Wifi hotspot for motorhome (iBoost?) (1 Viewer)

Jul 5, 2013
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I am looking at improving my ability to pick up wifi in my motorhome when touring in the UK and Europe. I have an Android Tablet and phone and my wife has an ipad and iphone. I need to get regular wifi because I run an email based helpline. I would like to try to pick up and use local wifi systems, preferably free (McDonalds, campsite bar, etc), but paying for them if need be occasionally. I like the idea of the iBoost system but have several questions.

I like the convenience of the omnidirectional system, but what are others experiences of using this aerial - is it powerful enough or does it struggle when compared with the directional aerial?

I want to sucker mount my aerial on the roof of the motorhome, which is easy for me via a convenient roof light. However all the photos I see show it mounted on the wall. Can the mounts be used on a horizontal surface and still hold the aerial vertically please?

I notice that Jim is selling a similar system (aerial and wifi transmitter) which appears to be a lot cheaper. With the i Boost I like the idea that it appears as one connection to the host wifi, which would enable us to only pay once for wifi but both be able to use the system. Does Jim's ones work in the same way or is it a simple repeater? How easy is Jim's to set up? I downloaded and read the instructions (from the manufacturer, Solwise) and became totally confused by them. Can Jim's aerial by mounted on the roof?

Thanks for any help you can give me.
 

ukbill

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this is what we have and its great so long as u have a usb port for the connection
i have used it all over the place but always beware if u have a site which has very strong wifi then dont use it or u will overpower the wifi and not be able to connect
 
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peterc10
Jul 5, 2013
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this is what we have and its great so long as u have a usb port for the connection
i have used it all over the place but always beware if u have a site which has very strong wifi then dont use it or u will overpower the wifi and not be able to connect

Thanks but unfortunately having tablets and phones means we cannot use USB direct. We would have to plug this into a wifi repeater, like the one that they advertise at the bottom of the page. And that would end up with a system that is similar to the one that Jim sells.

Can the aerial be mounted onto a horizontal surface?

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Sep 16, 2013
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A directional antenna will be much better.

If you have a directional and an omni, both the same power, the omni has to spread its search field over 360 degrees. The directional spreads it over say 30 degrees making it 12 times as powerful (and less likely to get interference).

When I was searching for a system I wanted the omni as well for convenience, but had to go for directional for reliability in the end.

Shouldn't be a problem sticking the mount to a roof, the sucker on mine can turn all over the place (although I've now taken the sucker off and pole mounted the antenna).

Can't comment on either of the systems you have asked about as I haven't used them. The iBoost gets great reviews though.

Edit - Ref the free WiFi, do you have BT Broadband at home? If so you can use the FON network all over Europe (I think) FOC.
 
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ukbill

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Thanks but unfortunately having tablets and phones means we cannot use USB direct. We would have to plug this into a wifi repeater, like the one that they advertise at the bottom of the page. And that would end up with a system that is similar to the one that Jim sells.

Can the aerial be mounted onto a horizontal surface?

yes large suction pads and holds great onto side of mh i use it on sites with wifi but if not i normally use my mifi
 
Feb 27, 2011
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I love my iBoost. best money I have spent in a while.

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peterc10
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yes large suction pads and holds great onto side of mh i use it on sites with wifi but if not i normally use my mifi


But I don't want it on the side - I want to put it on the roof. And the mount system shown on the photo you link to does not appear to lift the aerial high enough to get the base of it above the roof.
 
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peterc10
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Edit - Ref the free WiFi, do you have BT Broadband at home? If so you can use the FON network all over Europe (I think) FOC.
Yes I have heard about Fon, and it looks good. But no I don't have BT at home, and I am not planning to if their customer services can't even answer a few simple questions I have asked them!

You used to be able to buy the Fon router separately and attach it to your existing home router, and join their network. But I can't seem to find it in the UK any more. Has anybody got a link to where I can buy one please?

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Chris

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Another iboost fan here.

Being a BT customer has it's advantages if you are touring in the UK.
 

hilldweller

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I am not planning to if their customer services can't even answer a few simple questions I have asked them!

I am now fluent in Indian goodness gracious me English.

They are very polite but it's such hard work understanding them.

They've currently lost our phone number during the change from TalkTalk. We have a phone with a random number.

But their broadband is working OK.

I'm pretty sure folk on here say they can't find FON in mainland EU.

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freelanderuk

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I have the one Jim is selling , I have been using it with my van for a couple of years now ( I bought of eBay ) do a search on here for Alfa r36, mine works very well with the Ariel I use and connects to my tablet and the wife's laptop with no problem
 

Don Quixote

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Not long enough, but a little common sense helps..........
I have tried them all and now have the iBoost system and it is by far the best system. Buy it and you will not be disappointed.
 

Wildman

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Unfortunately they ask for your country. Choose the UK and everything they sell is "currently not available"!
aha but you enter Spain, hee hee. There is a post someplace to explain buying and setting it up.:thumb:

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peterc10
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aha but you enter Spain, hee hee. There is a post someplace to explain buying and setting it up.:thumb:
But it then asks for a Spanish post code, which I do not have, and will not move on until I fill it in. Do you have a link for the post please - I have tried searching this forum for Fon and got no results.
 

icantremember

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Thanks that answers one question!! Can the directional aerial be mounted on a roof please? Photo only show it on wall but the sucker arm appears to be long enough to stand the aerial above the mounting point.

No reason why not .... I have fixed vertically, a 150mm length of 40mm plastic waste pipe to the framework supporting my solar panel.

I then fix my wifi unit to a 400mm length of light alloy tube which just slides into the plastic tube and can be put into place via the Hekki rooflight, turning it to the direction required.

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mentaliss

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I am looking at improving my ability to pick up wifi in my motorhome when touring in the UK and Europe. I have an Android Tablet and phone and my wife has an ipad and iphone. I need to get regular wifi because I run an email based helpline. I would like to try to pick up and use local wifi systems, preferably free (McDonalds, campsite bar, etc), but paying for them if need be occasionally. I like the idea of the iBoost system but have several questions.

I like the convenience of the omnidirectional system, but what are others experiences of using this aerial - is it powerful enough or does it struggle when compared with the directional aerial?

I want to sucker mount my aerial on the roof of the motorhome, which is easy for me via a convenient roof light. However all the photos I see show it mounted on the wall. Can the mounts be used on a horizontal surface and still hold the aerial vertically please?

I notice that Jim is selling a similar system (aerial and wifi transmitter) which appears to be a lot cheaper. With the i Boost I like the idea that it appears as one connection to the host wifi, which would enable us to only pay once for wifi but both be able to use the system. Does Jim's ones work in the same way or is it a simple repeater? How easy is Jim's to set up? I downloaded and read the instructions (from the manufacturer, Solwise) and became totally confused by them. Can Jim's aerial by mounted on the roof?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

all I use with my laptop, two android phones is my MiFi don't need no aerials as such used it all down through Europe, Croatia, Italy works fine:roflmto::thumb:
 
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peterc10
Jul 5, 2013
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all I use with my laptop, two android phones is my MiFi don't need no aerials as such used it all down through Europe, Croatia, Italy works fine:roflmto::thumb:

Thanks. My phone can be used as a wifi hotspot too. The problem with that is the cost of the roaming in Europe or faffing about getting a country specific SIM card (and then not being able to take phone calls for my phone number). And I do not want or need to take my laptop - my Android Tablet is much easier and quicker to use and it has a removable keyboard for when I have lots of typing to do.
 

Chris

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Thanks that answers one question!! Can the directional aerial be mounted on a roof please? Photo only show it on wall but the sucker arm appears to be long enough to stand the aerial above the mounting point.

Yes you can put it on the roof. We do it all the time.

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TweetiePie

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No reason why not .... I have fixed vertically, a 150mm length of 40mm plastic waste pipe to the framework supporting my solar panel.

I then fix my wifi unit to a 400mm length of light alloy tube which just slides into the plastic tube and can be put into place via the Hekki rooflight, turning it to the direction required.

Yes, but what do you do with your waste water going all over the floor Brian???
 
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peterc10
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Thanks for all the really helpful answers so far. It is looking like iBoost directional for me. However before I finally decide I just want to find out about another possible alternative.

Does anybody use the system that Jim sells in his shop, and especially the wifi repeater made by Solwise. If so what is it like and how easy is it to set up each time you arrive on site please? Does it isolate the connected devices from the main wifi it is connected to, so that they all look like just one device (which is what the iBoost does)?
 

Addie

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Regarding the directional iBoost system - the bracket on the directional system will facilitate it being suction mounted to a roof if you wish. You just need to remove the thumb screw and reverse it. In terms of performance the directional system will always be the better of the two - although the Omni iBoost isn't far off, it can be frustrating when you are just out of range and unable to adjust anything your end to improve your signal as the Omni has equal receive sensitivity in 360 degrees.

It also has a pole mount molded to the back, so any pole like an awning leg, cycle rack etc. We also have a pole : Link Removed).

Regarding the FON - it is available in the UK, but they are just out of stock at present:
https://shop.fon.com/en/product/fonera-1

Same for Spain for example:
https://shop.fon.com/es/product/fonera-1

Thanks. My phone can be used as a wifi hotspot too. The problem with that is the cost of the roaming in Europe or faffing about getting a country specific SIM card (and then not being able to take phone calls for my phone number). And I do not want or need to take my laptop - my Android Tablet is much easier and quicker to use and it has a removable keyboard for when I have lots of typing to do.

We can offer a possible solution for both calls and 3G data.

80% of our customers are now also purchasing a Toggle voice SIM card for phone calls. Free incoming calls in Western Europe and calls on a UK number and calls back to the UK from 3p per minute to both landlines and mobiles. These are just £5.

As for data we can offer a data SIM card which works anywhere in Europe £2.50/day for 500Mb data (after which speeds slow to 32Kbps). This is a great backup when WiFi is not available.

http://www.motorhomewifi.com/catalog/3g/

Hope this is of use.

Adam
www.motorhomewifi.com

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Techno

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I just rely on my Iphone now and its hotspot.
Data roaming abroad with Orange is only £3 for 100mb for each day that you log on. If you dont log on you pay nothing, if you exceed 100mb it simply charges you £3 for a further 100mb this can be done up to 10 times in each 24hrs so no scary bills.
In my experience 100mb is plenty for a day.
I too have a fonera and as Addie said its only a stock issue, just leave your email address

CA_07281314300020-L.jpg

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