on the road. Of course, for this to work, you will need a good signal.

A relatively weak signal, say 3G, may be enough for you to use Google and search the internet. However, to stream movies on Netflix or watch live TV, a much better signal and service would be needed. The more you want to use the internet, the more data you will need. It’s best practice to have unlimited data if possible.

As part of your trip planning, it would be beneficial to see what networks are in the area you are planning to camp. For example, if T-Mobile have good coverage in the area, getting one of their sims would be your best shot. You can’t presume your current network will have amazing coverage everywhere you go, so check before you hit the road.

Hotspotting devices from your phone

A great perk of mobile data is that it can be shared and used by other devices. What you pack on your road trip is down top you. If you pack an iPad or laptop, they can connect to the internet using a hot spot from your mobile.

This means if you had a strong data signal like 4G, you should be able to easily run your phone alongside a laptop. If you had 5G data access, you could download a movie off Netflix in seconds. As it stands, national 5G coverage in the USA only exists in cities so it’s improbable to get this off-grid remote in the countryside.

Mobile internet issues

Using a mobile phone is extremely practical but it comes with its limitations. First of all, user data and hot spotting will drain a phone’s battery very quickly, so expect to have it on charge the majority of the time you are using it. Furthermore, if you hotspot too many devices on the phone, it can cause the phone to crash. This would ruin any internet access you have.

Finally, if the network you use crashes or has technical issues, you won’t have internet access. This is extremely common with networks expanding all over America. Outages can arise for many reasons, but bad weather tends to be the cause. Just remember that you can’t always count on mobile phones to get signal.

What if I don’t have a signal?

This issue is prevalent for boon dockers who enjoy getting out into nature. The further away from civilization you get, the worse the chances of getting a good signal.

If you plan your trip, a smart plan is to download all the content to your device that you want to watch. This way, without the internet, you can still watch a movie on Netflix you downloaded. You can listen to a Spotify playlist you made and listen to an audiobook you pre-downloaded.

However, if you haven’t planned and done this, you may be in the wilderness without a signal. The solution is to purchase a phone signal booster. These range from cheap to very expensive, but generally, you get what you pay for. Expect a good signal booster to cost in the region of a few hundred dollars upwards. To use they are straightforward and they will get you a better signal to connect to your phone and boost it.

Get RV satellite internet installed.

If you really desire the best internet facilities in your RV, a satellite internet installation could give you a great internet connection on the road. These systems, by using satellites, can give you signal anywhere you go.

Of course, these great advantages come at a cost; they aren’t a cheap investment, and usually, like a phone contract, you will have to pay for the monthly internet usage. These systems are highly reliable and will allow you to get internet almost anywhere.