Internet off the grid? Yep.
As a family living in an off grid cabin in a remote area of northern Canada, in some ways, our daily lives are pretty different from many Canadians. For example, we depend on solar panels, generators, a battery bank, lake water, and a wood stove to meet our family's needs. However, in other ways, we're very similar.
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One of the most common questions we're asked is how we get internet if we live off grid. The truth is there are at least four ways to get access to the internet off the grid in our area. I know because I've researched all of them.
Why We Have Internet Off The Grid
March 2022 update - while we still use the same internet wireless hub as we did when I first wrote this article three years ago, we also depend heavily on our unlimited phone data plans.
My plan gives me 100 gigs of data before it is "throttled" to a slower speed. Also, we are on the waitlist for Starlink.
I've heard that it's limited to locations below 53 degrees north, however. We are in one of the more remote areas at 63 degrees north. SO fingers crossed that it will make it to Northwest Territories soon!
Not everyone who chooses to live off the grid wants access to the internet. And in some rural areas, internet access just isn't a possibility. In that case, bush radio or a ham radio are options.
While we love the off-grid lifestyle for our family, we depend on the internet for at least three things.
One, it's crucial to our livelihood. I make a living as a freelance finance writer, content strategist, and blogger.
Two, it connects us to our five adult children who live all across Canada. And three, having the internet off the grid gives our youngest children access to additional homeschooling resources.
If you're planning to either work from home, run an online business, stay connected to family or friends through social media or use online options to homeschool off the grid, take a look at these four off the grid internet options.
1. Satellite Internet
One of the first internet services we tried when we moved off the grid was a local satellite internet provider. Or I should say THE local satellite internet provider.
It seems that in most rural areas across North America, your options are limited regarding satellite internet companies.
Yet in some rural areas of Canada and the United States, satellite internet is your only option.
If you're considering a satellite to get internet off the grid in the United States, check out this handy chart from Reviews.com that compares Viasat versus Hughesnet. (Spoiler - neither one is particularly good.)
In Canada, try visiting the Canada Radio-Television & Telecommunications Division website. Then scroll through their page listing television, internet, mobile and phone providers by province or territory and find your closest major community.
Of the seven listings in the Northwest Territories, one domain (Lynx Mobile) was for sale when I last looked back in July 2018. The others are all mobile phone companies. The company we first used, although still in business, isn't even listed.
We only tried accessing the internet off the grid using a satellite service up here for a couple of weeks. It was so painfully slow that it often timed out before a site would even load.
2. Data Plan on Your Cell Phone
Data plans for smartphones have come a long way in the past few years. My American sister-in-law has unlimited (!) Internet access through hers. So she tethers her smartphone to her laptop and sets up a mobile hotspot.
If we had access to a plan like that in our neck of the woods, I'd be thrilled. Since we don't, I have a plan that gives me 9 gigs 100 gigs of data a month. I consider it a backup/emergency internet option.
(As of March 2022, I now use this as the best option for off grid internet. My wireless hub is our backup.)
So if our main internet service goes down (it still happens once or twice a year up here), I have an alternative and tether my phone to my laptop.
This uses up data pretty quickly but I've used this option a couple of times in a pinch to meet writing deadlines.
Even if you don't see an unlimited data plan advertised on your smartphone data service provider's website, call them and ask. Be persistent, especially if a competitor provider offers a current plan with a better data limit.
You never know what kind of unadvertised deals you can arrange.
3. Use a Wireless Turbo Hub or Stick to Get Internet Off The Grid
And now for what we use! To get internet access off the grid, I use a wireless portable internet hub with two backup batteries.
So if our off grid electricity generation stops I'm still connected. Each battery has a 30-minute life.
I use the Turbo Hub ZTE MF275R for off grid internet, yet there are many other options out there. If you don't need a wireless option, you may find it cheaper to use a rocket stick that you plug into a USB port on your laptop or desktop.
Additionally, depending on your location, your signal could be weak. While a signal booster or wifi extender usually helps, it also depends on electricity. So you'll eat up your power.
Note: Before investing in a wireless internet hub or rocket stick, do your research to make sure you can get off grid internet service in the area.
I spent literally hours talking to businesses in the closest town, the guys at the electronics store, and the service provider's head office thousands of kilometers away - before buying my hub.
4. Drive Into Town to Find a Wireless Spot!
It might not be the best option. Yet sometimes, this is the only option.
Yes, there are still parts of North America that can't get the internet. In that case, your best bet is to head to the nearest town.
Visit a coffee shop like Tim Horton's, or a fast-food joint like McDonald's to use the free wifi on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Check with your service provider for the closest free wifi spots, or ask at the nearest library. In our area, free wifi is also available at the closest arena and rec center.
Related Posts
What to Ask About Internet Access if You Plan to Move Off The Grid
If you haven't yet made your move to an off-grid lifestyle, ask about internet options before moving. You don't want the surprise of a big internet bill as an unexpected off grid cost. Keep these three questions in mind:
- Is there cell service in the area? This is important as it allows you to access data on your phone or to get a wireless mobile hub.
- Does your current phone provider service the area? If so, ask about bundling to get a break on your rates.
- Does the plan allow for unlimited off grid internet usage? This is one of my biggest pet peeves. While I love the convenience of our wireless hub, our service provider does NOT have an unlimited data plan for our area.
So yes, it is possible to get internet off the grid. Talk to others in the area, talk to your current service provider, and find out what your options are.
Is a satellite dish for internet the best way to get internet in a rural location?
The short answer? It didn't use to be. But that may be changing. Here's why.
To date, no one in my family has had much luck with a satellite internet service for providing a reliable internet connection. We found the internet speed very slow, the monthly fee very high, and the whole experience a major pain.
In fact, my dad, who lives in a rural area in southern Ontario, (he has an on grid property) tried for years to find a viable option that didn't cost a lot of money. He lives in a hilly area, and honestly, for a long time it was tough to get a good cell phone signal to even take phone calls on the property. Over the years, modern technology, faster speeds, a stronger cell signal, and newer smart phones have helped.
Up here, and in other remote places with weak signal strength and far from cell towers, we know of a lot of people using cell phone booster / signal booster options.
Depending on the radio signals, wifi signal, and type of connection available through your internet service provider or cell phone service provider, using your smart phone as a wi-fi hotspot good be a great option.
This is what I'm doing now. Bell's new data plan has lowered my monthly bill as I still try to find the perfect solution for internet at our off-grid cabin.
However, I'm on the waiting list for Starlink to add our area to it's coverage maps (we're at 62 degrees north). I'm very hopeful that this will be a good option, providing a fast speed, good internet connection and unlimited data usage for ur family.
Even if you're disconnected from the electricity grid, you might not have to disconnect from the internet.
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