ood Internet access can make or break a trip these days. Most people suffer withdrawals if they cannot stay connected and communicate with others, while others must rely on the Internet while conducting business on the road, and there are those who have transitioned to streaming entertainment.
Unfortunately, the RV park industry is moving slowly in providing Internet access that’s robust enough to handle streaming by campground residents. There are myriad Wi-Fi and cell service extenders available to mount permanently on your rig. A few manufacturers are even offering this specialized equipment as an option, and some are making boosters standard fare. weBoost (weboost.com) is one of the most popular aftermarket suppliers of signal boosting equipment, with products designed for just about any RV traveler. Also, installing boosters that will bring in weak campground Wi-Fi signals are popular and, although they improve service strength, streaming is still not practical — or allowed — in many RV parks.
Using a smartphone for data service is not practical or cost effective for those who stream or spend extra time on the Internet, but there are companies that utilize the existing cell system and offer unlimited plans that really work. We’ve used Nomad Internet (nomadinternet.com) for two years and the service is excellent. All you do is plug in the provided modem and you’re set. Plan on spending about $150 a month (plus a set-up fee) but you can stream all the TV you want and surf the Internet to your heart’s content.
No discussion of setting up camp would be complete without at least touching on campground etiquette — which, unfortunately, is looking more and more like a lost art. It seems like every year it gets worse with RV site dwellers having to contend with noise, people invading their space and using their campsite for a shortcut. Remember, when people rent a space, it’s their domain and they expect privacy. RV sites are inherently close to each other, and loud music or TV can be very invasive to your neighbors’ sensibilities. Simply step away from your site; if you can hear the music or TV beyond your own space, turn it down. They make wonderful headsets if do you want to rock out.
Barking dogs can be one of the most irritating noises in a campground, especially if it goes on for a protracted length of time. If your dog has separation anxiety when you leave the RV and it barks continuously, find an option for your pet so that it doesn’t bother the neighbors. And we all know that kids get excited while having fun, and that’s a good thing, but it’s up to the adults to teach them to keep the noise level to an acceptable level. If the children lose one of their balls or a toy, help them retrieve it. Kids running into another site unannounced can create a problem if a dog is tethered, for example, or if there is an old person snoring on a lounge chair. Being considerate is not difficult — and will promote new friends in any RV park.
- Thou shall not dump the holding tanks while your neighbors are having dinner outside.
- Thou shall aways use proper sewer-hose connections to control spillage and odors.
- Thou shall not listen to loud music or crank up the volume on your outside TV.
- Thou shall not allow your dog(s) to bark incessantly or poop on your neighbor’s site — and we will always pickup after our dog(s).
- Thou shall not walk through other occupied sites.
- Thou shall not encroach on your neighbor’s site with a parked tow or dinghy vehicle.
- Thou shall control smoke in a wood-burning firepit and not burn trash.
- Thou shall not run a generator or party loudly during quiet hours.
- Thou shall turn off patio and scare lights at bedtime.
- Thou shall try to be as quiet as possible when arriving during quiet hours.
- Thou shall not idle diesel engines while packing up to leave camp.
- Thou shall always say “hello” to your neighbors. Who knows, it just might net us new friendships and even a glass of wine.