How to Stay Connected to the Internet In a Rural Town

Living in a small town is a good idea—it is less stressful and more peaceful. There is also plenty of fresh air and wide-open spaces that you just can’t get in the city. However, there are also limitations when living and working in rural areas.

The Limitations of Living in a Rural, Small Town

Besides the obvious of having fewer opportunities than city-dwellers, rural areas lack the access to internet technology afforded to urban areas. And when you live and work at home, it’s crucial to have quality internet.

When talking about access to the internet, especially for nomads and people who work from home, just having service isn’t enough. You need a provider that will give you reliable high-speed internet, especially if you don’t have access to fiber.

The Many Ways You Can Stay Connected in a Rural Area

Here are a few ways to get internet access in a rural area:

• Find the Best Spot for Your Router/Antenna

Rural internet comes with a lot of interference from local radio stations, neighbors’ networks, wildlife, and other local sources of radio waves. To avoid this problem, position your router or modem in a place where it can reach the best signal.

The best place for your router or modem is an open area on your property. If you can place it outside, do so as flying debris can cause damage to the antenna. Avoid any metal structures nearby. Radio waves readily pass through metal.

Another factor that can affect your internet signal is the location of your modem or router. You’ll get a stronger signal the higher it is placed. Try to install your modem or router on the second floor. Anything between the ground and the second floor will still work, but placing it higher will help.

• Get a WiFi Extender

Connecting multiple devices to a single WiFi network can cause interference and lead to slower connections. To avoid this, you can create a separate network for each device. If you don’t want to do this, you can get a WiFi extender.

These devices can boost your WiFi signal so you can connect multiple devices wirelessly without sacrificing speed. The best thing about them is that they don’t require you to have any special equipment—you can use the existing WiFi network you already have.

• Block Ads with a VPN

One way data is slowed down is by ads. When you’re streaming media, this isn’t much of a problem. However, for data-heavy applications, it can slow your connection down.

Ads also use your data to send you advertisements. This can be a pain for rural internet users with limited data plans. To avoid this, install a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN encrypts your data so that it is safe from interception.

You can also use a VPN to protect your data from attacks like website spoofing. In addition, a VPN will protect you from malware and phishing attempts.

The Bottomline

Rural internet users have a few disadvantages because of their living situation, but they can still get great internet access. Users can enjoy fast and reliable internet on a single network through WiFi extenders, a VPN, and the right antenna placement.

Get high-quality rural wireless internet in the US today. Fetch Wireless is based on 4G LTE technology with a 25Mbps average download speed. Contact us today.