Mifi box worth it ? (1 Viewer)

[Pausim]

You could have got one of these satellite hats ....

I believe they are popular at Ascot because the tv coverage is useful when queing up for Champagne.

 

[SMB]

You could have got one of these satellite hats ....

Easier to pop the mifi in my pocket, a bit less obvious plus it might not be the best in a lightning storm

 

[Two on Tour]

plus it might not be the best in a lightning storm

I'm not so sure, I have seen this sort of shape used as a shield on super hero movies and they bounce the thunderbolt straight back.

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[Pausim]

Can also be used for straining vegetables, great space saving in the kitchen area.

 

[Two on Tour]

You could have got one of these satellite hats ....

What's the dog lead all about ?

 

[Pausim]

What's the dog lead all about ?

Thats to stop her flying off the roof on sharp bends.

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[Pia]

Vodafone seem to be the only ones who do not cap your data usage, nor do they require you to return to the UK. You can also freely tether your phone to laptops etc

02 has never capped my data usage and there are no rules about returning to the UK??

 

[StitchesnFluff]

after all the comments which set up would you all recommend?
We may home school later this year so will want some flexibility.
Thank you for all your shared info so far
All the best
Nick

 

[Robin McHood]

I have a Netgear mifi installed in the back of the TV cupboard fed with 12v, so its always charged, and driving a fixed motorhome wifi external antenna as linked by @Alistair33 . This mifi has twin sockets matching the twin feeds from the external aerial. It works very well giving us a signal throughout the interior of RH, which we didnt have before due to the alloy panelling. At moment have an EE sim in it though possibly changing to one of the new rolling data sim packages.

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[Rollin]

02 has never capped my data usage and there are no rules about returning to the UK??

Good to know - it's reassuring that Vodafone isn't the only one then, less chance they'll apply restrictions later on! I admit I didn't actually look at O2 - I did have an O2 SIM a couple of years ago, and coverage with them was excellent as well.

 

[Shoeless]

I have one of those Huawei MIFI units and I am using the 3 network.

There are two observations that I would like to make. First, that the battery life is shorter than that of a damsel fly so mine is permanently plugged into the USB socket in the motorhome. If I need to raise the MIFI device into the roof window then I have to unplug it and then remember to plug it back in in about an hour's time otherwise I then start to wonder why I can't get my work done.

Secondly, the external aerials are useless. Not only do the 'pig connectors' keep falling off but when attached to any form of antenna nothing was improved. I have tried no end of different antenna; some were complete snake oil and a complete rip off (as I discovered when I opened to look at what they described as the electronics) and the others simply didn't work for me. I've tried Yagis, the lot.

But it's not too bad at receiving data from 3 though in mid-Wales and in parts of the Forest of Dean I receive nothing so that means that I can't go there on our tour until this problem has been solved.

Now, the range of the WiFi from this device is excellent. As the campers on the far side of the last site were asking around "How do I connect to the Gin Palace's wifi?". I find that I can get a few hundred yards WiFi from it which is perhaps where the battery is going.

I am using the 50Gb/Month package from 3 Networks for about £25 a month.

Malc

 

[2657]

I have both an expensive and a cheap Chinese amplifying antenna, the Chinese £5 one works, at the moment it is boosting the Orange France signal from 1 bar to 5bars, it has long connecting leads that fit tight into the mifi enabling me to position the aerial anywhere in the van.

Failing that use a plug in cigarette lighter usb adaptor with an extension to wherever you need to place the mifi.

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[SMB]

I have both an expensive and a cheap Chinese amplifying antenna, the Chinese £5 one works, at the moment it is boosting the Orange France signal from 1 bar to 5bars, it has long connecting leads that fit tight into the mifi enabling me to position the aerial anywhere in the van.

Failing that use a plug in cigarette lighter usb adaptor with an extension to wherever you need to place the mifi.

Do you have a link for the £5 Chinese antenna? I would like to try one and for that kind of money it would be no loss if it didn't work! My mifi has the twin socket aerial port btw

 

[Minxy]

I have one of those Huawei MIFI units and I am using the 3 network.

There are two observations that I would like to make. First, that the battery life is shorter than that of a damsel fly so mine is permanently plugged into the USB socket in the motorhome. If I need to raise the MIFI device into the roof window then I have to unplug it and then remember to plug it back in in about an hour's time otherwise I then start to wonder why I can't get my work done.

My MIFIs last at least 2 hours, if not longer ... which one have you got?

 

[2657]

Do you have a link for the £5 Chinese antenna? I would like to try one and for that kind of money it would be no loss if it didn't work! My mifi has the twin socket aerial port btw

This is the one that I bought earlier this year, an ebay search will bring up many similar.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...-9+antenna.TRS0&_nkw=ts9+antenna&_sacat=11176

I have bought a few things from China without problems, longer delivery but always arrived.

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[SMB]

This is the one that I bought earlier this year, an ebay search will bring up many similar.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...-9+antenna.TRS0&_nkw=ts9+antenna&_sacat=11176

I have bought a few things from China without problems, longer delivery but always arrived.

Thanks for that, its appreciated. Ordered one for £4.54, will try it out abroad!

 

[Shoeless]

My MIFIs last at least 2 hours, if not longer ... which one have you got?

Mine is the 5377 and it perhaps may last longer than one hour, but certainly not much longer than two.

I once bought a pair of these:
Amazon product ASIN B00ILV6J78And it's just pure rubbish so I am a little sceptical about these others working.

 

[Shoeless]

Amazon product ASIN B00ILV6J78

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[Shoeless]

Apologies, I appear to have borked the links to the stuff on amazon. But, anyway, if people can assure me that these five pound devices work then I will get one.

 

[2657]

Apologies, I appear to have borked the links to the stuff on amazon. But, anyway, if people can assure me that these five pound devices work then I will get one.

The links work with adblocker disabled.

The cheap Chinese one that I got is definitely working, I have no idea if they are all the same even if they look alike but worth a gamble for a fiver.

 

[Vee]

Have just had MiFi put in, works a treat, only £250 for the receiver etc as opposed to thousands for satellite dish. Got a rolling contract with Vodafone- £30 pm for 50gb. Already had Sky home tv package so don’t need a box, can just use Sky apps, including sports movies etc. Am using my iPad instead of a TV. Easy to see how much data used, can take your phone/iPad out of van too using the mifi portable ‘remote”. Great system.

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[MattR]

Have just had MiFi put in, works a treat, only £250 for the receiver etc as opposed to thousands for satellite dish. Got a rolling contract with Vodafone- £30 pm for 50gb. Already had Sky home tv package so don’t need a box, can just use Sky apps, including sports movies etc. Am using my iPad instead of a TV. Easy to see how much data used, can take your phone/iPad out of van too using the mifi portable ‘remote”. Great system.

Sounds good. Will you need a vpn to watch Sky when overseas?

 

[Vee]

Haven’t investigated overseas as such but this is your own password protected mifi, not like a public Wi-Fi signal. Still have a separate phone sim. Will try and attach the link!

 

[Vee]

Haven’t investigated overseas as such but this is your own password protected mifi, not like a public Wi-Fi signal. Still have a separate phone sim too.

Bought from motorhomewifi.com , 4g Mobile broadband, package 2. They are really helpful, provide great support if required. Their SIM card advice is a bit out of date tho - packages change all the time. Ensure you get mobile WiFi data only sim. I found it confusing at first when looking at all the sims. Vodafone was the best deal when I was looking.

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[Vee]

Sorry couldn’t attach actual link

 

[Just smiffy]

Sounds good. Will you need a vpn to watch Sky when overseas?

Haven’t investigated overseas as such but this is your own password protected mifi, not like a public Wi-Fi signal. Still have a separate phone sim. Will try and attach the link!

I am on Vodafone 50g and watch tv through the sky app on my iPad and been watching all through Europe on my way through Croatia now and still works fine....

 

[joka250]

We have A Huawei HB434666RBC from 3, can't remember the deal but it seems adequate. Had a few issues with connectivity on arrival in France but a call to our local 3 shop (Corby) got us sorted. There is an app HiLink which we have used to sort the early issues. Charge on this model seems to last in excess of 3 hours. Currently in Croatia no issues but mostly 3G but more than adequate for us.

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[Addie]

You no longer need a VPN to watch SkyGo abroad from 1st April
Broken Link Removed

However, you need to budget for 500MB - 1GB per hour of streaming so you need a generous data plan to suit. Vodafone are the only provider not to limit your foreign data usage and so £30pm for 50GB could look quite good value.

 

[The Returnee]

Anybody tried this:
.
Some of the reviews on Amazon are full of praise - and point to this concept as being the future...

 

[Addie]

Anybody tried this:
.
Some of the reviews on Amazon are full of praise - and point to this concept as being the future...

If you were an American looking to travel in Europe (as you've linked to Amazon.com) or elsewhere, I suspect it might look quite good. For someone from the UK being able to use any UK SIM in Europe, 10 euro per GB is extortionate.

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