In today's world, it seems like the internet is used for everything, from research, to shopping, even to reading this article. However, so many have taken for granted the connectivity within traditional houses and the grid of large cities. How would someone RV living be able to cope?
A number of private campgrounds have been equipped with wi-fi service. This is one service that is not very reliable. Not only do you have to have yourself be close to a repeater, but you also have to compete with the other campers that want to use the signal. If you've ever been to a major outdoor event, whether it be a fair, rally, or maybe a concert, you've probably noticed that your connectivity isn't very fast, and it's no different when at the campground. Sometimes, the place is even more remote, such as a more rural campground or a National Park, where there's no wi-fi at all. So if you require connectivity for something like a telecommuting job while in your RV full-time, you need a better option.
Many people have cell phones with data plans. This can also be a good choice, but again, you are beholden to repeater towers. Remember that very rural areas aren't going to have cell phone towers, so you won't be able to get 4G, or sometimes even telephone service. If you're going to go the cell phone route, you'll also want to make sure that you have features available, such as being a wi-fi hot-spot for your family's laptops. A file server for important information can be a godsend, but you have to be able to access it. In our experimentation, we've found that Apple likes to charge for a lot of these basic features that are offered complimentary by the Android operating system. Maybe a router that's only for a Local Area Network (LAN) would be for you, while having the cell phone be the central point for outside access.
One up-and-coming technology in BETA at the time of writing this, but could be useful in the near future, is Starlink. This is a constellation of satellites in low-earth orbit that provide internet connectivity. This is different from traditional satellite media and internet services. Those satellites are in a geostationary orbit, meaning it's always at the same point in the sky any time of day. You'd be spending a lot of time orienting the dish, and then latency is very high because of how far the signal has to travel. Starlink has its satellites much closer to Earth in a lower orbit, with its receiver constantly self-adjusting to pick up a satellite in the sky. There are some questions with regards to weather for satellite internet, which has always been an issue for traditional satellite services, and is something being tested in the BETA. However, once publicly available, full-timers may ditch their data plans for Starlink.
Perhaps you’re one that doesn’t need to be streaming the latest episode of a television show, and just want to do some quick business? One possibility is to go into a nearby town. Public libraries almost always have wi-fi available to their patrons as a public service. Coffee shops and restaurants are also a possibility. Always be careful about using a public wi-fi, because anyone can see your information, especially if you’re doing something sensitive, such as online banking. You’ll want to stick to a cell phone, or have access to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that will encrypt what you do on the web.
No matter where you go, or what you do, there are going to be options for you to stay connected. This should give you peace of mind in your affairs as you follow your internal compass.
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