Possible to connect a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 6 to the internet?

[Spriddler]

Last year I bought one of the above with the intention to use it when travelling, just for searching for sites and routes (mostly 'over there') but have rarely used it even with downloaded data. I'd like to access t'internet just for data and emails, i.e. not films etc.
I don't have an iPhone. I borrowed a son's 'spare' one (cuh! kids, eh?) but due to its small size and slipperiness found it very difficult to use one handed (m/bike accident).
I'm resisting going to a computer place, e.g. PC World, as when I went to buy a new printer the 15 yr old meedyar studdees sales guy blinded me with everything I didn't need to know, or even understand.
My Galaxy has a charging socket, an accessory socket to which I connect my ANKER sound bar, and a 'microSD' flip-out drawer - which I've never opened.
In simple terms will it be possible to fit a SIM card to connect to t'internet?
If it is possible I'll take a couple of paracetamol and consult the competent and enthusiastic nerds at PC World.

 

[Just smiffy]

If you have plenty of data on your phone then just tether to the iPhone...

 

[WynandJean]

It sounds quite feasible but rather than pc world I'd find aa small local computer or phone sales place to help you.

Wyn

 

[kevenh]

Are you sure a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 6 has a slot for a sim?
I know when I buy an iPad i can choose "wifi only" or "wifi & sim" devices.

Anyway, unless you want to take phone calls on your Galaxy I'd keep things simple & tether to my existing phone.

EDIT: oh! It sounds possible that you haven't got a smart phone to tether to.
Hm! Hopefully your Galaxy has a sim slot.

 

[PeteH]

According to what I read online. The A6 should have a sim card slot somewhere?. Do you have the instructions? If not this might be what you need?. https://www.samsung.com/nz/support/model/SM-T285MZKAXNZ/

Something else you could consider?. I got a Cheap "Smart" phone off flea bay, Put a Sky £6 month Sim in it (other`s are available) and set it as a "Hot Spot" I can then piggy back the I-Pad(s) off it.

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[Lenny HB]

The A6 is Wifi only, it doesn't have a SIM slot the only way to connect to the internet is via Wifi.
As Gary says if you want to connect while traveling tether to your phone. In the settings on your phone enable "Hotspot" then set up a password and connect. Remember to turn off the tethering when you are not using it.

 

[Spriddler]

Are you sure a Samsung Galaxy Tab A 6 has a slot for a sim?

No idea. Would the slot look like the USBs on my laptop?

Anyway, unless you want to take phone calls on your Galaxy I'd keep things simple & tether to my existing phone.

Correct. I don't have a Smart phone for reasons as mentioned; too small/slippery one-handed. I tried to fit a rubber/grippy trim to to my son's iPhone but it interfered with the screen 'touch' facility.

 

[WynandJean]

Some are available in versions with a sim card slot but it is an option (adds about £100 to cost)

Wyn

 

[Lenny HB]

Correct. I don't have a Smart phone for reasons as mentioned; too small/slippery one-handed. I tried to fit a rubber/grippy trim to to my son's iPhone but it interfered with the screen 'touch' facility.

You said you didn't have an iPhone didn't realise you didn't have a smartphone. Other option is to buy a MiFi about £60 for a Huawei 5577.

 

[Spriddler]

The A6 is Wifi only, it doesn't have a SIM slot the only way to connect to the internet is via Wifi.

Yes, I use it with my home WiFi no prob.

As Gary says if you want to connect while traveling tether to your phone.

I find a Smart phone very difficult to use one-handed as it's fiddly small, slippery and I can't help it going off to unwanted screens/websites etc. when I inadvertently touch a bit of the screen.

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[Speve]

What about buying a Huwei 5577 or similar that way you could tether any thing to it?
Lenny HB beat me to it while I was typing

 

[kevenh]

No idea. Would the slot look like the USBs on my laptop?

The sim fits behind a thin cover.
Like: -

Some models of Samsung Galaxy Tab have a sim.
We'd need your tablets full name or model number to say you can or can't be able to find a sim slot

As others have said, a MiFi router could help but lets find out about your tablet & it's ability

 

[Just smiffy]

As others said ... mifi...

 

[pappajohn]

If you have plenty of data on your phone then just tether to the iPhone...

I don't have an iPhone.

 

[Spriddler]

You said you didn't have an iPhone didn't realise you didn't have a smartphone. Other option is to buy a MiFi about £60 for a Huawei 5577.

Thanks Lenny. That sounds promising.
I've just looked at a couple of reviews. E.g:

Huawei E5577C 4G Mobile Hotspot Review – 4G LTE Mall

We had the news about Huawei E5577 for a long time, and we are lucky to get one unit to test last week. The model number is Huawei E5577C. The E5577C is a very small and lightweight LTE MiFi Hotspot, and it looks like the Huawei E5377. The Huawei E5577C provides speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s …...

www.4gltemall.com

.

Do I need to know/understand all the following techy mumbo-jumbo in that review.........?

Huawei E5577C supports LTE by category 4 with up to 150 MBit/s in the downlink and 50 Mbit/s in the uplink....., LTE Cat4 is not ..... there is LTE Category 6 mobile hotspot Huawei E5786 ...... the LTE Cat4 modem in E5577C ........up to 140 Mbit/s. In the UMTS network the data accelerator DC-HSPA+ ......up to 42.2 Mbit/s can .....no way for the Huawei E5577C set to a specific network technology. The only option is the use of LTE-on and to turn off. ......without a WLAN. The E5577C will support 2.4 GHz wireless and the area around 5 GHz.........the latest wireless standard AC is not integrated with Huawei E5577C. An interesting feature is ....Huawei WiFi Extender or WiFi Offload. ..............

My 'ead 'urts.
The talk of speeds, data usage, pre-paid SIMs etc is all very well but what I don't know for example is how much data I'd use/need (or the cost) for say 20 mins searching Search4Sites or emailing.
The cost does not concern me other than to know whether 20 mins use would cost a fiver or fifty quid.

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[Spriddler]

The sim fits behind a thin cover.
Like: -
View attachment 419886

Some models of Samsung Galaxy Tab have a sim.
We'd need your tablets full name or model number to say you can or can't be able to find a sim slot

As others have said, a MiFi router could help but lets find out about your tablet & it's ability

Aha! Yes it has one of those microSD slots with a thin cover.
The label on the back of the tablet says:
SM-T280
s/n R52J212CC9F
8GB

Mmm, I've just opened the slot and there seems to a black card inside. I'll try and hook it out...........
Yep, it's out. It's a SanDisk 16GB.

 

[Just smiffy]

Aha! Yes it has one of those microSD slots with a thin cover.
The label on the back of the tablet says:
SM-T280
s/n R52J212CC9F
8GB

Mmm, I've just opened the slot and there seems to a black card inside. I'll try and hook it out...........
Yep, it's out. It's a SanDisk 16GB.

That will be your memory card..

 

[Spriddler]

That will be your memory card..

Which presumably is not the same as a SIM card?
(See? I told you I don't do 'techy' ).

 

[Lenny HB]

...

My 'ead 'urts.
The talk of speeds, data usage, pre-paid SIMs etc is all very well but what I don't know for example is how much data I'd use/need (or the cost) for say 20 mins searching Search4Sites or emailing.
The cost does not concern me other than to know whether 20 mins use would cost a fiver or fifty quid.

For your use a Three 12GB Data PAYG sim would proably last you 6 to 12 months the sim lasts 12 month or for more money you can get a 24 GB one that lasts 24 months.
The 12GB on is £28.

 

[Speve]

Spriddler I’ve just looked on Amazon and the 12g is £25.49The 24 g £37.79 order quickly as the go fast at that price

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[PeteH]

The SM-T280 A6. Does not have a Sim card slot. (At least not according to the Amazon Advert).

So remote working will need some means of piggy backing to and existing WiFi or MiFi signal.

 

[Spriddler]

The SM-T280 A6. Does not have a Sim card slot. (At least not according to the Amazon Advert).

So remote working will need some means of piggy backing to and existing WiFi or MiFi signal.

But I use mine running on my existing home WiFi...............
Does this mean it doesn't need an externally accessible SIM 'slot' as one is built in to the tablet?
(Apologies for being so SIM dim).

 

[Speve]

But I use mine running on my existing home WiFi...............
Does this mean it doesn't need an externally accessible SIM 'slot' as one is built in to the tablet?
(Apologies for being so SIM dim).

No but it needs a WiFi signal from a router which you have at home so by buying a Huwei which is a mobile router you have the same as home only portable.
Hope that explains it?

 

[Lenny HB]

But I use mine running on my existing home WiFi...............
Does this mean it doesn't need an externally accessible SIM 'slot' as one is built in to the tablet?
(Apologies for being so SIM dim).

The Mifi is just a Wifi router but it takes it's connection to the internet from a phone/data sim. So if you get a Mifi it will work like it does at home providing the mifi has a signal.

 

[Lenny HB]

If you buy one and get out of your depth I can always pop up, you are only just up the road from me, I'm in Lancing.

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[kevenh]

tl;dr
Your Samsung device HAS a wifi receiver.
But does not have a sim slot to enable receiving 3G/4G/5G cellular data.

With the Sansung's wifi receiver you can use it as Lenny HB described: at home on a "traditional" wifi router or when you're in the motorhome, etc. you can use the Samsung with a Mifi router.

The Mifi box is a combination of 3G/4G/5G receiver with a wifi router.

 

[Spriddler]

If you buy one and get out of your depth I can always pop up, you are only just up the road from me, I'm in Lancing.

Excellent. Thanks a bunch Lenny and all you other patient chaps. It's all come perfectly clear now and the fog has gone. I'll get the Huawei and a data SIM.
(In my defence, I had no difficulty whatsoever mastering other technologies in my career, that is until waterwheels were superseded by steam).

 

[Speve]

I had no difficulty whatsoever mastering other technologies in my career (that is until waterwheels were superseded by steam).

I’m sure you’ll be fine good luck with it

 

[XxAnthxX]

Spriddler just catching up with this thread....

Before you part with any hard earned on hardware, I have an EE branded osprey 2 mini 4g Mifi dongle, that your more than welcome to have, if you cover the postage It’s yours......

Its branded as EE and was for use on their network, however I paid for it to be unlocked for use on any network, it will just need a data sim.

I used it for one trip to the TT with a 24Gig prepaid 3 SIM card.

I can’t offer too much tech support for it but it’s relatively straight forward and there’s videos on the tinterweby thing. Lenny HB may also be able to help with it too.

its still in its box with usb cable for charging / powering and a soft carry case.

Im sure it’s this model.....

EE Osprey 2 Mini MiFi Review

When it comes to getting online in the UK, it's not exactly difficult. 3G networks have come a long way, and 4G networks are fairly common now as well,

www.androidheadlines.com

Let me know if it’s of any use to you......it’s been sat doing nothing and will end up obsolete so someone might as well use it, as I now tether devices through my iPhone and use it’s data.

 

[Spriddler]

Spriddler just catching up with this thread....

Before you part with any hard earned on hardware, I have an EE branded osprey 2 mini 4g Mifi dongle, that your more than welcome to have, if you cover the postage It’s yours......

Let me know if it’s of any use to you......it’s been sat doing nothing and will end up obsolete so someone might as well use it, as I now tether devices through my iPhone and use it’s data.

Well, slap my thigh! That's an exceedingly noble offer and I'll certainly give it a go.
I've hitherto taken books/guides to search for sites when abroad or printed details from my home laptop before going but inevitably my nose frequently takes me along the paths less trod, ending up somewhere that I never intended to be.
I'll endeavour to send you a message via 'Conversations'. I can send you a SAE jiffy bag but you must accept a donation with which to do whatever you wish.
How exciting! Who knows to where my emergence from the primordial soup could lead me...........a colour T.V. perhaps?

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