For many of us, starting up our RV and hitting the open road is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The fresh air is relaxing and the beautiful scenery is truly a sight to behold. It is a feeling of pure freedom. But, no matter how far away you go, a strong internet connection is still often essential. How many times have you been to a campsite with WiFi to discover that your parking spot is beyond the signal range of your laptop?
A WiFi booster increases the strength of your internet connection, improving the distance and speed that the signal is able to travel. A stronger WiFi connection allows you to get online and confidently transmit data faster, further, and more effectively. A WiFi booster is easy to add to an existing system, and allows you to use a single WiFi password across all your devices.
Are you ready for a fast and dependable internet connection in your RV? Let’s take a look at the 5 best WiFi boosters for an RV.
5 Best WiFi Boosters for an RV
5. King KF1000 RV WiFi Booster
The King KF1000 RV WiFi Booster is a powerful and efficient range extender that is great for getting the most out of a nearby WiFi signal. The aerial connects to a separate router and repeats the signal with your preference of password. So, you can share the internet between your devices with greater security.
The King Falcon rotates 360 degrees and gives the user a list of available networks, which they can click on. Falcon’s aerial is directional and automatic; it hones in on the strongest signal, so you do not need to be standing on top of your RV making micro-changes.
You can control the antenna through an app on your tablet or a smartphone. The app lets you enter the password and choose the type of WiFi signal you want to generate in your RV. You can also choose the levels of encryption such as WPA and WPA2-PSK.
Highlights
- Rating:
- Antenna Gain: 15 dBi.
- No. of Antennas: 3 x Self-Aiming + 1 x Bluetooth.
- Max. Transmission Speed: 150 mbps.
- WiFi Antenna Bands: 2.4 GHz b/g/n.
- WiFi Repeater Bands: 2.4GHz + 5GHz a/b/g/n/ac.
- Connectors: USB, Coaxial.
- Accessories: 11’ coaxial cable, 12v power supply, roof plate, manual.
Pros and Cons
4. Winegard WF-3035 WiFi Extender
The Winegard WF-3035 WiFi Extender is a small but powerful way to improve the performance of the internet connection in your RV or camper. You can share a single WiFi password among your family and also have control over your internet security preferences.
The main aerials are weather-proof and attach to the roof of your vehicle. The antennas are discrete, and the automatic scanning of WiFi signals makes the system simple to set up. Together, the three external aerials gain up to double the power over what you would get from your device’s antennas.
The outside aerial connects through a waterproof sealed hole, to a repeater inside your RV. The repeater comes with 6 internal MIMO antennas that give you and your family a superior level of speed and connectivity within your RV.
Highlights
- Rating:
- Antenna Gain: 5 dBi.
- No. of Antennas: 1 x Self-Aiming + 1 x Bluetooth.
- Max. Transmission Speed: 450mbs.
- WiFi Antenna Bands: 2.4 GHz a/b/g/n.
- WiFi Repeater Bands: 2.4GHz + 5GHz a/b/g/n/ac.
- Connectors: USB, Coaxial.
- Accessories: 25’ coaxial cable, 12V power supply, roof plate, manual.
Pros and Cons
3. Winegard Connect 2.0 RV WiFi Booster
The Winegard Connect 2.0 RV WiFi Booster is a stand-alone unit, which both manages the weather well, but it is also simple to set up. The waterproof and aerodynamic housing covers a set of 3 high-gain MIMO antennas. These MIMO antennas use software to boost the received signal by tracking the sender without even moving.
All the routing hardware is within the unit, so this is an isolated repeater, with exception to the power cable. Winegard supply a 20-foot power cable and a power switch, which needs attaching to the inside of your RV. This means that you need a space to mount the switch and a connection to power it.
Set up is simple, the design is discrete, and it is better for using devices inside and outside an RV. The covered aerials are also better for when it comes to cleaning your RV. You can also upgrade this repeating antenna to connect to your local 4G LTE network, so you can have WiFi even on the road.
Highlights
- Rating:
- Antenna Gain: 10 dBi estimate.
- No. of Antennas: 3 × 3 MIMO.
- Max. Transmission Speed: 450 Mbps.
- WiFi Antenna Bands: 2.4 GHz a/b/g/n.
- WiFi Repeater Bands: 2.4GHz + 5GHz a/b/g/n/ac.
- Connectors: USB, coaxial.
- Accessories: 20’ coaxial cable, 12V power supply, roof plate, wall bracket, manual.
Pros and Cons
2. Crane CC Vector WiFi System
The Crane CC Vector WiFi System is one of our favorite connection boosters. Its receiver is simple and robust — the grid dish antenna will cope well with wind, so you can leave it on the roof of your RV while you are driving. The antenna is also quick to disconnect from the main receiving cable so you can plug it in when you need it and avoid having to drill any holes in your roof.
The directional antenna fixes to an antenna pole, with the brackets provided, and needs manual positioning. This aerial, in turn, connects to a receiver box, then via a 30-foot USB cable to a repeater that you can place where you need it.
The repeater is simple, but it does the job. You can broadcast in 2.4GHz and secure the connection with the normal forms of encryption you would expect from a router. But you do get a good range, and the quality of the signal is superb.
Highlights
- Rating:
- Antenna Gain: 15 dBi.
- No. of Antennas: 1 x Fixed + 1 x Repeater.
- Max. Transmission Speed: 150 Mbps.
- WiFi Antenna Bands: 2.4 GHz b/g/n.
- WiFi Repeater Bands: 2.4GHz b/g/n.
- Connectors:2 x RJ45, Coaxial, USB.
- Accessories: 30’ USB cable, 12V power supply, pole mount, wall bracket, manual.
Pros and Cons
1. Alfa CampPro 2 RV WiFi Booster
The Alfa Network CampPro 2 RV WiFi Booster is a fantastic solution that comes with everything you need for a strong internet connection. The CampPro 2 is a complete kit built to help you get the strongest, most dependable signal. The unit comes with both the receiver and a long extension aerial to help you get a better line of sight over the other vehicles in the park.
This is a single band extender, which gains up to 9dBi, so you should be able to get a signal even when you are at the other end of the park. The aerial extender has a quick release clip, so it is fast and simple to remove and store down below when you are on the move.
The pack comes with a single aerial repeater, which connects to the main antenna via USB, and controls the RV’s WiFi security. And to speed up the connection process to your smart device, you can scan the QR code on the device for instant setup.
Highlights
- Rating:
- Antenna Gain: 9 dBi.
- No. of Antennas: 1 x Omnidirectional ext. + 1 x Internal.
- Max. Transmission Speed: 300 mbps.
- WiFi Antenna Bands: 2.4 GHz b/g/n.
- WiFi Repeater Bands: 2.4GHz b/g/n.
- Connectors: USB, Coaxial.
- Accessories: 16’ USB cable, DC12V adaptor, adhesive, antenna pole, manual.
Pros and Cons
Buyer’s Guide: What to Look for in a RV WiFi Booster
When choosing a new Wifi booster for your RV or camper, these are a few of the factors and features that you should consider.
WiFi Bands
As the internet develops, we demand more of it — we want to upload videos faster and stream films. As the speed has increased, so too has the need to use higher frequencies. Most campsites and homes will still be using 2.4Ghz b, g, and n bands.
5Ghz is becoming more popular and essential because it can manage faster traffic and more devices using the same line. Higher frequency channels are around the corner. Whichever booster you choose, future proof it by looking at the greatest range of frequencies the repeater can deliver to your devices.
Range
As the frequency increases, the range decreases — in the same way, that microwaves penetrate less than FM radio waves. You want to have the best signal strength and the fastest connection. 5GHz is much faster than 2.4GHz, but it struggles to get through walls.
Even the weather can affect a 5Ghz signal in short distances, so if you want the best signal and the fastest internet you will need to get a booster aerial. A booster aerial will be more effective with a bigger aerial — over trying to improve the reception with programming and boosting a bad signal.
Power and Gain
Gain is when you improve the reception of a signal that you want to use, and measures as a power increase. As you double your distance from the campsite’s transmitter, you quarter the power of the signal.
Larger antennas collect more signal. A 3dBi antenna may double the receiving and transmitting power. Up to a point, these larger antennas need to be power-assisted. MIMO is another way to improve the reception — it is a form of directional antenna, which is effective for 5GHz WiFi.
RV WiFi Boosters FAQs
Do I need a whole Wifi booster package or just an antenna?
In general, it is better to get a repeater and an aerial together. Most of these antennas have USB connectors. The antenna picks up the signals and sends them to the WiFi router in your RV. In this way, you can activate the WiFi on the router box and share the signal with your other devices. This is especially awesome if you have any wireless camera systems set up in or around the RV, since the feed can be transferred to any of your devices or displays.
All your devices can stay on a fixed password regardless of the campsite you are staying at.
Is it better to have the antenna inside or outside of the RV?
The higher and further you can place the antenna from the RV — the better the signal you are going to get. Most of the boosters are going to come with long cables, so you should not have any problem with putting the aerial on the roof of your RV.
Rather than drilling holes, it may be beneficial for you to get a long extension cable and a magnetic aerial. So you can throw the cable out the window and hook it up when you get to the site.
What is the best WiFi band to use?
The older 2.4GHz WiFi is still fast, and you will not have any trouble streaming to several devices at a time — if the signal is strong and on a decent provider. 2.4 GHz will be fine if all you want is to check your social media accounts and watch some movies.
5GHz is faster, and you will need a booster to make the most of it. But 5GHz is for those with a large presence on social media, where they need to upload giant videos or pictures. 5GHz is also better if you are going to be sharing a single WiFi password with 4 others, all streaming HD movies at the same time.
Final Thoughts
In this day and age, connection to the internet is essential for many people. Even in your RV, it is important to have a strong, dependable WiFi signal. While there are plenty of good RV Wifi Boosters available, you can confidently count on any of these five to provide you with a high-quality, fast online connection.
Overall, for the best WiFi booster for an RV, we highly recommend the Alfa CampPro 2 RV Wifi Booster. The CampPro 2 is a full kit that will boost and extend the signal, helping you connect to the internet quickly and easily. With a strong signal gain and a simple set up process, you will have it up and running in no time. And even better, you do not have to drill any holes in your RV to set it up. Simply plug in the booster, power up your internet-ready devices with your inverter generator or boondocking battery and stay connected to the world.
Happy Camping!
Is there another Wifi booster that you use in your RV or camper? We would love to try it out! Let us know your thoughts in the comments sections below.
