Help wanted with Huawei 5372 (1 Viewer)

[Riverbankannie]

Well if you have one and don't need to power it I won't ignore, I am sure you must be correct. I wonder if it takes power from the Mifi unit?
@Minxy Girl do you know?

 

[Minxy]

Some aerials do have built in powered boosters I believe whereas others are just as DBK has said and are 'bits of wire' (a bit more technical than that but it explains it well!). Some will probably work on batteries and others may have an external power source but I'm not aware of any that would take the power from the MIFI unit itself.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Thanks for info

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[tonyidle]

A mifi transmits and receives. 10W is the maximum RF power that the antenna can accept from the mifi transmitter (which will actually output less than 5W anyway).

 

[DBK]

A mifi transmits and receives. 10W is the maximum RF power that the antenna can accept from the mifi transmitter (which will actually output less than 5W anyway).

Thanks, I suddenly thought I was losing my marbles!

 

[Bart]

I use an antenna almost all the time with mine. There is one site we go to in Cornwall where you can only get a usable signal with one.

Hi DBK What Antena do you use

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[DBK]

Hi DBK What Antena do you use

I can't find the one I use at the moment but it looks exactly like this one, though it isn't a NETGEAR one and it only cost £25.

http://www.netstoredirect.com/netge...2WA1XHsE9DQDRqRRLdqPnJB9A8d_-Ca4MEaAjlx8P8HAQ

 

[Riverbankannie]

@DBK Have found the Netgear one for £30 on Amazon.
I think I need to return to an earlier question of mine about connecting the Huawei to an existing wifi network. I can see how I would not need to do it at home but if I was on a campsite with wifi that had a poor signal to the pitch, could I use the Huawei with the antenna to pick up a better signal. That is, not use any of my 3 data. Do I have to use the app to make the Mifi device pick up the wifi signal instead of 3/4 G?

 

[DBK]

@DBK Have found the Netgear one for £30 on Amazon.
I think I need to return to an earlier question of mine about connecting the Huawei to an existing wifi network. I can see how I would not need to do it at home but if I was on a campsite with wifi that had a poor signal to the pitch, could I use the Huawei with the antenna to pick up a better signal. That is, not use any of my 3 data. Do I have to use the app to make the Mifi device pick up the wifi signal instead of 3/4 G?

To answer your last question first, yes, you can select wifi in the app. I forget how exactly but that's how to do it. However, it doesn't act as a booster and as far as I am aware it doesn't use the external antenna, that's for broadband only, but its own internal wifi antenna. I've tried doing this a few times and could never get a better wifi signal by going through the mifi. To pick up a wifi signal from a distance there is only one way - to use a booster.

But by all means give it a try. If you have a home network, walk outside and see how your phone can pick it up then try doing it through the mifi - I don't expect you will see any difference but who knows? You could of course try using it as a repeater - put the mifi on a window ledge where it can pick up the home wifi then sit outside and try and log into the mifi.

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[Riverbankannie]

Now I'm lost again! There is a difference between wifi signals and broadband signals ? And the antenna is just to boost (get a better signal) for broadband (and by broadband you mean 3G and/or 4 G).
I do understand about repeaters. I have set one up at home to extend the home wifi out to shed so hubby can watch SKY on his iPad.

 

[DBK]

Now I'm lost again! There is a difference between wifi signals and broadband signals ? And the antenna is just to boost (get a better signal) for broadband (and by broadband you mean 3G and/or 4 G).
I do understand about repeaters. I have set one up at home to extend the home wifi out to shed so hubby can watch SKY on his iPad.

By broadband I meant the mobile phone signal (3g/4g etc), sorry for any confusion caused by introducing another term.

At the risk of causing more confusion there isn't any fundamental difference between wifi and broadband (phone) signals except the phone signals run at a much higher frequency, typically one or two thousand megahertz compared to a typical wifi signal of around two megahertz.

But this frequency difference is why one aerial can't do a good job for both. It needs to be designed for one or the other.

 

[GJH]

Now I'm lost again! There is a difference between wifi signals and broadband signals ? And the antenna is just to boost (get a better signal) for broadband (and by broadband you mean 3G and/or 4 G).
I do understand about repeaters. I have set one up at home to extend the home wifi out to shed so hubby can watch SKY on his iPad.

DBK posted whilst I was typing but I'll post this anyway to add to his post.

To put it simply, broadband means fast Internet as opposed to old, slow, dial up access. Broadband service can be via a landline/cable or mobile phone network.
A MiFi device connects to a mobile network and a fixed (wired) modem/hub to the landline/cable.
WiFi is the signal emitted by MiFi or modem/hub and is what devices like laptops and tablets connect to.

Antennae boost the capability of devices to pick up a strong signal - MiFi a mobile phone signal and laptops/tablets a WiFi signal.

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[Bart]

By broadband I meant the mobile phone signal (3g/4g etc), sorry for any confusion caused by introducing another term.

At the risk of causing more confusion there isn't any fundamental difference between wifi and broadband (phone) signals except the phone signals run at a much higher frequency, typically one or two thousand megahertz compared to a typical wifi signal of around two megahertz.

But this frequency difference is why one aerial can't do a good job for both. It needs to be designed for one or the other.

Thanks DBK this answers my question about needing 1 or 2 aerials... , i would say for me if would prob be more important to have a decent wifi aerial , as most of the time i can get a phone signal in the UK,, mind you ive no idea what its like in Europe , is that a totally different kettle of fish ?? is the phone 3g/4g signal there rubbish ?

 

[DBK]

Thanks DBK this answers my question about needing 1 or 2 aerials... , i would say for me if would prob be more important to have a decent wifi aerial , as most of the time i can get a phone signal in the UK,, mind you ive no idea what its like in Europe , is that a totally different kettle of fish ?? is the phone 3g/4g signal there rubbish ?

I'm not aware of any specific wifi aerial for a MiFi, they use their own internal ones, or at least all the ones I know of do.

For boosting wifi there is only one way I know and that is to buy a wifi booster. I made my own but it still cost over £100 though if you use a laptop with an ethernet connection you could do something for about £45. Alternatively, again for laptops, you can get a USB aerial, something like this. http://www.yachtingsoftware.com/usb...YBddyhJk0vYJW5eadhKimPkzDh65KNttRwaApbG8P8HAQ
A lot cheaper but the gain isn't brilliant with that particular model. Others may be better.

Phone coverage in Europe is generally excellent in my experience. It may not be fast with say a Three sim but you should be able to connect almost anywhere.

 

[Riverbankannie]

I didn't realise about the different frequencies...
Thanks @DBK and @GJH. Things becoming clearer now.
Glad to be of service to @Bart as well.

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[Margaritaman]

Can you see anything on the screen which shows what address it is using? I've just had a quick look at the 5372 instruction manual and it says if something else on the network is already using 192.168.8.1 it will find another address - but this should be visible on the LCD screen.

My E5573 from THREE is on 192.168.1.1 too Thanks

 

[Clarky]

Thanks DBK this answers my question about needing 1 or 2 aerials... , i would say for me if would prob be more important to have a decent wifi aerial , as most of the time i can get a phone signal in the UK,, mind you ive no idea what its like in Europe , is that a totally different kettle of fish ?? is the phone 3g/4g signal there rubbish ?

Mobile 3g/4g is rubbish over most of rural Britain (certainly here in Suffolk).
Just been all around France and had excellent 3g reception everywhere, even high in the Pyrenees and the wild hills of the Central Massif.

Richard.

 

[Bart]

My E5573 from THREE is on 192.168.1.1 too Thanks

Yip same here

Mobile 3g/4g is rubbish over most of rural Britain (certainly here in Suffolk).
Just been all around France and had excellent 3g reception everywhere, even high in the Pyrenees and the wild hills of the Central Massif.

Richard.

Thanks , good to know

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