How To Get WiFi In Your Mobile Holiday Home

Whether you need a continuous internet connection for streaming and video calling, or you just want a reliable search function for planning holiday activities, you need WiFi you can count on in your mobile home or holiday home.

Getting WiFi in your static caravan doesn’t have to be an ordeal. That said, there are lots of options to choose from and it can be hard to know where to start. In this guide to getting WiFI in a mobile holiday home, you’ll find out:

• What types of WiFi are available to you.
• How to choose the right router.
• The costs involved with getting WiFi in your mobile home.
• What to know if your holiday home is in a remote area.

5 ways to get WiFi in a mobile holiday home

Here’s how you can get online in your mobile home or holiday home.

1. Maxview Roam Basecamp

Like all Maxview WiFi products, the Roam Basecamp is designed to give you reliable internet without the need for a fixed line or hefty mobile charges or contracts. Our router amplifies local 4G and 5G network signals, allowing you to connect multiple devices and get fast, reliable internet access. Just choose a good SIM data package from a network provider with strong coverage in your area, install the SIM, and start streaming.

The Roam Basecamp differs from other Maxview caravan WiFi products because there’s no need to drill into the facade of your mobile home to mount it. It can attach to your roof with a bracket and pole, or you can attach it to a tripod for ultraportable WiFi access.

Use a weatherproof socket to run cables from the antenna to the router without leaving your windows or doors open.

2. Home broadband

If you don’t mind paying more for your internet service, you may be able to install home broadband in your holiday home. Depending on your service provider and selected package, you may need a phone line installed in your holiday home.

Standard broadband costs just under £27 per month on average. But you may need to pay more than this to get the best speeds. Plus, you’ll often be tied into lengthy contracts to get lower monthly rates. If you’re only spending a few weeks a year in your holiday home, this is unlikely to be the most cost-effective option.

Some broadband providers offer short-term or no-contract deals. This can give you greater flexibility if you plan to use it infrequently, but you’re unlikely to get the cheapest rates.

3. Mobile WiFi products

There are a few ways you can access the internet via your mobile phone or other portable devices:

• Hotspotting — Use your mobile phone to provide internet access to other devices via your phone hotspot.
• MiFi — Use a separate MiFi device with its own data plan to get online with multiple devices.
• Dongle — Use the internet on one device at a time using a dongle.

All these options can use up a lot of data, especially if you’re relying on your phone data plan to hotspot to other devices. Data-heavy activities like streaming and video calling can significantly eat into your data allowance.

4. Satellite internet

Satellite internet systems like Starlink are touted as a modern way to access the internet from anywhere. And when it works, satellite internet can be very fast.

However, there are a few downsides to note. Caravan satellite internet won’t work if there’s even a slight blockage (for example, a tree, building, or overhanging branch). Additionally, these systems are very expensive to run. So they may not be cost-effective for a holiday home you only use a few times a year.

5. Public site WiFi

Many holiday parks and caravan sites offer WiFi. Some parks may offer free WiFi, while others need to be paid for.

Unfortunately public WiFi isn’t usually the most secure or reliable way to get online in your holiday home. Even if it’s a network you need to pay for, other people may be able to see data you send over a public WiFi connection.

Additionally, public WiFi systems can get overloaded at peak times. This can prevent you from using the internet when you need to.

Best network coverage for holiday homes

If you choose any data-based product to get internet in your caravan or holiday home, you need a SIM with excellent network coverage in your area.

Use Ofcom’s coverage checker to find the best provider for your location.

What are the costs involved in getting holiday home WiFi?

Depending on which internet access method you choose, here are some of the mobile home WiFi costs to consider:

• Router purchase
• Other hardware (satellite internet hardware is particularly expensive)
• Hardware installation
• Ongoing data costs
• Site WiFi subscription costs

Ultimately, you’ll need to weigh up the costs against the reliability of the service you receive. For example, subscribing to site WiFi may be cheaper than purchasing your own WiFi setup, but if you can’t access the internet on-demand, it may be much less valuable.

Considerations for getting reliable WiFi in a remote area

Most holiday homes and mobile homes are based in rural areas, either in the countryside or on the coast. It’s notoriously difficult to get a good internet connection in these locations. So what do you need to know about getting online in remote areas?

• Data usage — Knowing how much data you typically use can help you choose the best value data plan. Streaming 90 minutes of video uses around 30MB of data, while a 30-minute video call could use around 4MB.
• Network coverage — Not all providers offer good coverage in all areas, and rural locations are at particular risk of poor network coverage. Find the best provider for your postcode with Ofcom’s coverage checker.
• Antenna type — An omnidirectional antenna (like the Roam’s) can pick up 4G and 5G signals from any direction, making it more reliable than directional antennas.
• Data limits — Your provider may issue data usage restrictions, and you’ll be charged extra if you exceed these (or your internet access may be temporarily blocked).
• Speeds — High-speed internet is essential for gaming and streaming in a rural mobile home. Check the minimum speeds your chosen provider should provide.

Get reliable WiFi in your static caravan with Maxview

The Maxview Roam Basecamp is designed to give you fast, reliable internet access in your mobile home or holiday home. It’s easy to install with simple pole and bracket fixings, and enables you to connect multiple devices to a single network. That means you can stream on one device while video calling from another.

Learn more about our Roam Basecamp WiFi router for mobile homes.