Remote working and learning are quickly gaining popularity, including among RVers making staying connected while camping more important than ever. Whether you’re binge-watching a Netflix series or turning your RV into a temporary workspace, finding campgrounds with WiFi can help with connectivity.
Today we’ll share a bit about campground WiFi and what you should expect.
Are There Campgrounds with WiFi?
Campgrounds are beginning to see the importance of offering WiFi to guests. If you’re staying in an RV park, you’ll likely find WiFi. Many state and local campgrounds are upgrading their infrastructures to support WiFi, but not all.
In this article, we’ll share how to find out if a campground has WiFi or not.
Do Campgrounds Have Free WiFi?
It’s also important to note that while a campground may offer WiFi, it most likely will not be free. Daily, weekly, or monthly fees are often necessary to use WiFi service.
These fees will probably play a significant factor in determining how important WiFi is to you. However, if you are staying at a higher dollar RV park, wifi is frequently included in the cost of your stay.
How to Find Campgrounds with WiFi Near Me
Finding a campground with WiFi isn’t as hard as you might think. There are even websites like WiFiFreeSpot.com that provide lists of campgrounds known for offering WiFi.
RV campsite websites like Campendium.com or RV trip planning tools like RV Trip Wizard can be great tools as well. These sites easily share WiFi internet availability information as you do your campground research. You can also read reviews from past visitors on how the connectivity performance was for them.
Popular RV parks like KOAs and Thousand Trails often offer WiFi, but there may be an additional fee. If staying connected while camping is essential, make sure you verify with your campground if WiFi is available.
Pro Tip: Improve your RV WiFi with one of these 6 Best WiFi Boosters for Your Home or RV.
Do Campgrounds Have Good WiFi?
How good the internet is at a campground varies significantly. More expensive RV parks may have dedicated fiber lines that can offer home-like internet speeds. Many parks will at least have WiFi connection points throughout the park to get the signal “closer” the RVs located further from the main office.
Unfortunately, most RV parks do not make this kind of investment and there’s always the chance that the campground WiFi will be painfully slow. It may not even be strong enough for streaming video.
If you’re anticipating data-heavy activities, you’ll likely need a backup plan.
How to Get Good Campground WiFi
Good campground WiFi is going to depend of a number of factors. First and foremost, it will depend on the type of WiFi the campground has available and what its speed and bandwidth capacity is rated for.
Secondly, it will depend on how many campers in the campground are using WiFi at any given time. For instance, you may notice that WiFi speeds taper off in the evening as more people log on to stream video services. A fully booked RV park is going to also struggle to provide decent WiFi than one that has just a few occupants.
Having subpar WiFi can be incredibly frustrating, but luckily, you can do a few things on your end to help. Let’s take a look!
Use a WiFi Signal Booster
If you’re regularly camping at a campground with WiFi, but you get a weak signal, a WiFi Signal Booster may help. These boosters will capture a weak WiFi signal and amplify it in your RV to increase the connection quality.
- Keep mobile devices, media players, and computers connected to...
- Setup Requirements: Wireless 802. 11b/g/n 2. 4GHz network,...
- Simple setup with step-by-step onscreen instructions for...
A WiFi booster is often helpful if your campsite is large or obstacles are blocking the internet source. Improving the quality of your connection can provide a better experience and faster speeds.
A WiFi signal booster can only boost the WiFi signal itself. It doesn’t create a signal of its own, and it also does nothing to help with overloaded internet connections. Campgrounds located in rural environments are likely utilizing an already slow internet source. Increasing the number of users on the system will only make this connection worse.
Have Your Own Internet
Because campground WiFi is often inconsistent and out of your control, it’s best to come prepared with your own connection. While some options require additional equipment, you may be surprised to know you might already have what you need.
Many cell phones have a mobile hotspot feature built into them. You can use your phone’s data plan to create a connection. This method can be exceptionally convenient if there’s a good signal, you have a generous amount of data, and you’re not using data-heavy applications.
A dedicated hotspot can cost several hundred dollars upfront and require a separate data plan. These are great options as they usually provide a higher data limit than a standard cell phone plan and can give you access wherever the carrier has service.
Satellite internet is currently not a great option because it requires RVers to be stationary. Current options require a satellite to be aligned by a professional and not moved. Starlink is the hopeful future of the internet for RVers but isn’t currently a public option.
Pro Tip: Learn all about how we stay connected with Rock Solid Reliable RV Internet that includes everything discussed here.
Use a Cell Signal Booster
When camping in rural locations, a cell signal booster can be a gamechanger. These boosters can significantly amplify a weak signal and result in better quality and a stable connection.
These cell signal boosters often aren’t cheap, but they’re known for doing a great job. If you’re relying on a cell signal, you’ll be able to expand your camping locations while staying connected. They often work across multiple cell phone carriers and enhance voice and data signals.
Stay Connected At Campgrounds With WiFi Finders, Boosters, and the Right Internet Setup
Staying connected while RVing in a campground can be a difficult task. However, if it means camping in new and exciting locations, it’s worth the effort. Staying connected to friends and family can be important as well.
If you want to learn more about getting internet at campgrounds, check out the Mobile Internet Explained course from RV Masterclass. An expert internet instructor will walk you through how to find the right plan and setup to meet your connectivity needs!
What tips and tricks do you have for improving your internet connection at a campground? Leave us a note in the comments below!
Become A Mortons On The Move Insider
Join 10,000+ other adventurers to receive educating, entertaining, and inspiring articles about RV Travel Destinations, RV Gear, and Off-Grid Living to jump-start your adventures today!
Read More from the Mortons:
Tam
Sunday 25th of July 2021
Really a good, educational article. Thanks. Tam