Working remotely from an RV is totally doable. Actually, it’s better than doable—it’s amazing. Wrapping up a call and stepping outside to a mountain view? Taking your lunch break by a lake instead of at a desk? Not being stuck in the same place every day? Yeah, it’s pretty great.
But—and this is a big but—it’s not effortless. The internet situation is unpredictable. Power takes some planning. Time zones will absolutely mess with your head at some point. And sometimes, you’ll be taking a meeting from the front seat of your truck while your spouse runs into the store for groceries. If you need everything to be smooth and predictable, this might not be for you. But if you’re willing to be flexible and figure things out as you go, you can make it work.
Internet: The Lifeline of Remote Work on the Road
The first question I always get is: how do you get internet? Because if you can’t get online, you can’t work.
Here’s the deal—campground WiFi is mostly bad. It sounds nice in theory, but in reality? Maybe good enough for email, but definitely not for Zoom calls. You need your own setup, and more importantly, you need a backup.
And a backup for your backup.
What works for me:
- Calyx Unlimited 5G Hotspot (T-Mobile towers) – My main connection. It’s fast, doesn’t throttle, and works great—as long as there’s coverage.
- Verizon on my phone – A backup for when T-Mobile lets me down. Verizon throttles after a while, though, so I can’t rely on it forever.
- WiFi Extender – Occasionally helps if the campground WiFi isn’t completely useless, but I wouldn’t count on it.
- Cell Booster for my Hotspot – Gives me one extra bar of service, which sometimes makes all the difference.
- Satellite options like Starlink, HughesNet, or Viasat – Good for some people, but they have their own quirks.
- Home Internet providers – are starting to offer a solution. Verizon and T-Mobile both offer home internet plans that can work well if you stay in areas where they have strong coverage. It’s not as portable as a hotspot, but it’s another option.
Before we book a spot, I check Campendium and other review sites to see what people say about cell service. If we’re near a highway, we’re usually fine. If we’re boondocking, I have to be ready for things to get creative.
Like that time in Idaho when we had zero service—nothing, for miles. I had to drive into town and set up at a Starbucks. Another time, in Gay, Michigan, I worked from the grocery store parking lot because it was the only place with a signal. More than once, I’ve taken a call from inside the truck because the connection was better than at the campsite.
Also, random tip—laundromats often have great WiFi. I love working there with the whirring of the machines behind me.
Power Management: Keeping Your Laptop Charged Off-Grid
When you’re at a campground with hookups, power isn’t something you think about. But when you’re boondocking? Totally different story.
Most of the time, we run off our batteries, but I always have backups:
- Two battery packs that give me one (plus like 20%) full laptop charges each.
- A 12V laptop charger that plugs into our TV outlet, which is a lifesaver when I just need a quick charge.
- The truck’s 110V outlet—worst case, I sit in the truck, turn it on, and work while it charges.
People always assume solar is the answer. It’s great, but it could take a long time to charge (and that’s if you have sun). Unless you have an inverter, you’re not charging a laptop off solar very efficiently. If you’re new to this, get a solid power bank and a 12V charging setup. You’ll thank me later.
Where Do You Actually Work? Finding a Good Setup in an RV
I work at our dinette table most of the time, and I use a second portable screen because I need two screens to function.
On nice days, I’ll work outside under the awning—unless the glare is awful, which happens a lot. Some campgrounds have clubhouses or offices, which can be a nice change of scenery (and sometimes offer WiFi).
When I was pregnant in the RV, my lap desk was my best friend. Sitting at the dinette for long hours wasn’t always comfortable, so I’d prop up my laptop in bed or on the couch with my lap desk and get work done from there. Having a flexible setup was a lifesaver.
But sometimes, you just work wherever you can. I’ve had meetings from:
- A boulder at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
- A casino lobby
- A fishing pier
- A laundromat
- A rest area
- The truck, parked outside whatever store I’m near
- A picnic table—until the sun became too much of a glare
And you know what? No one cares. As long as you get your work done, where you are doesn’t matter. And if you need to – use a background for your video calls.
Time Zones & Travel Days: The Art of Avoiding Scheduling Headaches
The hardest part about time zones? Knowing what time it actually is.
This was especially brutal when we traveled in Arizona during a time change. Arizona doesn’t do daylight saving time, but parts of it do. One day, my phone said one time, my laptop said another, and the truck clock had a third answer. I had to triple-check my meetings just to make sure I wasn’t an hour off.
On travel days, I try to plan around meetings. If I do have a call, we pull over somewhere with decent service. My husband goes into the store while I take the call from the truck. Not ideal, but it works.
That’s why I (try to) keep Mondays and Fridays as no-meeting days. It gives us flexibility when we need it. If you’re working on the road, build in buffer days. You’ll need them.
The Hardest Part: Balancing Work & Adventure
The real challenge isn’t internet or power—it’s trying to work when you’d rather be outside.
Like the time I had a 4:30 PM call (who schedules a call at 4:30 on a Friday?!) while my husband and his friend had just caught a massive fish. They came in, holding it up behind me while I was on Zoom. I was stuck inside. They were out having fun.
Or the times when I thought I had my schedule planned out perfectly, only for a last-minute meeting to pop up right in the middle of something fun.
But then there are the good days—the ones where I finish work early and get to spend the rest of the day outside. Or when I have meetings later and can go on a refreshing morning hike and breakfast burrito run.
It’s not about finding perfect balance. Some days, work wins. Some days, adventure does. As long as you make space for both, it works.
So, Can You Actually Work Remotely from an RV?
Absolutely. But you have to be okay with figuring things out as you go.
- You need a solid internet setup with backups.
- You need a power plan so your laptop doesn’t die mid-meeting.
- You need to be flexible about when and where you work.
- And you need to set boundaries so work doesn’t take over your travels
Some days, you’ll feel like a pro. Other days, you’ll be sitting in a truck outside a grocery store, trying to send an email. But if you’re willing to roll with it? Working remotely from an RV is worth every bit of the chaos.
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I m about to embark on this adventure. Thanks for sharing things I never thought of.