Gaming for RVers & Cruisers
Do you love to play online games but aren't sure how to play them over mobile internet options? Using mobile internet sources like cellular, Wi-Fi and satellite typically used for RV and boat travels can present challenges for online gaming.
This guide will show that gaming on the road is definitely possible, even with the challenges of mobile internet options used for RV & Boat travels. We'll give you the information you need to avoid the major pitfalls and share our tips to make your gaming experience enjoyable.
In this guide, you will learn the following:
- The critical differences between gaming on wired home internet and RV mobile internet sources.
- How to make mobile internet work for different types of online gaming on PC and consoles.
- How to monitor and manage bandwidth usage for online gaming.
- How to manage game patches and patch/launch software, including Steam, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch.
Many other tips, tricks, and information will be covered for using typical RV mobile internet options for online gaming, including:
- Latency and mobile gaming.
- Accessing regional game servers.
- General network issues.
First, we'll cover the basics for gaming over mobile internet sources at a high level, followed by in-depth content and detailed advice exclusively for our members.
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Online Gaming over RV Mobile Internet Overview
As with most aspects of mobile internet while traveling in an RV or boat, what you need for gaming online successfully will depend on various factors. Although there will be times when some games can't be played or can't be played enjoyably, in most cases, mobile online gaming isn't as difficult or expensive as you might be fearing.
Flexibility is a key part of a mobile lifestyle - and this includes being flexible around what you play online, and when.
In today's connected world, there are many options for accessing the internet while traveling in an RV, but they often are, from an online gaming perspective, quite different than what is available on a wired home connection.
Mobile internet options are definitely more complicated in an RV and potentially more expensive than a home wired internet connection and can pose technical challenges for enjoyable online gameplay. These challenges differ from other mobile internet uses, like web surfing and watching videos.
This guide will give you the information you need to navigate these RV internet challenges and make online gaming a part of your mobile lifestyle.
Let's get started!
Online Gaming Over RV & Boat Mobile Internet Connections Video
Assessing Your RV Mobile Internet Online Gaming Needs
There are so many factors that go into online gaming that it's not possible to give definitive guidance for every gamer traveling in an RV using mobile internet. But we'll present some guidelines and options to consider when analyzing what will work best for your particular needs. When planning your setup, you'll need to consider the following factors and weigh their importance:
Travel Factors
- Travel Frequency - Do you plan to move your RV or boat every day? Week? Month? Or will you stay somewhere long term to enjoy online gaming? Moving often means more variability in your mobile internet connection. Staying somewhere long-term opens up options like ordering wired internet service at your location or optimizing your connectivity for a particular location.
- Travel Location - Where will you travel, and what options are available in those locations?
- If you stay close to cities, you'll have more options for cellular service and Wi-Fi, but you may encounter congested towers with slower speeds.
- If you stay in the boonies in your RV or boat, you may have only one or even no options available for internet access for online gaming. But you may also occasionally find blazing-fast, uncongested cellular towers or utilize satellite service like Starlink.
Gaming Factors
- Type and number of gaming devices you need to support. The more diversity you have, the more data you'll need to keep your games current and the more complexity you'll have in managing everything. A large gaming library requires more frequent patches, using more data and bandwidth.
- Organized clan/team play. Do you need to play on a schedule and/or on specific servers? Mobile gaming can be challenging if you play competitively or as part of a dedicated group on a fixed schedule. Making it work will require a lot of prior planning to ensure you have the connection you need when and where you need it. We recommend arriving at your next location in plenty of time to test out your options before you're expected to log in.
- Number and types of games you play. Your gaming library and interests will drive how much data you'll need for patches and your sensitivity to latency and other factors. A gamer who plays one game consistently will have different needs than a gamer who buys new titles every month.
- Gaming services. Consider what services you use and how they affect your needs. The needs of a basic gamer are very different than those of someone who plays nearly full-time or streams live on Twitch.
Budget
A bigger budget will afford more options and give your travel and gaming lifestyle more flexibility. But a big budget isn't necessary to make gaming a reality in most cases. Consider your gaming needs in line with your other internet needs and those of the others you travel with. In many cases, your general mobile internet plan will work for your gaming needs or can be supplemented for minimal cost. A bigger budget can also buy redundancy, which is always valuable for mobile internet.
Game Platform Overview
Video games are a huge and growing market, and with technological advances, online gaming options are more diverse than ever in terms of gameplay, interactivity, and available platforms. Many games now come with an online play mode, and many games today require internet connectivity, even for single-player gameplay and patching and authentication. This can be challenging to account for when using mobile internet options used for RV and boat travels.
Gaming platforms are also more diverse than ever and include everything from PCs to handheld devices to consoles to smart TVs. Below is a list of gaming platforms in rough order of popularity:
PC / MAC / Linux: Games that run on an actual computer, usually Windows, but also sometimes Mac and Linux. Included in this category are games designed to run in a web browser.- Console: A dedicated gaming system like Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, or Nintendo Switch. Modern consoles have advanced features that expand their capabilities outside gaming.
- Smartphone/Tablet: Games that can be played via an app. This category is seeing massive growth.
- Cloud Gaming: Also called Gaming-on-Demand or game streaming. This category works like cloud computing. Everything in the game takes place on a remote server, which streams the gameplay as video to the player through a simple interface. These games are platform-independent and typically don't require dedicated hardware. The downside is that cloud gaming consumes a LOT of bandwidth.
- Other Options: Handheld devices, VR Headsets, and non-gaming devices like Smart TVs, Apple TV, Roku, and other internet-connected devices are all increasingly popular gaming options.
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Online Gaming Technology over RV Mobile Internet
It's important to understand how online multiplayer games work and what network aspects affect your online gaming ability using mobile internet sources from an RV. This section covers the following topics in detail:
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- Dedicated Server and Peer-to-Peer networking for games
- NAT-Type for games
- Cloud Gaming
- Gaming Services like Discord, Teamspeak, etc.
- Using VPN's for gaming
Latency
Latency is a measure of the delay in a network and is measured in milliseconds(ms), or thousandths of a second. Slow or "bad" latency is one of the biggest problems in online gaming. This section goes deep into the topic from a mobile internet perspective
Bandwidth
The amount of data gaming uses can be a concern for those who rely on mobile internet sources like cellular, Wi-Fi, and satellite. This section explains when to be concerned about data usage and when not to be.
Tips, Tricks & Best Practices
With latency, bandwidth usage, and mobile internet variability, this section covers desktop and console gaming tips, tricks, and best practices for smooth and enjoyable gaming.
RV Mobile Internet Options for Online Gaming
From Wi-Fi, cellular, and satellite - this section goes over the online gaming considerations for each type of mobile internet connection used in an RV or boat. It even includes a breakdown of each US cellular carrier and things to watch out for (like double NAT!).
Assembling your RV Online Gaming Mobile Internet Arsenal
Tips for bringing everything together to have a successful RV mobile internet arsenal for online gaming.
Troubleshooting
Some tips for figuring out what's wrong when your gaming isn't working as expected.
Summary: Flexibility is Key for Online Gaming over RV Mobile Internet
Successful online gaming over mobile internet sources used in RV and boat travels will depend on a host of factors - and that is without considering the success you have in your gameplay skills. Although there will be times when some games can't be played or can't be played enjoyably, in most cases, mobile online gaming isn't as difficult or expensive as you might believe. Flexibility is a key part of a travel lifestyle - and this includes being flexible about what you play online and when.
Related Reading
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