Internet in the camper (1 Viewer)

bullrush

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I expect this has been asked a thousand times but what is the best way to get the internet on a laptop while touring in France and Spain . I can get it on my phone for £3 a day but over a 6 week trip its a bit pricey. Being a compleat dinosaur on computers please dont make it to technical.
 

steveclecy

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Others will be along to give you a more informed answer, but the common theme on previous threads is there is no easy or cheap way to connect to 3G services on the continent.

Wifi seems to be the way to go to keep online - an excuse to visit MacDonalds but there are other places. Quite a number of campsites offer free Wifi to campers.

Steve
 

mikebeaches

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If you plan to stay at campsites, most have wi-fi in the bar or around reception. However, if you have a wi-fi booster - from about £20 upwards - you should be ok to get on the net in your van. We are now at our 10th site in France on a 3-week trip and managed to be online at every one - generally strong fast connections and no charges at any of them. :thumb:

Mike

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camper

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bandwidth

What speeds do you get?
I've only tried on the caravan club site in Coniston and it was so slow it was unusable.
 
May 12, 2011
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Not long been back, no problems getting wifi at all in France. A couple of sites offered free wifi in the bar area, so I had to go for a beer to use it.....

Only site that charged was in the Loire, 2 hours for 3 euros, but the time was cumulative, so you logged on and off each session. They did a 10 hour option, but 2 hours was more than enough for me.

Lots of bars and cafes were offering free wifi, also a couple of Super U supermarkets in the Vendee had free wifi - just look for the signs.

Speeds were all good for browsing and email, don't know about video or music downloads.
 

ChrisF

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3G USB or tether your phone - wifi is he way to go

In the absence of wifi then 3G might be worth looking at if you are in the wild. With O2 the present offering of 25MB per day for £1.99 doesn't seem unreasonable. With some phones it is possible to share the 3G connection via USB, WiFi or Bluetooth.

Many campings have inclusive (it's not free because you're paying for it somewhere) WiFi as does the one I'm on now in Crete. If you're too far fom the transmitter you can either move your device nearer to it or get a WiFi extender from your local, friendly IT supplier.


You could also get a directional antenna but this would only be worth the effort if you are remaining in a location for a while as it can be fiddly to set up.

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Addie

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Oct 15, 2011
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You have a number of options getting internet abroad:

1.) Using your existing phone / SIM. This can work out expensive with O2 offering 25MB/day for £1.99, Vodafone offering use of your UK tariff for £3 and Three wanting £5 a day for when you connect.
http://www.europebycamper.com/2012/06/big-changes-to-eu-roaming-data-tariffs.html

2.) Using a roaming SIM - Europa SIM is a good option, offering 100Mb for £1.60 (2 euro) on the days which it is used. £29.99 for the SIM either from Europa SIM or from Motorhome WiFi or £59.99 for the SIM with an unlocked 4G dongle.

3.) Local SIM cards. Can often be difficult to work out the best deal (especially in France) but Spain and Portugal can be easier. Best option is to look for a brit with one and ask!

4.) WiFi. Peoples experiences of obtaining WiFi, especially in France, differ greatly but certainly some sort of WiFi booster will greatly increase your chances of finding a suitable connection. Directional - better range, but a little more time to setup. Omni directional, slightly less range but "plug and play" to setup.

There is of course Satellite but in our experience of internet while away this is a costly and largely unnecessary option.
 

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