Fon (1 Viewer)

[irnbru]

So now that Ive ordered an iboost I have started reading a little about this thing called Fon. Heres some Qs

Im getting rid of my landline so cant share a landline connection.
I think I can see a few options here.

1. I would have to pay non member access fees
2. I could buy the router and plug it into mums landline
3. I have a mifi with 3gb so probably wouldnt use it that much so what if I borrowed a friends details on the odd occasion I wanted to log in?

Im just an internet surfer really but is there limits on data you are allowed to use?

I want to know as much about this product now as possible before buying it.

 

[davidbaldam]

Sandra, I think the best is to connect it to your Mums landline not sure if there is a limit on data as I only use mine when on the move and then just for a few minutes at a time. Hope this helps and the cost is only a few pounds .

 

[irnbru]

Thanks David. another Q can you pick up malware, viruses etc through using other folks connections. I dont have anything installed on my tablet at the moment as I THINK TalkTalk deal with keeping my network secure at the moment.

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[andy63]

Another for jeans landlines.
Option one is way too expensive.
Don't think you can use mobile wifi data allowance for fon but others might know better.
Andy.

 

[davidbaldam]

Thanks David. another Q can you pick up malware, viruses etc through using other folks connections. I dont have anything installed on my tablet at the moment as I THINK TalkTalk deal with keeping my network secure at the moment.

Your tablet should keep all the pesties at bay, that what I use as well and "touch wood" have been alright so far. Having said all that I've found the network in France to be a bit patchy but I still think fon is worth a punt at that price and the iBoost is a great bit of kit and works great in this country allowing you to connect more than one device at a time, so worth it for that alone.

 

[chaser]

I thought the idea of this I boost thing was that you could piggy back any wifi that's out there without subscribing to anything, definitely wouldn't subscribe to fon, although others on here say they connect to it ok , I have only found one fon spot in three years of searching.

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[irnbru]

I believe the iboost lets you connect to free wifi but for Fon you need a username and password. Just been trying to learn about it today.

 

[Lenny HB]

As long as your Fon router is connected to the internet via a router in your case your mums you should be able to access Fon connections.
Although in practice there is no data limit when connected via someone's Fon router they have priority over bandwidth, so if they are streaming you will get a very slow connection.
The Fon is firewalled from their network so it is safe for both parties.
Used our Fon access mostly in France. During the last year it I have found it times out after about an hour and you have to log in again, always at the most inconvenient moment.
Had a couple of fast Fon connections, but generally it can be quite slow, wouldn't want to use it for every day use.
Fon is much more available in the UK walk down any road and you will pick up loads of connects.
No subscription needed just a one purchase of a Fon router about €30.

 

[irnbru]

So where do I buy this Fon and what happens to mums existing router? Technology moves so fast and strangely enough Ive not moved with it .

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[Allanm]

The Fon router plugs into your ( or your Mums) router, you shouldnt pick up any malware etc, as long as your anti virus ( and I assume you use TalkTalks built in one) is up to date.
You are then free to use internet access provided by Fon, here and abroad. Access isn't available everywhere, but with an iBoost, you should pick up signals from a few Kms away, if the conditions are right.
Paying for non member access is expensive, and using someone else's details is ok-ish ( but something I would never do) so, buy the Fon router, it's pretty cheap, and you are helping to grow a fantastic service and you have free access with no guilty feelings.
I have to log into Fon every hour or so, but you can save your log in info or use the Fon app, that way, it logs back in automatically when you need to.

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[chaser]

As long as your Fon router is connected to the internet via a router in your case your mums you should be able to access Fon connections.
Although in practice there is no data limit when connected via someone's Fon router they have priority over bandwidth, so if they are streaming you will get a very slow connection.
The Fon is firewalled from their network so it is safe for both parties.
Used our Fon access mostly in France. During the last year it I have found it times out after about an hour and you have to log in again, always at the most inconvenient moment.
Had a couple of fast Fon connections, but generally it can be quite slow, wouldn't want to use it for every day use.
Fon is much more available in the UK walk down any road and you will pick up loads of connects.
No subscription needed just a one purchase of a Fon router about €30.

Don't think that is strictly true, if you have a fon router , maybe, but the fon connects you get here are mostly through bt and you have to be subscribing to them.

 

[Lenny HB]

I thought the idea of this I boost thing was that you could piggy back any wifi that's out there without subscribing to anything, definitely wouldn't subscribe to fon, although others on here say they connect to it ok , I have only found one fon spot in three years of searching.

Not trying hard enough, every where in the UK hard to find a road without a Fon, bit more difficult in France but there are plenty, even found some in Greece. Came unstuck in Belgium plenty of Fon connections but on the providers log in page could find a way of logging in unless you were a sucriber to there network.

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[Lenny HB]

Don't think that is strictly true, if you have a fon router , maybe, but the fon connects you get here are mostly through bt and you have to be subscribing to them.

Fon is an independent Spanish company BT are only there partner in the UK. I have a Fon router I don't have anything with BT and have no problems logging on to Fon connections.

 

[Chockswahay]

Eh? We have recently taken BT Broadband and FON is inclusive and free of charge

 

[irnbru]

Yes BT is part of Fon , that's why its free for you @chockswahay

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[Lenny HB]

Eh? We have recently taken BT Broadband and FON is inclusive and free of charge

But if you are not on BT you can just buy a Fon router and use your normal internet connection for us works out cheaper than BT prices.

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[andy63]

So where do I buy this Fon and what happens to mums existing router? Technology moves so fast and strangely enough Ive not moved with it .

There is a link on mhw site to the fon site where you can purchase the fonera..takes a few days to arrive from Spain I think.. comes with simple instructions on how to set things up... Once set up you can connect to any fon hotpot using any wifi device like your phone or the I boost..
I just don't see the sense in not having that option if you get an I boost.
Andy

 

[Lenny HB]

Yes BT is part of Fon , that's why its free for you @chockswahay

BT is not part of Fon they are just their UK partner like SFR are in France. Fon is a Spanish company.

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[chaser]

We have bt and when you log into wifi at home there is always a fon connection in the list, you can connect to it but it just sits there and does nothing, you can't use it, admitted it does work out and about in uk, but not on your own router don't know why , anyone I've asked about it gets the same.
It's an absolute pain at times if something that connects automatically somehow connects to the fon connection as what ever you are useing says it's connected but won't do anything, till you realise, " oh no it's that bloody fon again"

 

[Lenny HB]

We have bt and when you log into wifi at home there is always a fon connection in the list, you can connect to it but it just sits there and does nothing, you can't use it, admitted it does work out and about in uk, but not on your own router don't know why , anyone I've asked about it gets the same.
It's an absolute pain at times if something that connects automatically somehow connects to the fon connection as what ever you are useing says it's connected but won't do anything, till you realise, " oh no it's that bloody fon again"

Delete it from your network connections then it shouldn't connect without asking.
Doesn't happen with a separate Fon router I can connect to mine.

 

[funflair]

We have bt and when you log into wifi at home there is always a fon connection in the list, you can connect to it but it just sits there and does nothing, you can't use it, admitted it does work out and about in uk, but not on your own router don't know why , anyone I've asked about it gets the same.
It's an absolute pain at times if something that connects automatically somehow connects to the fon connection as what ever you are useing says it's connected but won't do anything, till you realise, " oh no it's that bloody fon again"

This prompted me to check my own Fon and indeed it would not let me on "Error 403" I logged into my Fon account and found my own Fon was "offline" so unplugged and plugged back in and now I am up and running online and using my own connection on the iPad.

Martin

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[andy63]

When I connected my fonera I got a few wifi connections..
One called my place which is a connection using the fonera..and is secure requiring a password.

There is also a font free connection with I assume is for other fon subscribers to use with their log in details.

Then there is my own router. .

I have found that devices switch between the my place connection and my own router...why I don't know.
Andy.

 

[irnbru]

BT is not part of Fon they are just their UK partner like SFR are in France. Fon is a Spanish company.

Ok sorry. Been trying to absorb too much in 2 days

 

[Chockswahay]

I learnt something new today. As it happens we needed superfast broadband and BT were the cheapest by miles (on this occasion) but since having it I have used FON in many other places on my phone and tablet.

FON is a good concept and well worth having so if you do not have BT then it sounds like a good deal from Fonera

For @chaser it sounds like your 'puter is the issue, try as @lennyhb suggested

@irnbru get the FON device............. it will be money well spent

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[Chockswahay]

Strangely enough, looking at the FON website, Spain is one of the least covered area's in Western Europe

 

[Lenny HB]

So where do I buy this Fon and what happens to mums existing router? Technology moves so fast and strangely enough Ive not moved with it .

Go to theBroken Link Removed and follow "join now", as for your mums router it just plugs into a LAN port the same way you would plug a network cable from a computer in. Mum's router needs to be on and connected to the internet for it to work.

 

[deanroofing]

Download the Fon app shows you all the Fon spots around you, good little tool.

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[DJA]

I agree Chockswahay. It has always puzzled me that Fon who are based in Madrid do not seem to have the best of coverage in their own country.

We are with BT and so can use the Fon facility wherever available. We used it in France last month very successfully on the one occasion we could not get a signal with our 3 mifi. We have also used it within the UK when on a C and CC rally using an Iboost unit aimed at a block of flats about 300 yards away.

As has been said when you log into a router offering a Fon facility you are able to use a part of the download/upload they have available to them but are seperated from them by a firewall. . You are therefore reliant on the speed of their Broadband and your own units software for security.

Should we leave BT we would purchase a Fon unit which you just plug into your router. It is a condition that if you have a Fon unit that it should be connected and live whenever you wish to login to a Fon unit wherever you are.

Doug

 

[chaser]

I learnt something new today. As it happens we needed superfast broadband and BT were the cheapest by miles (on this occasion) but since having it I have used FON in many other places on my phone and tablet.

FON is a good concept and well worth having so if you do not have BT then it sounds like a good deal from Fonera

For @chaser it sounds like your 'puter is the issue, try as @lennyhb suggested

@irnbru get the FON device............. it will be money well spent

As a matter of interest Have you tried the btfon connection at home, we have iPad , phones , tele, laptop all connect to wifi, but if they happen to connect to the btfon, they always say connected with full bars but just won't do anything, this is not just us anyone I know gets the same thing, but if you move away from home signal it works , as in , my daughter has it a mile away she can't connect to her own but can connect to mine when she comes here, and I can do the same at hers

 

[chaser]

Fon is the bane of my life, I just can't believe what has happened, thought I would try it again, and lo and behold for the first time in I don't know how many years the bloody thing has connected on my iPad and is working.

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