How to get WiFi Coverage in Your RV

With the beginning of RV season coming up soon, we get a lot of requests for a post like this. weBoost cell boosters bring the cell signal from outside your RV inside, so you have cellular connectivity. But, people ask, what about WiFi? How can I get WiFi in my RV?

Free RV park WiFi?

Well, you have several options, especially if you don’t use much WiFi data or WiFi calling. There is always the “Free WiFi” that all campgrounds and RV parks advertise. But of course, typically everyone in the RV park is trying to use it at the same time.

If you have 50 or 60 RVs parked in the campground and all the RVers are trying to stream Netflix, how well is that “Free WiFi” going to work for everyone?

It’s unlikely that there will be enough bandwidth to satisfy everyone trying to stream video, but if the “Free WiFi” option works for you, then use it and cheer your good luck. But we’re betting you’ll want more bandwidth than is normally available from free campground WiFi.

Local businesses or library

If you don’t mind driving to the local McDonalds, Starbucks or Insert-other-chain-restaurant-here and using WiFi while munching fries or sipping latte, that’s great. In addition, local public libraries often have Wifi available for patrons. As long as you don’t care about streaming video and just need to check your email or Facebook occasionally, this option could work for you.

Your phone as WiFi hotspot

Also, for those who use limited WiFi data, you can create a WiFi hotspot with your smart phone. Virtually all smart phones have had this feature for years. But before you try this, make sure your phone’s data plan allows it. With the big four major carriers in the U.S. it won’t be a problem, but if you use one of the virtual mobile operators they may not let you use your phone as a hotspot.

There also may be other constraints on using your phone as a WiFi hotspot, like data limits on hotspot-mode usage. Remember too that data you consume while using your phone as a hotspot applies toward your phone plan’s data limit, if your plan has one.

Get a dedicated mobile WiFi hotspot

Finally, if you use a significant amount of WiFi data (and really, nowadays who doesn’t) get a dedicated mobile WiFi hotspot to use inside your RV. These devices are available under many brand names like MiFi, Jetpack and many more.

These dedicated WiFi hotspots are really just mobile routers that receive cellular signal as an input and then output a WiFi signal, so any smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks and smart TVs in your RV can use WiFi. They’re available from cell carriers or electronics retailers. They’re great because you can easily add a hotspot to your existing phone data plan for a reasonable additional monthly charge.

As you’re aware, inside an RV any cell signal is impeded by the RV’s exterior shell that surrounds you. It’s usually difficult to get cell signals into or out of an RV. That’s why a cell signal booster is an important component of RV WiFi coverage. We need to get the cell signal from outside into the RV, so your hotspot or smart phone can turn it into WiFi.

Depending on the available cell signal, a hotspot will typically provide enough coverage area for an entire RV. And of course cell signal won’t be a problem, right, because (shameless product plug!) your RV will have a weBoost RV cell phone booster to ensure strong, reliable mobile coverage.

Need to boost the cell signal in your RV? Click below for options!

TAGS: How To, RV

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