Wifi in France (1 Viewer)

[Nethernut]

We're intending to wander around in France for a few months next year. Thinking of buying a wii booster to use with our iPads BUT I am sure I read somewhere that they don't really work in France because of a lack of free wifi points. Anyone used a booster successfully in France? We will be using aires rather than sites.

 

[Bowman]

We were in France for September this year, very few free wifi places. We used my Kindle for free internet everywhere.

 

[scotjimland]

You won't find many aires with a free wifi .... best places to find are at McDonalds, local libraries, and some cafe's / bars ..

We used to walk into town with an iPod touch and look for them ... could do the same with the tablet..

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[MikeandCarolyn]

We're intending to wander around in France for a few months next year. Thinking of buying a wii booster to use with our iPads BUT I am sure I read somewhere that they don't really work in France because of a lack of free wifi points. Anyone used a booster successfully in France? We will be using aires rather than sites.

You won't find many unsecured sites anywhere these days-but,what the booster does is allow you to get,for example,wi-fi in van in a McDonalds car park-ok,you may have to go into McDonalds to find out the key-it's often posted just inside door or you ask at the counter.
A lot of campsites have wi-fi in a room near reception-a booster will enable you to get than on your pitch.

Mike

 

[pepper386]

Hi we have so far only found one Aire's with wi fi not strong enough for skype but other wise OK, we only been over her since thursday

Tony

 

[Wildman]

we used a "Rocket" wifi antenna this year and it increased the range no end they really do work, but you need to find open wifi in the first place.

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[tonka]

You mention ipad..
You may or may not be aware that you cannot plug in a wifi extender, to do this with an ipad you also need a router and a special one at that so you can access it for set up via wifi off the ipad.
I have a wifi extender but up to now always took my laptop with me so i could plug it in via USB. Have just aquired the new router and have only tested it at home so far, not been on the road with it yet.

These are 2 companies ( that I know) now selling kits that will work with the ipad.
www.motorhomewifi.co.uk. and.
Link Removed

As for reception, as mentioned above, not many free hotspots but Mcdonalds, motorway cafe's etc have free access... The extender will allow you to sit in the van nearby.

 

[sedge]

Tip - quite a number of aires on marinas (and a LOT of rivers have aires on marinas!) have free wifi. And there are a LOT of rivers in France! 'All the Aires' normally tells you if they have it. If you are using an old copy of the book, then it's just even more of a voyage of discovery! LOL

Sometimes it's just there and free access NP, other times you may have to go into the Captainerie to get the access code.

 

[Nethernut]

I am aware thanks, it is the motorhomewifi kit we are considering. Just not sure that it is worth the price and maybe a local sim would be better. Touring Germany last year we used a german bought sim and had no problem with reception at all. Just thought that wifi is better as we can then skype the family.

You mention ipad..
You may or may not be aware that you cannot plug in a wifi extender, to do this with an ipad you also need a router and a special one at that so you can access it for set up via wifi off the ipad.
I have a wifi extender but up to now always took my laptop with me so i could plug it in via USB. Have just aquired the new router and have only tested it at home so far, not been on the road with it yet.

These are 2 companies ( that I know) now selling kits that will work with the ipad.
www.motorhomewifi.co.uk. and.
Link Removed

As for reception, as mentioned above, not many free hotspots but Mcdonalds, motorway cafe's etc have free access... The extender will allow you to sit in the van nearby.

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

 

[Curtisden]

France and free wifi

I had a i pad with me last year in france and free wifi was available. You just had to think about it first.
Tourist information offices all carry wifi now but some require that you ask for the key.
We use these to send and collect e mail and book ferry crossing home. When you need a little time to complete the log on in peace.
Then McD. Here go in to the car park or close by and try. But better when the place is empty as the band width gets clogged at busy times. We find early AM best with a coffee on the tables outside.
Then a walk round the streets of any small town will find a bar with either a free (Rare) or a keyed log on for the prices of a beer. Only problem is you ask to b mugged clutching a i pad glowing in the dark down some back lane following a source.

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/images/smilies/thmbdn.gif

I have in the past taken a mini laptop and the same problems apply so for us the I pad hits most stops.
I this country we use the i Pads 3 g from Orange. sorry EE (What a silly sign.)
Then if no free wifi is available the cost is less that a few pounds for wifi anywhere there is a telephone signal. Not tried this yet in france with a local card yet but each time i look it seems very expensive.
Peter

 

[Heyupluv]

We're intending to wander around in France for a few months next year. Thinking of buying a wii booster to use with our iPads BUT I am sure I read somewhere that they don't really work in France because of a lack of free wifi points. Anyone used a booster successfully in France? We will be using aires rather than sites.

Hi Nethernut....I would agree with all the other funster's...wifi hotspotting free unsecured sites are few and far between ....although there are some... Libraries, Mc donalds and others do have free wifi.... some supermarkets are coming onboard...for them unless you are inside a booster is a advatage to sit in you own van... some of the camsites require you to go to a communal room to pick up a strong enough signal ....also some tabac's ...so the booster is a good tool to have for if and when needed...
I have a Orange pay-as-you-go....and a SFR.. payg dongle....I prefer the SFR....but I still have a wifi booster from "Motorhome wifi" who is a funster....
France is not the best of places to get wifi...and it is very expensive compared to the Uk...
But here is a bit info i put on MHF a few weeks ago.

(Quote ..."We have a Orange dongle and a SFR dongle...both pay as you go...if it was or me..I would say go to the SFR shop...and buy a SFR dongle to set your computer up ...they said you did not need to be a resident..for around 29 euros this gives you a dongle a sim and 3 days unlimited..then top after that at sfr shop..or on line. ...while your sim is running you can tap into any free SFR hotspots......while we was on a orange monthly contract( a waste of money so terminated the contract after 3y).we found no free orange hots spots...BUT we found loads of SFR we could not use as you needed a code..

we use both these sims on a unlocked 3g "3" network mifi I have ulocked...and both seem to work on it after the computer had been set up with the dongle....without the dongle set up I don't know if it would work unless you know a lot about wifi mifi dongles set up to networks...


"This is a bit of information if you intend to purchase a dongle and sim for France...
Top up prices are below...(prices and deals may change from the date I entered this information)
We feel the SFR seems the better deal....to purchase the SFR Dongle/cle/key + sim the cost was 29.90 euros and this gave you three days unlimited data, and then you needed to top up.

To top up the SFR data sim there was three options
option 1 for 1 day you get 100mo (100mb) the cost is 3 euros (around £2.45 )
0ption 2 for 7 days you get 500mo (500mb) the cost is 9 euros (£7.35)
Option 3 for 30 days you get 2000 mo (2gb) the cost is 30 euros (£24.49)

Also while your Pay as you go sim card is active/with credit... it will connect to a SFR free hot spots automatically

The Orange dongle we already had (left over from our monthly contract) we just purchased the sim.....so I am not sure what the cost is for the dongle.

The top up for the orange pay as you go is.
option 1 for 7 days you get 75mo for 5 euro (£4.10)
option 2 for 15 days you get 150mo the cost is 10 euros (£8.20)
option 3 for 1 month you get 225mo the cost is 15 euros (£12 30)
option 4 for 2 months you get 450mo the cost is 25 euros (£20,50) with 5 euros credit
option 5 for 3 months you get 675mo the cost is 35 euros (£28.70) with 10 euros credit
option 6 for 4 months you get 975mo the cost is 50 euros (£41.00) with 15 euros credit
option 7 for 4 months you get 1.5go (1.5 gb) for 75 euros (£61.00) with 25 euros credit
option 8 for 5 months you get 2.25go (2.25gb) for 100 euros (£82.00)with 50 euros credit

Also while your Pay as you go sim card is active/with credit... it will connect to a Orange free hot spots automatically.

While we where out and about touring, and using the Orange monthly contract...it was very very rare did we find an Orange hot spot and when we did the Orange dongle would not connect as the signal was to weak. So was never ever was able to use the orange free connection

But we could find SFR hotspots everywhere,Mmmm....

We will now use the SFR most of the time, We will most likely purchase the 9 euro top up for 7 days,
This gives me 500mb every 7 days ... buy ...3 or 4....9 euro top ups at a time... and use them if and when needed, as opposed to the 30 days 2gb deal option….once started you have to use it


At the exchange rate of 1.22 euros to the £1 sterling......also Mo in France are Mb in the UK... and Go are Gb" )

Mel