I Live Off-Grid, but My Internet Is on Point: My Best Rural Broadband Tips

My family and I have lived on an off-grid compound in the rural New Mexico desert for nearly five years. By “off-grid,” I mean we collect our own rainwater, grow much of our own food and source our own solar energy. We have zero dependence on modern utilities except for one: the internet. 

People usually go completely offline when they move off-grid, but not us. Getting away from the digital world is supposed to be part of the romantic notion of moving somewhere remote and impersonating Henry David Thoreau or Terry Tempest Williams. But recent events like COVID-19, the housing crisis, inflation and increasing acceptance of working from home have inspired new interest in a more independent lifestyle. Today’s technology makes bringing it all with you easier than leaving it all behind.

I’ve been living off-grid for almost half a decade, but I haven’t had to live a single day offline. Working in journalism and communications, I need access to the latest news and enough broadband for frequent videoconferencing meetings. 

CNET’s guide to rural internet providers is a good place to research available options. But of course, being off-grid isn’t just rural living — it’s usually remote living, where the nearest ISP may not even be able to find you, let alone service you. 

Here’s my story and my personal tips for finding the best internet connection when living off-grid or in a remote location.  

My journey getting online while off-grid

When we moved off the grid in the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown and into a straw bale home with no electricity or running water installed, my first call wasn’t to a plumber or a solar company. It was to a nearby internet service provider.

The uncertainty of the pandemic and a lifelong interest in greater independence led my family to look for ways to take more responsibility and control over our basic needs without sacrificing our connection to the digital world.

I scheduled an installation for fixed wireless broadband service that would be powered by a combination of small car batteries or a portable gas generator until I could get the permanent solar power system installed. It had to be done in this order. How else would I be able to watch enough DIY YouTube videos to correctly install the photovoltaic panels for our new home on my own?

I’ll always remember the summer I washed outside daily at dusk using a tiny camp shower (basically a black bag of water hanging in the sun all day) before heading inside to binge something in 4K. Not such a bad life during a pandemic.

I’ve come a long way since that makeshift car battery-powered internet. Over the last four years, I’ve leveled up my DIY skills and our electrical system. We’re now running off the latest lithium battery technology, and this year, I installed Ethernet wiring throughout the house to ensure we aren’t losing any bandwidth to Wi-Fi signals having to penetrate our thick straw bale walls. I installed it all myself after spending hours researching online. We have a 64Mbps fixed wireless package from our local ISP that is slower than faster fiber and cable connections but better than we might see from many satellite providers, and our customer service is excellent, which is rare to find living off-grid. It’s plenty of bandwidth for me to telecommute full-time and support my family’s streaming habits. 

Rural living: Internet connection types to look for

Now that we know what to keep in mind when it comes to staying connected in the wilderness, let’s look at the available options in 2024.

Cable, DSL or Fiber: I’ve heard of situations where homeowners have access to these traditionally grid-tied data pipes but don’t have access to more basic utilities like electricity. Rarely, it can be much easier (and cheaper) for your cable or telecom monopoly to run a line to your home than for the electric company to do the same. If you’re in this situation, congratulations, you’ve lucked out. Just be sure to demand a speed test before signing a contract. DSL connections, in particular, can be lackluster the farther you are from the nearest central office.

Fiber connections typically perform the best of these luxurious options, but they’re also probably the least likely to be accessible off-grid, as they’re built out alongside such infrastructure. And unless you’re streaming multiple 4K movies at once or doing some serious gaming, you may not need such a fat pipe. If you can handle a little less download speed and are more concerned with the monthly hit to your wallet, old-school cable internet will save you some money, but again, you’re not likely to find much cable if you’re remote.

Potential providers: CenturyLink, Kinetic (Windstream), Ziply Fiber