Internet Connectivity Primer

If you’re interested in improving your internet / wifi connectivity in the Bay of Islands (BOI), this is a 2022 primer of options available and some education and tips based upon a collection of experienced around the BOI, compiled by BICA member John Bjornson.

Best Internet Service Options in 2022

The clear 2022 favorites for new internet service:

• Best Internet Speed and Experience:  Starlink.  Internet speeds are roughly 3 times higher than the others (typically over 130 Megabits Per Second – MBPS), making it great for zoom calls, movie / video streaming (especially if doing an 4k), e-mails, browsing, etc..  Even bad weather hasn’t appeared to impact Starlink users this year.  You can move the dish with you when you close up camp and use elsewhere because the dish automatically finds and points to the right satellites by itself.  And Starlink (like Vianet below) offers unlimited data (a MAJOR advantage over other services that still charge for how much data you use).  Starlink does not offer seasonal suspension and there is only 1 monthly plan, so if cost is secondary to best overall performance, this is currently the best option to go with.
• Best Value:  Vianet offers up to 50 MBPS, which is also great for zooms, streaming (except for 4k), and other things.  Vianet experience in the BOI has also been great in 2022 – the only service hiccups known so far were brief periods of slower internet and Zoom interruptions, which might have been storm-related.  Vianet is currently the best overall value for what you get vs. what you spend; they allow you to suspend service for up to 6 months per year, you can save money by going with slower data plans, and they offer unlimited data (like Starlink above).  Unless you know you’re a power user and have to eliminate occasional slowdowns at all costs, you may not notice the speed difference between Starlink and Vianet, and Vianet can save you $500 to $1,000 per year over Starlink.  
• Easiest Setup and Mobile Option:  Rogers RocketHub is the only option that doesn’t require installation of a dish, which makes it the simplest to set up and use for techie neophytes, and because of the dish-independence, it’s the one option that is available to everyone on the BOI (if you don’t have a clean line-of-sight to the Starlink satellites or the Birch Island Water Tower for Vianet, then you can’t use those).  Aside from these advantages though, Starlink and Vianet are better options if they are available and economical to you.

Once you have the internet service turned on, you need a router & wi-fi network to serve your property.  If the router that comes with your internet service doesn’t have strong or wide enough wi-fi coverage, buy a mesh network.  The Eero 6 mesh network is a good and economical choice (though Eero is a challenge to set up with Vianet service).  The router connects to your internet service provider’s modem, and you plug in 1, 2, or more extenders to outlets where you’re starting to lose wi-fi signal and want to improve it, and it all appears as a singlet wi-fi network.

For those who want to dig deeper and understand these and other options, read on…

Discussion of Current Internet Options (summer of 2022)

If you’re not ready for these options yet, it’s worth exploring with your mobile phone provide to see what data options they offer (including international plans), whether you can use your smartphone as a hotspot, etc..  The rest of this primer is for those ready to go beyond a smartphone option.

Dedicated Internet Service Options.  The main options available today are:

• Rogers RocketHub.  You buy or rent a Rogers portable modem, which plugs into any outlet, communicates directly over the same Rogers wireless network that mobile phones do, and you have a wi-fi network ready to go to anyone working near where the Rogers modem is currently placed (throughout Canada where Rogers has coverage).  
• Xplornet Data Satellite.  You have professional installation of an xplornet satellite dish that faces to Xplornet satellites in the southward sky, which connects to an Xplornet modem they provide and can double as a wi-fi network.
• Starlink Satellite.  Elon Musk’s new offering (2022 is first year Starlink is in the Bay of Islands) requires a dish that faces the northward sky, but once your iphone Starlink app shows you the best place to install it, you plug in the dish and it automatically finds its own satellites.  The dish connects to a Starlink modem you buy, which can also double as a basic wi-fi network.
• Vianet.  You have professional installation of a dish that faces directly to the Birch Island water tower, which connects to a Vianet modem they provide.  You can rent a wi-fi router or use your own to access internet from your property.
• With exception of the RocketHub, the others will all require the modem to be placed within the distance of a maximum or pre-determined length of cable that comes with the service installation, and you must have a clean line-of-site to the satellite or Birch Island tower to use Xplornet, Starlink, or Vianet. 

All non-wired internet access methods are subject to storm-based interruptions, though Xplornet usually results in complete loss of Internet during dark cloud storms.  Vianet users have reported occasional slowdowns and Starlink users have not noticed any impact. 

Now for more on these options…

Rogers RocketHub  

Because RocketHub doesn’t require a dish and it’s portable, you can easily move the modem to be in the building on the property where Internet is currently needed, and you can move throughout Canada and use this service throughout the whole year.  There’s no installation fee (though there is a startup fee), and depending upon how you get started, you will either pay for the modem or incur it through monthly rental fees.  It’s also the only option that all BOI properties can access.

Pros:

• Portable, very easy to set up, and the only “installation”-related fees are buying or renting the modem itself
• No latency and reasonably good download and upload speed so good for multiple concurrent zooms
• Seasonal Suspension options (including downgrading service to maintain remote access)
• Every BOI property can connect to Rogers RocketHub

Cons:

• Data is metered and you pay for data overages.  Data plans change and don’t always make sense and have sometimes significantly changed from one year to the next.  Current data plans are completely unrealistic for camps that expect multiple users to use the service, so you may see some very large bills unless everyone intentionally limits their internet data use.
• Not best option for downloading movies as faster options exist (and you don’t have unlimited data so you’re better off downloading movies on a fast mainland wi-fi)
• Rogers customer service can be terrible, in part because their main business is voice customers, so servicing people on data plans is not what they are set up to do or support
• 2022 internet service has been terrible for many (in addition to 2022’s major 1-day Rogers outage) – though service will eventually get better and be more reliable, it is not as of today

Summary:  Rogers RocketHub is a good option for those who don’t need a ton of Internet access (and those who are not tech savvy) and don’t have or want to set up and support their own wi-fi networks on their property.  And if the better Starlink and Vianet options aren’t available, RocketHub is still a good alternative to using smartphones as hotspots.

Xplornet Data Satellite

Over the years / decades, Xplornet has been one of the most consistently good choices to go with, which may be in part because their entire business is focused on providing rural data connectivity, so they have to stay competitive and are typically getting ready for the next satellite launch with faster options.  As of 2022, Starlink and Vianet each have clear advantages over starting new Xplornet service, especially in offering unlimited data.  Estimating current installation is around $300 – $400.

Pros:

• When working well, download speeds are 20 – 40 MBPS
• Better customer service than Rogers
• Been one of the most reliable options over the long-term
• Seasonal Suspension options (including downgrading service levels to maintain remote access), with some caveats

Cons:

• Data is metered and you pay for data overages.
• Highest latency (between ½ and ¾ of a second delay), which means there is a slight and usually noticeable delay on Zoom calls and every internet browser request you make (latency and other important tech terms are described later)
• Upload speeds are much lower as compared to their download speeds, so more likely that you will freeze to others on a zoom call though they won’t freeze to you as often
• They have several data satellites – which dish you’re pointed at determines what your data speed and options are.  People will sign up for the newer or better satellites, and so they max out their networks amid noticeable data speed slow downs (which they don’t guarantee speeds).  When doing a seasonal suspension, they won’t guarantee a slot back on that satellite when you’re ready to return, so the risk is you have to come back on a different data plan or slower connection.
• Requires professional installation and line of sight to southward sky

Summary:  Xplornet has often been one of the best options available for many of the past 20 years, which speaks to their consistency.  New options like Vianet and Starlink make it difficult to recommend Xplornet to new customers right now unless other options aren’t available to you, and if you’re currently on Xplornet, you’d have to decide whether there’s enough of a reason to switch to one of the other options. 

Starlink Satellite 

Like Tesla, Elon Musk’s influence on Starlink is apparent in the newest service to come to our area.  It’s by far the fastest download & upload speeds option, offers unlimited data, solves for the latency issue by launching lower-orbiting satellites than Xplornet, has developed a dish that automatically discovers and points to its satellites (so does not need professional installation).  Yet part of that is there is no live person you can ever talk to, there is no seasonal suspension options, etc..  Even so, their entry in the market will likely cause the others to improve offerings or drop prices to compete.  Their monthly price is currently $140+GST for unlimited data and fastest speed possible, and there are no less expensive options than that, so you’ll pay 12 months at this amount unless they add other plans in the future.  Plus expect to pay about $900 for the equipment to get started.

Pros:

• Very fast download (over 130 MBPS) and upload speed with lower latency than xplornet
• Unlimited data
• Dish finds satellites by itself so no professional installation (and this should also help if the dish ever needs to be readjusted after a storm); you do need clear line of sight to northward skies (you can download the Starlink smartphone app and do your own site suitability testing for free before signing up with Starlink)
• Because the dish has intelligence to find and point to Starlink satellites, you can relocate your dish and modem to other areas serviced by Starlink, though you would need to verify other Canadian or US areas are in a current service area.

Cons:

• Difficult to place initial order with appropriate accessories (if you need the longer cable or a different dish mount, it’s unclear how you buy it as it’s no where on their web site)
• No live customer service
• 1 price (currently $140 CDN before taxes), no seasonal suspension option
• New service & new technology, so greater likelihood that they will produce new & improved dish & modems in each of the first years of the service (so there’s an advantage of waiting to purchase just before next season instead of end-of-season).

Summary:  If super-fast reliable internet speed is your primary priority and overall annual cost is a secondary priority, then StarLink is a no-brainer, and there currently is no waitlist in the Bay of Islands (a recent new customer received their hardware 1 week after placing the order online).

Vianet

Vianet is pretty new to the area, and the first to offer the LTE tower-based connectivity.  In theory, this technology over the long-term should be most cost effective because there are no expensive satellites, and their Birch Island tower transmitter connects directly to whatever fiber optic or other high-speed connectivity comes through Birch Island.  They currently offer several data plans – all are unlimited data and the price varies by how much you’re willing to pay for faster speeds.  The lowest cost includes 10 MBPS download for about $80 + GST, which is probably the least expensive unlimited data option of any available today.  The fastest option is $130 + GST per month for up to 50 MBPS.  Installation / startup fees are around $300 – $400.

Pros:

• Relatively fast download (40+ MBPS) speed and no latency if you’re on the 50 MBPS plan
• Unlimited data
• Currently the best overall value (i.e., cost) for moderate to high use properties

Cons:

• Requires professional installation and clear line of sight to Birch Island water tower (inclusive of future tree growth).  You only need to be within 10 km of the Birch Island tower, so any property within the Bay of Islands should have no problem – as long as you have an installation site with a clean line-of-site to the middle of the Birch Island light tower.
• Vianet uses a PPPoE protocol, which works great once set up, but requires special configurations on any new router you want to use.  The installer will configure this onsite for you, which may save you several hours of frustrations trying to set a new router up on your own.  Main thing to know is you need to retrieve your personal PPPoE user ID and password directly from Vianet’s technical support line whenever you’re setting up a new router on Vianet.

Summary:  Unless you know you need Starlink speed or don’t have line-of-sight to Birch Island water tower, this is the best option considering cost differences in 2022 (and why I recently had Vianet installed and shut-down both Xplornet and RocketHub services I had).  Installation wait time was a month for me but we were able to add several other new customers right away since they were already in the Bay of Islands to do installations.

Options Not Discussed

Most other options aren’t “options” in the Bay of Islands area:

• Unless you’re on mainland, the technology of the Bell Canada phone lines that provide service to islands via underwater cables does not support internet connectivity.  So don’t even bother having a Bell sales rep try to sell you on home internet.  It’s not available within the islands and I doubt they will ever upgrade the underwater cables to support high-speed internet. 
• Vianet is currently the only LTE-based direct-to-tower technology available in the area (and they’re essentially the only provider on Manitoulin offering the wireless service), which means that your dish is communicating directly with something on land (not through clouds up to satellites).  Xplornet and other mobile carriers currently offer these options but they are not yet in this area.  A general advantage of these technologies is they are less expensive to operate than satellite-based methods and much faster and more reliable than cellular LTE (mobile phone tower) options.
• There may still be some other legacy satellite carriers, and for the most part they would look much like the Xplornet service in terms of pros & cons.

Internet Connectivity Primer (and what to consider)

Care to understand a bit more on all the more technical factors?  What access method works best for a property depends on how internet is expected to be used, so it’s important to understand some of the key features and differentiators.  Or skip this section to learn more about wi-fi coverage options.

Download Speed  

Speed is measured in Megabits per second (MBPS).  It’s a measure of how fast content can be sent to your computer, which would include loading web pages, streaming videos, and the portion of Zoom/Teams calls that present video of the others on the call.  Video requires much more data than audio.  Though a single user on Zoom can have a good experience on a connection as low as 2 MBPS, that doesn’t account for stretches when the download speed dips or there are more than one person doing zooms simultaneously.  Additionally, your actual download speed may be slower because your local wi-fi isn’t optimized so you’re losing additional speed there too.  Download speeds that consistently stay about 10 MBPS, at minimum (at all times), should mean stable zoom calls, but more people on your network means you will want more, and network traffic almost always experiences brief periods of slowdowns from their normal speeds.

If you download high-definition movies, that could be 1 Gigabyte to 7 Gigabyte depending upon the length of the movie and the resolution / quality.  A 4 GB Ultra HB movie could take 57 minutes to download on a 10 MBPS connection, but a Standard Definition clip may download in only 7 minutes.  Two considerations for choosing lower quality videos are speed to download, and whether your internet connection is “metered”, meaning you pay relative to how much bandwidth you use.  Back to the 4 GB movie download, it could take nearly 10 hours to download is over a 1 MBPS connection, but down to 23 minutes on a 25 MPBS connection, or 6 minutes on a 100 MBPS connection.  Compare these to the data allowances that metered internet carriers provide and it’s easy to see why unlimited data is a much better option for most camps (or pay through the roof for data overages on the metered connections).

Upload Speed

Video conference calls are also highly affected by upload speed, which is also measured in MBPS and measures how fast content is sent from your computer to others.  The same good Zoom experience can be for as low as 1 MBPS upload speed, but with the same caveats as above.  You won’t want an internet connection anywhere near 1 MBPS upload speed if you’re doing video conference calls.  Upload speed does not play a major factor though in general web browsing, or download / streaming videos, which are almost entirely about download speed.  Sending e-mails with large attachments take longer on a slow upload speed but typically isn’t a major factor.  Your upload speed is probably good enough if your download speed is for zooms – unless you’re on Xplornet (as discussed above).  For zooms, ideally you have at least 5 MBPS and hopefully more.

Latency

Latency is the time it takes to send a command and receive something in return (also known as a “ping”).  It’s related to the distance a computer command or request must travel, so internet options that must reach satellites high above the earth are limited by the speed of light.  It can become a significant factor on Zooms because a connection with a long latency means there is always that extra delay (sort of like the old days when you’d talk to someone in Europe and had to wait an extra second before talking).  Active web browsing is also impacted because it’s the difference between a near instantaneous response to a browser request and a connection with longer latency where you always have to wait about a second for the response.  You can still have a very fast connection with long latency, and for streaming or downloading videos, latency isn’t as much of a factor because streaming services can “buffer” data.

How to Determine Your Current Speed

An easy and common way to test is by going to www.speedtest.net.  You’ll see a “Go” option, and just hit that (but turn off VPN is you know you’re on one).  No need to click on the other things, as the other stuff are advertisements to pay for the free website.  After about half a minute you’ll get the report that looks like this – 

Right now I’m experiencing 50.84 MBPS and 12.21 MBPS upload speed on my Vianet connection, and the latency is 48 milliseconds.  This is way more than enough for zooms, streaming, etc., and the 48 millisecond latency means that when I hit “enter” on a Google search, Google receives my request 0.048 seconds later, which is about as fast as you can get here.  You should expect to see different results by moving closer or further from your router, given the strength of the connection between your computer and the router is the other primary reason for experiencing slower internet speeds.  For fastest and most reliable connections to your internet service, plug your computer directly into the router with an Ethernet (8 pin) cable, or move as close as possible to the router (or a repeater if you have repeaters on your network).

Data Allowance

Most of the current Bay of Islands internet service options cap the amount of data you can use for the monthly price, and then either charge for data overages or potentially slow down usage.  The best way to understand how much is needed is to check on your actual usage for recent time periods.  For those on Rogers / Rogers RocketHub, you can download “My Rogers” on your smartphone and it shows how much data you have used so far during the current bill cycle (though for whatever reason, this only works starting in the 2^nd month and beyond for new customers).  Xplornet users can log onto their account and see the same.  Many invoices from past periods include data used during the period.  And if those are too complicated, call customer service and they can usually tell you current and more recent data usage stats. Zoom, Teams, and other video conference options typically consume between ½ of a GB to 1.5 GB per hour of usage, depending upon the quality of video it is sharing.  Unless you expect only a few Zooms, a few movies, and basic browsing, it’s typically a challenge to keep usage below 50 GB per month, especially with more than 1 user on the service.

An important way to maximize data allowance is to familiarize with apps that allow you to default to lower video resolutions.  YouTube and most streaming apps will choose the highest resolution it can, so if you have a relatively fast connection, you may consume 1.65 GB per hour if YouTube is streaming at 1080p (full HD) quality.  But, you can override the resolution on YouTube and most other streaming apps to something lower – playing YouTube videos back at 480p (standard quality) will reduce consumption from 1.65 GB down to 0.26 GB, which is about 6x less bandwidth.  This is an important option to leverage for many online learning portals where there is a lot of video to download – if you’re on a metered plan.  Reducing to the lowest resolution possible when on metered connections is recommended, as many times the lower quality is not even noticeable, especially on smaller devices or monitors.  Another tactic to consider is planning ahead – download videos for future watching when you can connect to public or other high-speed internet connections, though note that this can take a long time if the public access method is not a particularly fast internet connection.

Finally, if you are on a metered service, there are a few things to avoid wasting using on data you didn’t realize you were using:

• Most smartphone / laptops provide an option to designate the network you’re currently on “is metered” or “Metered connection” – you’ll usually see this setting in “properties” of the network you’re currently connected to.  If you are on a metered connection, click “yes” to this option.  Doing so instructs your computer to prompt you first when there are things it typically does by itself that might use a lot of data, like automatically downloading software updates, automatically downloading e-mails, etc..
• Keep windows open to a minimum, especially internet browsing windows, which may continue to process data in the background unless you close them.
• Check settings if you have apps downloaded that synch data stored on your laptop to the cloud (such as Microsoft Teams folders, Box, DropBox, etc.).  Set the folders you don’t need constant synching to “offline” mode.

Seasonal Suspension

Most but not all internet options allow for those with cottage properties to suspend service for up to 6 months per year, and if you are interested in this option, be sure to see whether a 2- or 3-year contract will still allow you to use seasonal suspensions, and if so, what the catches are – they may require you to buy the equipment instead of renting it, they may only count the months you’re active as part of that multi-year commitment (so a 6-month user signing up for a 2-year contract may actually require 4 years of 6-month use to satisfy it).  If you wish to access your property’s internet remotely while away (such as to view a live webcam, access a security camera system, a weather station, etc.), you won’t be able to suspend service, but downgrading speed and/or data usage may be an option during the off-season.  However, this option often comes with other complications – some internet providers don’t guarantee you’ll get the same access slot when ready to reactivate (Xplornet), some may require you to cancel service and restart, and life with Rogers (among others) can be a customer service nightmare if they no longer offer the same data plan you were on before you suspended service (my source of 10 wasted hours in 2022 working with Rogers Customer Service to solve their own issue).  

Equipment Rental / Purchase (and Minimum Contracts)

Internet options that require installation of a dish will likely require an installation fee (usually but not always requiring a professional installer on-site).  That’s usually an added up front cost.  Every option will require a modem, which is what converts the internet signal to wi-fi or Ethernet access by the computers – there is often an option of either renting these (perhaps $10 to $15 per month), or purchasing the modem outright.  If you expect to use seasonal suspensions, you may need to purchase the modem outright, which is occasionally also required for American citizens who do not have a Canadian driver’s license as a 2^nd form of Canadian ID.  Pros and cons of renting / buying outright are weighing lifetime costs vs. cashflow (3 years renting a $15/month modem amounts to $480, which is probably more expensive than buying outright), though a rented modem is likely a lot easier to replace if it encounters a problem (including unwanted electrical surges that might zap the modem, though this doesn’t not seem to be a common problem vs. wireless landline phones that rarely make it through an entire year’s worth of lightning storms).

Physical Installation Requirements

If the internet option requires installation of a dish, there are a few things that may affect whether you’re eligible for the service, where the dish is installed, and where the modem can be:

• If you’re using a hotspot on your smartphone or using a mi-fi option like Roger RocketHub, the good news is there is not physical installation so this section won’t apply to you.  However, placement of the RocketHub may affect your internet connection, as things like metal roofs may interfere with the speed of the connection.
• Dishes must point to the thing they need to communicate with, and it’s always important to have clean line-of-sight.  Xplornet and most of the “older” data satellite providers have satellites that face somewhat south, but still upward in the sky.  Starlink communicates with satellites that are more northward facing.  Vianet (and future LTE providers) dishes communicate with a transmitter that’s on land, and in Vianet’s case the transmitters are on the lower deck of the Birch Island water tower.  Line-of-site means just that – if you can’t clearly see the area of the sky where the satellite may be, or you can’t clearly see the Birch Island water tower from anywhere on your property, then the option may not be suitable for you.  A suitable dish installation will require a strong method so the dish doesn’t vibrate in wind (or susceptible to moving out of position in a strong wind).
• A dish will typically come with a fixed length of cable that is already crimped on both ends – ones I’m aware of are 75’, 100’, 150’, and 200’, though these are not all for the same internet provider.  Vianet installation includes up to 150’ of shielded & grounded Ethernet cable, though they can go up to 300’ without signal loss (and you pay $1 per foot over 150’), and the installer will custom-make the cable on-site to the exact needed length.  This cable is what will connect the dish to the modem.  The modem will need to be indoor, plugged into an outlet, and will be the default location of your router and how people can access your wi-fi.  There are ways to address challenges if the location where you need a satellite dish installed means the modem will not be near where you want to use computers.  Discuss the dish installation requirements and cable length with a provider you’re considering. 

Availability & Waitlists

New options can develop multi-month waitlists for installation.  Internet providers won’t freely share how long waitlists are though, so it’s best to ask others who have recently started the same service, or try to talk to an actual person (a recent Vianet inquiry said “expect a callback within 10 business days”, but in reality it was about 25 business days because of their backlog).

Overall Cost

What you pay over the course of a year will be the monthly contract (less seasonal suspensions and re-start fees), plus data overages.  It’s a good idea to map out 12 months of usage, as the most economical approach may to still go with a metered (limited data) approach that includes 1 or 2 very expensive months because of data overages, but the costs are spread out because of seasonal suspension and downgrading to slower speeds when internet usage is not as high.

Property Wi-Fi Network Primer

Most of the internet options are all about paying for and delivering internet service somewhere on your property.  Most of the modems include a basic router function.  The router is the local traffic cop that keeps track of all the devices connected to your network, and might include some Ethernet ports to hardwire connect a computer via an Ethernet cable (looks like a thick phone cable), and most transmit wi-fi signals so you can connect wirelessly.  However, wi-fi ranges are typically fairly limited, so adding wi-fi access beyond the building the modem is located probably requires adding your own router and wi-fi extenders. 

Wireless Routers & Mesh Networks

The simplest way to start is by using the router that came with your internet service and see whether it provides good coverage. 

If you want to own your own router (and avoid paying monthly rental fees for the internet provider’s router), or you know you want wider wi-fi coverage consider a mesh network.  The Eero 6 mesh network is a good and economical choice (there are many others that work well). A mesh network may have a router and 1, 2, or more mesh network extenders.  The router plugs into the modem, and the mesh extenders plug into any outlet.  You place the extenders where they still can make a strong signal with the router, and then they rebroadcast the wi-fi signal from there.  To a user, you only see one network (or one SSID), which is the name of that router.  If you don’t need extenders, there are many routers to choose from, and you can start with just the Eero router only too, so if you do need to extend later, you can just buy an Eero repeater to get the benefits of a mesh network.

If you already have a router, you can purchase wi-fi extenders, or wireless access points (WAP).  They work similar to how the mesh network is described above, but each repeater has it’s own network name or SSID, so as a user, you have to decide which of the extenders or router you want to connect to.  If you have a printer, that will connect to only one of these, and if you want to print from your computer, you will usually need to connect to the specific router or WAP that the printer is connected to.

Powerline Adapters

Let’s say you’re trying to place a Wireless Access Point (WAP) in another building, but the wi-fi signal back to the router (or the modem) is too weak.  One option is to connect the 2 with a very long Ethernet cable (looks like a thick phone cable with 8 pins).  Another option though is trying a Powerline adapter, which essentially intelligently uses the home 110v / 220v wiring you have throughout your property in place of the Ethernet cable.  They typically come with 2 little units you plug into an outlet near the 2 devices you’re otherwise trying to connect with an Ethernet cable.  Whether this works at your camp is a crapshoot based upon how current and “normal” your electrical wiring is between the buildings, but it is a relatively inexpensive alternative to replacing your whole system with a mesh network and all of those advantages.