Found a way to get a solid internet signal in a tiny Mexican town

Stayed in Tulum for a month. My Airbnb Wi-Fi was terrible, like 2 Mbps. Couldn't work. Bought a local SIM and a cheap portable router for about $40 total. Set it up as a backup. Now I get 20 Mbps anywhere in town. Anyone know other good backup options for spots with bad infrastructure?

3 comments

3 Comments

skyler_jackson271mo ago

That's a clever fix for sure. I read an article recently about how these local data plans are often way better than trying to rely on spotty public networks. Spencer_park26 has a point about it being the main connection, not a true backup, but when the main one is useless, it becomes your only option. For a real backup, you'd need a second SIM from a different carrier, which can be a hassle to set up. Still, getting 20 Mbps from a forty dollar setup is a total win in my book.

spencer_park261mo ago

You said you bought a local SIM and a portable router. That's basically a mobile hotspot, not a backup. A backup would be a second, different connection. Still, that's a solid fix for the main problem. I did something similar in Portugal last year.

gracec161mo ago

Yeah, calling it a backup is maybe a stretch, but that local SIM/router combo saved me in Italy. My hotel wifi was basically a suggestion, but the portable router with a cheap data plan actually worked. I felt like a genius until I saw half the cafe doing the same thing. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done without the roaming bill shock.