Get Internet At The Lake

Summertime is all about getting outdoors and enjoying the nice weather. For many people, that means spending time at the lake, perhaps in your RV, cabin, or tent! Whether you’re swimming, boating, fishing, or just relaxing on the shore, a day at the lake is always a good time. However, if you’re looking to stay connected to the internet while you’re there, perhaps for personal or work purposes, then you might run into issues.

In this blog, we’ll explore some of the options for staying connected to the internet at the lake and help you decide what route to take. Let’s dive right in! (No pun intended). 

1. Satellite Internet

This is a fairly common move for lake goers who want to be connected to the internet. If you’re in Canada and considering a satellite to get internet access at the lake, try visiting the Canada Radio-Television & Telecommunications Division website and scroll through their page listing television, internet, mobile, and phone providers by province or territory, and find your closest major community. You can also ask your lake neighbours to find out which internet providers (if any) offer satellite coverage at your location. 

This all sounds easy and dandy, but satellite internet has also been known for its relatively high cost and sluggish connection speeds. Luckily, we do have something that can help with this. Our Wipstream Home will merge with your existing WiFi to take it further, enhance responsiveness, and improve speed for everything you need to - streaming, video calls… you name it. Simply plug in your existing wired connection into the Wipstream hub and enjoy your faster network. Oh also, you can try it for 30 days, and if you’re not happy with it, you can return for no costs. 

2. Cell Phone 

If you have a somewhat decent cell signal at the lake or your cabin, consider using your smartphone as an internet hotspot. No additional equipment is needed, and you can easily go online on your laptop as long as the phone’s nearby! 

For this option, a good data plan that doesn’t charge outrageously for every gigabyte is ideal. Many cell providers now offer infinite or ‘unlimited’ data plans where you pay a set amount each month for all data you need, but let’s be real, it will still get really slow when you’ve used up a certain amount of data. Also, if you’re just hot-spotting off your phone, imagine the inconvenience of ensuring that it’s always near your laptop or the internet will randomly cut off. 

But don’t fret. We’ve got a solution for you. 

With Wipstream Mobile, you get an internet device that comes with a scalable data plan, uses 50 - 60% less data over hot-spotting your phone, and allows you to access the internet everywhere in your cabin. Plus, data rolls over if unused so you can pool as much of it as you want, and then access it as needed. Wipstream will let you know when you are close to emptying your data bank, and you can recharge it with data packs.

Why consider this? Well, if you have children that may want to watch Paw Patrol or something, you may not want them to use your mobile data because they will burn through it like crazy (Yes, even if you have an unlimited plan, it will get to the ‘throttle’ stage)! If you have Wipstream, you won’t have to worry much about that! 

3. Cell Phone… but with a Signal Booster 

Using your phone for a hotspot at the lake is great and all, but unless you start with a somewhat strong cell signal, it won’t be the greatest experience for you. That’s where cell signal boosters come in. Depending on their size, complexity, and price, signal boosters are designed to capture and amplify the incoming cell signal, which can give your phone more to work with. Truthfully, people have mixed experiences with using signal boosters, but for some, it can make all the difference! The conclusion? It’s worth the try.

4. Drive Into The Nearest Town To Find A Wireless Spot 

Yes, some parts of North America can’t get the internet. In those cases, you may just have to drive to the nearest coffee shop, fast food joint, or some other commercial space with free WiFi. 

So, what’s the verdict? What option is the best for staying connected at the lake? It really depends on what you need. Here’s a recap: If you want to stay connected and don’t mind spending a bit more, satellite internet is a good option. If you have a good cell phone service but want some peace of mind, a signal booster may come in handy. And if you don’t mind driving into town every now and then for some WiFi, that’s fine too. No matter what solution you choose, be sure to check out our website or give us a call to learn more about how Wipstream can help improve your internet connectivity at the lake!

And don’t forget to enjoy your summer!