Is there a solution to the curse of RV park Wifi problems?

RVers are taking the Internet by storm. Keeping in touch. Paying bills. Getting information on campgrounds. Solving problems through the use of forums. All this and more is as near as your computer keyboard. Well, of course, provided you have an Internet connection. Many RV parks now promise great connections to the Internet through Wifi connections –- but the reality is, a lot of those "great connections" are great disappointments. Is there anything to be done to improve your connectivity?

Some of the most common complaints we hear are: "My computer can 'see' the park's Wifi signal, but we just can't get anywhere with it," or "We can connect, but it's so darn slow!" There are plenty of variables in a Wifi system; the farther you are away from the access point, the greater the loss of power in the signal itself, and the more opportunity for the signal to be blocked.

Tech folks often tell us that the real issue isn't the ability of your own computer's Wifi device to 'see' or receive the signal, it's a matter of not having enough power to get back to the access point. What's to be done?

There are various approaches. Some use external Wifi antennas, and in some cases, these can help. However, an external antenna system coupled with equipment to amplify your own signal is usually required. One such system we've tried and had reasonable success with is the Rogue Wave. 

Another system we've heard of adds a switching system for those who have service through a cellular provider like Verizon or AT&T. The Wifi Ranger system looks for a wireless Wifi hotspot and ties you in, while maintaining a "lock" on your cellular-based service. In Wifi, you won't "run up your bill," but if the Wifi should drop out, the system will immediately shunt you over to the dependable 3G or 4G service. The hang up here, like with Rogue Wave, is the additional price of the equipment. An entry-level Wifi Ranger is nearly $110, while one that works over greater distances runs nearly $300.

Both the Rogue Wave and the Wifi Ranger have their supporters and detractors. But here's another issue: You could invest the money in one of these antenna-and-amplifier devices and still find the Wifi connection in the park is simply frustratingly unusable. If there's a glitch in the park system, all the antennas and amplifiers will do you no good. And if the park system is overloaded, you may get a signal, but one that only an electronic slug could appreciate. Here's why:

Like anything else, the quality of the system is limited by its weakest link. If the park's Internet connection is limited, and a whole lot of folks log on and start using the web, everyone will suffer. We've heard of some large RV parks that use a limited, DSL-based Internet connection to try and serve 100 or more customers. That's like trying to have 10 RVers try and each take a shower at the same time – with the water to their rigs being supplied through a pipe the diameter of a drinking straw.

If you need a dependable Internet connection, our experience has been to basically give up on Wifi hotspots and fork over the monthly fee for a broadband connection through a cellular provider. We use one of Verizon's 3G/4G network devices called a Jetpack, that serves as our own traveling "hotspot." We operate our printer, laptops, and tablet off the system. For the $50 to $60 a month we spend, it's saved us plenty of frustration. And when we have big downloads to manage, our frugal (OK, "cheap") souls find their way to a "free Wifi" hotspot like McDonalds or Starbucks, buying a cup of coffee or a burger, and downloading what we need.