Has anyone found reliable internet while camping?

My wife and I are both working remotely right now and she really wants to hit the road for several weeks and drive from TN to the West coast. The kicker is that we would both need reliable internet. I realize for many, the goal of camping is to disconnect and I agree, but COVID has provided a unique opportunity for us to travel while still working.

So far, this is all I've come up with:

• We both have Verizon. We could do a hotspot but they have HORRIBLE reviews. I'm wondering if this is because most people won't take time to write a review unless they had a bad experience. Surely they can't all suck?
• We could buy a WeBoost which will give us a better signal when it's otherwise low. It will not help if there is no signal. WeBoost seem to have mostly good reviews, but still some bad ones as well.
• We would be doing hotels/air bnb's maybe 65% of the time and camping the rest.

What suggestions does the Tundra family have for me?


thanks,

 

why bother with a hotspot? You use an iphone? Use the built-in hotspot.

 

There are a lot of threads on Expedition portal on this. I’ve gone down this road a lot myself, part of the reason there’s not a lot of info is because it’s harder than it seems. That being said, iOverlander commonly has sites where they give a yay or nay on cell service.
Obviously the closer to a city, the more likely cell service will be there. So maybe some Walmart parking lots when you need to work? And more remote on days you don’t.
I haven’t found a great solution without some serious gear honestly.

 

We're an android household but we could use the phone as a hotspot. We don't have unlimited data so I'm still trying to figure that part out.

 

I did find several on there but like you mentioned, no one had a great solution. I'll check out iOverlander next.

Yep. A few people called this a unicorn.

 

Yeah that's the WeBoost that I mentioned but it's expensive. It's not really a booster but actually just a repeater. It just amplifies existing cell signal.

 

I just installed a Surecall booster. So far unimpressed.

 

The best solutions I’ve seen are really staying closer to the cities on workdays. Your major interstates will have better coverage obviously as well. I just traversed from Denver to Delaware and had service the whole way on interstates. So maybe use iOverlander to find a spot close’ish to the highway?

But for me it’s just not an ideal way to travel. To each their own though.

 

From what I’ve read on weboost is it obviously boosts cell signal, but depending on what work looks like you may need 4G LTE to do a lot of what I do for work (I’m in tech). If you’re in remote areas boosting 3G may not work.

 

I sell both Wilson and Surecall and they really just do not impress and I often struggle even suggesting one.

I also camp a lot and have just come to accept the terrible spotty internet as one feature of the road really.

Sorry but I am not going to blow smoke about it either.

 

I’ve got Verizon w unlimited data. Using phone as hotspot works but even w unlimited data it starts to slow down. Do you need to be online for meetings or extended times Or Just to send and receive stuff?

 

Which part? Trying to work while traveling? I tend to agree. I've got a bunch of PTO I can burn and I have a feeling that might happen on this trip.

I would need to be able to run SAP and Oracle a few minutes each day, which I'm guessing won't be easy. My wife mainly just needs email.

 

Yes I know verizon will throttle the internet after you use a certain amount of data, even if you have "unlimited".

I just need to be able to respond if something comes up but most of the time I'll just be monitoring emails. SAP and Oracle I run once a day for maybe 30 minutes. I don't have many meetings thankfully.

 

No traveling close to interstates to have cell for me isn’t ideal travel. I’d rather be off the beaten path.


With SAP and Oracle you will need 4G I would assume. I run Salesforce for my work and the thought of running that on 3G is something I can’t even entertain.

 

The issue with this is that you have to have a signal to amplify. If your phone hotspot works than I would upgrade for the 2-3 months (not sure how long you guys are gonna be gone) and then change your plan back when you get back home. That way you aren't out any money for an item that you really won't be using anymore.

 

I think it can be done, but getting close to a coffee shop or a town with a WiFi location like a restaurant for those few min you need to be online I feel like is the safest bet imo.
It’s not impossible but tough, otherwise everyone would do it. Go for it I say! If you’re in the Danville MO area I know a cool spot with great WiFi since I got lucky and found it last week.

 

Yeah I think we have to give it a shot. I'm not sure if there will ever be another time when we both get to work from home like this. It will be tight with 2 big dogs but I'm working on my bed setup. We're going to do a test run next weekend and see what we think.

 

Has anyone found reliable internet while camping?
Oxymoron.

 

what's your trip/route schedule look like? Just going for kick n giggles or what?

 

We're not sure just yet. It would be fairly unscripted and we may just go where the wind takes us. We're shooting for leaving right after Labor Day.

I would go from Knoxville to CO, stopping in Kansas City for the night. After we left our friends place in CO we'd likely go see another friend in Ogden, UT. After that I really have no idea. I'd like to see parts of ID/MT too.

 

Holden, please will you ask him which he uses and report back?

 

Gotcha,
well as most have said, if you are ever up here in Coeur d' Alene (north idaho...but just the tip) I'd be happy to piss off my wife and host you guys or give any pointers I could.

 

We tried the WeBoost. But we camp mostly in mountain locations where there is NO signal, so it doesn't do any good. Tried it half a dozen times, then stuck it somewhere. If I can find it, I'd sell it to you for half what a new one costs. It would give you an excuse to detour to Durango and see the best part of the state!

 

I have the weboost in my truck. It gets me signals sometimes where I wouldn’t have one. I was in nh white mtns the other day and had no signal unless I was using it. With it, I had 2 bars and fairly fast internet.

 

Let me know which version you have. Their website lists several options.

 

You should be OK really to KC as the towns are a few hours apart most of the way and Cell service is fair but once west of KC it gets pretty spotty off of I-70 too.
There is service all the way to Denver along the highway but it gets marginal at best the minute you veer into the countryside.

Then when you hit the Mountains of course service will be in and out and any way you go is just hit or miss overall.

Are you camping in the truck or dragging a Trailer,it might be tough top find places to stay too and there is a pretty wide range of acceptance of our situation these days the further into the sparsely populated spaces you go which is something I would want to keep fresh in mind too.

I am usually in Colorado this week just camping around the Gunnison area myself but decided to call it off this year when weighing the whole thing going on,I have heard that it can be busy now as many are trying to drive to get away instead of flying as usual.

Sounds like a fun trip and logistical challenge to be sure!

I mean a lot of fun!

 

Found it! It's a Drive-X RV.

Link below edited to show the same version we have - ours is the 4g not 5g. Seems like getting 5g in remote areas is a long way off but who knows.

https://www.signalbooster.com/products/rv-4g-lte-signal-booster-for-multiple-cell-phones-devices?variant=21233045733461&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google Shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzP6rv-OM6wIVAhLnCh2TTQNWEAQYBSABEgIerfD_BwE

 

I ordered a 4" memory foam topper for the bed of my truck. We'll be camping in the truck or staying in hotels when it makes sense.