How Do You Get Reliable Internet While Full-Time RVing?

Why We Chose Starlink

Before going full-time, we looked at cellular options including Verizon and T-Mobile. Depending on where and how you travel, cellular internet may be a great solution. But we knew we would be moving around the country full-time, sometimes near cities and sometimes where cellular coverage could be weak or nonexistent.

That combination is ultimately why we chose Starlink.

How We Actually Use It

Our setup is surprisingly simple. The Starlink receiver plugs into an AC outlet in our fifth-wheel service bay. On shore power, that outlet works normally. Without shore power, we can run it from our generator or use inverted power from our battery bank when we choose not to run the generator.

Inside our 42-foot fifth wheel, coverage hasn't been an issue. Outside, we generally have about 50–75 feet of usable range before we begin noticing interruptions.

What Speeds Do We Actually Get?

In our experience, we generally see around 60 Mbps on the lower end and roughly 100–125 Mbps on the upper end.

To put that into practical terms, a 4K television stream generally needs only a fraction of that bandwidth. Even around our lower-end speeds, we've had enough bandwidth to stream television while using phones and computers.

For us, the important question isn't whether we can win a speed test. It's whether our family can use the internet normally. So far, the answer has been yes.

When We Had No Cell Service

This became one of the most important benefits after we got on the road. We've stayed in places where we had little or no usable cellular service, but as long as Starlink had a clear enough view of the sky, we still had internet.

Our phones are configured for Wi-Fi calling. That meant we could make and receive calls over the Starlink connection in places where we couldn't make a normal cellular call.

Where Starlink Has Struggled

The biggest problem we've encountered has been trees. The Oregon Coast was tougher for us than anywhere else because of dense tree coverage. When the dish can't get a sufficiently clear view of the sky, we see interruptions.

If we're staying somewhere for a week, we'd consider choosing a better site or relocating. If we're only there for a day or two, sometimes we're happy to enjoy a break from the connected world.

What About the Cost?

Cost is probably Starlink's biggest negative for us. Traditional residential high-speed internet can be considerably less expensive. But residential internet stays at the house. We needed an internet connection that could travel with us.

For our situation, we're paying for the combination of portability, coverage and enough bandwidth for the way our family actually lives and works on the road.

Would We Choose It Again?

Yes.

If I could go back and talk to myself before we went full-time, I'd probably save myself a lot of research: don't make this more complicated than it needs to be. Plug it in, give it a clear view of the sky, let it connect, and go enjoy the trip.

Starlink won't be the right answer for every RVer. Your travel style, budget, bandwidth needs and where you camp all matter. But after roughly nine months of relying on it while traveling full-time, it has worked extremely well for our family.