Improve WiFi While in Your Prevost
Inexpensive way to improve your WiFi in your RV.
You may have pulled into an RV park at some point and quickly been underwhelmed by the WiFi service. There may be a simple and inexpensive way to improve that reception.
Wi-Fi works with no physical wired connection between sender and receiver by using radio frequency technology. The main component in any WiFi is an amplifier that is used to broadcast a wireless signal that computers and other devices can receive. WiFi is the name given to a low power microwave communications in the 2.4 Ghz range between personal computers and other devices such as cell phones, tablets, etc. Most of these devices have a working radius of 25-50 feet if there are no obstructions such as a metal RV wall between your device and the broadcast signal.
There are other adaptations of the original WiFi design such as Hot spots and long range WiFi that can be found in places such as RV Parks. These setups are called base stations and are designed to help overcome the distance limitation imposed by the relative lack of output power of the radios in PCs, Cell phones and tablets. Remember, not only do you need to receive a signal, you also need to broadcast a signal from your device if you are both receiving and sending information.
The more of these devices that are operating inside the boundaries of an RV park, the more interference or “noise” the devices create. As the level of the “noise” approaches the output power of the customer’s device, the device’s messages are lost in the background noise and the connection fades or is disconnected.
WiFi seems to come and go in an RV Park setting for several reasons. High frequency, low power radios such as WiFi radios are particularly susceptible to interference from both naturally occurring and man-made sources. Humidity, temperature and emissions from the sun are all naturally occurring sources of interference. The man-made sources are devices that operate on the WiFi Frequency, that is, everyone else’s PCs, iPhones, IPads, Droids, Tablets, Air Cards and wireless routers. So when you get to an RV park that says they provide WiFi, don't be too surprised if that service seems sub-standard. It may not be the service at all.
Most of us do not understand the limitations of our own devices, and it may not always be the Wi-Fi provider's fault that we have little or no connection. Many of us do not understand the capabilities of our own laptops, smart phones or tablets. If we did, we probably wouldn’t complain as much.
The little antenna built into your laptop was designed for ‘in-home’ use, not a commercial application, like an RV resort. Don’t confuse getting online at McDonald's or Starbucks with your built-in devices because the experience is not the same as getting online at an RV resort.
The antenna that is in your laptop is just not strong enough, and was not designed to go through the metal siding of a Prevost or pick up a signal from a tower a 100 feet away. The average laptop antenna was made to send/receive signals approximately 25-50 feet. Your iPad, e-reader,smart phone, etc. all have even less powerful antennas built-in than your laptop.
There are all kinds and prices of devices that you can purchase and enhance your WiFi experience while on the road but probably the simplest thing you can do is purchase an inexpensive antenna or signal booster.
You probably can't do anything about your existing antenna in your devise, but you can get an external antenna that connects to your laptop through your Ethernet or USB port and will make Wi-Fi more readily available while at an RV park. I usually connect my antenna to the computer and place the antenna by a window. External antennas may be 20 to 40 times stronger than the existing one in your device. Simple and relatively inexpensive antennas can make it possible to really enjoy your Wi-Fi service when it would otherwise be nothing more than a total aggravation.
There are many ways to enhance the WiFi experience, but the intent of this article is just to highlight the fact that an antenna for less than $50 may make a significant difference in your WiFi experience while in your RV. Ebay and Amazon have a variety of simple and effective antennas at very reasonable prices.
