Moving into a residential caravan is touted as a home-from-home experience, and this is certainly something we strive to achieve for our residents.
Our selection of luxury homes on our premium parks have all the amenities you’d expect in any other home, including top of the range kitchen appliances, exceptional bathroom suites, comfortable and stylish furniture, and enough space to rival a brick-and-mortar bungalow.
Our homes are ready to move into from the first instance, and many of our residents settle in with no problems, but one question we commonly get asked by prospective residents is: “How do I get Wi-Fi in my static caravan?”
If you’re thinking about moving into a home in one of our residential caravan parks, or buying a static caravan on one of our holiday parks, we’ve put together this handy home Wi-Fi setup guide to get you online in no time when you move in.
Check the Available Coverage
Before we start, you first need to check what the available coverage onsite is. You can go about this in multiple ways. Firstly, you can ask other residents who already live onsite and have Wi-Fi installed what provider they’re with. This lends itself to the community spirit that comes with park living, and it’s a great way to get accurate reviews by real users.
Alternatively, if you’re just thinking about moving into a park home, you can make use of the Ofcom mobile and broadband checker. This will tell you where there is good mobile coverage and where there is good broadband coverage, as well as the top speeds that can be reached.
Option 1: Standard Internet Provider
The first option you have is to choose an internet provider as you would in a brick-and-mortar house. This requires a phone line, so make sure you double-check that your home has one before committing to a supplier like Sky, BT, TalkTalk, or any other provider. The installation from a standard internet provider in a residential park home mirrors that of a standard house, with you getting a Wi-Fi hub sent out that you simply need to plug in and connect. You’ll pay a monthly bill as normal.
This is a quick and easy way of getting online, and you can take advantage of a fast internet connection within days of moving in. You’ll be able to surf the web and stream as normal, and you’ll have a choice of providers to suit your speed needs and budget.
Option 2: 4G or 5G Wi-Fi Router
Our holiday parks all have Wi-Fi onsite, but if you’re looking to spend a good chunk of time in your holiday home, or if your residential home doesn’t have a phone line, the next best option is a mobile data Wi-Fi router. These provide excellent connectivity to your home from a mobile provider. It’s exactly the same as how you access the internet from your phone when you’re not connected to an internet provider and are instead using your mobile data, also known as 4G and, increasingly, 5G.
Provided your home is located in an area with excellent mobile phone signal, a Wi-Fi router will work for you. All you need to do is contact a mobile provider, such as EE or Vodafone, and order a hub. When your hub arrives, you’ll need to plug it in as normal and insert the SIM into the back of it. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a reliable, secure, fast internet connection.
You can buy hubs online, too. Some popular and reputable brands include TP-Link, Netgear, ASUS, and Ubiquiti. I you go down this route, you need to head to a mobile provider and purchase a SIM card. Like a standard internet provider, you’ll pay a monthly bill that can be chosen to suit your budget and needs.
Bear in mind that some data packages have device limits, so make sure you choose a plan that offers connectivity to all of your devices, including your phone(s), tablet, TV, and computer, as well as wriggle room for visiting guests.
Boosting Your Wi-Fi Signal
Generally speaking, mobile homes won’t require you to take additional action to boost your signal because they have relatively thin walls which prevents the signal from getting blocked. That being said, there are some tips and tricks you can implement to keep your signal at the top of its game wherever you are in your mobile home.
Firstly, you can take steps to position your router in a central area of your home. If you’re using a phone line to get a standard connection from the likes of BT or Sky, you will be restricted as to where your hub can go, but if you’re using a mobile hub with a SIM card, try and centralise the router as much as possible.
If you find the connection isn’t as strong in one room as it is in another, you can make use of a Wi-Fi booster which simply plugs in to the wall and improves the connection already in your home. These are inexpensive and can also prove to be useful if you’re already connected to park Wi-Fi and are happy enough with it.
Find Out More
The Allens Caravan team is on hand to help you with all your park living needs, including installing Wi-Fi. If you have any questions about getting internet on our parks, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
