Best Caravan WiFi Routers, MiFi & Dongles | 4G Mobile Internet

Need a way to get an internet connection in your caravan?

In this article, we’ve reviewed 5 of the best caravan WiFi devices in the UK in 2024.

Later on, we’ve also explained what you need to know when choosing a way to get online from your caravan or motorhome, whether using 4G, 5G, WiFi, or another method of getting online.

Let’s get started.

Best caravan WiFi devices

Below, we’ve reviewed and compared 5 of the best ways to get an internet connection in your caravan available right now.

1. Three 5G Hub

Three’s mobile broadband router is the best way to get online from a caravan in our opinion, if you can get Three 4G or 5G signal at your caravan park (you can check using their coverage map).

Once set up, this device acts just like a traditional WiFi router. It creates a WiFi network you can use to get online with multiple devices at once.

The difference is, this router takes a SIM card, rather than plugging into a phone or broadband port. It then connects to the 4G or 5G mobile network to get online, just like your phone.

Three includes unlimited data with this router, which is great, and their deals are also very reasonably priced. By default, you have to lock in for 24 months, but there is a 1 month pay as you go contract available as well.

No matter which plan you choose, there is a 30-day money back guarantee, allowing you to test the router and see what speeds you’ll get, which is nice.

Note that if you can’t get 5G at your caravan park, the router will pick up 4G signal instead. On the Three website, if you enter an address that only gets 4G signal, Three will direct you to buy their 4G Hub instead, which is a very similar device – the main difference is it can’t pick up 5G signal.

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Pros

• Offers 5G download speeds.
• Will fall back on 4G if 5G isn’t available.
• Comes with unlimited data.
• Reasonable price.

Cons

• N/A – great choice if you can get Three mobile signal.

2. Three 4G MiFi device

Unlike the Three 5G Hub, which plugs into a 240V power outlet, Three’s 4G mobile Wi-Fi device has a battery, making it much more portable.

This is a small, pocket-sized gadget that takes a SIM card, connects to the 4G network, and creates a small WiFi hotspot. It’s sort of like a dongle, except you can use it to get online on multiple devices at the same time, rather than just a single computer.

For most caravans, we recommend the Three 4G Hub or 5G Hub router, because these mobile broadband routers offer better WiFi signal than using a MiFi device. However, there are some advantages to using mobile Wi-Fi:

• If you don’t need unlimited data, Three offers some very cheap, flexible plans that have a monthly usage limit. There are also unlimited data plans available if needed.
• This MiFi device is small, lightweight, and easy to take with you if you’re often driving your caravan or motorhome to new locations.
• You can choose your contract length – 1 month, 12 month, and 24 month deals are available.

While Three’s MiFi device can only connect to 4G, at many caravan sites, you can’t get ultrafast 5G signal, so this isn’t an issue.

The main downside to this device is its Wi-Fi signal strength. It’s not the best for getting online with multiple devices at the same time, and your speeds will go down if you try to connect a device a long way away from the hotspot.

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Pros

• Very portable.
• Good range of data plans and contract lengths to choose from.
• Easy to set up and use.

Cons

• Wi-Fi signal isn’t as good as using a router.

3. Kuma WiFi Signal Booster

If you have WiFi access at your caravan site and the signal is patchy, but not terrible, you might be able to get better speeds using a WiFi signal booster.

This kit from Kuma comes with an antenna you’ll need to install on the outside of your caravan. This receiver does a great job at picking up both 2.4Ghz and 5.0Ghz Wi-Fi, and then it sends the signal to an access point inside the caravan, creating a hotspot you can get online with.

Installing this antenna does take a bit of effort, but it’s relatively easy if you’re handy. The kit comes with a magnetic mount, making it easy to attach the receiver to any type of surface. The most difficult thing is routing the wires back inside the caravan, but this is also relatively straightforward.

Although this is not a cheap bit of kit, unlike the other methods we’ve looked at in this guide, Kuma’s WiFi solution doesn’t involve an ongoing monthly cost. If you’re already paying for caravan site WiFi, this signal booster may be cheaper in the long run.

There is one issue with using caravan site WiFi though – your connection is shared. If lots of other people at the caravan site get online at the same time, and there isn’t enough bandwidth, your speeds will slow down considerably.

Overall, we’d only recommend looking at this kit if you can’t get 4G signal at your caravan, and if you know that your caravan site WiFi is fast, at least when you get a good enough signal.

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Pros

• Does a great job boosting weak WiFi signal.
• No ongoing monthly costs.
• Relatively easy to set up.

Cons

• Does not avoid congestion issues often faced when using caravan park internet.

4. Hotspot with a Three Data SIM

Rather than using a router or a dongle/MiFi device, you could also use your phone’s hotspot to get online.

With your hotspot enabled, your phone will create a mini WiFi network you can connect to, giving you 4G or 5G internet, depending on what signal is available.

Your speeds won’t be extremely fast using a hotspot, and you won’t be able to get online with many different devices at the same time. However, this is a very convenient option if you only use your caravan occasionally.

If using your phone hotspot to get online, you might want to buy a separate SIM card, to avoid using up your monthly data allowance too quickly. Or, you might want to upgrade your plan to one with unlimited data.

When it comes to data SIM deals, Three offers the best value of any of the big four networks, especially if you want a data allowance of 50-100GB or more per month.

They also offer some of the best 5G speeds in the UK, if you can get 5G signal at your caravan.

Overall value
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Price
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Pros

• Great value for money.
• Offers fast speeds.
• Using your hotspot is a convenient way of getting online.

Cons

• WiFi signal and speeds won’t be as good compared to a dedicated mobile broadband device.

5. Starlink Satellite Broadband

For static caravans, satellite broadband services such as Starlink can offer a good way to get online.

With Starlink, you’ll need to have a dish installed on your caravan. Once it’s set up, the dish will connect to a Starlink satellite, allowing you to access the internet.

While satellite broadband might seem like an easy way to get fast internet, it has a few downsides.

The first is cost. Getting a Starlink dish installed is very expensive. And once up and running, the monthly costs of this internet service are extremely high compared to using mobile broadband.

Your latency will also be higher with satellite broadband compared to mobile broadband, and you might find that your speeds are inconsistent, depending on weather conditions, and where Starlink’s satellites are in orbit at any given moment.

On the plus side though, you can pause your Starlink service on a monthly basis, which is useful when you’re not using the caravan. Plus, you can use Starlink to get online overseas, although this does cost extra.

Provided you’re willing to pay, you should be able to get relatively fast download and upload speeds using Starlink internet.

On the whole, we’d recommend satellite broadband if you can’t get 4G or 5G where your caravan is located.

It’s also important to remember, satellite broadband only works for static caravans, since you need to keep the dish in a specific position to ensure good signal at all times.

Overall value
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Price
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Pros

• Allows you to get online when 4G signal isn’t available.
• Offers good download speeds.
• Works almost anywhere in the UK and abroad.
• Can pause your service when you’re not using your caravan.

Cons

• Expensive.
• Speeds can sometimes be inconsistent.

What you need to know

In this section, we’ve explained what you need to know when choosing a way to get online from a motorhome or caravan.

Best ways to get online from a caravan

Here are some of the different ways you can get an internet connection from a caravan, and their pros and cons.

1. 4G/5G routers

Using a mobile broadband router is the best way to get online from a caravan in our opinion, as long as you have good 4G or 5G signal.

With one of these devices, all you need to do is insert a SIM card (which is included, if you buy from Three), plug it in, and turn it on.

The router will then connect to the mobile network to get online, just like your phone. Once connected to the internet, it’ll create a Wi-Fi hotspot, just like a traditional Wi-Fi router.

Using a 4G mobile broadband device, you can expect download speeds of about 30-50 Mbps. And if you’re lucky enough to get 5G signal where your caravan is, you can expect speeds of up to 500 Mbps or more. 4G routers can also connect to 3G, but your speeds won’t be as good, and the 3G network is being phased out by most carriers in the UK right now.

Just make sure to check that you’ll get good mobile network signal where your caravan is located before buying one of these routers, otherwise you won’t be able to get online.

To do this, you can use a network coverage map – here’s Three’s, as an example. And if you’re unsure, Three offers a 30-day return policy on their router and data SIM bundles, allowing you to easily test the download and upload speeds.

2. Mobile Wi-Fi devices and dongles

Mobile Wi-Fi (MiFi) devices and dongles work in a very similar way to 4G routers, in that they take a SIM card, and connect to the 4G network to help you get online.

However, they don’t connect to mains electricity, making them much more portable than full-sized routers. MiFi devices come with a battery, while dongles plug into a USB port on your computer.

While buying one of these portable devices can be cheaper than getting a router, your speeds and Wi-Fi signal won’t be as good.

Also, dongles and MiFi devices often come with a monthly data limit, unlike a 4G or 5G router.

The difference between a mobile Wi-Fi device and a dongle is a dongle won’t create a WiFi hotspot. It will only allow you to get online on a single computer at once. This is why, of the two types of devices, MiFi is normally a much better choice.

3. Caravan site WiFi, with a signal booster

Many caravan campsites come with WiFi included free of charge, or for a small monthly fee.

If your caravan site WiFi signal is good but a bit slow, or a bit patchy, you might be able to improve its performance using a signal extender.

You can buy WiFi signal booster kits, which come with a receiver you install on the outside of your caravan or motorhome. The receiver picks up internet signal and sends it to a router inside the caravan, which creates a Wi-Fi network you can use to get online.

The benefit of using a signal booster is it’s only a one-time fee, assuming you’re paying for WiFi with your caravan site membership already.

You just need to make sure that your caravan park WiFi offers good speeds, before investing in installing a signal receiver.

A good way to check this is to go outside your caravan, and see what speeds you get when connected to the campsite WiFi network on your phone.

If your speeds are good outside the caravan, but not inside, chances are, installing an external receiver will help you overcome this problem.

4. Mobile tethering or hotspots

Rather than buying a separate dongle or router to use a SIM card with, you can also use the SIM card in your phone, and connect to the internet using tethering, or your phone’s hotspot.

• With tethering, you’ll connect your phone to a single device, using a USB cable.
• With a hotspot, your phone will create a WiFi network, allowing multiple phones, laptops, iPads, and other devices to connect to the internet.

While these methods can be a simple way to get online, we don’t generally recommend them for a few reasons:

• Your download speeds and WiFi signal won’t be as good on a phone hotspot or tethering, compared to using a router.
• Keeping your hotspot open for extended periods will mean you’ll need to keep your phone plugged in all the time, which will gradually degrade its battery.

The good thing is, it’s easy to test and see if your phone’s hotspot or tethering offers good speeds and signal. Simply turn on your hotspot, connect to its Wi-Fi network on another device, and see what speeds you get using a speed test app.

If your phone’s 4G or 5G does offer good performance, you might like to consider using an old handset, if you have one, so that you don’t need to keep your main device’s hotspot on all the time.

You might also like to buy a separate data SIM card, to ensure you have enough data allowance for lots of different internet activities, such as streaming TV shows, and downloading app updates.

5. Satellite internet

If you can’t get good mobile broadband or caravan site WiFi signal, you might also like to consider using a satellite internet service such as Starlink.

With this type of broadband connection, you’ll get a satellite dish installed on your caravan, which will connect to a satellite to get you online.

There are some significant downsides to using this type of connection:

• You can only use satellite internet with a static caravan, because the satellite dish must be calibrated in a single position.
• Satellite internet is very expensive compared to using 4G or 5G. You can expect to pay £100-£200 to get a dish installed, and £40-£50 per month for a connection if you want speeds of 30-50 Mbps or more.
• Your latency will be higher than using most other types of internet technology, although this mostly affects online gaming, so it’s not a problem for most caravan dwellers.

However, satellite broadband can offer good download speeds, if you’re willing to pay for them. This type of internet connection is a good last resort if you can’t get good 4G signal where your caravan is located.

Do I need unlimited data?

If you’re searching for a mobile broadband or satellite broadband deal, you might be wondering how much monthly data it’s worth paying for.

The amount of data you need depends on how often you get online, how many people live in your caravan, and how many days of the month you spend in it.

Here is a rough guide to how much data is suitable in different situations:

• 10GB/month: suitable for one or two weekends away each month for a couple.
• 50GB/month: suitable for one or two weekends away each month for a family, or a couple living full-time in a caravan with limited video streaming (an hour or two of TV sometimes in the evenings, not every single night).
• 100GB/month: suitable for a couple living in a caravan full-time, streaming movies/TV in the evenings, and general day-to-day internet use.
• Unlimited data: best for families with children living in the caravan for two to three weeks a month or more, or for people who need to work remotely from their caravan.

Most of the common internet activities we do every day, such as watching videos, and using social media, use up a lot of data.

If you don’t watch a lot of videos, or download large files, you might be able to get away with a slightly lower data limit.

What speeds do I need, and will my internet connection be fast enough?

You can use this tool that estimates your bandwidth requirements to get a rough idea of what download and upload speed you need, given how many people will be using the internet in your caravan, and what you’ll be doing online.

In general, a 30-40 Mbps connection, which 4G, 5G, and satellite internet offer, is plenty for most caravans.

With a 30+ Mbps download speed, you’ll be able to stream videos in HD or 4K Ultra HD without buffering or lagging, as well as use social media and browse the web with no issues.

The only reason you’d need more speed is if multiple people are often streaming video or doing other data-intensive activities at the same time in your caravan or motorhome.

Which mobile network should I use?

If you want to get online with 4G or 5G, Three is typically the best mobile carrier to choose.

They have by far the best prices on mobile broadband deals, including SIM-only plans. They include unlimited data for a very reasonable price with their 4G and 5G home broadband bundles.

Before buying, make sure that Three has good signal where you park your caravan, using their network coverage map. Look for good indoor and outdoor 4G at your caravan site.

If Three doesn’t offer strong signal, EE also offers good coverage, especially when it comes to 4G. However, their mobile internet plans are much more expensive than Three’s.

What if I need to get online overseas?

If you often go to France, Italy, Spain, or other countries and still want to get online, here’s what we recommend doing.

• Buy a mobile broadband router, making sure it is unlocked (meaning, it can be used with any mobile network).
• In the UK, use the SIM that came with your router, or any other data SIM that meets your needs.
• In other countries, buy a pay as you go data SIM card, and use it with your router.

Just make sure that when you buy a foreign SIM card, it is suitable for use with routers. Certain SIM cards are only compatible with mobile phones.

Some UK SIM cards allow for international roaming, but since Brexit, many have introduced extra charges and monthly roaming limits. Therefore, it’s much better to buy an EU SIM card to get online overseas.

Conclusion

This is the end of our guide to getting online from your caravan.

In our opinion, using one of Three’s 4G and 5G broadband devices is the best way to get an internet connection in a caravan or motorhome, in most cases. However, it’s important to check and make sure that you can get good mobile broadband signal from your caravan before you invest in a 4G router or a 5G router.

If you have any questions about choosing a caravan WiFi solution, leave a comment below, and we’ll get back to you.

About the author

Tyler Bevan

Tyler is the co-founder of Broadband Savvy. He has been helping people improve their broadband connectivity since 2018 by writing about fibre broadband and mobile broadband providers, as well as creating tutorials to help people improve their broadband speeds and Wi-Fi signal.

Tyler is responsible for the majority of buyer’s guides and broadband reviews published on Broadband Savvy. He has a wealth of experience testing and reviewing different broadband tariffs, including fibre internet plans, as well as 4G and 5G broadband deals. He is responsible for testing and evaluating Wi-Fi routers, performing speed and latency tests, and comparing the value for money of different broadband providers on the market in the UK.

Before co-founding Broadband Savvy, Tyler had a long history of tinkering with computers. He built his first PC at the age of 12, and since then, he’s become obsessed with all things networking and internet-related. He’s a massive gamer, loves Rocket League, and also plays Sunday League football.