Mifi is it worth it ? (1 Viewer)

[Jewellbags]

Thinking about getting a mifi for the MH the one I am looking at is a maxview one which also boost signals/increases reception from other WiFis

In your opinion - are they worth the money ?

 

[Bill_OR]

I have a Huawei mifi and it works well (I use a PAYG '3' SIM). However I also have the capability to use my mobile phone (Vodafone contract SIM) as a mobile hotspot. If I was to start again I'm not sure that I'd bother with a mifi and might just increase my mobile data limit on my smartphone. So I guess that it all depends on what you actually want to use it for.

 

[emjaiuk]

MiFi and WiFi boosters are two totally different things. We've got both, they both do what it says on the tin, and we wouldn't be without them, but you're the only person who can decided if they're value for money for you.

 

[Helen Ariel]

We have the MiFi system fitted and it gets a strong signal when we don’t get one on our phones. I’d recommend it.

 

[Badknee]

We’ve got one hard wired into the van and never use it now. Such a good contract on our phones we just hotspot to them for everything.

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[Phill D]

I have been a big fan of the sat dish but have been giving data a go. i dont know how effective or expensive the maxview is but i have been trying the Huawei E5577 and a payg sim seem to do th etrick.

even if you can boost wifi signal its still not good if the campsite available signal speed is poor.

 

[Robert Clark]

We ditched our mifi 2 years ago as 4g is widely available in Europe and speeds are much improved, so much so that we stream tv wherever we are

 

[Manic]

The Maxview one seems very expensive to me. I’ve got a Huawei which was about £60.

 

[Jewellbags]

A cross section of results but thanks to all .

 

[PeteH]

Cheap (off flea bay) Smart phone, with a data sim, set up as hot spot. Works for us. Where I had a poor signal I put it in a Sealed Sandwich box on top of the Heki. with a tape dangling inside to remind me it was there!.

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[Jewellbags]

Lol sandwich box love it

 

[Lenny HB]

I wouldn't worry too much about wifi as most signals are not good enough for streaming.
I would buy just a Mifi like the Huawei 5577 to start with then add a rooftop aerial if you think you need it.
The mifi is much better at picking up signals than a phone.

We have the 5577 with a Poynting MIMO rooftop aerial for us it works well and well worth the money as we are often in remote areas where our phones won't pick up a signal but the Mifi with the aerial pulls in a 3 or 4g signal.

 

[Jewellbags]

I wouldn't worry too much about wifi as most signals are not good enough for streaming.
I would buy just a Mifi like the Huawei 5577 to start with then add a rooftop aerial if you think you need it.
The mifi is much better at picking up signals than a phone.

We have the 5577 with a Poynting MIMO rooftop aerial for us it works well and well worth the money as we are often in remote areas where our phones won't pick up a signal but the Mifi with the aerial pulls in a 3 or 4g signal.

That’s a far cheaper option thank you

 

[DBK]

That’s a far cheaper option thank you

Exactly what we have but many folk get by on using their phone only. I think it depends on where you go and how good a signal you want.

I posted the results of a recent test I did near Devizes recently on post #4 on this thread.

Motorhomewifi iboost question.

I am looking at getting a MiFi for when I travel abroad in the motorhome. I have an iboost from Addie at motorhomewifi,and was wondering whether it would work to find a 3g/4g For the MiFi as well as it does a WiFi signal? Also I know this has been done to death,but does anyone have some up to...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

The cheapest option is undoubtedly just using your phone but a MiFi on its own will usually get a better signal. I say usually because some phones have better antenna than the cheapest MiFis.

If you decide to get a MiFi get one with two antenna connections (like the 5577) as these can be connected to a good MiMo external antenna which is the way to go for the best connection. I assume these also have MiMo internal antenna but this is just an assumption. MiMo just means they can use more than one signal at the same time. So two different signals bouncing off buildings can be untangled and used. This is 2*2 MiMo but there are devices which can use 4*4 or even higher but I don't think any MiFi can go higher than 2*2 - yet.

 

[Reallyretired]

Agree that wifi is not worth bothering with. Generally slow and potentially insecure. We used to use a Mifi but now seem to get away with a phone as a hotspot most places home and away.

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[SteveRallye]

Just to add my pennyworth. I had a 3 mobile broadband and upgraded to 40gb at £16 a month. However the guy at 3 talked me into getting 2 devices at 20gb (£8 a month each) and what a good suggestion as when I run out of the 19gb allowed a month abroad I switch to the other device or in our case switch the sim card over in the Falcon wifi booster ariel we had fitted. We have great coverage right down France and Spain as far as Gibralter.

 

[SomeoneElse]

Gave up MiFi 4 years ago when I got a Samsung smart phone. Now use that for tethering. Wouldn't go back now I was always fiddling about with the MiFi aerial to get a signal, the phone just works.

 

[Cheshirecat57]

We used Huawei mifi in our old MoHo, worked a treat with 3 sim in it
Irs unlocked for any network

will sell it to you if you want a cheap “try” of the tech

 

[Jo662]

I wouldn't worry too much about wifi as most signals are not good enough for streaming.
I would buy just a Mifi like the Huawei 5577 to start with then add a rooftop aerial if you think you need it.
The mifi is much better at picking up signals than a phone.

We have the 5577 with a Poynting MIMO rooftop aerial for us it works well and well worth the money as we are often in remote areas where our phones won't pick up a signal but the Mifi with the aerial pulls in a 3 or 4g signal.

I have just got a E5785 mifi and a Poynting MIMO which finds a signal a lot better than a phone.
Just hope it works aswell abroad!

 

[Lenny HB]

I have just got a E5785 mifi and a Poynting MIMO which finds a signal a lot better than a phone.
Just hope it works aswell abroad!

It will, only used ours abroad.

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[Dorwyn]

I have been very impressed with my Huawei mifi, have used it for many years and since the signals have recently much improved, it is even better. In spite of what is said, I have received satisfactory streaming capacity over much of Europe (with uk SIM). Yes, if you stream 4g in high quality, you can eat up the data. But there are some great deals around right now. If you are talking about a few weeks or months of the year, it is not too expensive.

 

[Burgo]

Where I had a poor signal I put it in a Sealed Sandwich box on top of the Heki. with a tape...

Not a good idea if used for email as you could just get spam.

 

[BishBosh]

Just fitted the Maxview roam mifi system. Yes it’s expensive but I’m hoping to use it in other locations too.
Very easy to install and set up. Only just fitted so not sure on how well it works.
I will use it with a 60gb SIM card to allow a web cam inside the van to be used along withTruma heating system and of course the usual tv, Netflix etc....

what I liked about this over others is that it allows you to connect it to a local WiFi network and saving data use on the sim whilst still keeping the local van network that everything else in the van uses. If that makes sense!!

.

 

[the1andonly]

Where I had a poor signal I put it in a Sealed Sandwich box on top of the Heki. with a tape dangling inside to remind me it was there!.

One way to not waste to much bread

 

[PeteH]

A MiFi Signal is the same (signal) as your mobile phone signal. Either way the only way to increase it`s effectiveness is to boost the signal in some manner. Likely using a Signal booster aerial.

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[dabhand]

I have a netgear mifi and used it extensively in Europe before roaming was allowed within my allowance, never use it now apart from when in Morocco or out of Europe where you need it.

 

[Camdoon]

Used mifis from 2011 to 2018. Now use a Samsung with Vodafone while wife has Samsung with Tesco. Never been in a position of not getting a signal, France or Spain, so now would do away with Sat Dome for TV as well. The cost, installation, etc of a mifi now make them a dubious case unless you have a specific need as phones are far more practical.

 

[jumar]

I considered a data booster, I have a 100gb vodafone contract, this would allow me to stream well, however I would need to take the sim card out of my phone and put it in the mifi, this renders my phone unusable so no calls and no whatsapp until I swapped it back....Phone as HOTSPOT works well for me all over Europe.

 

[glenn2926]

I just use my phone. However we don’t watch telly, (Don’t watch it at home so certainly not watching whilst away) just use it for surfing the net and email etc. We seem to get a good signal when in Europe. Struggle more around the more remote areas in the U.K.

 

[Zigisla]

We have the MotorhomeWiFi set up; MiFi unit and roof aerial. We use the New Forest often and the phone data signal is gprs at best and very poor if any phone signal. With our set up, we have good 4G constantly. I have drematically reduced the data package with Vodafone for my phone and transferred this to the MiFi sim. Cant see us without one now - Thought that of the SatFi unit though.

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