How to get Internet as a Digital Nomad

Whether you’re on the road or staying temporarily at an accommodation, internet access is crucial as a digital nomad. Not to mention, a stable internet connection. Luckily, we’re in 2022, and access to the internet is usually not a problem, you just need to know how to go about it. How to get internet access as a digital nomad? We’ll tell you all you need to know below.

WiFi as a Digital Nomad

WiFi is perhaps the best solution, and the easiest to get. If you’re in a big city, WiFi is literally everywhere. Whether you are staying in a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb, they will most likely have WiFi for you to use. Not to mention any café, restaurant, or library nearby. A lot of transportation services also provide WiFi, meaning that you’ll be able to get internet access on planes, trains, and buses.

One thing to be aware of is that you should not use public WiFi to connect to any personal accounts, like your bank. This is information that can be stolen and used to drain your bank account. It’s not very common, but by using a public network, you’re not in full control of your own personal data.

Portable WiFi Router

Should you, however, find yourself on the road or in a smaller city with less WiFi access, you might want to get a hold of a portable WiFi router from Skyroam Solis, one of our partners. As the name suggests, this is a small device you can take around with you, which essentially creates a WiFi network wherever you are. You would need to get a sufficient network plan, however, to be able to maintain a stable connection. Especially if you’re doing work that requires a lot of data capacity.

Sim Cards for Digital Nomads

If you’re a citizen of an EU country, and you’re also working in a member country, changing your sim card is not usually necessary. Most European sim cards let you use roaming services across the entire EU without any additional charges. To read more about Europe, you can visit our Europe page.

However, if you’re traveling outside of the EU, changing your sim card might save you a lot of money in the long run. The best advice is to simply use Google to search for the country you’re going to. This will show what sim card options you have there. In many instances, you can also buy a sim card at the airport when you arrive, which will save you a lot of time searching for one in the city.

Fun fact!

Did you know that in Dubai, you will actually be given a free, pre-paid sim card to enjoy, with both data and calling minutes included?

This is a part of a happiness project which is meant to ease the burden of finding internet access for tourists visiting the UAE. This certainly alludes to the fact that having internet access is more important than ever. This is good news for digital nomads, as it makes your everyday life much easier! You can in fact also find sim cards that function across the world. They prevent you from getting any unexpected expenses whilst crossing continents.

Additional Tips and Tricks for a Stable Internet Connection

Finding free WiFi can be a bit difficult. Especially if you’re in a city you haven’t been in before, or if there are limited options nearby. With a WiFi app or hotspot database, you will be able to crowdsource all the free WiFi connections nearby. This way, you don’t have to search for one for hours when you have a deadline coming up. Some good ones are Instabridge for Android or Instabridge for iOS.

If you cannot find a stable WiFi connection, but have internet access on your phone, you can make your phone a personal WiFi hotspot. This can be done on both Android and iOS devices. Make sure that you create a strong password, to prevent unwanted people from connecting to your network.

If your phone fails you, and there is no WiFi nearby, a good solution can be a satellite network. This is especially useful for digital nomads who travel by RV and are often camped out in places without any phone signal. This solution is not as good as a portable router, as the signal is often not as strong. You might also experience interruptions in the signal. This is however a good solution if there are no other options, and you urgently need internet access.

To sum it up:

• You should adapt to the place you’re in.
• Go for a secure and free public WiFi if that’s accessible.
• Connect with your phone if no WiFi is around, or invest in a portable WiFi or satellite network for emergencies.