Best Mobile Hotspots for Remote Work
Wifi is ultimately what allows us to work and travel simultaneously. While working a remote job, having strong internet connection is crucial. During zoom meetings a weak connection can result in losing a job. No administration or management wants to see their employee lagging and glitching. This creates stressful situations in which we need to frantically search for strong enough wifi to do our jobs. We like to spend time in remote areas, but a remote area doesn’t equate to working remotely, quite the contrary. Fortunately, there are now options for improving reception and decreasing stressful wifi related situations.
Here are some ways we stay connected on the road:
#1 T-Mobile Franklin T9
Franklin was the first mobile hotspot that we used while living and working in the van. This device has been discontinued and replaced with Franklin T10. Franklin has worked well for the few years that we’ve been using the device. However, the hotspot is fairly spotty and unreliable in remote areas. It works for zoom meetings however more often than not I get an “unstable connection” message. If you are working a job that does not require video conference, I would recommend this hotspot.
Costs: Varies based on individual plans.
#2 Verizon Phone Hotspot
The other source of internet that we use is straight from an iPhone. Many people don’t realize that with iPhones come mobile hotspots that can be used to connect other devices to the internet. The Verizon hotspot in our experience has been stronger and more reliable than T-Mobiles Franklin T9. Perhaps this is a testament to the difference in quality of different services.
Costs: Varies based on individual plans.
#3 Starlink Mini
We’ve been waiting patiently for Elon Musk to create a product suited for our needs. A product that will be our saving grace. You can see the satellites circling the globe at night. They are there to provide us with the ability to work remote and be in remote places simultaneously. It is Starlink mini, a compact version of Starlink.
For a fee of $599, you receive a satellite dish/wifi router the size of a labtop and and a 100 ft power cord. The mini roam plan includes 50GB of data per month with an opt in for $1 per GB you go over. You can pause the plan for months you don’t need the service.
