How to Beat Poor WiFi Signals

TravlFi’s multi-network Internet is a tried and tested solution to ensure reliable connectivity on the road.

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Listen to our interview with Nathan Popp at Travlfi:

Words and photos by Perry and Cindy Mack

Disconnecting by getting out into nature has been a driving force behind RVing and camping since the dawn of motorhomes and trailers. It has evolved into a lifestyle and in today’s world, being completely disconnected seems to be hard for some and impossible for others.

Is staying connected a habit that we need to break to get back to nature? We spoke with Nathan Popp, TravlFi’s Director of Operations, to find out. 

“I think what we have learned over the last few years is that for a lot of people, disconnecting means different things,” says Popp. “For many, that's getting away from the day-to-day grind, the office life, and home structure, and it may involve being on the road and getting outdoors. However, they still want to bring along some elements. They want to have some connectivity to the world.”

When we went RVing across North America, Cindy and I noticed several challenges as we attempted to stay connected to work, sharing our editorial stories and their accompanying images. Firstly, the promise of 5G speeds is horribly inconsistent. Secondly, the carrier's promise of ‘unlimited data’ has some fine print where the download speeds are choked after a certain volume, say 20 GB. This means, without warning, the work we’re sharing to meet deadlines, stops. More importantly, we can’t see the end of the movie or hockey game we’re streaming.

TravlFi has addressed a few of these connectivity challenges through technological design and by offering several programs tailored to an individual’s needs. The company’s goal is to provide RVers with an at-home connectivity experience while travelling.

Starting with the technology, they aren’t just re-selling a particular carrier’s products. Their devices search for the network with the strongest signal at a location and use it. While driving down the highway, the devices seamlessly switch from tower to tower and network to network, providing the best streaming, calling, and texting available all the time. This is possible through the use of an embedded SIM, or eSIM.

“What makes TravlFi unique from most other cellular products is that most operate with a physical SIM,” explains Popp. “This means you need to select one network you want to work with, buy a physical SIM card, put that into your device and operate only within that network.” 

According to Popp, the TravlFi devices are built with the eSIM. It’s hardwired into the device, which allows you to operate on multiple networks to connect to most towers wherever you are. So, as you are driving down the road, you may be connected to one tower and one network, and the signal drops or the speeds are reduced. The device will automatically connect to another tower and another network to ensure you are always having the best experience.

Many of us have more than one device that needs to be connected simultaneously. Where our kids were attached to their Nintendo Game Boys while we RVed, kids now do the same with a phone or tablet as games have moved from devices to the cloud and need to be connected to function. TravlFi devices support more than one user.

TravlFi Choices and Easy Function 

The Journey1 is a lightweight, roughly 87x87 mm device designed as a portable hotspot (about the size of a hockey puck). It comes with a clip you can connect to a backpack while hiking, for instance, and supports up to five users. For many RVers, this tiny device is all they’ll need.

The TravlFi XTR is similar to the router at home but connects to cellular rather than cable, fibre optic or DSL, and it will support up to 32 users. The attached antennas can pull in weak cell signals and then boost the signal throughout a 12 m (40 ft) coach or larger.

Another good feature is it can serve as a WiFi extender and connect to a signal if it’s available at a campground or home. Now you're no longer drawing off cellular or data plans, you’re just using it as a WiFi router.

We tested the XTR at our cabin where there is a weak, inconsistent public WiFi signal and cell service with similar characteristics. Like a campground, the quality of service can depend on how many people are on the network. So far, the XTR has lived up to TravlFi’s promises with a consistent at-home experience and for less than having a wired cable service or dish installed. The ability to unplug it, move it to where it’s needed (RV, cabin, home), and change the data plan to what we expect we’ll need is perfect.

The XTR comes standard with a 120-volt AC plug and an optional 12-volt accessory plug is available. If you own a fifth wheel, it means you can plug the XTR into a power source in your RV and enjoy the service in your truck when driving between destinations. It has enough range.

For snowbirds, it means you only need one device. There’s no more buying, installing another SIM card and having another account set up - perhaps for multiple devices. The service is currently available in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. It’s a pay-as-you-go, by-the-month service, so you can connect for the months when you need it and then pause it or scale back during summer use. All of which can be done through an online portal or by calling their customer service located in Minnesota.

Both the Journey1 and JourneyXTR proved to be very close to plug-and-play. After setting up our account and choosing our plan, the devices only needed to turn on for a couple of minutes. Our phone, tablet and desktop discovered the ‘WiFi’ signal, and after entering the password, which is on the back of the device, we were connected. Of special note, however, we were concerned with security. 

“It has the same level of security as your standard at-home routers,” says Popp. “So, everything is going to be password protected and encrypted with unique, wireless IDs and passwords. Somebody within your RV, at the campground or the picnic area or wherever you're at, even if you have a device out and they're seeing your signal, they won't be able to connect without your password.”

Their answer to not-so-unlimited data is to offer unlimited plans with no data caps. The only catch is speeds may slow if a user exceeds 800 GB per month. To put this into perspective, the average consumer uses 100 to 200 GB in a month, which equates to five to six hours of HD streaming every day. The TravlFi website has a tool to help determine usage, and then guide them into the right plan.

We only have one complaint. Currently, the two devices we have each need a separate TravlFi plan. One plan, for both TravlFi devices would be better.

Can you get rid of your satellite dish? The caveat is that although TravlFi has a very large network, it is cellular-based. We find that the ability to stream via cellular (or WiFi) fits our needs so often that a satellite dish is no longer worth the subscription cost. Saving that cost, plus the cost of extended cellular plans for our phones made TravlFi a very attractive option. While there is no single perfect system for every single person, TravlFi could be the perfect solution for many RVers.

Listen to the detailed podcast interview with Nathan Popp here:

https://rss.com/podcasts/snowbirdsrvtravelers/1087589/ and for more information including usage tools visit https://travlfi.com/