High-gain wifi antenna? (1 Viewer)

[popotla]

Hi, I'd like to ask for some advice.

I understand that a high-gain wifi antenna (maybe not external?) can be a very useful thing for our motorhome and was wondering if anyone can suggest a particular brand and or model. I suppose there's no need to spend a lot if something basic will do the job.

Thanks for any suggestion.

 

[Snowbird]

I suppose it depends who the receptionist is .

 

[TheCaller]

Do you just want to boost reception on a laptop, or do you want to connect several devices?

An antennae with a USB connection will do the former, but if you want to do several devices at once, you need to grab the signal & rebroadcast it within the m'home.

If you know what you are doing & know what you need, it can be done relatively cheaply yourself. Otherwise www.motorhomewifi.com are the experts in this field, but you pay for the higher level of knowledge & service (which is fair enough). Have a read of https://www.motorhomewifi.com/blog/getting-wifi-in-your-motorhome/ for some good background info.

@Addie from motorhomewifi is a member on here & gives good advice.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheCaller]

I'm told the reception is better if she sits on your knee (don't know about the wi-fi signal though).

 

[Snowbird]

I'm told the reception is better if she sits on your knee (don't know about the wi-fi signal though).

It all depends if the receptionist is receptive .

 

[Guigsy]

If you can get an antenna that's outside the metal box of your motorhome, it'll help, but don't expect miracles. If you upgrade your antenna, you'll be able to better receive the hotspot's signal, but the reception of your data at the hotspot isn't going to change much, so they still might not be able to hear you.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[scotjimland]

Solwise.

£113.59
inc. VAT & Free UK Delivery

WL-PATRIOT-3000A-F-KIT - Full Kit

https://www.solwise.co.uk/wireless-usb-patriot-3000a-f-kit

 

[Guigsy]

Quite a lot of people are giving up on site WiFi as it's frequently expensive and normally awful regardless. Have you considered getting a 4G MiFi device to create your own wifi hotspot?

 

[Lenny HB]

The cheap £15 eBay ones work a treat, I'll try and find a link later.
Don't use ours much now with data being so cheap.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[two]

You may be worrying unnecessarily. How do you know you need one?
I've tried a number of 'whizzy' devices with dubious results and significant reduction to bank balance.
Now I seem to be able to cope with Huawei 'wifi' and no additional aerial.

 

[Pausim]

Another vote for Solwise and they do an even higher gain directional antenna. If you are using a windows laptop you can do without the router and plug the usb antenna direct into it and still distribute the wifi to other devices using software such as Connectify.

A high gain antenna is particularly useful if you are a BT customer because you get free access to BTFon/BTwifi. I very often find I can pick up BT and save the cost of the site wifi, usually with better download speeds too. Last week I was getting 8mbs from BTwifi compared to the 1mbs that site wifi is usually throttled to.

 

[popotla]

It's great to get all these replies so quickly.

Are you talking about for example connecting your laptop to campsite wi fi?

Yes, that's one of the uses. I'd also like to boost reception if connecting via a smartphone off-site, and while running another device by means of tethering (which I don't yet know how to do).

Have you considered getting a 4G MiFi device to create your own wifi hotspot?

Not yet. I will need to find out what this device is.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Guigsy]

Have you considered getting a 4G MiFi device to create your own wifi hotspot?

Not yet. I will need to find out what this device is.

Instead of using the site's internet connection, you use a mobile phone connection. A MiFi device connects to the mobile network and allows you to connect to it via WiFi.

So you have to pay for a mobile phone data connection (contract or pay as you go). But it t means you've got internet anywhere.

 

[Pausim]

Yes, that's one of the uses. I'd also like to boost reception if connecting via a smartphone off-site, and while running another device by means of tethering (which I don't yet know how to do).

There is often confusion between wifi and mobile data which are different systems requiring different kit. However they can both be used to connect to the internet.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I suppose it depends who the receptionist is .

@Clive

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[colyboy]

Why spend all that money. I have been using a HUAWEI I think it’s called a dongle for the last two years and have never had any trouble getting WiFi. At his moment I am in a car park in Tintagel Cornwall ( where mhs are allowed to stay overnight at £3.50) using it.

Bought the Huawei off EBay about £30 and use a “three” SIM card one off purchase £26 no contract. Without downloading loads it seems to last for at least six months.

Colyboy

NYE “do” Camping Caradon, Looe, Cornwall.

 

[sallylillian]

We have an 8 db omni antenna on a retractable motorised mount, connected to a Ubiquiti bullet.

 

[Khizzie]

I only use a mifi and I live in France 6months of the year... I buy a 12gb 3 data card from my memory and because I don't download anything it lasts me for the whole time in France and the time in the UK. I upload photos and communicate with my family, use Facebook and messenger... It does exactly what I need.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[The Wino]

The wifi boosters often come up on here secondhand which suggests to me they are not really tha usefull we rely on a mifi and 3 data sim also usefull if you go away without the mh