TL;DR: If you’re an RVer looking for reliable internet without a satellite dish or $3,500 network tower, Connecten is worth a look. It’s easy, affordable, and it works—especially when you’re parked.
Yeah, I know. You’re out here to get away from it all. Breathe in the pine-scented air, listen to the birds, roast marshmallows, and be present in nature.
But let’s be honest: after a day or two of that, most of us want to doomscroll Facebook, stream the latest episode of whatever everyone is fake-mad about, or maybe—just maybe—upload a blog post or a gear review or a photo of The Beast with the caption: “My office today.”
So, if you’re a camping purist who scoffs at people hunched over their laptops in hammocks…this review isn’t for you.
But if you’re a full-time RVer, or a part-time full-timer like me, or just someone who lives in the real world and sometimes needs to be connected—you’re gonna need solid internet. And not campground WiFi. (Good luck catching that from your site unless you’re parked in the camp store. The signal dies halfway to the bathhouse.)
I’ve tried a lot:
- SIM card in my Winegard? Meh. I’ll save my thoughts for another post, but spoiler: I have opinions.
- Using my phone as a hotspot? Serviceable, until it randomly isn’t.
- I even researched one of those insane “professional nomad” setups—some Frankenstein rig that combines three SIMs and Starlink and costs $3500 before the subscription fees. According to my full-time RV friends who do remote work, it’s the gold standard. Autodetects the best signal. Seamless switchover. Sounds dreamy, right?
But then I read the setup instructions. Even I, someone who actually likes tech, noped out before I even finished the page. I don’t even remember what the thing is called, and I’m not looking it up. If you’re that committed to internet, you probably already own it.
For the rest of us—those who just want to stream a movie, scroll social, send an email, or post a reel—the two most reasonable options for mobile internet are Starlink and Connecten.
You’ve probably heard of Starlink. You may not have heard of Connecten. I hadn’t either. I stumbled across it while researching alternatives to that aforementioned mortgage-priced router beast. And let me tell you—it’s legit.
Are either of them perfect? Nope.
Starlink chokes under trees, rain, or heavy cloud cover (because: satellites).
Connecten chokes in places with no cell coverage (because: cell towers).
If you camp in a cave or a cornfield, neither is gonna save you.
But if you travel like I do—national forests, BLM land, boondocking with at least some towers in range—Connecten is worth a serious look.
What is Connecten Internet?
Connecten is a cellular-based mobile internet provider designed with digital nomads and RVers in mind. It taps into all three major U.S. carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — and connects you to the strongest signal wherever you land.
You don’t need to guess which SIM to use. You don’t need to climb on the roof. And you sure don’t need to drill any holes in your rig.
When you get to a new spot, you call Connecten, and they remotely scan the nearby towers and connect you to the best one. Boom. Internet.
And for the record: I have never called them and not spoken to a real live human. Unless they’ve changed in the last week they don’t even have an AI or computer prompt system. The phone rings, and a human being picks up. 24/7/365. As a bonus, if you have any connectivity on your phone, you can also open their chat feature and get the help you need that way. I always call, it is more immediate, you sometimes have to wait for someone in the chat.
My Experience: Solid, Simple, and Surprisingly Friendly
We’ve been running Connecten for a couple years now. No contracts. No weird throttling surprises. It just works — especially when we’re parked.
A few real-world notes:
- Stationary? Great. Speeds have been reliably fast and video calls don’t hiccup.
- Driving? Meh. It works in motion, but it’s cellular — so as you move in and out of service areas, performance dips. This is fine for music and maps, but not so great if you’re trying to run a Zoom call while barreling down I-40.
- Customer service? Actual humans. When I’ve called, I’ve spoken to real, helpful people. That shouldn’t feel like a miracle in 2025, but here we are.
Also — and this is a big deal — there’s no equipment to buy up front. You just get the router shipped to you, and you’re rolling. To be fair, if you cancel your service you have to send their router back or they WILL charge you…but only fair since they are letting you use their equipment.
Total setup time: about as long as it takes to brew a cup of campground coffee. Honestly, all you do is screw in the (many) antennas, plug it in, and sit back with a beverage. There are like 8 of them—I’d count, but that would require standing up. Then just plug it in and sit back with a beverage while it boots up. Then call them, and they’ll scan the network and get you hooked up to the best signal in your area. Done. Total setup time, WITH the call: 30 minutes.
|
Feature |
Connecten |
Starlink |
|
Tech |
Cellular (uses existing towers) |
Satellite (requires clear sky) |
|
Setup |
Plug and Play |
Needs dish placement and alignment |
|
Equipment cost |
~$99 (one-time modem fee includes shipping) |
$349–$599 upfront (sometimes waived) |
|
Monthly Fee |
$69–$120, Unlimited = $99–$120 |
$80–$165 depending on plan |
|
Data |
Capped or unlimited (no surprise throttling) |
Unlimited but may slow during congestion |
|
Best for |
Mobile users in coverage areas |
Remote users with no cell towers nearby |
|
Customer support |
Actual Humans |
(Good luck out there) |
Let me put it plainly:
- Choose Connecten if you’re mostly in areas with decent cell coverage, you hate setup headaches, and want to avoid big upfront costs.
- Choose Starlink if you’re parked on a mountaintop with no bars, want the fastest speeds possible, and don’t mind fiddling with a dish.
Plans at a Glance
Connecten Plans (as of July 2025):
- Explorer (100GB) – $69/month
- Journey (350GB) – $89/month
- Adventure (Unlimited) – $99/month
- Wanderlust (Unlimited + Priority 5G) – $120/month
- Daily Plan – $20/day (first 7 days), then $11/day (good for testing)
- You can pause your plan any time for $15/mo. Restart immediately with a quick phone call.
Starlink Plans:
- Residential Lite – $80/month (limited areas)
- Residential – $120/month
- Roam – $50 (50GB) to $165 (Unlimited)
- Equipment: $349 for standard, $599 for Mini, sometimes free with annual commitment
My Verdict: Worth It (If You Travel Like We Do)
Connecten isn’t flashy. It doesn’t require a dish or a degree in satellite engineering. It just… works. Especially for those of us who are full-time (or “part-time full-time,” if you get what I mean).
And let me be clear: I’ve wasted so much money on gear that I could’ve paid cash for my whole rig if I’d just waited and researched. Connecten is one of the few things I’ve added that actually does what it claims—without any ‘gotchas’—and that’s rarer than a working campground grill.
Want to Try It? Here’s My Referral Link
If you decide to give it a spin, consider using my referral code below. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, you get a $100 coupon and I get a free month of service: Check it out.
Heads up: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. Think of it as tossing a tip in the jar so I can keep creating helpful stuff (and maybe upgrade my lighting setup).
