Rural internet for farms, ranches and long driveways

Rural internet comes with its own questions: a shop 300 feet from the house, a well, propane, a gate and a driveway that is a mile long. This page speaks to those, with Census numbers for the counties we work in.

Why is rural internet different?

In town, a cable company runs a wire past every house. Out on acreage the wire often stops at the last neighbor. The Census Bureau counts the result. Across Nevada, 7.6% of households report a satellite internet subscription, but in Lyon County it is 12.0% and in Storey County 22.5% (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B28002). The national figure is 6.6%. Those are people who often used satellite because nothing else reached them.

The Census survey has no line for fixed wireless, so homes like ours sit inside other headings. It is still a useful picture of where wired options thin out. The county numbers are on the satellite reliance table.

What do propane and wood heat tell us?

Homes that heat with bottled or tank gas are usually past the gas main, which is a decent sign of how far out a home is. The Census says 43.0% of Storey County homes heat with propane, 16.0% in Churchill County and 10.3% in Lyon County, against 3.6% in Washoe County (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year, table B25040). The same rural pattern shows up in the internet figures. It does not tell you whether a wireless link will reach one house, but it explains why this kind of service exists.

What helps a rural wireless link?

Height and a clear view. A farm on open flat ground may see a tower from the house, the barn and the shop alike. A ranchette in a canyon may not. The technician looks for a mounting spot: the roofline, a gable end, or a short mast above the trees. Read the well, propane and long driveway checklist for what to have ready when you call, and what blocks a wireless link for the usual culprits.

What about outbuildings and a second structure?

A shop or a barn often wants its own Wi-Fi or a wired link from the house. The guide on Wi-Fi to a shop, barn or guest house shows options. If you want service at a second building, see add a second building and call to ask. We do not publish a price or a promise for that.

Who is this for?

Ranch and farm owners will find more on ranches and acreage and farms. Newcomers buying land should read buying acreage in Lyon County and moving to rural Nevada before closing, because internet should be part of the checklist. People in manufactured homes can read that page. Where a household runs a business from the property, home businesses covers it.

What does it cost and how do I begin?

Plans are Bronze at $50 a month, Silver at $75 a month and Gold at $99 a month, with speeds up to 500 Mbps, 800 Mbps and 1 Gig. The company says there are no contracts. You cannot order online. Send your address through the address check or call 775-575-9593. A person checks the path from the nearest tower and calls you back, including when the answer is that the path is not clear. Long-time rural customers describe the service as “Reliable internet service in extremely rural areas” (Julie T.).

What about state broadband programs?

Nevada's High Speed NV program plans to fund wiring and wireless projects on rural roads. High Desert Internet is not a subgrantee of the program. The project list is on the BEAD projects page and is provisional. The guide on High Speed NV and rural roads explains what it can and cannot change for you today.