Newcommers Forums Building & Converting Internet on the road

  • Internet on the road

    Posted by Rafael on January 14, 2024 at 21:28

    I’m soon to start my full-time vanlife journey, but there’s one major concern I haven’t fully figured out yet, internet access. As a freelance graphic designer, staying connected is crucial for my work. I’ve done some research, but I’m hoping to get insights from your real-world experiences.

    How are you all keeping contected? 4G from your phones or modems?

    Tomas replied 11 months, 1 week ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • Tomas

    Administrator
    January 15, 2024 at 08:55

    Hi Rafael!

    Great question, it’s surely something most vanlifers etc will have to deal with at some point. Most properly use their phones hotspotting. That’s good, but does rely on your phone, will drain battery so you need it on charge most of the time etc, so not my preferred method.

    I would normally recommend getting a dedicated 4G/5G modem that can sit permanently in the van with a data sim in it. Then you’ll have wifi all the time. Or at least where theres signal. πŸ˜€

    On that subject, I am actually writing an article on Starlink right now, that hopefully will be out soon. That’s the other solution. Starlink is satellite internet, and it works just about anywhere. It’s pricey but very very handy. So I have both a 4G modem as well as a Starlink with me in the van, and as a emergency backup I can share the internet of the phone. That covers me just about 100% of the time. πŸ™‚

  • Isabella

    Member
    January 15, 2024 at 10:17

    Hi Rafael!

    My partner and I also work online while on the road, and we have found that Starlink is by far the best solution! πŸ“‘ Yes, it’s pricey, but then not really when looking at what you’re getting and how much hassle you save yourself!πŸ™ You also have the option to stop and start your subscription whenever you want.

    When parked up in bigger cities or capitals, it can be hard to get a clear view of the sky and therefore we also had a 4G modem as a backup. With those 2 options, we never struggled for Wi-Fi connection in our 4 months travelling Europe 🌍

  • Rafael

    Member
    January 15, 2024 at 18:18

    Thank you for all the information both! Appreciate the help. πŸ‘πŸΌ

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