However, there are some cases when you have to go to a remote area without cell service. You may be going there for a few days or even staying there for a longer period of time. Or you may even have to travel through such locations on a journey. In such scenarios, you likely need internet service to contact friends and family or even work while traveling. In this article, we account for all of these cases and provide you with the possible ways you can do to get internet access.
How to Get Internet Where There is No Service
Below mentioned are the possible ways you can get internet access in an area without service.
Connect to Public Wi-Fi
The first option you should seek out is to search for any free public Wi-Fi you can use. This option is great for both the cases we mentioned earlier as long as you don’t need internet for the entire period. Many restaurants, cafes, libraries, and so on provide free internet to their customers or subscribers. You can also use apps that help locate such free Wi-Fi or hotspots. Many cities also provide free City Wi-Fi by distributing many municipal access points over the city. Even though these don’t usually support high-speed data transmission, you can still use them if such Wi-Fi is available in the area. However, keep in mind this option is not available everywhere, especially in some countryside.
Ask Someone to Share the Internet With You
Another option you have is to have someone, such as your neighbor, share their internet with you. If you are staying somewhere temporarily and are in need of quick internet access, it’s better to ask the person to share Wi-Fi or hotspot connection.
Get Internet Through Cable TV or Landline Service
The previous methods only provide temporary means of connecting to the internet. If you want a more stable method, you should try getting internet from cable TV or landline service. These services are available even in very remote areas, so chances are you can subscribe to them.
Landline Service
You can either use a dial-up connection or Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) broadband connection through the landline service. A dial-up connection does not require additional cables and a subscription. However, the internet speed will be very low (20-40 kbps) and the cost-to-data ratio is also very high with such a connection. To set up a DSL connection, you need to sign up for such services with the landline telephone company. Then, you need to install a splitter that splits the telephone line into two connectors, one for the telephone and the other for your modem. It is much faster (2.5 to 100 times faster depending on certain factors) but there needs to be a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) nearby to provide internet connectivity. So if it’s not available you can only use a dial-up connection.
Cable TV Service
Many cable TV services also provide internet connectivity, however, you have to first subscribe for such a service. It uses the same coaxial cable used to provide the data for the TV for the internet as well. Since the TV data uses very low bandwidth, it has ample space to transmit the internet data. So, you’ll get good connectivity and high speed with this option. Additionally, you can get any bandwidth and speed you prefer depending on the subscription. To connect to the internet provider and use the service on your devices, you will need a modem or a router.
Subscribe to Broadband Wi-Fi Internet
If you have to stay in a place without service for a longer period of time, it is also worth investing in broadband Wi-Fi internet. You can use a monthly-basis subscription that you can cancel any time you want. You need to go to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to get the subscription and have them set up a router or a modem. You can choose whether you want limited or unlimited data volume as well as internet speed while subscribing to the service.
Use Satellite Internet
If you have to travel a lot to locations without service, getting internet service from the providers is not a suitable option for you. In such cases, we recommend using a satellite internet connection. There are different types of satellite internet devices available that you can use, such as:
Standalone devices which you can use to send and receive text messages through the satellite internet.Devices similar to modem or hotspot which you can use to connect your laptop or mobile to the internet.
Most of these devices only provide very low bandwidth, so there’s not much you can do on the internet. They are also slightly expensive and the satellite coverage depends on the company that manufactures the devices. If you want high-bandwidth satellite internet, you need to use broadband or Gen5 satellite networks. As you may have guessed, the modems for such networks are extremely expensive. However, you will have a stable source of the internet if you move anywhere with satellite coverage. If you travel around in an RV or similar transportation, you can also get dishes for the satellite network at a cheaper rate, so it’s better to use those instead.
Invest in Cell Phone Booster
If the areas near your location receive cell service but you are just out of reach, you can use cellphone boosters to amplify the weak signal. These amplifiers can be portable as well as fixed devices. The fixed amplifiers have directional antennas, such as Yagi antennas, and can extend the cell range to a great distance. So, you can set these in a far location such as they point towards your area and enjoy internet access. Portable ones are not as powerful but are more convenient if you need internet while traveling or for a very short period of time. You can also use a portable amplifier on a high location like a tree or a pole to increase its chances of receiving the cell signal.
