Fon (1 Viewer)

[DJA]

Hi Chaser

Just logged out of our BT router and tried logging into the BT Fon signal. Neither Firefox or Internet Explorer would log in to my default website yahoo .

However when I typed 'Google' into the web address slot it immediately switched to the BTopenzone website and offered me the Fon page with the charges etc on which you can use your log in to connect.

I have submitted this via my Fon signal

Doug

 

[bjandlin]

A little of some ones knowledge if you please.
I have often thought of a Fon but we are in a very remote area of France & use Tooway Satellite internet with a limited data package. I wondered if anyone has any experience of a Fon with this set up. Don't want to give all my data away.
Also how good is Fon coverage in Spain ?
Thanks.
Barrie

 

[Lenny HB]

On a normal broadband connection the fon data doesn't count towards your data limit, haven't a clue if you could use it with your set up.

Given me an idea, if you have a limited use account and are likely to go over your limit you could log in via your Fon router, doubt if it's much use to anyone as most of us have unlimited accounts.

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[jollyrodger]

Have had fon now for about 3 years ,sometimes slow ,sometimes fast but always managed to connect and without needing an iboost .and will still work if your home fon spot is switched off .
also have a plan BB, 3 data sim in tablet or phone

http://maps.fon.com/en

 

[TheCaller]

@irnbru Who provides your Mum's broadband? You mentioned TalkTalk, but I assume that's yours & the one you are giving up.

If your Mum uses BT, then she already has everything you need to use Fon, unless her router is very old.

 

[Lenny HB]

will still work if your home fon spot is switched off

Sometimes it wil but don't rely on it, your contract with Fon is that you leave your one switched on. If everyone turned theres off there wouldn't be any fon.

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[chaser]

Tried it again , and no go, it's just a mystery to me

 

[irnbru]

@irnbru Who provides your Mum's broadband? You mentioned TalkTalk, but I assume that's yours & the one you are giving up.

If your Mum uses BT, then she already has everything you need to use Fon, unless her router is very old.

Mums on talktalk too

 

[DJA]

Chaser

We have an unlimited data arrangement on our BT broadband so I wonder if you have a limit on data allowed.

Is it possible that the system can work out you have limited data and it can stop you using your own Fon as a way of using data that does not count towards your allowance. If so maybe it let you on in error whereas with me it would make no difference.

Just a thought.

Doug

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[Big Nick]

Never heard of this Fon thing although I've seen it loads when searching for wifi networks when travelling but thought it was only for BT customers.

Looks good for a one off £32 to access loads of wifi locations

Yet another purchase now made!!

 

[Montybe]

Fon trick or Con trick?
Travelling through Spain and France last week, coming home from Marbella, I thought, "why not try this Fon Network?" I had previously bought an iBoost receiver from MotorhomeWiFi and find it brilliant. But planning to use Aires where there is no wifi would leave me several days without a connection. So I went to McDonalds in Bordeaux, got some lunch and downloaded the Fon Network Map. Looks promising, so I bought a day ticket, just to try it out. I finally arrived in Bayuex having seen loads of Fon Hotspots on the Fon Map, I rigged the new iBoost receiver, switched on, zilch. Nothing. In the middle of Bayeux, nothing. Oh hum, I went on to Courselles-s-Mer (which I had previously checked for Fon hotspots) and stayed on the Aire. Fired up the iBoost......Zero. So I took the tablet and the iPhone and went walkabouts. Zero, zilch, nada. Ah well, I decided too do more research at home.
Arrived home in Somerset, looked up the Fon map for my town....loads of connections even next door, down the lane, all over the place. All open, and even showing password to those with one. Ok, fired up the iBoost, connected the MacBook, zilch. After a 360deg search I found 1 very week signal, BT-Fon. OK, partial success. Tuned in, adjusted the iBoost, and....my Fon ID was not recognised! Seems like Fon purchases in France are not transferable to BT in the UK, so I can only assume the reverse applies.
Having proven that the iBoost from Motorhomewifi picks up signals from large distances, amplifies them and even produces in my house a stronger router signal than my EE Brightbox, main router I can only conclude that the Fon Map is a complete fabrication.
Is it worth the hassle to change my Broadband at home from EE to BT? Especially as BT and EE are merging in one of the biggest financial merges for ages? Or is it just simpler to buy a Fonera. Well, from my experiences so far it would be a waste of more good money.
It seems that there is a long way to go yet before we can have confidence in WiFi as a reliable tool. Many campsites claim "WiFi here" only to find a signal strength of 20w light bulb, and only if you sit at the table right under the Router....
Fon network? Hmmmm.

 

[chaser]

Fon trick or Con trick?
Travelling through Spain and France last week, coming home from Marbella, I thought, "why not try this Fon Network?" I had previously bought an iBoost receiver from MotorhomeWiFi and find it brilliant. But planning to use Aires where there is no wifi would leave me several days without a connection. So I went to McDonalds in Bordeaux, got some lunch and downloaded the Fon Network Map. Looks promising, so I bought a day ticket, just to try it out. I finally arrived in Bayuex having seen loads of Fon Hotspots on the Fon Map, I rigged the new iBoost receiver, switched on, zilch. Nothing. In the middle of Bayeux, nothing. Oh hum, I went on to Courselles-s-Mer (which I had previously checked for Fon hotspots) and stayed on the Aire. Fired up the iBoost......Zero. So I took the tablet and the iPhone and went walkabouts. Zero, zilch, nada. Ah well, I decided too do more research at home.
Arrived home in Somerset, looked up the Fon map for my town....loads of connections even next door, down the lane, all over the place. All open, and even showing password to those with one. Ok, fired up the iBoost, connected the MacBook, zilch. After a 360deg search I found 1 very week signal, BT-Fon. OK, partial success. Tuned in, adjusted the iBoost, and....my Fon ID was not recognised! Seems like Fon purchases in France are not transferable to BT in the UK, so I can only assume the reverse applies.
Having proven that the iBoost from Motorhomewifi picks up signals from large distances, amplifies them and even produces in my house a stronger router signal than my EE Brightbox, main router I can only conclude that the Fon Map is a complete fabrication.
Is it worth the hassle to change my Broadband at home from EE to BT? Especially as BT and EE are merging in one of the biggest financial merges for ages? Or is it just simpler to buy a Fonera. Well, from my experiences so far it would be a waste of more good money.
It seems that there is a long way to go yet before we can have confidence in WiFi as a reliable tool. Many campsites claim "WiFi here" only to find a signal strength of 20w light bulb, and only if you sit at the table right under the Router....
Fon network? Hmmmm.

Mate, I have had this for three years or more, some on here reckon it's the dogs, but I just can't get any sense out of it

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[irnbru]

Well Ive ordered one and had someone else like @andy63 recommended me I would've saved 10 % and he would have got 10% off next purchase.

 

[andy63]

and he would have got 10% off next purchase.

How many do I need??

 

[irnbru]

LOL Andy I thought the same thing but maybe you might want to buy someone it as a xmas present. How do you find the Fon? Alans interested in it too now.

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[Lenny HB]

Fon works for us, asuming your equipment is working and if you are not seeing Fon signals is because the Fon access is turned off.
With BT routers Fon is enabled by default and it is up to the user disable it if they wish to. In France SFN supply the router with Fon disabled and it is up to the user to enable it.
In the UK I find walk down any road and you find loads of connections, not so common in France (a lot of routers not enabled), but there are quite a few.
Been using Fon for a couple of years a very good investment for 30 quid. The amount of hours I've spent on Fon connections would have cost me hundreds if I'd had to pay for the service.

 

[irnbru]

How does Fon know if your router is on or off? Is it an honesty thing? For example what if you have one and don't turn it on yet use other fon users bandwidth.

 

[Lenny HB]

You have to log on to a Fon connection so I assume it does a lookup to see if your router is online.
Before you can use your Fon router you have register giving the routers serial number, so your username would tie up with the Mac address or the router.

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[TheBig1]

How does Fon know if your router is on or off? Is it an honesty thing? For example what if you have one and don't turn it on yet use other fon users bandwidth.

it works because every fon router and BT router with fon has its own MAC address which is registered on the network. when you log in, the servers search to check the router is switched on. if your router isnt switched on or registered, then access will be denied to the network

a friend of mine was with BT but couldnt get FON to work. it turned out that the problem was with bt not registering on the fon database, he bought a Fon router that he plugged into the bt router and it all now works perfectly so long as it remains switched on 24/7 at home

my fon system also works without fault. ive found that the fon map shows locations even if the router is off or disabled by removing the aerial. it even shows locations that used to be registered, as in the person has moved away

 

[Popeye]

I have to agree with all that @lennyhb has written on this subject. Three years ago I was moving to my new address and wishing to dump Talk-Talk and take on another supplier.

No way was I going to deal with BT, but I was impressed with the fon service I'd read about. So I purchased my fon 'box' on the internet and installed it in my loft and hey presto I can now pick up fon availability anywhere in the uk where the signal is strong enough.

I have used my iboost on occasion to amplify this but all in all I'm not a BT customer but I'm pleased I went down the fon route.

 

[irnbru]

Just out of curiosity @Popeye. Why did youbinstall it in your loft?

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[Popeye]

Why did you install it in your loft?

I installed it in my loft for a few reasons but mainly because it is a tiny little aerial and I was hoping to offer this fon hot-spot to as many as possible camping in the North-East Forest area. I have an app which tells me where they are and it was more than a week before it appeared on my map.

Incidentally I notice from time to time that either my iPhone or iPad or one of my laptops often links up to my Wi-Fi via the fon-box in the loft.

1. No walls to block signal
2. Extra height to improve coverage
3. de-clutters existing Desk Top

 

[Lenny HB]

I installed it in my loft for a few reasons but mainly because it is a tiny little aerial and I was hoping to offer this fon hot-spot to as many as possible camping in the North-East Forest area. I have an app which tells me where they are and it was more than a week before it appeared on my map

You are a kind soul really entering into the spirit of Fon.
I've always been surprised how strong a signal the Fon router has.

 

[irnbru]

Can two people log on and use the service with same log in? Example both me and mum might be away somewhere one weekend different place to each other. Could we both get onto Fon network?

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[Popeye]

You are a kind soul really entering into the spirit of Fon.

That may well be how it appears Lenny but I purchased it with purely tight fisted and selfish motivation. However if every Router in the country had a small portion of their broadband given over to others then we would ALL enjoy free nationwide internet coverage which, lets face it, is what the information super-highway was supposed to be.

Could we both get onto Fon network?

A simple answer....... yes

 

[funflair]

Can two people log on and use the service with same log in? Example both me and mum might be away somewhere one weekend different place to each other. Could we both get onto Fon network?

Yes you first thing that happens when you switch it on is that it creates a password protected Wi-Fi hot spot that you can log I think it is up to 5 devices into, once logged into it you then go and search for the external Wi-Fi signal to use.

Martin

 

[irnbru]

Soungs great Martin. So if its that easy to share why do people not just share their password with close friends. That would save them buying a box too.

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[Montybe]

Welcome comments. I will persevere and go walkabouts tonight. However I find that the Fon map shows 3 transmitting within 100yds but none in reality switched on. Thereby hangs the question, is the Fon map just an advertising hook to pull you in, a genuine but misguided piece if wishful thinking, or a good concept that doesn't work in practice?
More investigation required....

 

[irnbru]

I cant wait for it to arrive. Anyone else wanting to buy one just needs to be recommended for 10% off. Works out less than £30

 

[Big Nick]

At a one off £30 it's worth a punt for the odd wifi connection here and there when otherwise you'd have none or be burning your data allowance

I've spent more than that in the pub in one night!!

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