Motorhome wi fi (2 Viewers)

[Minxy]

Many phones can be set up as wi-fi hotspots so if you have a data allowance on your phone you can share it with your other peripherals (sim-less ipads etc.).

That is true if your contract/sim provider allows you to do it as many of them don't, but when you are abroad I don't think any phone companies allow you to do it at all.

 

[Minxy]

So that's the pre-amble. Am I right in understanding:-

This is some sort of gizmo to boost to enable a personal MiFi router like mine (*) to pick up a fainter 3G/4G mobile signal?https://www.scan.co.uk/products/net...FI1Cdb3JnY2zDTjctLmrRQLQB-5bG5-U2pBoCg-nw_wcB
* BUT - it has to plug into the router, so presumably needs a posher one than my little Huawei to work with, as that only has a micro USB connection?

@Feltwell you are correct that it would extend the range of a MIFI but the Huawei E5330 doesn't have an input for an antenna I'm afraid. If you haven't had any issues with your MIFI then I'd suggest seeing how you get on with it first before buying anything else as for most of the time you won't need an external antenna anyway.

 

[Minxy]

With a MIFI you keep paying. For instance you pay £50 for the Mifi Box, Then every X months you have to buy a data top up.

WIth the iBoost system you get unlimited data and don't keep paying for connection. When I am on Mifi I go through 7-10GB a week so you can soon see the cost adds up over the year. The iBoost system I bought 5 years ago or so and not paid a penny more since then. I went 5 months this year and 6 months last year without buying any data for my mifi....

The iBoost has more than paid for itself many many times over.

Its not as clear cut as that though Gromett and I don't think that your use of 7-10gb a weeks is typical of what most would need from mobile broadband, when at home we use it a lot but even then not 7gb a week unless hubby REALLY hits the downloads, however when away its probably not even 2gb a month!

We now have a '3' router at home with a 40gb a month contract (24 months) costing £20 with the benefit that we can take the unit away with us in the camper as it runs off 12v and use it, and the monthly contract, abroad (with the 12gb pcm limit etc) so aren't paying for something sitting at home whilst we're away for 7 weeks at a time, and now don't need to have something just for when we're away either ... I appreciate this won't suit everyone but for us it works.

The cost of the iBoost appears to be at least £159.99 and you are still reliant on being able to 'tap into' someone's unsecured wifi or a free wifi facility so by no means guaranteed to get you on line, and, to be perfectly honest, I don't like to use other people's internet which they are paying the bill for ... obviously different if it's meant to be freely accessible or for use on a campsite where you are paying for the connection (expensive though!).

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Vanman]

That is true if your contract/sim provider allows you to do it as many of them don't, but when you are abroad I don't think any phone companies allow you to do it at all.

You are absolutely correct that many say it's not allowed, however from the earliest days of smart phones I have tethered my laptop to one and only became aware later that some don't "allow" you to do that either. I strongly suspect that - other than the rate that you're using data, your supplier has no idea what you are doing on the other end

 

[Clarky]

You are absolutely correct that many say it's not allowed, however from the earliest days of smart phones I have tethered my laptop to one and only became aware later that some don't "allow" you to do that either. I strongly suspect that - other than the rate that you're using data, your supplier has no idea what you are doing on the other end

When I ,absentmindedly, tried to tether to my iPhone in France a couple of months back I received an immediate warning from 3 that it was verboten.

Richard.

 

[Vanman]

When I ,absentmindedly, tried to tether to my iPhone in France a couple of months back I received an immediate warning from 3 that it was verboten.

Richard.

Sorry, but I did say Smart phones (not iThings) I have no Euro experience either, so I'm really talking UK on Windows/Android and mostly Orange/Vodaphone/EE

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[beejay]

Hope I'm not going too far off topic but I have a Huawei locked to EE. Can anyone one advise me on best way to get it unlocked so I can get a Three SIM? We are new to motorhoming and using Mifi but found it easy to use. IMO think club site charges for WiFi are quite expensive.

 

[Minxy]

Hope I'm not going too far off topic but I have a Huawei locked to EE. Can anyone one advise me on best way to get it unlocked so I can get a Three SIM? We are new to motorhoming and using Mifi but found it easy to use. IMO think club site charges for WiFi are quite expensive.

There's some info on this webpage I did ages ago which should help you, if anything's not clear just ask:

http://melsweb.yolasite.com/

 

[Clarky]

Sorry, but I did say Smart phones (not iThings) I have no Euro experience either, so I'm really talking UK on Windows/Android and mostly Orange/Vodaphone/EE

Cheeky.
No problems tethering here at home. Different rules when outside of UK.

Richard.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[shawn&emma]

That is true if your contract/sim provider allows you to do it as many of them don't, but when you are abroad I don't think any phone companies allow you to do it at all.

Both our phones are with Vodafone and not checked their small print but we used our roaming data allowance to teather to our iPads/laptop traveling through from Portugal-UK in September and had no extra charges. Just had the normal texts to tell us when our allowance was nearly up. We've both got 500mb so around1GB which lasted just fine over the 3weeks.

Shawn

 

[Gizmouk]

You are absolutely correct that many say it's not allowed, however from the earliest days of smart phones I have tethered my laptop to one and only became aware later that some don't "allow" you to do that either. I strongly suspect that - other than the rate that you're using data, your supplier has no idea what you are doing on the other end

Yes they do

 

[sdc77]

We have a mifi with the netgear 4g aerial that @Minxy Girl referred to earlier with a 3 15 quid for 20 gig sim in it that we've paid monthly for for ages.
We also have an iboost. We use both. If we can get free wifi we may use the i boost .. if not we rely on the mifi ... c&cc sites are a good example of when the iboost is usefull.
Works well for us and we tend to use a lot of data.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[gus-lopez]

Yes. Many sites have wifi available free or for a small fee though. Or you could always learn how to hack into other peoples

All the places I tend to stop at in France & Spain I never have a signal for the Huawei E5330 mi-fi. Even home here when I go to Baza & stop at a petrol station about 40kms outside on a saturday night there is no signal for the mi-fi. Or the phone. Even the petrol station uses satellite internet for their systems.

Slightly off topic.......
We drive all over France in the most rural and wild places imaginable and always seem to get excellent mobile signals.
Here in Suffolk I have to go upstairs into my study if I want to make sure of an uninterrupted phone call via mobile.
Don't even mention BB speed.

Richard.

You're lucky .
In Suffolk/Norfolk I always just assume there's no signal.

 

[Gromett]

Its not as clear cut as that though Gromett and I don't think that your use of 7-10gb a weeks is typical of what most would need from mobile broadband, when at home we use it a lot but even then not 7gb a week unless hubby REALLY hits the downloads, however when away its probably not even 2gb a month!

We now have a '3' router at home with a 40gb a month contract (24 months) costing £20 with the benefit that we can take the unit away with us in the camper as it runs off 12v and use it, and the monthly contract, abroad (with the 12gb pcm limit etc) so aren't paying for something sitting at home whilst we're away for 7 weeks at a time, and now don't need to have something just for when we're away either ... I appreciate this won't suit everyone but for us it works.

The cost of the iBoost appears to be at least £159.99 and you are still reliant on being able to 'tap into' someone's unsecured wifi or a free wifi facility so by no means guaranteed to get you on line, and, to be perfectly honest, I don't like to use other people's internet which they are paying the bill for ... obviously different if it's meant to be freely accessible or for use on a campsite where you are paying for the connection (expensive though!).

I was giving an example of how it can be cost effective and worth the money. As a fulltimer that absolutely must have internet access I carry multiple methods of connecting. The iBoost is the most cost effective way for me. As more and more people go away for extended periods and use more and more data there will be more people who find the iBoost cost effective. It is not for everyone though in the same way as a PVC or RV are not suitable for everyone.

When I am travelling I look for CL's that have free wifi included and the iBoost does save me a fortune on 3G data costs. I have been tempted a time or two to get a 3G contract but some places don't have 3 available so I have to fall back on EE. I am not running both contracts side by side so I carry PAYG sims for multiple networks.

My preferred method of connecting is iBoost then 3G.

I have stocked up on your Three 24GB sims and these are great with the 24 month lifespan. But I prefer to save them for when I have no choice.

 

[Minxy]

I have stocked up on your Three 24GB sims and these are great with the 24 month lifespan. But I prefer to save them for when I have no choice.

You are unusual though Gromett being a full-timer but most people don't have your 'needs' ... anyway, if you stop going to those 'high data usage' dating and chat-up websites ... that'll reduce your data usage ...

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Gromett]

anyway, if you stop going to those 'high data usage' dating and chat-up websites ... that'll reduce your data usage

I wish I am a confirmed bachelor and those are the last sites I would be caught dead on

The vast majority of my data usage believe it or not is through a web browser searching for stuff, researching and testing software. Oh and Youtube.

 

[Minxy]

You are unusual though Gromett being a full-timer but most people don't have your 'needs' ... anyway, if you stop going to those 'high data usage' dating and chat-up websites ... that'll reduce your data usage ...

I wish I am a confirmed bachelor and those are the last sites I would be caught dead on

The vast majority of my data usage believe it or not is through a web browser searching for stuff, researching and testing software. Oh and Youtube.

I stand correctly ... internet dating and chat-up video websites ...

 

[clanjones]

We use both systems, ideally using Wi-fi hotspots first, if that doesn't work then a 3 data sim/mifi device.

I have no problem with I-boost they seem to offer a great service but you can, with a bit of research and the inclination, set it all up yourself for a lot less. A company called Solwise is a good place to start and they are very approachable.

You can if you want to set up your laptop as a router - that's the bit that re-broadcasts the incoming Wi-Fi signal to your local devices and 'boosts' it. I haven't investigated Windows but I am sure you can buy router software - if you use linux it is free and does work, I use it all the time when we are on the move via a netbook.

I plug in the USB omni-directional aerial in the Netbook USB port, hopefully find a FON or Campsite wi-fi hotspot to use and then set up the router on the Netbook which then re-broadcasts that signal, creating a 'hotspot' using the Netbooks own built in WiFi hardware. We then connect phones and tablets to that hotspot. Sounds complicated but it isn't really.

When I use any system to check bank accounts I use PureVPN which creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and the destination device(s) (the bank!) Loads of thread on the site about VPN software. I even use it at home all the time.

Finally if you are a BT subscriber you will have access to the FON network and unless you have opted out, some of your BT broadband bandwidth will be used to create the 'free' BT hotspots!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Deleted member 29692]

I had noticed the McDonald's one the other week but they seem to want me to give an email so I was wary and did not bother.
I think I will explore the cellular route a bit more. Better in my view to pay and have some control of things

Just make one up:

gfdgfdsgsdfh@fgdjgk.com

As long as it's in the correct format i.e. something @ something . something it will be accepted.

You don't have to confirm it or anything like that.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

We use an iBoost in the UK and find it works well unless we're in the middle of nowhere.

We haven't had much success with it outside of the UK but that's more to do with there being a lot less free/unsecured WiFi networks than there are here.

I've got a MiFi as well for when we're abroad but it's never even been switched on in the UK.

 

[Dafydd_Cymru]

Yes they do

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Dafydd_Cymru]

Ok this is the simple guide to having internet as long as you have a phone signal. Download pdanet http://pdanet.co/
You dont need a tether plan just a data plan. To make it simple download conectify as well to your laptop to make a hot spot (lots of none windows features.). You can now link anything to your laptop hotspot. The phone thinks the data flow is from the phone as all other connected laptops etc are masked. Simple, costs a few quid one of and you have wi fi.
I post this as a theoretical process only. lol but it works.

 

[friar tuck]

i am reading this thread with great interest. i have recently bought a cheap mifi gizmo that as yet i have not used.i also aquired a cheap 30gig 3 simcard.
i have 30gig hotspot usage on my mobile phone ,however in the past when using my phone in feel at home counties ie spain and france ,i can browse ebay for example but if i connect to you tube the connection grinds to a halt making video unwatchable.question does using a mifi also grind to a halt when trying to stream video or is just on the phone contract they appear to limit your use?

 

[paul rimmer]

thanks for this. will try my iboost again next year, i thought it was issues with signal strength on rural sites. Will check out MiFi aerials as well.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Deleted member 29692]

Ok this is the simple guide to having internet as long as you have a phone signal. Download pdanet http://pdanet.co/
You dont need a tether plan just a data plan. To make it simple download conectify as well to your laptop to make a hot spot (lots of none windows features.). You can now link anything to your laptop hotspot. The phone thinks the data flow is from the phone as all other connected laptops etc are masked. Simple, costs a few quid one of and you have wi fi.
I post this as a theoretical process only. lol but it works.

No you don't. You have mobile internet, 3G or if you're lucky 4G.

Not the same thing as WiFi at all. Not even close.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

i am reading this thread with great interest. i have recently bought a cheap mifi gizmo that as yet i have not used.i also aquired a cheap 30gig 3 simcard.
i have 30gig hotspot usage on my mobile phone ,however in the past when using my phone in feel at home counties ie spain and france ,i can browse ebay for example but if i connect to you tube the connection grinds to a halt making video unwatchable.question does using a mifi also grind to a halt when trying to stream video or is just on the phone contract they appear to limit your use?

They aren't restricting you or limiting you as such, it's to do with the way the mobile network operators prioritise the allocation of their bandwidth.

Their own customers are at the top of the queue followed by their domestic client networks with foreign roaming customers (you) getting whatever's left over.

UK networks work in exactly the same way.

 

[Pia]

We bought on of these for around £150 odd and have used it extremely successfully. It is, of course, a modem and we use 2 laptops, 2 tablets and 2 phones on ours and on the continent we pay one subscription at the campsite. It is excellent at picking up a signal 'in line of sight' and at a fair distance...so where there is a wifi zone providing it is in 'line of sight' we can get an excellent signal. MOH has an app which tells him where to place and point the bit that sticks to the window. We would not be without it....it's an excellent piece of kit

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Jasz]

Hope I'm not going too far off topic but I have a Huawei locked to EE. Can anyone one advise me on best way to get it unlocked so I can get a Three SIM? We are new to motorhoming and using Mifi but found it easy to use. IMO think club site charges for WiFi are quite expensive.

If you haven't already switched, we have a mifi with EE and so far have found that the coverage in this country is generally very good (and locally better than 3) getting 4G in most places we have stayed (as we can't get broadband at home without it, it works out cost effective too). The time you may want to be with 3 is if you go abroad - we bought a separate SIM when we went.

 

[Pia]

In our experience we found 3 was only good in towns or cities on European mainlaind....My OH has a 3 contract and could rarely access the net in rural areas in France and spain, where we spend most of our time...it was brilliant in urban areas.....my 02 worked everywhere but can be expensive at £2 for 24 hrs.

 

[Clarky]

In our experience we found 3 was only good in towns or cities on European mainlaind....My OH has a 3 contract and could rarely access the net in rural areas in France and spain, where we spend most of our time...it was brilliant in urban areas.....my 02 worked everywhere but can be expensive at £2 for 24 hrs.

That is not my experience.
With the 3 sim in my iPhone I have had good reception just about everywhere in France. We don't do cities or large towns and spend almost all our time in very rural areas, including high in the hills of the Auvergne.
The only place I can remember having a problem was when wilding in a valley in the Pyrenees, surrounded by mountains. I had to stand in the doorway with the door open and usually managed to download e-mails........just.
With our new mi-fi and window antenna we usually had better internet connection than at home on our last trip to Spain.

Richard.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}