How to get wifi on a farm

Want to know how to get wifi on a farm? Here's how you can get broadband across your entire farming operation.

How to Get Wifi on a Farm

In 2025, farms rely on strong wifi to manage smart agricultural equipment.

Yet, despite this, rural internet infrastructure is lagging behind. Around 17% of rural Americans still lack access to basic broadband services.

So, how do you get wifi on a rural farm? Well, it’s easier than you think. Here’s how:

Assessing Your Farm’s Needs

Before picking a solution, you first want to consider some factors such as:

Coverage Area: Determine how far your wifi needs to reach. A small farm may only need farmhouse and barn coverage, whereas a large farm may need wifi across multiple fields and outbuildings.
Speed Requirements: Consider the internet speed required for most of your tasks. Surveillance, for example, will require more bandwidth than basic web browsing and emails.
Number of Devices: Count all the devices that will connect, from personal to specific farm IoT goods, like gate sensors, CCTV cameras, livestock trackers, etc. ‍
Budget: Understand how much you’re willing to pay upfront for installation as well as any monthly fee, for example, for the broadband service or for maintenance.

Available Farm Wifi Solutions

There are a number of wifi sources to choose from. The best for you, however, depends on your needs.

Solution	How It Works	Pros	Cons	Best For
Fixed Broadband (DSL, Cable, Fiber)	Wired internet via telephone lines, cable, or fiber.	Reliable, high speeds for heavy data use.	Limited rural coverage, high installation costs if far from infrastructure.	Farms within reach of wired broadband networks.
4G/5G Mobile Broadband	Uses a mobile router or hotspot with a SIM card over cellular networks.	Widely available where cell signal exists, quick setup, broadband-like speeds with 5G.	Performance varies by tower coverage, can be throttled, data caps apply.	Farms with strong mobile network coverage.
Satellite Internet (Starlink, Viasat, HughesNet)	Internet from satellites, received via a dish on your property.	Works almost anywhere, improved latency (~25–50 ms with LEO), high download speeds (50–200 Mbps).	High equipment costs (~$500), expensive plans, weather interference, possible speed drops at peak times.	Very remote farms with no wired or mobile options.
Fixed Wireless Internet (WISP)	Radio signal from local ISP tower to an antenna on your farm.	No cables needed, decent speeds (25–100 Mbps), simpler install than fiber.	Needs line-of-sight to tower, range limited to 5–10 miles, blocked by terrain/trees.	Farms within visible range of a local ISP tower.
Point-to-Point Links	Two directional antennas link buildings or areas on the farm.	High speeds without a second subscription, can reach several miles (up to 60 with pro gear).	Needs line-of-sight, technical setup, secure mounting.	Farms with multiple buildings or distant areas to connect from a main internet source.

How Beacon Can Help

Designing and installing a farm wifi system can be complex and somewhat confusing. However, our team at Beacon is ready to help.

We can help with every step of the pricing, including:

Network Design: We’ll develop a wifi network designed to meet your requirements and needs, from the hardware to the software.
Hardware Installation: Our team will professionally install all the necessary hardware outlined in the network design.
Software Configuration: We’ll set up all the software to ensure that every system within your network works seamlessly.
Ongoing Maintenance: Becon’s solutions guarantee that your system is always up and running with continued maintenance.

Contact Us

Getting wifi on a farm involves assessing your coverage needs, choosing the right internet source, and using proper hardware to deliver the result.

If you need a hand developing a network design, contact our professionals at Beacon today. We’ll be happy to create a farm network system that works for you.

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