How to Stay Connected While You Travel

Guest Post by Victoria Schmid

Internet access is a necessity for modern life. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, you’ll likely need to get online at some point. What do you do when you’re in a new location and need to submit your expense reports or upload an album of vacation pictures?

Turns out you have plenty of options, so let’s explore the best ways to stay connected while you travel.

Public Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere these days. Many restaurants, coffee shops, and hotels offer free public Wi-Fi for guests, and some cities even have full Wi-Fi coverage, with hotspots spread out to accommodate the whole population.

Pros
Free. Public Wi-Fi is a great option if cost is a concern since there’s rarely a charge. Sometimes you’ll be asked to give an email address, but that’s usually the most a hotspot will require.

Widely available. Unless you’re really out in the middle of nowhere, you shouldn’t have any problems finding a hotspot to connect to.

Cons
Sometimes slow. Free public Wi-Fi can be pretty sluggish. This slowdown is partly because of the number of people connected and partly because of the costs involved in providing free high-speed access.

Not secure. The biggest problem with public networks is that they’re open to anyone, including those with ill intent. Hackers and cyber crooks can get access to your computer more easily on an unsecured network, so make sure you take steps to secure yourself — like using a virtual private network (VPN) or not accessing private information on public Wi-Fi.

Satellite internet

If you travel frequently and need to access private information, satellite internet gives you a more secure network than public Wi-Fi hotspots. With coverage across most of the United States, satellite internet means you don’t have to worry about being in too remote of a location to get work done or communicate with family and friends.

Pros
Available through different providers. There are a few different choices for satellite internet providers in the United States, each with its own pros and cons. The two major players are HughesNet and Viasat.

Found nationwide. Satellite signals aren’t restricted by landlines or other infrastructure. As a result, they can be picked up almost anywhere in the United States.

Private and secure. These aren’t public networks. Satellite internet works just like your cable Wi-Fi at home. That means you can password-protect your network and keep it as secure as you need.

Cons
Has expensive plans. Satellite internet plans tend to be more expensive than other types of internet service, especially considering the speeds typically provided. Prices range from $50 to $120 a month depending on the plan.

Requires a receiver dish. This one may be a deal breaker for some. You’ll have to keep a satellite dish handy to receive the signal from orbit. Typically, this will be mounted to a roof, but if that’s not feasible, you can use a portable dish.

Has restrictive data caps. Depending on the plan and provider, you may find yourself with tight data limits. These may not be worrisome for many people, but it’s something to keep in mind.

Personal hotspots

Frequent travelers may also love using personal hotspots when on the road. These devices work similarly to the personal hotspot mode on phones — that is, they turn a cellular connection (usually LTE these days, though possibly 5G when it rolls out) into a secure Wi-Fi network. They also have the benefit of not burning down your phone’s battery and data plan.

Pros
More secure than public Wi-Fi. Since personal hotspots are password-protected networks, they offer better security and privacy than a public hotspot.

Often affordable. If you don’t use much data, you may be able to get away with a plan as low as $13 per month.

Widely available. Since these hotspots use cellular data to connect, you can use them anywhere with a decent signal. The exact coverage varies with the cellular carrier you choose, though, so check that your provider has coverage in your most frequently traveled places.

Cons
Can be expensive. While low-use hotspots can be very affordable, you can end up paying a pretty penny for heavy use, possibly exceeding $100 per month.

Has data limits. Most personal hotspot plans come with data caps. Typically, you’ll either be charged an additional fee per gigabyte of data used, or you’ll have your connection throttled, meaning it may slow down a lot when network traffic is high.

Requires a hotspot. The big catch with hotspots is that you’ll need to pay for the hotspot hardware itself in addition to the monthly service fee.

Whether you stick with public Wi-Fi or go for the full satellite internet setup, there are plenty of options for staying connected while traveling, even in remote areas. Find the option that fits your needs — then focus on planning the best trip you can!

Victoria Schmid enjoys writing about technology for the everyday person. She is a specialist in online business marketing and consumer technology. She has a background in broadcast journalism.