If you have a 5th wheel, do you need two cell boosters or just one?

RV Season is in full swing! It seems like every highway and byway in this great nation has its share of travelers who love to bring all the comforts of home with them. But of course not every RV is the same. Some folks prefer a traditional RV, where the driver sits at the front of the living space. Other folks prefer a fifth-wheel, which is a cost-effective way to get into RVing and also offers the driver some privacy. That certainly can go a long way toward preserving harmony in the family sometimes.

All of the comforts of home

That’s my favorite part of the RV lifestyle. You literally take your home with you. You can cook, sleep in your own bed, and bring a lot more with you than if you were living out of a suitcase. But of course, friends, this is the 2020s. “All” the comforts of home wouldn’t be complete without those technological toys we all love so much. The problem is, though, that an RV is pretty hostile to those phones we can’t seem to ever put down. Between the fiberglass, metal frame, wiring, and even the varnished hardwoods, it’s a miracle that any cell signal gets in at all. Luckily, there’s a way to deal with that.

Cell phone signal boosters like the Drive Reach RV shown at the top of this article are the solution. Cell boosters take signal from outside, bring it into the RV through a wire, massively amplify it, and pump it out to all the mobile devices in the RV. It’s very common for you to see more bars inside the RV than outside! You can surf, shop, and stream just like you were at home. And that’s what I call 21st century hospitality.

But getting back to the 5th wheel discussion

Once you get used to having great cell service in the RV, you might notice that your truck blocks a lot of cell signals, too. It’s the same reason: your truck’s chassis, skin, and even its tinted windows do a lot to block signals from coming in. If you have a cell booster in the 5th wheel, pretty soon you’ll want the same benefit in the truck.

So, is it possible to use one cell booster for both 5th wheel and truck cab? Yes it is. But that doesn’t mean you should do it. It’s possible to get an additional inside antenna and use a splitter to run two inside antennas off one booster. However, it’s a very bad idea. You’re cutting the range of each antenna by more than half, meaning a lot of your RV won’t get any benefit at all. The cables on those outdoor antennas aren’t very long meaning you’re spending money on more wire. Because the run length is longer, you’re also losing more signal as it travels through that cable. There’s a better way.

It’s this.

This is the Drive Sleek cell phone signal booster from weBoost. It’s the lowest priced model in the weBoost line and yet it doesn’t skimp on quality. It’s designed to give great results for just one phone. And, if you’re driving down the highway, that’s generally all you need. It installs easily and includes a cradle which can even keep your phone in sight so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road. It even gives you an extra 5 volt charging port so you can keep charged.

Use the Drive Reach RV in the fifth wheel and use a Drive Sleek in the truck. They won’t interfere with each other and they’re a perfect pairing. It’s all you need to feel like you’re never out of touch.

Want to know more? Call us!

Your friends at Solid Signal can help you make your RV all it can be! From satellite equipment to internet — even the latest and hottest internet — to basic accessories, you’ll find it all when you shop at Solid Signal. Plus, we have a full complement of real, trained technicians ready to answer the phone and give you the information you need. We believe RV’ers deserve real customer service, and that’s what we provide. So call us at 888-233-7563 and we’ll help you achieve the RV life of your dreams! Call, or if it’s after hours just fill out the form below. We’ll get back to you, usually within one business day.

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.