Travel down any road in the US and you’ll see plenty of signs advertising FREE Wi-Fi. Hotels that used to advertise “Free Breakfast”, or “Kids stay Free”, now try to draw business with Free Wi-Fi. It’s a rare coffee shop that doesn’t offer free Wi-Fi anymore. So, why is it that so many RV parks today charge from $2 – $10/day?
From my point of view, it’s because Wi-Fi coverage in an RV park is a *lot* more difficult than at an indoor location. We used to do work for a company who installed Wi-Fi in RV parks nationwide – we know the challenges. You can’t just install one big antenna to cover the park because the guests’ computers don’t have the power to communicate back … it is 2-way radio y’know. At one large RV park in Arizona (Palm Creek with 2,000 sites) there are over 40 access points! And, that means 40 times the maintenance and support issues too – not just the initial installation.
We’re currently staying at our favorite park in Florida … Thousand Trails Peace River. They provide free Wi-Fi, but only up at the clubhouse. I think that’s just fine. If you want to check your email, there is a free way to do so. If you want to get Internet access from the comfort of your RV, you should be willing to pay for it. Either by having your own Internet Satellite dish, or a data service from your cellular provider, or a paid Wi-Fi service.
Last month, we stayed at Thousand Trails in Orlando. They still provide free Wi-Fi at the clubhouse and, to cover the rest of the park (850 sites), they contract with Tengo Internet. If I owned an RV park, that’s how I’d do it – provide a simple, free hotspot just at the clubhouse, and use a professional provider (with 24/7 phone support) for the rest. One manager we spoke to at Thousand Trails indicated that this decision has virtually eliminated the myriad of support headaches they had when they tried to do it all themselves.
We were there for 4 days, and we signed up for the $14.95/week account. I thought it was well worth it.
How about you?
Chris Guld
www.GeeksonTour.com
Sally Freeman
Chris,
Aren’t you a bit biased about your position on Tengo? Doesn’t Tengo pay you for advertising their company on the web?
My husband and I’ve talked with a lot of park owners and managers that think Tengo charges way too much for their equipment, maintenance, and in the end the service has as many if not more problems than all the other WiFi providers out there. We both retired from technology and know it’s not easy to setup and maintain the equipment but from what we can tell Tengo is bank robbing the properties and telling them things like “we’ll bring customers to you.” Aren’t we past that stage of WiFi as an advertising option and up to WiFi as a required amenity?
We’ve run into only a few wireless operations in our nationwide traveling that make sense from the business perspective of the RV or campground owner. WiFiRV (http://www.WiFiRV.com) has been around a long time, hardly ever advertises, and though we’ve seen people complain about their services it’s usually the RV patrons, not the property owners. I don’t know how the company is structured but they operate like an investment firm from the few inquiries I have had to them on behalf of camp owners.
The other options I’ve seen are the “do it yourself” local technician solutions. Those are great if a property is small or they have the time to tinker but with security issues, online fraud, and now the concerns with copyright infringement I’d never put up a free WiFi system if I owned a park and even if I did I’d never leave it open to the public without accounting who was online.
Sally – RV Nomad
John Shelton
“Even though many of us depend on the internet these days, it is not a right. If you really need it, then take steps to make sure you have it without depending upon others. After all, part of RVing is being self-sufficent.”
I think Dan Rambow summed up this whole issue up in this one statement. The above statement has been my general feeling on this, and most other RV related issues, for many many years. Thank you, Dan, for making this important point.
Barb O
Free WiFi at our site is excellent. Having to go to the club house for free WiFi or DSL is acceptable. Occasionally we will pay $1 per day for WiFi but no more. We look at all amenities. Most important on our list is size of space, distance to showers and cleanliness and of course price. We look for the most amenities at the lowest cost. We are willing to give up things like pool, spa, cable and WiFi for lower rent. I think $5 a day for WiFi is Highway Robbery!
Caroline Collins
I’m retiring in 4 months and going to full time RV. Need info on internet and tv. I will be paying bills online and downloading pics. Will probably have a printer too. What about getting tv stations through the laptop? Help!
M. Schenkel
I work with a company called RovAir (http://www.rovair.com). We rent wireless aircards on a short-term basis (from 3 days up to months). We get quite a few inquiries from people wanting to use them in their RV. And they also work great even when in transit. So if you don’t want to purchase a 2 year contract this might be an option for you.
Richard MConnell
Hey bluebird, isn’t death valley in California? I use WiFi if available and if not, I use my Alltel cell. Neither is fast but I’m retired, it is what it is and I’m not going to stress out over it.
Mike Segroves
For me this issue all revolves around how long I’m going to be staying at a park. When I’m on the road, traveling from one destination to another, I always try to stay at KOAs and one of the reasons is that most of them have free WiFi. But once I get to my final destination, where I’m usually going to stay for a month of more, I expect to pay for WiFi, just like I expect to pay for electricity. Most parks give me a discount for staying for a full month but that is based on the premise that I’m going to pay for my electrical usage separately – and the same applies to WiFi.
Kellie pIERCE
I’m fairly new to both RVing and wi fi but I’ll put in my two cents worth…I left NW OH in mid January to travel to south TX. Several campgrounds along the way offered free wi-fi. Only one of them worked well – Crossroads in Elizaberthtown KY – maybe because there were only 2 or 3 users. I do have a verizon air card and it has been great – one state park in NW LA couldn’t get signal. I think wifi and cable are similar – nice if it’s free or available but not essential to me.
Kellie pIERCE
I’m fairly new to both RVing and wi fi but I’ll put in my two cents worth…I left NW OH in mid January to travel to south TX. Several campgrounds along the way offered free wi-fi. Only one of them worked well – Crossroads in Elizaberthtown KY – maybe because there were only 2 or 3 users. I do have a verizon air card and it has been great – one state park in NW LA couldn’t get signal. I think wifi and cable are similar – nice if it’s free or available but not essential to me.
Tom Warfield
Having WiFi available at the RV park is a plus for me and having it at the RV is a double plus. When it is free or inexpensive (like $1 a day) will determine my choice of parks. Something like $5 a day is absolutely rediculous. Even $1 a day times 2 PCs has me seriously considering an aircard. I paid good money for my membership and pay my yearly fee so why are they charging me $1 a day times 2 PCs for WiFi that is hardly usable much past 5 sites from the office? When I retire at the end of the month I may have to go into blog & forum withdrawal. Fortunately, lots of libraries & commercial places offer free WiFi so email can be gotten and bills can be paid.
Ed
Chris, I also don’t think that RV park owners have a clue. They get locked in to a contract with a company that is not good. I can tell you that if a park does not have free wi-fi available around the park – I just don’t stay there. There are lots of nice parks that have very good coverage with free wi-fi. I am not in the habit of asking before I make a reservation.
Frank Madia
Chris,
There are too many cities that have free wifi throughout the downtown area for your argument to be valid. I think RV Park owners just don’t get it. Eventually, those who do not offer park wide free access will see fewer and fewer return customers. We currently carry our own satellite dish, but I don’t like to set it up for a stay of fewer than several days.
kanda
It is interesting that some campgrounds charge for WIFI. The industry is becoming more competitive and those that charge will be left out in the cold. Sooner or later free WIFI will be in most if not all campgrounds. At the clubhouse is okay no need for it to be at each site. If it covers the park that’s even better. Some private campgrounds operate without trying to nickel and dime the customer. I am a full time seasonal at a campground that charges $10.00 for 6 hours. I can safely say I will never pay for internet at a campground. So many people waste their time trying to get it working. The campground staff has no clue. I run off line in the campground and go to the library for free wifi if there is no mcdonalds nearby. Only a fool would pay a campground for internet service. If the campground needs to charge for WIFI and mini golf, and bicycles etc I won’t stay with them. I speak with ,y wallet. You should too.
Bob Plaskon
Since wifi is really not free (it’s built into the price of the space), we look only at parks that offer free wifi and decide on which one based on a balance of price, what amenities we need at that stop, and whether its in line with our travels. We’ve seen parks listing free wifi with super high prices without the amenities or location-that’s called marketing!
Ty
my wife and i stayed at 3 private camp grounds last summer with wi-fi. the nicest place charged $5 per day for the service. i never got connected. i think my wife finally did but it was so poor and slow that she gave up. we only paid for one day. the managers of the camp ground could not help us because it was an outside private service. when we got home my wife e-mailed the service to let them know but we never heard from them. poor customer service. we will not stay at that camp gound again. the best “free service” was at a KOA – a very nice place. and as we all should know, it’s not free. i’m sure there is a little added into their prices but that is fine with me if the quality is there.
Bob
Generally the satellite connections are slow, have very high latency, and can be affected by a lack of line-of-sight.
Bob
Our park charges $15 per month. Pretty reasonable. That’s what we pay for dsl at home.
Chris Guld
Gerald, I was wondering if anyone would catch that about our satellite dish!
Something died on our satellite system last fall – I don’t even remember what now – our equipment is almost 6 years old – Jim has kept it running with chewing gum and bailing wire! Since we knew we would have good Wi-Fi in the park we stayed at for the winter (www.paradiserv.com), Jim didn’t bother going to the effort and expense of fixing it – and we turned off the service for the winter.
Now that we’re back on the road – we can use our cell phone tethered for a pretty good connection. The cellular option didn’t exist 6 years ago, and Wi-Fi has gotten SOO much better since then … we may not turn the Satellite system back on at all. Jim wants to get a Verizon card and router. The times are a-changin.
Jerry and Suzy LeRoy
Wow, Chis — you asked for it, you got it! You have lots of readers, and everyone has an opinion. We use the Verizon AIr Card, have for years, and it usually serves us well. Since we are on a single monthly rate, there is virtually no way we ever pay more than the $60 a month. Of course, we don’t download music or movies, we don’t surf for hours (very often).
Like many others, we live in the motorhome, correspond, purchase, do banking on the Internet, so connection is important. Love that Verizon!
Gerald
Chris, why did you pay for WiFi when you have satellite internet on your RV? I use an AT&T aircard with a booster and external antenna (when needed). I also have an external roof top antenna for WiFi. So, I use campground WiFi when its available for email and downloads but I use only my aircard for banking and shopping. We have been in all 48 lower states and Alaska and sometimes cannot get a signal with the aircard but it’s rare. And, I will not pay for WiFi and I do not mind going to the club house to get it free.
David Campbell
I will always look for a campground that advertises “free WiFi”. Of course, it isn’t really free, just that there is no extra charge. there have been very few camp sites that I have been unable to to get a signal because I use a highly directional antenna. The technology has improved many fold over what it was just a few years ago. Maintainability is now a lot easier for all the multiple access points due to the very good reliability of the equipment. In the last 10 years I have only replaced my own access points to upgrade them to faster throughput. No failures, no configuration problems or changes. They just keep puttsing along doing their job. External antennas do need some care, admittedly, but that doesn’t require a very highly trained tech.
I once set up a campus-wide wifi network that spanned over two square miles using some 15 or 20 access points, all indoors on 802.11a. It worked, sorta. Now days that would be snap with the new equipment.
Campgrounds that are now on 802.11b should upgrade to the newer ‘g’ or if they could to the present ‘n’ as well as getting a faster connection, Yeah, yeah,
that all costs money that they probably don’t want to spend, but if wishes . . . 😉
Darrel
I rarely use wi fi on the road even when it’s available. My cell phone as a modem is usually faster and easier and it’s $49.00 per month unlimited use.
j I
I have a Verizon usb card that I utilize when I can not get free wifi in a campground. It definitely in my experience is not the same as a good wifi connection, but then I usually have three computers running on this connection and will soon add a wireless printer. If you’re going to have a single computer and use it only for e-mail, then a connection the speed of the verizon connection is ok. However, with my normal usage, this is just barely acceptable and I try to find campgrounds where the free wifi connection is reliable and fast. I will always choose a campground whose previous campers have noted that the wifi is reliable and fast over any other campground. I expect to pay more for a campground that provides this service. I’ve utilized pay for use internet in some campgrounds, and I have found almost without exception that the reliability and usability of this pay service is not worth the money! I find that if a campground has free wifi and they really support it, that this is superior to any pay service or the verizon card. As a former wireless architect as well as the manager of a help desk that at one time supported 1400 users, the arguments about how difficult it is to support a campground and how many access points are needed to be understandable only if the wireless network is not adequately designed. With today’s equipment, hardware and network issues are extremely small compared to what they were five years ago.. I would think that using only 40 access points to support up to 2000 sites would provide a minimal configuration. I know that I would never attempt to support that type of an environment with such a configuration – it would just lead to way too many support issues.
Eick Kirkpatrick
I’m from Canada & currently in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The AT&T air cards may be great but they require a 1 or more contract. I don’t want to pay for a service I can’t use 9 months of the year. I like WiFi, but if it’s Tengo it has been a waste of money & time. I feel $2/ night for shorts stays or $30/month is reasonable. But $5 per day is too high.
Check out wokfi sites (better antennas or adapters for your computers for better signals.
Rick
John Shelton
Even tho many parks and motels advertise WiFi, whether free or with a price; the service is very often very disappointing. I find that my Verizon aircard provides a more dependable service, and often having an internet connection in areas that cell phone signal comes and goes. I use the aircard with a 3G router to provide an 802.11n “hotspot” and do not need to install any software on my computer. This will work at home on a desktop or laptop, on the road also with whatever computer you have. In addition to the wireless WiFi, you can connect up to 4 network devices or computer by Ethernet if your computer lacks a wireless adapter. I am able to thumb my nose at coffee shops, hotels, campgrounds, etc. with this setup. After the purchase of the aircard and router, the cost is only $60/mo. (Download transfer rates are another story, but the ability is there.) This setup allows you to check email in highway rest areas and supermarket parking lots etc. with a simple 12dc/120ac inverter.
Tim Teresa
It’s just like anything else. If it gets to the point where they think free wi fi will increase thier business then they will offer it. It will start slowly with just a couple camp sites offering complimentary and gradually it will become the norm. The only question is how long wil it take??? Do you remember when you had to pay premium at the coffee house you mentioned earlier? Right now even our local Sub Way offers free wi fi. Yes it’s cheaper for them to offer than a camp ground but I will guarantee that it pays for itself in sales.
robert
I will stay where they have free wi-fi
Larry Guthrie
Almost all of the comments above with the exception of the author of the blog, could be said about cable TV, and would sound right about 15 years ago. Now if the campgound has cable TV it is geneally free. A few still charge, but mostly it’s just accepted as park of an RV park. Campgrounds may not even have cable TV, and that is also accepted.
If I stay at a campground, then I accept whatever amenities are available. Campgrounds may or may not have cable tv, water at the site, and I may have to go to a dump station occasionally..
If I stay at an RV park then I expect to services to be on a par with the “state of the park” If it’s basically an overnight park adjacent to a busy highway, then perhaps no internet or cable tv.
If I stay at a full service park then I expect to have all services available and that includes internet service. If I stay at a resort I expect to have all services available at a high level. Say extended cable TV and fast internet service.
Some park owners don’t want to bother. They’d like everything to stay as it is. These park owners usually find an excuse…too much touble…too many complaints…and the kicker…it’s too hard I have too many sites.
And one thing that always seems to be missed when comments are called for about RV’s and “camping” A very large percentage of people are not camping, they are living in the RV, maybe only for a month, but they are not camping and want all services. To many people not having cable TV is preferable to not having internet access.
carverant
I think its nice when a campground has wifi but since we mostly stay only 1 night I can get our e mail most anywhere. Checked on an air card from our carrier Intelos and it was 30 mo but for 2 yrs so thats out since we also have our home set up..so in an emergency we can be reached by phone..Our new Mac might be better than our old pc with an external card..well find out this summer when we head to Portland and places west.
Bluebird Bob
We fulltime for the last 16 months.
We use Verizon. Only had 2 places that we couldn’t get a signal.
Jackpot, Nevada and Death Valley Nevada.
We wouldn’t pay for Wifi.
Kevin
TTN has got it right. If I want to use my computer, I should be able to make it all the way up to the clubhouse.
For other campgrounds, while I’d love to have free wifi, I will pay a little lore for it, say a buck or two a night. For the owners, make it password protected for a little added security.
Jerry Shea
We also use the Verizon air card, however, we would hit remote camping areas and could not get one bar. Then we purchased Smooth Talker. When we hook into that we get 4 bars. Also works with our cell phone when we can’t seem to get a signal. Well worth the investment and you can go just about anyplace and get on the net or use your cell phone. Check it out.
Steve
I agree with you! Wi-Fi is a PERK for campers not an obligation of the park to provide it for free to campers. If you are someone who HAS to have internet access then pay for it. Want it free? Then walk to a hot spot. Me? I use an air card. Of course it’s a deductible expense for me as is my fuel, camping fees, food, etc.
Living smart.
Bruce Forrester
I think parks should offer free WiFi; however, RV-ers should understand that the signal is not always going to be perfect.
Bart
$112 a month + your home base of perhaps 30 runs the price up pretty high .I,ve paid it but never liked it and most often I’m looking up the next place to stay.
RGaryC
Wifi “N” is going to end many problems. It reaches three to fifteen times further and is much faster.
Dan Rambow
As a full time computer consultant, when we go out in the RV, invariably we stop at a campground with wi-fi. And once the park managers know what I do, they are always asking me questions and help about making their wi-fi better.
When I start full timing in a couple of years, this might be a good way to trade services for space fees, but for now I am on vacation. I learned early, that wi-fi is only as good as the design, layout, and the quality of the components, and they are seldom optimized at campgrounds.
So I opted for an ATT aircard for my laptop. If wi-fi is available (and works) great, I will use it, if it costs a buck or two a day, I would even pay for it, but even at non-3g speeds, I can still check my email, and do remote support via the celluar system.
I have come across a couple of state parks that are just remote enough, that the cell signal isn’t sufficent. So this season I will be adding a booster system with external antenna for my phone & data card.
Even though many of us depend on the internet these days, it is not a right. If you really need it, then take steps the make sure you have it without depending upon others. After all, part of RVing is being self-sufficent.
Otherwise, be happy if it is available, if not, make your wishes known and perhaps the camp hosts will gradually add it over time. But remember, all services provided, must be paid for, and gradually the costs of camping will go up.
Drew
I collect stamps
Lee Ensminger
I have to disagree with Rick Bourne and others like him who are part of the “Internet should be all free all the time and make sure the free service comes right to my door.” I’ll agree with him when I get my telephone [cell or land-line], water, and electric free as well. The use of the Internet is a utility, the same as the other things I mentioned. It’s not free. I don’t know where we as a society have gotten that idea. I have a Verizon air card for $60/month and it has rarely if ever left me unconnected. Speeds vary depending on your location, but I’ve traveled from Ohio to Alaska and back and was fine. I also think that if a camp wants to offer it near their office, which IS relatively easy, that’s a plus, but don’t treat it like it’s part of the founding fathers’ Bill of Rights.
Sterling
I agree with Chris on most of her points. It is nice to have internet access from my motorhome at the campground, but my wife really wants me to stay off the computer when we are camping. Having to go to the clubhouse to access the internet, forces me to just check emails and get back to enjoy the great outdoors. I have used Tengo Internet and during the summer I buy a three month plan and it actually works out to a lot less per use then my home internet access. I’m planning on eventually buying a phone with internet access so that I can go totally mobile, and not worry about dragging a laptop along everywhere. I don’t feel like the campground owes me internet access at my campsite, anymore then they owe me cable TV. I can live without either, and my wife is happiest when I do. LOL.
Bill Daines
I like my Alltel / Verizon air card !
Ray Hennebry
Have to agree with Nick about Verizon air card. We are in lease site at a thousand Trails park in Palm Desert, CA. They offer wi-fi but it is spotty and with the park full, a little slow. We think Verizon at abouy the same as Tango Net in price a better bargin. We can get it just about anyware.
We have used Verizon via a cell phone with Verizon, but it was slow but free on weekends only used min,s during week. Verizon is trying to do away with this.
Steve Nicolls
Having an internet connection is becoming a necessity and not a luxury. I like TTN’s option to have it available at the Clubhouse. The smaller RV parks can usually have a Wi-Fi system without too much of a maintenance issue. I am retiring this year so I am sure my opinion will change as we spend more time on the road. Right now when we spend a few days away from home it tis nice to be able to relax and be away from the internet. I do all my banking and paying bills on the internet, so having a place to go like they do at TTN would be nice. I am sure the technology will improve and this will be a non-issue in a few years.
Nick Russell
When you consider that you can get a Verizon air card for almost nothing and the monthly fee is under $60/month, I just can’t see messing with the hassles of WiFi.
We’ve had our air card almost two years and have been coast to coast and border to border, and there have been three places we could not get online.
Many of the RV park owners I meet have been so frustrated with the problems of maintaining their WiFi systems that they just hate dealing with it. Besides the issue of setting up a system that will reach every site, they are continually bothered by guests who don’t know how to operate their computers in the first place and expect the park owners to solve all kinds of problems that have nothing to do with the actual WiFi system.
Chris Guld
Rick, Thanks for your comment. I expected contrary opinions on this one … that’s why I asked. I know lots of people who will not pay for Wi-Fi on principal, so I thought I’d give the other side. On your example of being as necessary as power, I’d like to point out that, at least in Florida, many, if not most, RV parks charge separately for electricity based on usage as recorded by a meter.
Rick Bourne
I respectfully disagree with your view, Chris. In today’s world, internet connection is as basic a human need as power. Given a choice (which I usually am), I will select a campground that has complementary wifi at the rig over one that does not, or only has it at the clubhouse. I do not select campgrounds that do not have wifi available. And, only if I am left with no other choice will I select a campground that uses Tengo Internet. My experience, using over a dozen parks that employ Tengo Internet, is that the functionality of the wifi is always -iffy and the support line is frustratingly of little help. The concept of Tengo Internet is a good one. The implementation of it is consistently poor.
That’s just one campers view of the connected world.