It’s difficult for us to imagine full-time RVing without the Internet. As we both work online, the internet is the difference between us being able to make a solid income from the road vs. being stuck in one place work camping, RV park hosting – or even (gasp) working a normal job with a commute.
To be clear, we don’t think there’s anything wrong with work camping or campground hosting. It’s just that we got into this life to travel, and we prefer having jobs that are as flexible as our lifestyle – so thank goodness for the web!
While we’ve had people assume that we’re retired or living off savings or an inheritance, the reality is that we both work between 30 and 40 hours a week to maintain our travel lifestyle. Both of our jobs require that we stay connected – both by phone and internet, although internet is the most important thing – as we can always make calls using voice-over-IP services like Skype.
I (Rich) am a web designer & internet marketer, and Kathy is a recruiter for the healthcare industry, so we both need to be connected. On an average work day we use around 1GB of data – and that’s assuming we stay off Netflix and Youtube.
Public WiFi Options
The Truth About RV Park WiFi
In our experience it’s a bad idea to rely on RV Parks and Campgrounds for your internet connectivity. Some parks have no WiFi, others have WiFi that ‘throttles’ (or limits) your connection after a certain amount of data use. Many others charge for mediocre to ok internet at often exorbitant prices. Some only offer WiFi at the clubhouse, and others have actually decent WiFi that sometimes bogs down or goes down.
In other words, if you need to be connected to the web, then you need to make sure you bring it with you.
Note – My thoughts on this are a little biased due the types of parks we often stay in (membership parks). That said we’ve been full-time RVing for over 4 years and we’ve stayed in many different campgrounds and parks, from State Parks to RV Resorts. I think most other full-timers will agree with my synopsis, but your mileage may vary.
Coffee Shops, Libraries, and other public WiFi
During our first couple years on the road we conserved our cell phone data by working at Coffee Shops and Libraries. This works pretty well if you don’t mind the occasional crowds and if you’re good at staying focused with a lot going on around you. This doesn’t work so well if making phone calls is part of your job, although that also doesn’t bother some people (spend a little time at a Starbucks and you know what I mean).
I’m on the phone half the day for my job so it’s tough for me to work in public places. I find it impossible to work in coffee shops with noise from coffee grinders and people talking in the background. Libraries are nice and quiet and I’ve enjoyed working there when I can put off my calls. When I’m done using the library internet I’ll sit in the car and make calls to finish my work day. Most public buildings are a last resort for me because they’re too disruptive for my work flow.
Kathy
Coffee shops, libraries, and other public WiFi options are a good backup for internet access and a good way to mix up your work environment. That said I wouldn’t count on public WiFi for your primary source of internet access, especially if you travel frequently or full-time.
While cities and even good-sized towns have lots of coffee shops and similar, most smaller and more remote towns do not. Even if you stay near larger towns and cities it gets expensive to work in coffee shops assuming you follow the ‘make a purchase every hour or so’ rule. (If you work in a coffee shop for hours on end without buying anything, expect irritated looks from baristas, and they may even ask you to leave.)
Also, public WiFi connections aren’t very secure, and they expose you to hackers and sniffers that will try to steal your passwords and account information. That’s one reason we recommend using a VPN – Virtual Private Network.
A Virtual Private Network essentially creates an encrypted tunnel between your computer and a secure server located in another state or country. That prevents hackers from ‘sniffing’ your connection. Any data they see looks like gibberish as it’s encrypted. This is especially important if you login to client servers or websites on a regular basis like I do.
The VPN I use is Private Internet Access. They have excellent prices, and if you sign up for a yearly plan you get almost half off. The program installs a widget on your computer that allows you to toggle the VPN on and off as needed. It also allows you to select what server you’d like to access the web through by state, region, and country.
Even if you connect through WiFi at an RV park, the protection of a VPN is a good idea. It will slow your internet slightly as your traffic will all be routed through the remote server. I haven’t noticed much of an issue, and can still easily stream video with the VPN enabled.
Learn More About Using a VPN at – www.privateinternetaccess.com →
More Tips For Working at a Coffee Shop or Library
- Bring headphones even if you don’t like listening to music. Noise cancelling headphones work the best for blocking out noise from others, and over-ear headphones do a pretty good job too. Ear buds aren’t very helpful in my experience, but your mileage may vary.
- Be really careful with your stuff. I’ve seen people leave their phone and computer on a table to run to the bathroom or to go outside for a smoke. It’s really easy for a thief to grab your pricy phone or computer, and expecting someone else to notice is expecting a lot. Even though you may lose your seat, I’d take your computer with you. Either that or go with your partner so they can watch your things.
- Most coffee shops give you a dramatic discount on refills. This can make it cheaper and easier to stay and use their WiFi longer. Make sure to ask, as baristas don’t always share this information.
- Libraries are better than coffee shops in my experience. They have more tables and chairs, it’s usually quiet, and you can stay as long as they’re open for no cost. I’ve spent many an afternoon at a library getting work done, and I recommend it. Kathy has had more challenges with coffee shops and libraries because she is often on the phone.
Cellular Data – The Best Current Option for Internet Access for Full-Time RVers
The four major Cellular companies that provide viable cell phone/cell data plans for RVers are Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint. These companies have built out their cell networks to the point that you can get good cell reception in most places in the United States. There are some caveats and I’ll get to those in a minute.
Verizon Wireless
We recommend using Verizon as they have the most comprehensive cellular network in the country. By comprehensive I mean you’ll have a signal with 4G data in more places with Verizon than you will with any of the other carriers. Verizon also recently brought back ‘unlimited’ data, which really means you get about 22 Gigabytes of data before they can ‘throttle’ your connection.
If you’re unfamiliar with throttling, it means that after a certain amount of data usage the cellular company limits your data speed to prevent you from using so much data. This usually means no more video streaming and frustrating internet usage, so I recommend thinking of this as a 22 Gigabyte data plan with no overage fees – especially if you need internet access for work.
AT&T
AT&T has solid coverage in most places, but AT&T is also anecdotally the network I hear the most complaints about. We’ve been in many parks where I approached people wandering while looking at their smart phone only to discover they’re AT&T users looking for a signal.
AT&T is also constantly working to expand their cell network, so I’m sure this has improved over time. In fairness to AT&T I haven’t heard any complaints for the past year or so.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile is catching up quickly to Verizon and AT&T from a coverage map standpoint from what I’ve read. T-Mobile also has the newest network, which means slightly faster connection speeds.
I consider T-Mobile a good backup for a Verizon account, as they both offer ‘unlimited’ data, plus T-Mobile includes service in parts of Mexico and Canada.
Note that T-Mobile’s ‘unlimited’ plan gives you 28GB of data before they begin throttling your service.
Sprint
Sprint has low prices, but also the poorest coverage map out of the big 4. Their ‘official’ map (shown here) shows very good coverage, so it appears as though Sprint fudges their coverage more than the others – or includes roaming and partner data areas in their map.
If you only go to areas where you know you’ll get Sprint coverage, then Sprint can save you a lot of money. Otherwise I’d skip Sprint for now as a full-timer. Note that Sprint’s ‘unlimited’ plan allows them to throttle you after 23GB of data use.
*I sources all data coverage maps from the respective official sites of each cellular vendor. These maps are not independently verified, and all maps have coverage disclaimers. For accurate data maps as reported by users, I recommend checking out Open Signal – https://opensignal.com – a free service and app.
Cellular Data Issues
While most of the time we’re able to get a good 4G signal through Verizon, there have been times where we have little or no signal at all.
Cellular data requires that your phone is in range of a cell tower. Hills, mountains, trees, buildings, and distance can all prevent you from connecting to a cell tower.
That means that you may or may not get a signal in mountainous areas depending on where the tower is located – and where your RV is parked. We’ve been in campgrounds in Oregon that were less than a mile from a good 4G signal – but at the campground we were lucky to get 1 bar of 1x data.
Part of the problem is that modern smart phones don’t have an external antenna. Usually the antenna consists of metal bands built into the body of the phone – which is why some phone cases make cell and data reception even worse.
Fortunately you can improve your signal by using a signal booster.
Cell Phone Signal Boosters
One of the first things we purchased when we got on the road was a signal booster for our smart phones. Our cradle signal booster is one of the best and most useful things we own! We’ve gone from no bars to some bars and have many times gone from 1X or 3G to 4G data just from slipping our phone in the cradle.
A cell phone signal booster of some kind is a must for living this lifestyle in our opinion. We simply couldn’t work without it! Our cradle booster was originally made by Wilson Electronics – now WeBoost. We recommend their products and have heard similar positive feedback from everyone we’ve talked to.
The limitation to cradle boosters is that you can only use one device at a time. To remedy this, weBoost also makes an area signal booster designed for RVs – the weBoost RV 4G. This uses an outdoor to indoor antenna that re-broadcasts signals inside an area of your RV. Note that it won’t fill your entire RV – the indoor antenna only broadcasts about 5 feet so as to not interfere with the outdoor antenna.
Note – Signal boosters can only boost cellular signals. They can’t create a signal where there isn’t one. Most negative reviews of this product come from people who try to boost a non-existent signal.
Satellite Internet Options for RVers
As of this writing your satellite options for internet are pretty limited. Hughesnet is the only provider I’m aware of, and up until now service to RVers has been expensive, slow, and spotty – when it’s been available at all.
Satellite dishes for satellite internet used to cost $5000+, but recently the price and availability has improved. I’ve seen dishes for around $1,000, although I’m unaware of any current satellite service provider who works with full-time RVers. I’ve heard that Real Time Communications does (http://www.rtc-vsat.com/), but their website and information aren’t very reassuring.
Also, as mentioned Satellite Internet tends to be slow and expensive. Plans used to start at $100/month for about 20GB worth of data – and data speeds were far slower than 4G.
That should change this year, as Hughesnet recently launched a new satellite to provide better coverage to more parts of the United States. Stay tuned and I’ll update this section if and when better options become available.
Wrapping up
This is at least a good overview of your options for staying connected to the internet as an RVer, and I hope you find it useful.
For those who are curious: We both use Verizon and both still use Samsung Galaxy Note 4s. We’d planned on updating, but our current phones still work great thanks to replacement Anker Batteries. That and the new Note 7s were exploding and catching fire!
As mentioned we also use a cell phone signal booster, and in combination with our phones we almost always have internet access.
We use the internet for everything from working, to planning day trips, to planning the next leg of our travels. We even use the web to find places to eat and places to shop for groceries. We couldn’t imagine our lives without it – internet access is a must!
Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this in the comments, and until next time, happy trekking!
Hi there! I am starting a remote position and am eager to start traveling more with the new freedom! I wanted to check in and see if you’ve made any changes to how you manage your internet usage while on the road. I have Verizon unlimited that I can use as a hotspot, but am worried I will run out of data because I use VPN access to connect to my works domain, and my job is taking calls all day through the computer. Any new tips/tricks you’ve found since writing this? Thank you!
Hi Vanessa – sorry for the very (very) late reply to your comment. I’ve been off the road entirely during covid, so have a wired connection, so not only am I late but I can’t be much help. That said – there are new options coming online all the time. Another couple mentioned FireWifi as an option and I know starlink internet is coming out soon too. Things should keep getting better and more accessible. Good luck!
We just started living in our RV full time in May. We love it. However, we like to come home from a long day at work and zone out with a good movie. We are using FireWifi. ($100/month). They send you a plug and play router, which picks up its signal from any cell tower in the area. We bought a Roku for the TV. We have access to Amazon Prime movies and they stream just fine. (no throttling!!) The only CON we have is that when we run out of movies we have not seen, then what? We wish we could get TV/internet for a reasonable price. We each have cell phones with wifi, tablets with wifi and the TV streaming most nights. Tablets get slow unless we turn off the TV. Other than that, it’s a pretty good deal.
Hi Rich
Thanks for the info! Would you be willing to share some of your favorite RV spots that had good internet signal with your two plans and signal booster? Thanks!
We use RV-4G.com as our provider, good low cost service! We travel all over the US and the only place we’ve had problems is in Wyoming but even our Verizon cell phones didn’t work there. We only pay $60 a month for completely unlimited internet, it’s a great deal!
Just embarking on this RV/ing house lifestyle and couldn’t be more excited! Sold the 4 bedroom house on 3 acres with the in-ground pool and bought our 5th wheel today. If course, internet connection was my first concern as I was a cable/satellite cord cutter about 5 years ago. I’m looking forward to upcoming upgrades to more realistic “unlimited data” hotspots. One tip if you’re in a place long enough to get a library card: some libraries rent truly unlimited data hotspots that carry up to 5 or so devices for a nominal charge for a couple weeks at a time. Also, SpaceX was just given FAA clearance to deploy low space satellites for faster, more dependable dish internet.
Thank you for your experience and wisdom! I look forward to more, and maybe, someday, we’ll meet on the road.
Great info…and reassuring! However, I’m about to be thrust into full time RVing, and have had to do everything very quickly…little time to research and no leisurely climb up any learning curves. I’m having to make snap decisions about stuff, and everything in my life (and how I do it) is about to change. Until I get some confidence and learn the ins and outs of this new life, I hoped I’d be able to get a little comfort in the meantime by being able to spend evenings vegging out on videos. Everything I’m reading on getting internet in an RV is discouraging to this, however. I’ll be working online as I’m not yet ready to retire, and should be able to do that easily enough, but streaming video…is that simply not a realistic possibility? It sounds like, even if I’m willing to pay for it, I’ll simply be throttled and eventually cut off altogether. Can you offer any advice for me?
Hi Susan – streaming video is still a challenge. We have a large binder full of DVDs – shows and movies – for exactly this reason. Redbox is really helpful too.
That said – most streaming video services now let you pre-download movies and shows for viewing later. Most stores now offer free WiFi – including Walmart and other big box stores, so depending on the device you’re using to watch movies/shows, you can bring it with you when you shop and pre download some shows/movies.
The short version is, there’s currently no great way to stream unlimited video in an RV park. New devices, products, and data plans come out all the time though – so it’s just a matter of time before this is available.
I am on Amazon as I mess you .. my converter is cooking my batteries . I’m a single lady n travel doing animal rescue mostly maine /vermont / Canada. This is 3rd set of batteries that puffed out on sides and I had to get new ones literally 5 min ago took out my puffy trojan aT105 n put in a die hard golf cart deepcycle battery . Just for shits n giggles after putting it in I ckd the good trojan house battery and when I took cap off it was spitting acid / distilled water which I added a week ago and discovered puffy battery ..so which inverter on Amazon do I get ?? I think there were 3 of the type you mentioned . Class a 36 n hlf feet 2 house / 1 engine battery . Thank you for sharing w us
Hi there – I didn’t see your message until now due to website issues, so I hope you have it sorted by now. If not any of the converters I listed will work. I’d recommend a 55amp. If your batteries are boiling then either the converter is bad or the wiring is incorrect somehow. Make sure you’re not running 12V power into a batteries wired for 6V. Batteries shouldn’t be getting that hot. I’d strongly suggest getting a mechanic or someone with battery knowledge to look at it if possible.
Thanks for the great info. I’m a year or two away from making my move to an rving life but this is great info. Technology will change by the time I’m ready to transition but this is a great start to improving my knowledge – thanks!
Hello Rich
Cradelpoint – https://cradlepoint.com
Used by most of the first responders, police, fire, ambulances etc., to stay connected all the time.
I have a unit in my RV, and I can have up to 4 carrier SIM’s and plans installed all at once. This allows me to select the plan with the best coverage where I am right now. Also allows me to balance the load over the data plans. I run my whole RV / Sales office including my business class IP phones, computers, cell phones (on WiFi) and offers me my own secure WiFi outside the RV.
Hi G – great tip, thanks!
Thanks for the great info. I work exclusively online from home and have to connect to my company’s VPN. How do I find out/calculate how much data I use on a typical day? Are there any “private” parks (KOA?) that provide plug-in internet? Hookups, as it were. The only thing that keeps us from the RV life is my need to have reliable access to my company server 4days/week. We wouldn’t even mind being near an urban area. It’s not so much that we want to get away to the wilderness (with our internet). We just want to see the country while still earning a living.
Hi Alan – most routers can give you this information, or you could try working for a day while just working on your phone, and your phone definitely has a data usage meter. I don’t know of any parks that provide plug in internet. Frankly I wouldn’t trust anything you plug into, as it’s entirely possible to get viruses and other malware that way. We both work online 5 days a week (I’m a web designer) and travel all over the country and have no problem on Verizon. Good luck!
Hello. I enjoyed reading your article and I have a question: We need internet for a pc we would use in a RV, my kids are schooled online and how would I be able to do that in a RV? I would like to be traveling as we do our lessons, is that even possible? I know you use your phones but what about other devices, laptops, tablets and pcs? Thanks!
Hi Pamela – Our Verizon phones have a wireless hotspot built in. When you turn on the hotspot, it’s just like having a wifi router (assuming you have 4G cell service). We can connect with laptops, TVs, tablets, etc.. and use the internet. We have the Verizon unlimited plan on 2 phones, so each phone gives us 15GB of data/month at 4G speeds included – which is plenty for our work and probably plenty for school, too. We do use a Weboost cell phone booster (like this one – http://amzn.to/2BR6vfy) to get signal when we’re in remote areas. I hope that’s helpful – good luck!
If you’re on an Unlimited data plan (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc) you can directly tether your phone to your router, or share the phones 4g with a wireless router using your laptop as an intermediary. This works best on Android phones (or potentially a jailbroken iPhone).
Also, on android you can use a USB tethering app like PDA+net which when combined with a VPN (you like PIA) will actually obfuscate your tethering usage, disguising it as regular phone data usage. This should allow you to successfully get around any tethering-specific data or speed caps.
Hi Ya’ll. I just started in a position with a wonderful company…where I can work from home. I also can take my work where ever I go, but I am right now on a limited plan with Verizon. I cannot go to a coffee shop or library to do the work, because I am preforming “trainings” to medical , dental offices and do not want them to hear background noise.. I do have the “jet pack” from Verizon….and was wondering..if I upgraded my plan to unlimited data…and used my “jet pack”…would this be an answer to me being able to get internet while in our new RV?
Hi Heather – that’s basically what we do, and it works great. The only thing you’ll need to keep in mind is that although Verizon data plans are now technically unlimited, they still do throttle your service at around 23GB or so. In other words, even though you can stream netflix (or youtube, etc..) they’ll throttle your service at 23GB of usage and your internet may be only moderately useful for the rest of the month. Data usage during throttling is SLOW. We track our data usage and never have an issue. Good luck!
Hey Rich – Great article. You mention a lot of what I have been reading on other sites. You mention ~1G per day of usage. My main question is, how do you stay within the 10GB hotspot limiations per phone, or do you? Is there a way to bump this to the 22GB by not using a hotspot but still being able to consume the data from the phone for your laptop.
Hi Stewart – once upon a time Verizon ran a 40GB half price special that we jumped on. We can use up to 40GB a month on either phone, and we don’t get slowed speed regardless. Our plan is older, so there are no hotspot restrictions. ie. we can use all 40GB as a hotspot. We do get charged for overages, but it’s pretty rare that we use all 40GB unless we’re watching a lot of Netflix. Nowadays it’s probably a better deal to get two individual plans for around $80/ea + fees. That gets you 2 batches of 22GB (or maybe 23GB) so 44GB total for a little less than we pay. I don’t know what the current hotspot restrictions are. If they cap it at 10GB a plan, then we’re better off with what we have. That said, the current plans are also technically unlimited – so while you may get your download speeds throttled during times of high-usage, you also won’t get charged any overages beyond the initial 22GB. We’re working on a few things, but it’s likely we’ll move to split contracts to take advantage of the increase in data and the somewhat unlimited data plans. Verizon still has the best coverage, so I’d stick with Verizon as a full-time traveler regardless.
Thank’s for compiling this info. My next step in life is full time RV living. I have done medical transcription in the past. Presently own a business. Currently selling the biz and hope to do billing and coding remotely for income while I am traveling! Wish me luck. Love this website!
Hi Jill – Sounds like a great plan – Good luck and thanks! :-)