WiFi On The Go In Your RV or Tiny House
Almost everyone checks their email. Some read the news, surf Facebook®, or post a photo of their campsite on Instagram®. We video-chat with the grandchildren. Many of us work online. Most of us want to stream video content from sources like Netflix®, YouTube®, or another of the myriad of streaming services. I bet you’ll be streaming some music too.
Everyone uses the internet almost everyday, but getting fast WiFi on the go can be challenging. On this page you’ll find the hows and whys of mobile internet connectivity to help you determine what would work best for you.
First, it’s important to understand what you will need.
Understanding Data Usage
Streaming video takes the most data. Watching a TV show in low definition from Netflix® takes about 1 gig. Watching a full-length movie in HD will be close to 6 gig.
Many data plans have a cap on how much you can stream per month. Once you reach your cap, the download speed is severely limited and you may be billed by the minute for the rest of the month.
If you do more than check your email I suggest an unlimited data plan. Many times your cell phone company will offer you a reasonably price package for cell service and data.
Here are five ways to access the internet while on the road:
- Satellite services like Hughes Net, Viasat, and StarLink, which are independent of cell phone plans.
- Using a cell phone service that includes data plan.
- Some home cable subscriptions like Xfinity and Time Warner have created hot spots that subscribers can access around the country.
- Using public WiFi, available in places like libraries, coffee houses, and airports.
- Trying to use your RV park’s WiFi.
Because people ask me, here is a nav. system that doesn’t require internet access:
Garmin GPS navigation device does not require a data plan (navigation only)
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Satellite: Hughes Net®, Viasat®, and Starlink®
Hughesnet® and Viasat® are old systems that have extremely slow speeds (just a bit faster than dial-up) and cost a bundle. Don’t expect to do more than check your email. You need a stationary satellite dish, aimed just right, to get signal. Their “blazing fast speeds” will leave you staring at the buffering screen until you dissolve into the couch.
VIASAT is trying to keep up
SpaceX launched a new generation VIASAT satellite into geosynchronous orbit at the end of April 2023. If all goes well VIASAT will be able to offer competitive data speeds at a fair price but with data caps. They will not tell you how much a plan will be on their website until you call them. However there are some bloggers have taken the time to decipher the info. SatelliteInternet.com has a great comparison of all the satellite services.
StarLink®
Starlink® is a great service. See this page for more information about Starlink® Internet service.
It’s super-fast and about the same price as the other satellite services. At the moment you need to pay a hefty price for this dish antenna but it aligns itself.
Get an updated version from Best Buy.
It is now available to be used while you are in motion. See this page about Starlink® too.
See this page for the current antennas and plans available: Winegard and Starlink team up for mobile Internet
Starlink and WiFi cell calling
Starlink is completely compatible with the WiFi Calling feature on your cell phone. That means you can use your cell phone anywhere by connecting to the Starlink WiFi Network in your Starlink system.
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Verizion Jetpack Hotspot Connect up to 15 WiFi hotspot devices. Mobile hotspot device connect in 2.4GHz or 5GHz bands simultaneously. While not the newest it’s the best, most reliable WiFi Hotspot available. |
Cellular Data Plans
A cell phone data plan is a good option if you are within range of a cell tower. You’ll want an “Unlimited Data” plan if you want to stream movies. The best speed will only be 5g.
My favorite cell phone data plan
Of the dozens of cellular data plans all saying they’re the best, the Verizion 5G GetMore Plan is a good choice. With 5G Get More, your unlimited high-speed data isn’t slowed based on how much data you use.
You get 50 GB premium Mobile Hotspot data, then unlimited lower-speed data.
- Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ included
- Apple Music included
Verizion has several “Unlimited”plans up-to 150 GB at competitive prices and what I feel is the largest coverage area.
On-Star Hot-Spot
People desperate for better WiFi are hoping On-Star will be the silver bullet. But it’s no better than a cell phone plan.
If your vehicle is equipped with On-Star you can get a data plan thru them. They use cell towers for their signal. Many new vehicles come with a year free then its around $18.95/mth. In some car brands, like GM, you are limited by the hardware built into the car and only the newest cars have the newest WiFi features. Ford links your car to your cell phone via Bluetooth so you are basically using your cell phone anyway.
Netgear Nighthawk WiFi Mobile Router
The Netgear, Nighthawk, shown here, creates a mobile hotspot that can connect up to 20 devices. There is also an Ethernet port on the back.
An external antenna is optional which helps if your cell signal is weak. You can share your data plan with your cell phone. Expect up to 1 Gbps speed. Unlocked to use any sim card.
Home Cable Subscriptions
Comcast (Xfinity) Network
Spectrum cable mobile hotspot coverage map.
Comcast (Xfinity) sneakily created a nation-wide hot spot network by using some bandwidth from the modem of each of their subscribers. When I had Comcast as my cable TV and network provider I could sit outside of any house with a Comcast modem and get on the Internet.
Using their customers equipment, bandwidth, and electricity they created an extensive network boasting over 18 million hot spots. This is a public, unsecure network, similar to when you connect to a coffee shop’s open WiFi. There’s even an interactive map to direct you to the closest one.
Time Warner (Spectrum) cable company has a similar system available mostly in the North East (see map).
If someone in your RV park is using a local cable company’s modem, chances are you can subscribe to the same service and glom on to their network.
Public WiFi
Coffee shops and internet cafes offer free Internet access as long as you’re buying a cup of coffee. Public wifi is also available at hotels and airports. Speeds are limited and security is sketchy at best. I recommend that your pay for professional cyber security software to protect your ID and passwords from being hacked.
You should use only your phone or one device like a tablet to limit your data exposure to hackers. I use an Apple I-Pad on an open network. Never use your main computer. Download music files, books, and movies then get off the network as quickly as you can.
Staying safe while using a public WiFi:
File and Printer Sharing
Turning off file sharing and printer sharing adds security. Here’s a Microsoft page detailing how and why.
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
VPN stands for “virtual private network” – a service that protects your internet connection and privacy online. It creates an encrypted tunnel for your data, protects your online identity by hiding your IP address, and allows you to use public Wi-Fi hotspots safely.
When you’re browsing through a VPN, your traffic is encrypted. No one can see what you do online, nor interfere in any way. Hackers have many methods to steal your data on public hotspots, but using a VPN means that you can stop worrying about that. With a secure VPN connection over WiFi, you can browse online in full privacy.
NordVPN is a good software. NordVPN protects your internet traffic with cutting-edge security technologies, ensuring strong and reliable encryption between your device and a VPN server. It also keeps your personal data private and eliminates tracking. You can pay as little as $3.71/mth. There are no bandwidth limits so it won’t slow you down. You won’t even know it’s working.
There are free VPN apps out there but they throttle your speed way down and show ads unless you buy the premium versions.
Visit only sites that are known and secure
Encrypted sites display a little padlock and have an HttpS address.
Don’t download any attachments that ends in .pdf unless you have a good anti-malware software installed on your computer.
Never click on an attachment that ends in .exe. This “executable” file can take over your computer in the blink of an eye. Other executable files are .BAT and .BIN. On an Apple computer they are .DMG and .APP
Trying to Use the Internet Provided by an RV park
RV’s parks are loath to incur any expenses they don’t need to. The owners are usually confused by the technology in any case. They might simply install a wireless router in the office and call it done. You see folks clustered near the office trying to get their emails. There was one that had a wireless extender in a tree and felt that was more than sufficient. Then they charged everyone a “technology fee.” Pretty irksome to say the least.
For your best chance at connecting see the KING, KF1001, Falcon Automatic Directional WiFi Antenna with WiFiMax Router.
If there is cable TV provided in the park and you are there for an extended time, you might be able to make an arrangement directly with that cable company to have hi-speed Internet directed to your RV or tiny house. You will need to rent that cable company’s modem.
When You absolutely Need To Stay Connected
Supercharge your connectivity with PepLink. This particular router is a bit pricey but has the ability to connect to two cellular plans at one time giving you a lot more bandwidth.
If you aren’t going to do that Pepwave has less expensive routers too.
The Pepwave Max Transit Pro DUO Cat 7/12 LTE Advanced router is perfect for RVers and travelers looking to use cellular data and campground WiFi to stay connected on the road.
It supports Band 71 which is a popular cellular band for T-Mobile users. Because Band 71 is such a low frequency, it can travel farther from cell towers. With Band 71, previously unreached areas now have reliable internet!
You can load up to 4 SIM cards into this router from multiple carriers, and use 2 SIM cards at a time, creating additional bandwidth through cellular bonding. You can also use it to connect to campground WiFi when needed. This router will turn your cellular signal and the local campground WiFi into a secure WiFi network of your own, right inside your RV!
Adding an External Antenna
The PepWave router can work fine without an external antenna but it will have better connectivity and increased speeds using a roof-mounted antenna.
Data Plans
You can use your own data plans from any of the three major networks or buy one through TechnoRV. They offer Verizon plans with 300GB of data for as low as $129 a month. These plans work perfectly with the Pepwave routers and are delivered as a SIM card that is ready to be placed in the device when you receive it. Your data plan can be paused when you are not using it and they require no contract.
More pages of Tiny Life Consulting website you’ll be interested in:
TV Reception for RV or Tiny House
Winegard and Starlink team up for mobile Internet