Best Internet for Boaters

Marine internet options

Overall, there are three ways to connect to the internet while boating.

1. Satellite internet communications (requires a satellite antenna + data plan + laptop or device)
2. Cellular data (requires a mobile hotspot or your phone + data plan + booster) or wireless home internet in some cases
3. Public and private Wi-Fi hotspots at docks and marinas (requires your device + booster or extender to strengthen the signal)

Viasat and HughesNet have satellite internet options for boats, but they're restricted mostly to large, commercial customers. Starlink, however, has Starlink Maritime, one of its Starlink Mobility plans, and its accessible to anyone. Well anyone who can afford it. It's cheaper than the competition, but the numbers still make us wince. 

Starlink for boats

Starlink Maritime is the fastest satellite internet option available for boats. It offers up to 350 Mbps per month of download speed--pretty amazing as far as internet for boaters is concerned.

But Starlink Internet Maritime s a more expensive, robust option than the average person can afford, costing you a clean $2,500 upfront in equipment costs and then $5,000 a month for continued service if you want the TB. But if you're looking for a reliable connection for your yacht, and especially if you're a maritime business, Starlink Maritime is definitely something you should look into.

Read up on our Starlink Internet review for more, or check out our other satellite internet for boaters options below. 

Once you head away from the coastline and out of range of cell phone towers, satellite is your best (and only) option. You’ll need to outfit your boat with a satellite hotspot or antenna to get service on the open sea. Global satellite internet service plans are available through VSAT internet, SeaSat, iDirect, and other carriers.

We like the KVH TracPhone V3 HTS VSAT marine satellite internet system because it can be customized depending on your boat and individual needs. It’s priced at $16,999 and up. Satellite data for marine vessels is priced at $300 per GB and up.

VSAT marine equipment is a big investment, but it’s extremely rugged and dependable. And satellite data service is the only available internet solution away from cellular service areas. VSAT service is broadcast from VSAT’s satellite system in high-Earth orbit. VSAT service is available almost everywhere except in the extreme northern and southern polar regions. All VSAT service works while in motion as well as while boats are stationary, although speeds are slower while a boat is moving than when anchored. 

Due to the high cost of data at sea, many boaters opt for satellite phone and text service only. The Iridium GO! Satellite Wi-Fi Hotspot delivers a very low speed satellite communication service of up to 2.5 Kbps. The Iridium Go! works for voice calls, text messaging, navigation and tracking, and SOS. To learn more about data plan options, check out prepaid data cards for the Iridium Go! The Garmin inReach Explorer+ is a similar voice and text only service that offers GPS, emergency calls, and navigation from anywhere in the world. With the Garmin inReach, you'll sign up for a service plan when you purchase your equipment.

Marinas sometimes have Wi-Fi hotspots you can use while visiting. In docks and marinas, you can also often capture a decent cellular data signal if you have a booster. Since boats deflect cellular signals, we recommend using a booster to get a good signal. 

On lakes and along shorelines, you can often get a cellular signal if you strengthen it with a booster. Remember, since it’s cellular service, it’s hit or miss. Some of the equipment we recommend can boost cellular signals up to 20 miles offshore.

Once you cruise away from the shore and go deep into international waters, your only options are a satellite phone, a satellite internet hotspot, or a satellite internet antenna.

Using cellular data for your internet connection on board your vessel is the most affordable way to get online for casual boaters. With the right equipment, you can extend a cellular signal up to 20 miles out from land.

The MobilSat cellular system is our top pick. It’s a comprehensive solution and extends cellular range up to 20 miles away from the shore. It’s very effective for boaters who cruise along the coast or go boating at lakes and along rivers. Like any cellular data, it won’t work everywhere, but it delivers an affordable internet solution for boating.

Of course, cellular data won’t work if you go too far from shore. Even with a booster, you’ll only be able to get online when you’re located close to shore and in a direct line of sight to cell phone towers. Once you cruise away from shore, or past the nearest port’s cellular coverage area, you won’t have a signal. That’s why we recommend always having a satellite phone on board for emergencies.

The advantage cellular internet offers to boaters is the price tag. Cellular equipment and data service are much less expensive than satellite setups. Even a complete marine setup with cellular modem, router, and a top of the line booster is less than $2,000.

Cellular data plans are affordable. Cellular data is $5 or less per GB, while satellite data for marine vessels costs $300 or more per GB. So most boaters use cellular as much as possible, even if they have a satellite connection for deep sea excursions.

The cheapest way to get internet on a boat is to use the marina Wi-Fi when you’re docked—but we all know how unreliable public Wi-Fi can be. Marinas, docks, harbors, yacht clubs, and ports often have some sort of Wi-Fi hotspot connection. A good Wi-Fi booster can help stretch a hotspot signal just a little further so you can access the marina Wi-Fi and get your boat internet.

With all the metal, glass, and wood in a marina, it’s no wonder that Wi-Fi signals don’t travel very far from the access point. The solution is often as simple as amplifying the Wi-Fi connection with a booster or extender. 

The best marina Wi-Fi booster kit we’ve come across is the RedPort Halo Long Range WIFI Extender. It is designed to boost a Wi-Fi signal up to seven miles, but it costs about $400. A budget option is the Alfa WiFi Camp Pro 2 Long Range Repeater Kit, which has less boosting power than the RedPort Halo but can also solve weak Wi-Fi issues around a marina.

When you’re close to land, getting cellular internet on a boat is fairly easy and can enrich your cruising experience. It’s an affordable option for streaming music and checking emails. You can also make use of free Wi-Fi zones at marinas and harbors if you have the right equipment.

For those intrepid boaters who venture into the deep ocean, we recommend a satellite phone or hotspot device. Even if it’s just for navigation and emergencies, satellite communication is the most reliable way to connect in extremely remote locations.

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Using a booster will help you make the best of wimpy Wi-Fi at a marina. Most marinas have some sort of Wi-Fi connection available (whether it’s paid or included in the price of docking your rig). But the quality of marina Wi-Fi varies widely. A lot of the problems with marina Wi-Fi boil down to high usage, bad network design, lots of interference from metal and glass, and poor technical support. You may need to walk around the dock to get a signal. 

If you intend to use marina Wi-Fi for anything other than the most casual of social media browsing, or on multiple devices, you’ll need to outfit your boat with the right equipment. 

Satellite internet for boats costs $300 per GB of data, which is much more expensive than data on land. Equipment costs several thousand dollars as well, varying depending on your setup. 

The cheapest satellite internet for boats is going to be a low bandwidth satellite phone communicator with GPS, mapping, and texting capabilities, like the Garmin inReach Explorer+ that’s priced below $450. You’ll also need a six-month Iridium talk and text satellite plan, which starts at $349.99.

Yes, getting a mobile hotspot and a cellular data-only plan (or a phone plan with a generous data allowance) is a good way to connect along the shoreline and while cruising at inland lakes and rivers. 

Boaters who plan to use cellular data will need a booster to extend the signal. Be aware that even with a booster, your signal will probably go in and out as you cruise along the coast. 

For most recreational boaters, cellular service from AT&T, Verizon, or another mobile provider will be the fastest and most affordable way to get internet on a boat.  Cellular signals don’t travel very far, so don’t expect steady service while cruising across the Gulf of Mexico or sailing along the outer banks of North Carolina.

Internet data use on a boat varies from person to person, depending on how heavily they rely on the internet and what they’re doing online. Basic tasks like navigation and text messages use very little data, while streaming video uses a lot of data. 

Some cruisers disconnect from technology while out on the water and need the internet only for GPS and emergency service. These boaters catch up with family and friends while docked at marinas and use less than 1 GB per week while out at sea. Others who will be working remotely throughout their journeys or using the internet recreationally on a luxury yacht will use much more data.