7 Best WiFi Hotspots for RV in 2023 [Portable Connection]

When traveling with an RV, maintaining stable internet connectivity is a challenge. Although WiFi boosters are available for RVs, what if you can’t find a reliable source of the internet? Portable WiFi hotspots can be a lifesaver in this situation.

Currently, the market offers various types of mobile hotspots that are suitable for RVs. These include:

• Physical SIM: These are 4G LTE routers requiring a physical SIM and mobile data recharge. These work with specific cellular networks.
• Cloud SIM: These work on a patent Cloud SIM technology and require you to buy the data online. These work around the world without roaming fees.
• Hybrid Connectivity: These are versatile devices combining both, LAN/WAN and SIM card slots. You can switch between cable internet and mobile hotspots as needed.
• USB Dongle: These are affordable devices that need a 3G/4G USB dongle, also known as a 3G/4G modem.

Out of the types presented, you can select the one that best fits your requirements. However, it is crucial to choose the appropriate option as there are several available. That’s where I come in; I’ll guide you in making the right decision.

7 Best Mobile Hotspots for RV in 2023

To come up with this list, I tried 13 hotspot devices across parameters like speed, carrier compatibility, WiFi range, consistency, connection handling ability, and battery life. Based on tests, I handpicked seven options that meet the selection criteria.

So, fasten your seatbelts, open your road map, get ready to embark on an unforgettable RV adventure, and never miss sharing an update with your family and friends!

1. Best Overall: Netgear Nighthawk M1

Netgear Nighthawk M1 is a premium 4G LTE mobile router with plenty of high-end features. To start, it comes at a maximum download speed of 1 Gbps and a gigabit ethernet port for faster connections.

Besides, there’s a 2.4-inch display that shows connected devices and data usage, and its sizeable 5040 mAh battery soldiers it through most of your internet-bound activities.

Speed & Performance

Theoretically, Nighthawk M1, with its dual-band Wi-Fi 5 standard, can attain download and upload speeds of 1 Gbps and 150 Mbps, respectively, with 4G-LTE advanced.

To test it out, I got to an area with a strong Verizon 4G-LTE advanced signal and got blazing-fast download and upload speeds of up to 765 Mbps and 17 Mbps, respectively.

On the same connection with M1 kept in the RV’s driving cabin, the test device managed 459 Mbps and 14 Mbps, courtesy of its long WiFi mode. Impressively, that’s more than what many people get from their home cable internet connection.

Next, when I moved into a campground, the respective speeds fell to around 267 Mbps and 11 Mbps. Still, that’s fast. With that at bay, I could stream videos on the 24″ VIZIO TV outside the RV, play casual games, surf the web, and download files in no time.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

The range of Nighthawk M1 is pretty good to transmit WiFi signal to devices within a 1,300 Sq Ft area. In my week’s trip to Vegas with my friends, not a corner in my RV had a signal drop or slowdown issue even once.

Moving on, the hotspot comes at a device limit of 20, and in my test, the maximum it could connect to is 18 devices, which is not bad.

At any time, if I lost a few signal bars, the performance was still good. Besides, using its mobile app, one can disconnect a few devices that are hogging the bandwidth.

With its high download and upload speeds, it can be your best bet for gaming, streaming, video conferencing, and demanding tasks.

Conclusion

Overall, Netgear Nighthawk M1 is undoubtedly the best travel router that delivers exceptional speeds and stable network performance. Besides, it turns out great with simultaneous connections spread over a decent area, and the signals didn’t drop much.

But its hefty price is the only entity that drags it down, but with its advanced features, it’s worth investing in, especially if you need a reliable hotspot for gaming.

2. Best Runner-Up: ZTE Velocity MF923

Next on my list is ZTE Velocity MF923, an excellent RV mobile hotspot that’s unlocked for all GSM carriers. A dual-band Wi-Fi 5, 4G LTE connectivity, decent antennas, and a powerful battery is enough for your entire day of internet usage.

Besides, its easy-to-use touchscreen shows details of internet usage and browsing through the settings.

Speed & Performance

The device at a theoretical download and upload speed of 150 Mbps and 50 Mbps, respectively. So put in a 4G SIM and use it as a hotspot to access high-speed internet on the go or when parked in an RV park. In both cases, the speeds were excellent.

When traveling from Nashville to Detroit, I was mostly on the 4G Verizon connection, and respective download and upload speeds averaged 72 Mbps and 12 Mbps.

On the same connection, the distance test measured the respective speeds of 49 Mbps and 10 Mbps. The data flow was decent enough to stream videos on my smartphone and handle other basic internet activities.

Also, the speeds were great when in the vicinity of a Verizon LTE connection at a Cincinnati RV park. At close distances, downloads and uploads stayed at 143 Mbps and 35 Mbps, while respective speeds at a bit far away were 94 Mbps and 25 Mbps.

The RV park was pretty full, with several smart devices connected to the central WiFi at once. In my congestion test, my devices were clear of others’ with minimal lags, latencies, and artifacts.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

The internal antennas of Velocity come at a stipulated range of 1,500 Sq Ft, tarrying just below my top recommendation.

In my test, the devices connected to the hotspot staying within a 1,200 Sq Ft area were found online. But the best part is the signal quality. Even the devices in corners could stream HD music with ease.

Besides, the hotspot easily handles up to 10 simultaneous connections, but the numbers might change depending on the tasks being undertaken.

Conclusion

If you live in an area where 4G LTE connections are prevalent, ZTE Velocity is a good choice. Its speeds over cellular or WiFi connections are enough to satiate the hunger of your available smart devices.

Besides, the antennas are powerful enough to cover a decent space but aren’t able to handle many smart devices at once.

3. Best with Cloud SIM: GlocalMe UPP U20

If you’re an avid traveler seeking freedom on an open road exploring new destinations, making new memories, and staying online on the go, you can’t go wrong with this one.

If you travel to countries on your RV and want to avoid the hassles of purchasing a SIM wherever you go, then GlocalMe U20 should be your ideal pick. You can get instant domestic or international data just by paying online, and Cloud SIM tech is there for a smart selection of local networks with better signals.

Besides its dual-band WiFi support, decent range, availability in 140+ countries, and others add up to make a great mobile WiFi for campers.

Speed & Performance

GlocalMe UPP U20 with dual-band Wi-Fi 5 sports a maximum download speed of 150 Mbps and an upload speed of 50 Mbps. And similar to my previous recommendation, I tested it on my iPhone 13 when the RV is moving and parked in an RV park.

In my first test with RV on the go, the hotspot managed a download speed of 67 Mbps and an upload speed of 11 Mbps.

With the RV Verizon 4G network paired in the park, the near-distance test on my iPhone 13 recorded respective speeds of up to 136 Mbps and 29 Mbps for downloads and uploads. And moving far away, the values stayed around 81 Mbps and 19 Mbps.

But the mobile hotspot averaged out in the network congestion test. I used my iPhone 13 to play online games, stream HD music on my Samsung S21 FE, and surf the web on other devices. Besides that, I tried to stream movies on my smart TV but wasn’t great at a frame rate of 2.31%.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

GlocalMe hasn’t disclosed any information about the ability of the antennas and the area it can transmit signals. But in my test, the hotspot could briefly cover around 900-1,000 Sq Ft area with ease.

Moving on, it holds the ability to handle up to 8 devices, which in real life stays around 6. That’s less among mobile hotspots suitable for RV. But its Private security WiFi feature sets it apart from others.

What it does is create a private network to not let other devices access it, and let you manage the internet effectively.

Conclusion

GlocalMe UPP U20 is an excellent mobile hotspot for RV that comes at faster speeds and a decent range. Besides, there are many advanced technologies like cloud SIM technology, private security WiFi, and many others to offer added flexibility for RVers.

Its only limitation is its below-par device-handling capacity. So if your family is considerably big, consider going for other options.

4. Best with Power Source: Alcatel Link Hub HH41NH

If the above recommendations don’t tick all your boxes, Alcatel Link Hub is the way to go. Its two high-Gigabit LAN port makes way for faster-wired connections and provides you the flexibility to work with it in most parts of the world. Besides, its ability to handle 32 devices simultaneously is amongst the highest on the list.

Speed & Performance

Unlike my previous picks, the Alcatel Link Hub works on a single 2.4 GHz band with a maximum download and upload speed of 150 Mbps and 50 Mbps, respectively. But it’s said to be incompatible with CDMA carriers like Virgin, Verizon, and others.

So, I put in an AT&T SIM with the “unlimited 4G’ plan, and here are the results:

In a close-distance test at around 10 feet, my iPhone 13 managed the respective download and upload speeds of 61 Mbps and 22 Mbps, respectively.

While increasing the distance, at around 25 feet, has a speed drop of 45%, valuing at around 35 Mbps and 13 Mbps. But using an Ethernet cable for connection got me respective speeds of 105 Mbps and 30 Mbps, fast enough for casual gaming.

Moving on, I tested the speeds when close to the AT&T cell tower at an RV park. With a download speed of 132 Mbps and an upload speed of 34 Mbps, the device superseded my expectations.

Besides, the results were decent in my informal saturation test, as streams, games, video calls, web browsing, and other activities at once were handled well.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

Alcatel Link, with its decent antennas, claims a maximum range of 1,000 Sq Ft, making it adequate for any sized RV. And with a tested range of 800 Sq Ft, the signals covered a fair bit of space outside my RV, so you can lay down outside and stream your favorite movies or web shows.

The best part of HH41NH is, however, its device-handling ability. Courtesy of MU-MIMO support, the signals of equal strength are sent around. At once, it supports up to 28 devices, which includes laptops, desktops, smartphones, and other devices.

Conclusion

Alcatel Link HH41NH is a great RV WiFi hotspot with the performance it delivers in my tests. The speeds it delivers suffice most internet-based tasks undertaken in most of your available smart devices, courtesy of its MU-MIMO tech. But less speed than my other recommendations has pushed it down to fourth position.

5. Best for AT&T Wireless: AT&T IFWA 40

The AT&T-affiliated IFWA 40 caters to your internet needs, whether you are moving or stalled, without much hassle. Plug it in and experience a 4G connection to use almost instantly.

This Wi-Fi 5 hotspot has two phone ports for internet calling and an ethernet port for a faster-wired connection. Besides, its 3,000 mAh battery comes in handy during sudden power outages.

Speed & Performance

IFWA 40 uses extremely fast 4G speeds of up to 150 Mbps for downloads and 50 Mbps for uploads. Unlike my previous recommendation, it’s a Wi-Fi 5 device that operates on two bands (5GHz and 2.4GHz), meaning more channels and hence better speeds.

The results stayed in line with my expectations, as maximum download and upload speeds at 10 feet were around 75 Mbps and 24 Mbps. Meanwhile, the 25-feet test yields respective values of 46 Mbps and 15 Mbps.

Moving on, the speed was great, close to an AT&T cellular tower. The respective download and upload speeds averaged 131 Mbps and 36 Mbps.

And with a built-in 1.2GHz quad-core CPU, the lags were minimal despite streaming, gaming, video conferencing, and others simultaneously.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

Barring speeds, the coverage of IFWA 40 is also great. With two optional antennas, the hotspot could send signals to up to 800 Sq Ft space with ease.

This is great for any mid-sized area with no access to broadband except cellular signal, and there weren’t any dead spots inside my RV. You can take the hotspot outside to watch your favorite shows and TVs seated on your lawn.

The hotspot also makes lives better with its stipulated device limit of 20. Although there isn’t any mention of the inclusion of MU-MIMO, the signals on 17 devices were more than decent. You can even include some bandwidth-heavy devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Conclusion

All in all, AT&T IFWA 40 is a mid-range Wi-Fi 5 hotspot that’s good for use in an RV. It has almost everything one might expect from a good device.

Its speeds over cellular and WiFi connection were decent enough to soldier through most of your internet-based tasks in a breeze. But its limited compatibility with cellular connections has pushed it down the list.

6. Best for T-Mobile: GL.iNet GL-E750 (MUDI)

If you are on a T-Mobile 4G connection and need a hotspot device for your RV, then nothing is better than GL.iNet GL-E750.

It’s more a 4G router than a hotspot with an 800 Mbps aggregated speed on both bands, OpenVPN support, DDR2 128MB RAM, and great device handling ability to keep you connected throughout your journey.

Overall, it’s a great companion for places you don’t have access to public WiFi.

Speed & Performance

GL.iNet GL-E750 is a dual-band Wi-Fi 5 mobile router with an aggregated speed capacity of 800 Mbps, and the speed on each band is as follows:

5 GHz: 433 Mbps

2.4 GHz: 300 Mbps

Compared to my previous recommendations, the speed cap is higher, so you might expect a much faster performance.

On the go with T-Mobile’s unlimited 4G plan, the maximum download and upload speed you can obtain is around 90 Mbps and 27 Mbps in the vicinity (10 feet). While moving farther at 25 feet, respective speeds fare at 40 Mbps and 15 Mbps.

At the same time, when stalling at an RV park with a T-Mobile tower nearby, there was 141 Mbps download and 39 Mbps upload speed.

The speeds seem a bit better compared to most but aren’t much higher considering the extra dollars you’ve to pay. Their own GL.iNet GL-AR750S performs similarly at three times less price.

Nevertheless, the available speeds are good enough for streaming, web surfing, sending emails, and other basic internet tasks.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

As with most on my list, you can’t expect these portable routers to transmit signals throughout a large space. But staying in line with them, GL.iNet GL-E750 records a more than decent performance, bettering IFWA 40 by a few square feet.

It just about manages to encase the entirety of my 900 Sq Ft RV with stable signals.

The router with MU-MIMO tech also manages to connect up to 28 smart devices to a single bandwidth. Although these devices aren’t available to anyone unless you’re a YouTuber or a streamer, having such an ability at bay is worth it.

Conclusion

The GL.iNet GL-E750 portable router provides satisfactory performance in various aspects. Its speeds are sufficient for handling most of your light internet-bound activities and basic streaming tasks effortlessly.

However, its lower ranking is because it offers comparable performance at a significantly higher cost and lacks the option to install an additional antenna.

7. Best for 3G/4G Dongle: TP-Link N150

Should your needs be more pocket-friendly and portable, nano-adapters/4G USB dongles are a way to go. And the TP-Link N150 is there to tick all your boxes of versatility, portability, and connectivity needs, all in the size of your pinky finger.

Despite its size, it packs a decent antenna to cover most of your Wi-Fi area and can connect to up to 32 devices at a stretch.

Speed & Performance

Admittedly, I didn’t have much expectations from a 150 Mbps max speed USB dongle operating just on a single 2.4 GHz band. However, the manufacturer claims to breeze through high-quality video streams and video calls.

To test that out, I put in a 4G-supported T-Mobile SIM and plugged the dongle into my Dell XPS laptop. The data flow rate for downloads and uploads on my iPhone 13 was recorded at 59 Mbps and 19 Mbps, respectively.

That’s, however a decent value for undertaking most of your basic internet-bound activities and video edits.

Nevertheless, there’s an Ethernet port with a maximum speed cap of 100 Mbps. The respective speeds on wired connection were about 91 Mbps and 31 Mbps. An extra few Mbps lets you stream any of your favorite movies or web shows in HD quality.

WiFi Coverage & Devices Capacity

Considering it’s more of a WiFi dongle that comes with a single antenna, you can’t expect much from it in this respect. Nevertheless, the test revealed its 500 Sq Ft range making it ideal for people who love exploring places throughout the year.

But the best of the lot is the device’s device-handling ability. At its claimed number of 32, it outwits most hotspots on the list. In my tests, however, the maximum it can handle is around 23, and anything beyond that experiences a massive speed drop.

But the connections weren’t mostly stable, especially when engaged in any high-bandwidth task, primarily due to a lack of MU-MIMO tech.

Conclusion

To conclude, the TP-Link N150, at around $25, is one of the cheapest yet reliable RV WiFi hotspots available in the retail space.

Aside from its standout ability to handle 23 devices at once, the speeds and coverage are also decent enough to keep your devices running when traveling in a rural area.

But subpar results compared to my other recommendations and lack of MU-MIMO have ranked it at the bottom of the list of best mobile hotspots for RV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Verdict

Embarking on an RV adventure offers a unique and unparalleled experience, and lets you immerse yourself in picturesque landscapes.

You shouldn’t rely on public hotspots when you can have your personal, portable RV WiFi with you. But the thing is, you must get the one ideal for your needs. If you were unable to decide, here are my final suggestions:

• If you have a budget to spend, then get the best of the best Netgear Nighthawk M1.
• Provided your budget isn’t high but can’t compromise much on features, I would suggest ZTE Velocity.
• And if you need the cheapest yet reliable mobile hotspot for your journey, get TP-Link N150. Feature and performance-wise, it’s a great device, but a USB dongle always needs plugging into a smart device.

With that, comes an end to my review-based guide. If you have any queries or suggestions, do write up in the comments below. Will see you in another such piece. Till then, goodbye and take care!