These RV Office Gadgets Will Make Your Remote Work Easier
If you work remotely from your RV, you’re not alone. According to recent data from Go RVing, 50% of RV travelers consider remote work when planning trips. The RV industry has responded to the uptick in RVers who use their RVs as mobile offices by adding simple yet functional offices to their trailers and motorhomes. However, even without a dedicated RV office, you can create an office space wherever you are. Whether or not you have a dedicated workspace in your RV, here are 10 gadgets that make it easy to upgrade any RV office.
1. Upgrade your RV WiFi
A good WiFi signal is a must-have for working remotely (unless you depend on cellular data). There are a few good WiFi signal boosters around. These may help get you enough of a signal to do whatever work needs doing. WiFi signal boosters will boost the WiFi coming into your RV. Here are the most popular signal boosters and range extenders to upgrade your RV office:
- Winegard WF-4035 Black ODU Extender This WiFi antenna mounts on the RV roof. The Winegard helps to provide a consistent, reliable connection with WiFi hotspots at campgrounds, RV parks, truck stops, and more. This system also has a 4G cell signal antenna capability. This allows you to connect to 4G LTE data on the road or at a park. However, a data plan from Winegard, AT&T, or Verizon is required to use the hotspot capability.
- Speed Demon 5G Mobile Internet Bundle. If you are looking for a more robust system. MobileMustHaves.com sells a high-end mobile internet setup that supports 5G cellular data, a WiFi extender, high data hotspot plans, and roof-mounted antennas. They also provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up the whole system. These systems are not cheap, however.
Starlink is Now an Option
If you struggle with poor WiFi, Starlink now offers fairly reliable and fast mobile satellite WiFi service. The portable dish can be set up anywhere with an unobstructed view of the northern sky. Be prepared to pay for what you get: Starlink requires a hardware purchase ($599 in the US/$759 in Canada). In addition to the hardware cost, subscribers also pay a monthly subscription fee ($135 in the US or $170/in Canada). Although not the cheapest option, Starlink is said to have very reliable and fast download and upload speeds. This internet option for RVs could be good for RVers who camp in open areas.
2. Improve your RV Cell Signal
There will be areas where you won’t get a WiFi signal. Using cellular data (or Starlink) is the only option in these areas. Like WiFi signals, cellular signals can be weak (or nonexistent). This leads to poor connectivity and frustrating low data speeds. You have two options for getting a better cell signal to your RV, a MIMO antenna or a cell signal booster.
A MIMO antenna (Multiple Input Multiple Output) is a smart antenna with multiple sending and receiving antennas to allow more data to be sent and received. The antenna is much larger than the one in your phone or hotspot, so it can receive a much better signal. They make MIMO antennas in both omnidirectional and directional setups. A MIMO antenna typically needs to be connected to a hotspot which requires its own data plan.
Rather than having an antenna that connects to a hotspot, cell boosters like the weBoost Drive Reach RV have a large antenna that picks up a weak cell signal, then boosts that signal inside your RV for your phones and other cellular devices to pick up. It then sends an amplified signal back to the distant cell tower.
So Which one Do you Need?
The video below explains the difference between the two very well. But it boils down to a MIMO antenna giving you the best speeds if you frequently stay in places with a slow but usable signal. However, if you often find yourself in the middle of nowhere and very few bars, a booster may help you more there.
Use RV LIFE Campgrounds For Internet Speed Checks
RV LIFE Campgrounds gives you access to real-speed test data from campgrounds around the country. Want to know whether the park you are heading to has a good signal for your provider or if the park WiFi is even worth trying to connect to? Look up the park on RV LIFE Campgrounds and look for the green checkmark for your provider. For many parks, you can even see actual speed test data submitted by other RV LIFE members as well.
3. keep your pens and pencils handy
We include this RV office upgrade because it’s so darned cute. The Happy Camper desktop pen and pencil holder keeps your pens and pencils organized and handy in a cheerful way. You could use museum putty and hold it firmly on your desk during travel. This pen and pencil holder might even remind you to limit your work time to recreate in your RV.
4. Keep cords tidy
Keeping cords organized and tidy in an RV office can help to decrease clutter. Decreasing clutter can help make your mobile office a place you want to be. Use a box-style cord organizer to hide surge protectors and electrical cords for a clutter-free space. This is an easy RV office upgrade and really makes a difference.
5. Label Your Electronics Cords
It will be much easier to find the charging cable or power cord you need if it is clearly labeled and color-coded. Writable cable labels make it easy to identify each of your electronic cords. This way, you’ll spend less time hunting for the right one and more time being productive.
6. Use a desktop Power Center To power your devices
A super easy upgrade for your RV office is using a desktop power center to keep your devices charging and powered in the same, easy-to-access place. A desktop power center helps you to keep cords all in one place on your desktop so you can see what’s plugged in and charging.
7. Store Small Items in Underdesk Drawers
Underdesk drawers can be adhered to any desk or table to store small electronics and other items you want to keep handy.
8. A Folding Laptop Desk That Converts Any Surface into a Standing Desk
Sitting at a desk all day isn’t good for you, no matter where you work. You can easily make your desk into a standing desk by adding an adjustable folding laptop desk to your RV office.
9. Bring The Office Outdoors with A Clam Quickset Shelter
Why spend your work day in the RV when it’s nice outside? A CLAM quickset shelter allows you to take your office outside without being bothered by glare from the sun or bugs. This shelter/screen house goes up in minutes, so you can quickly make the picnic table on your campsite into a work area. It’s the best of both worlds.
10. Make use of wall pockets for keeping paper and documents handy and neat
Wall pockets can go up on any RV wall to stash paper and other essentials up and out of the way. Don’t worry about attaching them to RV walls with screws because these lightweight organizers can also be attached to walls with command hooks or double-sided tape.
The gadgets above are just a few clever ideas people have come up with to make their RV LIFE easier. What RV office gadgets do you use while on the road?
