Being outdoors in a green space offers a unique beauty and provides countless personal benefits. Recently, the Japanese concept of ‘green bathing’ has become popular - of immersing yourself in nature to reduce stress, improve mood, and boost both mental and physical well-being. If you're fortunate enough to have outdoor space, transforming a corner of your lawn into a garden office is a fantastic way to enhance productivity while enjoying the wonders of nature.
It was once the case that the biggest obstacle to taking your work outside with you was electricity, but the increased mobility of devices and the array of power banks, solar systems, and off-grid solutions now ensure everything stays powered.
But what about Wi-Fi? Most home routers have a theoretical range of 40 meters indoors, but we’ve all discovered that results can vary, so getting signal in the garden or your repurposed shed can be tricky. Don't worry – there are solutions available that will have you seamlessly connected in your outdoor workspace.
Wi-Fi Boosters
Wi-Fi boosters offer a quick and inexpensive way to extend signal range for average households, with easy out-of-the-box instillation. However, be aware that in larger homes with a multitude of connected devices these boosters can inadvertently create bottlenecks and reduce bandwidth. This means your high-speed connection might not deliver its full potential across all your devices.
eSIMs
If the Wi-Fi is spotty, consider getting your very own cellular connection. Pairing an eSIM with one of our flexible data plans unlocks fast internet, even in areas with limited signal. Almost all smartphones can be used as a hotspot for multiple device connections. Better yet, the portability of eSIMs means you can seamlessly take your connectivity on the go. Explore international plans without the hassle of swapping physical SIM cards. Visit the BetterRoaming page to find the perfect solution for your garden office setup, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can get online. For more info, see our guide to eSIMs, What is an eSIM.
MiFi/Wi-Fi eSIM routers
A step up from the smartphone hotspot, this is a powerful way to connect your garden office with a minimum of hardware. A portable 5G eSIM router connects to local cellular internet and distributes it just like your home network, giving you the freedom to work from your suburban garden haven or a remote off-grid workspace. To learn more, check out our article on portable travel routers. With a wide array of data plans, like those offered by BetterRoaming across 160+ countries, you'll easily find a solution that matches your usage needs and budget.
Power Line Adapters
If your outdoor workspace or office already shares some available electrical sockets with your home, then power line adapters offer a convenient way to extend your internet network using the existing wiring. These devices utilize the electrical cables in your walls to transmit data from your router to a wi-fi broadcasting endpoint. Speeds might be limited compared to direct connections, and powerline adapters can slightly affect your overall internet bandwidth, and it’s necessary that home and garden office must share the same electrical circuit.
Fibre Optic
For those demanding the absolute fastest internet for their outdoor office, and who have the budget and reside in an area with fibre availability, this offers the definitive solution. Fibre optic cables deliver optimum speeds directly to your garden workspace. However, be aware that installation is likely costly and almost certainly no something you can do yourself. The process involves digging trenches in your garden and requires trained professionals, disrupting the serene green calm of your outdoor space. Carefully weigh these considerations against the potential benefits before committing to this infrastructure investment.
Ethernet
If you're prepared to do a bit of landscaping work and don't want to go the full fibre route, consider running an Ethernet cable to your garden office. You'll achieve dependable broadband speeds based on your home connection and yt offers a reliable, wired connection ideal for those prioritizing stability. It’s much cheaper than getting a new fibre connection and may be within the technical capabilities of the more handy and DIY-inclined of us.
Satellite Internet
Satellite internet connections like Starlink have gained significant attention for their ability to reach even the most off-grid locations. There are pros and cons to consider before looking to the stars. Cost remains a significant barrier, with current Starlink fees at time of writing around £360 [$432 USD] per month of the mid-weight 2TB connection. Additionally, weather conditions can drastically impact service reliability, which could disrupt your workflow. Furthermore, satellite internet inherently has higher latency (slight data transmission delay) than standard connections, making it less suitable for tasks like video conferencing, online gaming, or real-time data exchange. Invaluable for connectivity in isolated areas like deserts, mountain camps, expeditions or warzones, satellite internet may not be the most economical or convenient for most garden office setups.
We Recommend
For the majority of garden office users, the efficient and budget-friendly path to reliable internet is an eSIM router. This setup offers excellent connectivity for most locations without the disruptive process of laying cables, running new wiring or getting expensive new gear. Should you already be undertaking large-scale landscaping that involves laying mains power, opting for an Ethernet or fibre cable simultaneously is a smart, future-proof addition. For any further questions about getting your garden office online, don't hesitate to reach out to our experts BetterRoaming.com.
