Anyone have experience of these puck aerials for 4g?

CamperJack

CamperJack

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Converting a Van
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I'm a Total Newbie!
I'm thinking about getting WiFi into the van in preparation for going semi full time.

I'd like to be able to get the 4g signal via the aerial outside and bring it into the van and transmit it over WiFi inside with a 4G router. Even on the drive I get good 4G outside but temprimental service once inside my tin can van.

Amazon product ASIN B08LP25248
Do they work? Are they worth it? Any other tips about installing?

I'll likely pair it up with a router like this one. For now I'll use my phone SIM card in it and will get a dedicated data SIM for it closer to going semi full time.

Amazon product ASIN B08L85339K
 
We got the Motorhome WiFi one.

Easy to install and compact, does what it says on the tin and good back up. Not cheap but then nothing that lasts and works well is.

www.motorhomewifi.com

Motorhome WiFi | 4G/5G Built in WiFi for Motorhomes and Caravans

Since 2012 we have provided fast, secure and reliable solutions for motorhomes and caravans for use in remote and rural locations. We have a range of 4G and 5G products with installation available form over 150 dealers across the UK.
www.motorhomewifi.com www.motorhomewifi.com
 
CamperJack said:
I'm thinking about getting WiFi into the van in preparation for going semi full time.

I'd like to be able to get the 4g signal via the aerial outside and bring it into the van and transmit it over WiFi inside with a 4G router. Even on the drive I get good 4G outside but temprimental service once inside my tin can van.

Amazon product ASIN B08LP25248
Do they work? Are they worth it? Any other tips about installing?

I'll likely pair it up with a router like this one. For now I'll use my phone SIM card in it and will get a dedicated data SIM for it closer to going semi full time.

Amazon product ASIN B08L85339K
Click to expand...
Yes, I've got that exact same model for monitoring solar & security at a remote location.

The router and solar controller are installed inside a metal shipping container, and whilst the router could get a 4g signal when the door was open, once it was closed the signal dropped off, maybe have something to do with a big metal box around it!

Installed the attenna through the roof and we're back to a stronge 4g signal.

Mind you, I just use a router in the van and never had an issue with signal
 
Bobby-gg said:
Yes, I've got that exact same model for monitoring solar & security at a remote location.

The router and solar controller are installed inside a metal shipping container, and whilst the router could get a 4g signal when the door was open, once it was closed the signal dropped off, maybe have something to do with a big metal box around it!

Installed the attenna through the roof and we're back to a stronge 4g signal.

Mind you, I just use a router in the van and never had an issue with signal
Click to expand...

Good to hear your similar setup works.

I get good 4G on my drive but inside the van it comes and goes! Strange yours is okay inside. Is your van metal or fiberglass like a MH? Do you think that makes a difference?

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Lenny HB said:
The max gain is quoted as 3.5db they always quote gain at the highest frequency so it will be a lot lower at 800 MHz which is the band used in rural areas.
I would spend more on a Poynting one.
The 5577 is quite a good MiFi, I have one.

These work well, they also do cheaper PUCK versions.

Solwise - Poynting 2 IN 1 2-in1 MIMO LTE Antenna A-MIMO-0003-02 / MIMO-3-02 | Solwise Ltd

www.solwise.co.uk www.solwise.co.uk
Click to expand...

That quite a bit more expensive.

All the technical stuff you said means nothing to me so I don't know a good one from a bad one.

Would you be able to share a link to the cheaper puck ones you mentioned please?
 
CamperJack said:
Good to hear your similar setup works.

I get good 4G on my drive but inside the van it comes and goes! Strange yours is okay inside. Is your van metal or fiberglass like a MH? Do you think that makes a difference?
Click to expand...
I've a pvc conversion, so mostly metal but plenty of windows, and have the router next to a window.

Can get good 4g signal inside the van with a mobile phone too.

But, just a warning, I also had to buy some adapters for the sma connectors on the attenna to the smaller connectors on the router

Like these iirc

 
CamperJack said:
I'm thinking about getting WiFi into the van in preparation for going semi full time.

I'd like to be able to get the 4g signal via the aerial outside and bring it into the van and transmit it over WiFi inside with a 4G router. Even on the drive I get good 4G outside but temprimental service once inside my tin can van.

Amazon product ASIN B08LP25248
Do they work? Are they worth it? Any other tips about installing?

I'll likely pair it up with a router like this one. For now I'll use my phone SIM card in it and will get a dedicated data SIM for it closer to going semi full time.

Amazon product ASIN B08L85339K
Click to expand...
I’ve just put a e5577 on the classifieds..👍🏼
 
Regarding the router, make sure you choose one that can be plugged into an antenna. My one didn't, it works Ok but like you I'd like to use a fixed external antenna so will have to replace it when I move that way.

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parthianshot said:
Regarding the router, make sure you choose one that can be plugged into an antenna. My one didn't, it works Ok but like you I'd like to use a fixed external antenna so will have to replace it when I move that way.
Click to expand...

These two connect but you need to use these adaptor cables, apparently.

Amazon product ASIN B07CH9SR5X
 
Stonemags76 said:
I just blu tacked the router to the window - never fail to get a signal, & much cheaper (I’m in a pvc). 😀
Click to expand...

I only have the windscreen or drivers doors. And there's a wall between them and the living space. Otherwise that would be a great idea. 👍
 
Stonemags76 said:
Roof light? 😀
Click to expand...

I guess I could unclip the mesh, stick it on and clip the mesh back. Something to think about. And would save drilling a hole in the roof again! 😱 😂

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There are loads of work arounds, from popping a mifi router in a plastic bag taped to a flagpole, to installing dedicated antennae. I am part way between the 2 and mounted a puck antenna on a metal box with sucker feet. Just pop it on the roof and run the wires through the rooflight to the router in a top locker when needed. We camp in some very rural places and nearly always get a signal
 
CamperJack said:
Thanks, Lenny.

Seems yours has 6dBi and the other only 3.5dBi.

Yours has 690 MHz - 3800 MHz. The other only 600-2700MHz.
Absolutely no idea what these numbers mean though. But bigger must be better??? :wondering: :giggler:
Click to expand...
My one is the older version only goes up to 2700Mhz, 38000Mhz is for 5G.
The 5577 is only 4G and 5G is only avalible in bigger towns so not much of a concern.
The Puck2 has slightly lower gain than the larger MIMO's but other Funsters have had good results with them.
 
Yes I have had a Puck for about 3 years. I find that the latest phones ( IPhone 12) gets a better reception and I usually tether direct to the phone. On the vary rare occasions when the Vodaphone sim reception lets me down I use a backup 3 sim in a Huawei 5577, if that does not resolve the issue I connect the 5577 to the Puck and stick the puck on the roof of the PVC using it’s magnetic mount. I find the gains very marginal and can get you out of a reception problem, but I would not drill a hole in my van and I would not buy another Puck. If I did decide to go for a fixed aerial I would definitely go for the latest more expensive MIMO ariels and keep the connecting leads to the very minimum. In my experience it is more important to have a good phone and two different makes of SIM card.
 
I bought a Hauwei E5577 last year. Not wanting to drill holes in the roof for cables I tried it on it’s own. So far I have had a good signal propped against the side window in our Rienza.
Maybe in a van conversion a puck on the roof would be needed due to the metal of the van body.
I would like to know how people have fed the cables into there motorhomes. The solar cables go through a box with glands.
 
Lenny HB said:
The cables come straight out of the bottom of the unit.
Click to expand...

I am thinking about rigging up a mount off my roof rack for it. I don't think I have a flat area of the roof big enough for the puck. I was going to use a gland the same as the one my solar wires go through. Like this one.

1516287641_45725400.png
 
CamperJack said:
I am thinking about rigging up a mount off my roof rack for it. I don't think I have a flat area of the roof big enough for the puck. I was going to use a gland the same as the one my solar wires go through. Like this one.

1516287641_45725400.png
Click to expand...
Don't know if you've got these documents, may be of use if you haven't.
Not sure if it would be possible but could you adapt the "pole mounting bracket" option to fit to your roof rack and then feed the wires in through a skylight \ window if you don't want to drill a hole in the roof?
I used a gland box very similar to the one in your post to run our satellite dish cables into the motorhome however, and I thought long and hard about this, might you want to go for something like this https://www.toolstation.com/junction-box-ip65/p16452, as it gives easy access to the hole through the roof if you want to add further cables in the future? Think I actually bought one but changed my mind later as didn't think I'd need to run additional cables.

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Attachments

Thanks for the info! :giggle:


Gellyneck said:
you want to go for something like this https://www.toolstation.com/junction-box-ip65/p16452
Click to expand...


Yes something like that would be better if I ever wanted to add more cables, for a TV or whatever. But what I like about the other one is that it fits very nicely on top of one of the raised beams running lengthways along the roof of the van. The whole roof is these lengthways high and low bits, which makes fitting anything flush to the roof a bit of a challenge. The sky lights were very tricky.

I'll have a look and measure to see if it will fit on a raised bit or if I can find any flat space.
 
DBK wròte a very interesting post in 2017 on the installation of a Poynting antenna on the roof of his PVC:

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Fitting a Permanent Broadband Antenna on the Roof

For the last couple of years I've used a Huawei E5577C Mifi with a Netgear Aircard antenna. This worked well but it wasn't very convenient to use - too many cables to get tangled up. The answer was to fit a permanent antenna on the roof of the van. After looking at what was available I chose a...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
 
With the Poynting Puck 5 can someone give some use cases on the wifi and GPS connections available with the puck. GPS assume if you have a receiver you could use for vehicle tracking and passing to the head unit for navigation if it has the mapping capability and external GPS connection.

What would the wifi connectors be used for as the mifi would broadcast wifi within the vehicle?
 

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