Wireless Internet at your Cabin, Cottage or Lodge

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Wireless Internet at your Cabin, Cottage or Lodge

While true rustic living does not include wireless Internet access, the reality is that for many, having Internet access at their country retreat allows for a great deal of flexibility and convenience.

That's certainly the case for us.

We choose to do some work on our websites for a couple of hours every day. To be able to do this in the relaxing environment of our lodge has now become a reality... and it's a treat!

Dial-up was our only option

When we first obtained the lodge, we put in a telephone, mostly because our son was living there and working on the renovations. At that time the only internet access to be had was dial-up service which we had for a couple of years. Any other type of rural Internet service was just a dream! And wireless Internet was in its infancy so this seemed like an extremely remote possibility.

When my son was no longer staying there, and we both had cell phones, the land line became redundant. And at that time we were not building websites, so it wasn't so important to have Internet access. In fact, it was nice to get away from the Internet... although at times it would have been convenient, such as looking something up to satisfy curiosity... but certainly not a necessity!

But the search for rural wireless Internet began again in earnest this winter knowing that we would want to spend time at the lodge working on the sites... and knowing that the technology had come a very long way since we first thought about it a few years ago.

It was a long and frustrating search.

The obvious place to start was the Internet. My search led to very little, mostly the frustration of a possible supplier who led me on, but ultimately was not able to provide any service.

Success seemed to be getting close!

I decided to call the county office to see if they knew of any Internet providers who might be able to service our remote location.

MCSNet antenna and radio receiver mounted
on shop roof.

wireless internet

Antenna showing size in relation to shop.
Very unobtrusive... and given its location at the
back of the shop, it's hardly noticeable.

I was immediately given the name of a local computer store and told about the service he provides through a supplier and told that the county uses the service and it's great!

I made the call on a Tuesday, the person took the necessary information about the location of our lodge and said someone from their supplier would be in touch in a few days.

The next day I had a call, we discussed the service options available, they thought they could provide service (a site visit was required to confirm this due to the hilly terrain and tress), and the installation was arranged for early Friday afternoon.

Within four days of contacting them we had a radio antenna installed on the roof of the shop (see pictures above), ran a wire to the lodge, hooked up a wireless router... and we're in business!

My tips, if you're looking for rural internet access:

Call your county offices to see if they have a recommended supplier.
Talk to your neighbors to see if they have Internet access and/or have heard of any suppliers
When in town, ask the locals

If you're in northern Alberta (north of Edmonton), contact MCSNet.ca. They don't have full coverage yet, but that is their plan. According to our installer Earl, the company has aggressive expansion plans this year.

Other than that, because this service tends to be very localized, you'll need to do your own research to find what's going to work for your area or location.

Your story about rural Internet access

More and more, we want access to the Internet wherever we are... and that includes our rural retreats!

And why not? It's such a huge part of our lives and in many cases it is a tool for generating income.

If you've been able to get Internet access at your rural property, we invite you to tell others about your experience... good, bad or ugly!

Share details about your supplier so others can use the same service... or be warned to stay away!

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