WIFI? (1 Viewer)

Mar 21, 2010
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We have a IPad .

Been a real dummy regarding wifi, we need a little help.

While abroad we rarely need to catch up with our emails etc, but when we do we go into Mc's. Their tea is not to bad!! I often see lots of bits and bobs advertised so that you can pick up wifi in all sorts of areas. What do you use ? I don,t want to spend a fortune, these things may make it easy for us to pick up wifi. Our phones are very basic so can't use these in conjunction with our iPad.

Colyboy
.
 
Jul 29, 2013
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We have an iPad with Cellular and wifi so you can insert a data sim card but have also got a Huwea which will work as well.has worked throughout France,Spain & Portugal

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D

Deleted member 29692

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There are two routes you can take. Or even both if you want to (we do)

1. WiFi. Proper WiFi is wireless internet from a fixed installation, like McDs or what you have at home. You connect to a router.

The solution for improving your chances of finding a signal and connecting to it is to use a WiFi antenna and booster. MotorhomeWiFi sell some very popular set ups. http://www.motorhomewifi.com/catalog/iboost-wifi-system/ We have one and it works very well in the UK but we've had less success in Europe.

(Yes I know there are other, cheaper, options available. Not having that argument again)


2. MiFi. This is a device with a SIM card in it, much like your phone, that accesses mobile networks and provides mobile internet that way. Even though your iPad or phone will connect to it via WiFi it doesn't provide genuine wireless broadband. It won't be any faster than internet on your phone - 3G or if you're lucky 4G. Fine for basic browsing and email. Not a good idea for streaming video or TV unless you have a huge data allowance. We've had far more success in Europe with the MiFi. There are loads of options for buying these but I had the MotorhomeWiFi site open anyway so here's some options from them: http://www.motorhomewifi.com/catalog/3g/

@Minxy Girl is usually pretty up to date on data SIM deals for MiFi devices.
 
OP
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colyboy
Mar 21, 2010
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Thanks everybody I am still confused! My Ipad has no Sim slot. I want (if I am lucky) to be able to use my Ipad and pick up wifi where ever I go in Eutrope within reason. Is there anything I can do with the Ipad? Or should I use my Laptop which has a Sim slot and if so how?
Mr Dummy
colyboy
 
D

Deleted member 29692

Deleted User
Thanks everybody I am still confused! My Ipad has no Sim slot. I want (if I am lucky) to be able to use my Ipad and pick up wifi where ever I go in Eutrope within reason. Is there anything I can do with the Ipad? Or should I use my Laptop which has a Sim slot and if so how?
Mr Dummy
colyboy

In Europe you will be better off with a MiFi. Three are currently the cheapest/best for European travel in Feel at Home countries.

Real WiFi hotspots seem few and far between apart from Maccy Ds

Here's one that will do the job. Broken Link Removed This might not be the best deal around at the moment, it's just the first one I found (y)

The SIM card lives in the device which connects to the mobile network and hopefully connects to the internet at 3G speeds. In theory you can get 4G but in practice it doesn't happen abroad.

The device then generates a wifi network that your iPad and phone will connect to.

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Zigisla

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My iPad doesnt really pick up local WiFi networks very well. You have to be quite close to the source. I have the MiFi unit - recommended on here from Carphone Warehouse and all devices and phones connect to this. No "free" WiFi, but at least I can connect. Will look seriously at the iBoost now to get "free" WiFi although the unit does cost cica £150
 

scotjimland

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Will look seriously at the iBoost now to get "free" WiFi although the unit does cost cica £150

I bought an iBoost for last years France trip.. yet to find an open free Wifi in France.. ..

picked up plenty of wifi but all locked.. the days of people not knowing how to secure a home network are long gone.. I also tried to connect to the BT Fone hotspots in France with no success ..

I guess the iBoost would come into it's own on a site with wifi where you are just out of range or have a very poor signal..

Personally, I think a sim card with a MiFi is better for touring ..
 

Bobby22

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Thanks everybody I am still confused! My Ipad has no Sim slot. I want (if I am lucky) to be able to use my Ipad and pick up wifi where ever I go in Eutrope within reason. Is there anything I can do with the Ipad? Or should I use my Laptop which has a Sim slot and if so how?
Mr Dummy
colyboy
I can usually pick up wifi on my iPad and i suppose if i had a booster it would pick up hotspot type signals as well.
When out and about i usually tether it to my phone..........it is good enough to do the daily funster quiz. And browse the forum. Europe i have no experience of.
Phones with wifi don't have to cost the earth.

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Minxy

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I bought an iBoost for last years France trip.. yet to find an open free Wifi in France.. ..

picked up plenty of wifi but all locked.. the days of people not knowing how to secure a home network are long gone.. I also tried to connect to the BT Fone hotspots in France with no success ..

I guess the iBoost would come into it's own on a site with wifi where you are just out of range or have a very poor signal..

Personally, I think a sim card with a MiFi is better for touring ..
Agree Jim, there are few 'open' wifi signals available now, either here or abroad, even McD's isn't as easy to access sometimes. The iBoost, if I understand it correctly, is just a 'booster' to allow you to hopefully access wifi sources from a larger area and/or provide a stronger signal, but as above, if you cannot use them because they are 'locked' you're stuffed.

Much better to get your own mifi and a sim card that you can definitely use abroad when you want it rather than rely on the 'chance' of finding an open wifi source which may or may not work.

The cheapest deal was the Carphone Warehouse ones I posted previously for a Huawei E5573 mifi at £20 but unfortunately they've finished now, if you're not in a hurry I'd keep an eye on their website and see if they do another one, this is what they did when they stopped an ID one and then did an EE one instead. They are available on Ebay but not for £20.

Using a mifi with a '3' data sim pre-loaded with 3gb for up to 3 months (90 days), which you can use abroad for up to 2 months in any 3 month period, or a 12gb one for 12 months (but the 2 month use in a year still applies abroad):

3gb for 3 months (90 days):


12gb for 12 months
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Three-3-n...731086?hash=item3d174a018e:g:~9cAAOSwmmxW4-z6
 
Feb 24, 2013
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we have both iBoost and a mifi, both from motorhome wifi, the iBoost really comes into its own on a site with paid for wifi, you can then connect the iBoost as the single connection, then connect to that with as many devices as you want, other wise you might end up paying for each connection, also very good if signal only set up for use in bar area, we can usually get that back in MH

but the mifi gets by far the most use, with a 3 sim as suggested above

However we have found recently that Bevs iPad now works as a hotspot (mifi) when abroad, fitted with same or similar 3 data sim as for the mifi, so effectively we now don't need the mifi anymore

we bought the 12Gb and a 3Gb cards for our last trip, 3Gb in Bevs iPad still has over 1Gb left on a 12 month deal, we used the 12Gb in the mifi most of the time and only used 5Gb in three weeks, now lost balance on time out, but we don't do much more than emails and web browsing, no film / TV streaming
 

Minxy

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Pssst ... David ... Colyboy might be interested in buying your mifi off you .... :rolleyes:

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Minxy

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... Is there anything I can do with the Ipad? Or should I use my Laptop which has a Sim slot and if so how?
Mr Dummy
colyboy
Are you SURE it's a sim slot on your laptop? They are very, very rare ... most have an SD card reader, but not an actual sim slot ... what is your laptop?
 

vwalan

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i use an alfa awus036h wifi antenna . have also used an edup version . try ebay about 15 quid . works in uk and abroad. i havnt paid for wifi for about 4 years .
some places there doesnt seem to be as many open hotspots as there used to be.
i never use mc d,s
am in spain now near torrelavagga on free open hotspot .
i try if we park if its available ok . i dont go looking for it .
but it around most towns and often villages .
france spain portugal morocco all have them .
was here last week in same place . used same hotspot last year .
if i want i can move to other end of town and guarrantee another spot usually . some times we head for known places but only if we can be bothered .

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Oct 19, 2013
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Or should I use my Laptop which has a Sim slot and if so how?

You need to check that the laptop has the mobile hardware installed - quite a lot of Dell laptops have a SIM Card slot (usually accessed by taking the battery out) but don't actually have the plug in card on the motherboard to actually use the SIM card/slot...You can buy the cards but there about £150 from Dell!

If it does have the right bits, then it will work like the mifi but with Dell laptops I find the signal isn't very strong as there is no external antenna just a built in one usually around the display

Richard
 
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Another vote here for using a Mifi and a Three preloaded SIM. That is what we used for our recent trip to Italy. Managed to use this and my wife's Ipad to facetime the kids. Good connection for that. Also used it for email and web surfing without too many problems.
 

Frazzle

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Thanks everybody I am still confused! My Ipad has no Sim slot. I want (if I am lucky) to be able to use my Ipad and pick up wifi where ever I go in Eutrope within reason. Is there anything I can do with the Ipad? Or should I use my Laptop which has a Sim slot and if so how?
Mr Dummy
colyboy

Their are two types of iPad one is wifi only the other is like a phone which it connects to the internet you pay a monthly bill for the second type.

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Lenny HB

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Only country we have problems finding a wifi signal that we can connect to is Germany, never have problems in France. I use my own system similar to motorhomes Wifi but no good if you are not a bit techy.
French Fons are everywhere, some of our best connections have been in the middle of nowhere picking up a Fon connection from a farmhouse. I do understand BT customers have problems logging into Fons with their BT credentials, I am a Fon customer I bought the Fon Router for €30 (just have to leave it connected at home) but I don't think it is available anymore, now you can only connect through their partners which in the UK is BT. McD's is useless these days need to be in the building or within 2 feet of the door won't even work with a long range aerial but when desperate we can make a coffee last well over an hour, McD staff don't care never kick you out.

If you can get a signal from a local bar of cafe a few guesses at the password normally gets you in, failing that pop in for a coffee and get the password works well for us in most countries.
Tourists offices are another good source, most French ones have free wifi usually need to pop in and get the password a lot of them turn it off when they go for their 2½ hour lunch break and overnight, how annoying.:)
 
Jul 12, 2013
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I have a TP-Link MiFi which I bought in Spain (cheaper here in the UK from Amazon @ £64.99). It came with a Vodaphone Data Sim which proved almost useless in Spain, weak signals and too slow by far. I now have a "3" Data Sim which is excellent and 4G is incredibly fast although we have been warned it can very quickly eat up your data without noticing it go.
The card cost £30 with 12gb and can be used for up to a year.
We bought it having seen one used in Spain downloading Google street view, which showed places from the air to wild camp.
 

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