Anyone still using a Fonera?

[timdownieuk]

We’ve had ours for several years and have, occasionally, used FON hotspots when abroad. Last year I can’t recall ever successfully connecting to a FON in France with our iBoost.

Now our iBoost does still occasionally come in handy to share a Wi-Fi signal across multiple devices but I’m seriously thinking about unplugging out Fonera as it just “clutters” our house with unwanted SSIDs and Wi-Fi signal (that may or may not be interfering with our regular Wi-Fi network). In the UK FON hotspots are a fecking menace. I can tell when my phone has latched on to by the feeble connection speed (compared to 4G).

I appreciate that if I do I will lose the right to access FON hotspots but these days that is no great loss, particularly with advent of 4G and data roaming across Europe (on contract phones). Consequently I don’t think I miss the FON access much BUT, there’s always that nagging voice at the back of my mind saying “but you never know when it might come in handy...”.

Anyone ditched theirs and had any regrets? If I turn it off for a long period, can I get reconnected to the FON network at a later date?

 

[chaser]

if you have a bt phone you get fon with that

 

[SandraL]

We have a fon access point at home that we bought to get fon access when away. Yes we still manage to connect abroad, not everywhere but enough to be useful. I understand you cannot buy a fon anymore so unsure what will happen if you turn off and want to reinstate later.

I guess you could put your fon access point in a tin box to cut down on signals around the house.

 

[timdownieuk]

if you have a bt phone you get fon with that

Right, so I’m just going to ditch my current fibre provider (Virgin) to go back to FTTC just to get FON access that I already have?

I think you missed my question...

 

[chaser]

Right, so I’m just going to ditch my current fibre provider (Virgin) to go back to FTTC just to get FON access that I already have?

I think you missed my question...

Sorry mate I didn't know who your other provider was, but this is what I get on my phone if I am out of range of wifi and I just login with my bt details but also agree it's pretty much useless as opposed to 4g

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[two]

14m Hotspots? Not even 'warm' spots, if you can find one, in my experience.
I have a well-travelled but little-used iBoost. Not sure that I've ever found a usable FON spot.

 

[chaser]

14m Hotspots? Not even 'warm' spots, if you can find one, in my experience.
I have a well-travelled but little-used iBoost. Not sure that I've ever found a usable FON spot.

this i totally agree with , i have in fact been on here countless times bemoaning fon and dont use it ,and have been shot down every time by people who insist its the best thing since sliced bread, i was just explaning to the op that you can get it without a fonera, i didnt know who his other broadband was from.

 

[DP+JAY]

Yes I have one & regularly use fon in UK & abroad . I have no problem with the speed(around 9 to 15 mbs) but then I don't watch or download TV/ movies with it.

 

[SandJ]

We have one and it still works but very hard to get strong signals even with iBoost, the trouble is Fon spots show up but if they have the allowance turned off then you can't connect. You have to leave the Fon connected for quite a while sometimes to be able to use it.

As an aside for anyone who has no money worries then

With money not a consideration then 3 have the bees of all you can eat including hotspot with no fair usage allowance for £5 a day, expensive but if you only needed occasionally or your loaded then

 

[SandJ]

We’ve had ours for several years and have, occasionally, used FON hotspots when abroad. Last year I can’t recall ever successfully connecting to a FON in France with our iBoost.

Now our iBoost does still occasionally come in handy to share a Wi-Fi signal across multiple devices but I’m seriously thinking about unplugging out Fonera as it just “clutters” our house with unwanted SSIDs and Wi-Fi signal (that may or may not be interfering with our regular Wi-Fi network). In the UK FON hotspots are a fecking menace. I can tell when my phone has latched on to by the feeble connection speed (compared to 4G).

I appreciate that if I do I will lose the right to access FON hotspots but these days that is no great loss, particularly with advent of 4G and data roaming across Europe (on contract phones). Consequently I don’t think I miss the FON access much BUT, there’s always that nagging voice at the back of my mind saying “but you never know when it might come in handy...”.

Anyone ditched theirs and had any regrets? If I turn it off for a long period, can I get reconnected to the FON network at a later date?

Yes is answer to last paragraph
You have to contact them to change the registered email if unable to connect and you just re register
From memory I had to use HTML cable to Fon/router/Pc which meant I could get into Fon settings
Search Fon and you'll find instructions

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[Addie]

Interestingly, my FON box has been disconnected for several years and my login credentials still allow me access, however, I know of others who found their accounts inaccessible after a period of time and I guess the only way to know for sure would be to try it.

I don't think there is anything more polarizing then FON when it comes to Motorhomers internet connectivity. It goes without saying that the scheme isn't as good as it was back in 2012 and I think we stopped actively mentioning it back in 2015 when the Fonera boxes were withdrawn. Today almost without exception, users fall into two camps - those who seem to have an alarming success rate connecting to FON networks and those who have next to no success in doing so. I can only think tolerance, persistence and/or camping style are the key since the source is almost always domestic routers inside peoples homes and some the signal can be very fickle as to how it extends outside. I had one customer tell me he knocked on the door of a house adjacent to a CL he was staying at and kindly asked if the lady present could keep her curtains open until strictly finished as when she closed her curtains her FON signal no longer extended to his pitch!

FON has come under a lot of pressure from the telecoms networks they partnered with, firstly with the 'Fonera' boxes undermining the USP their system gave their networks and then with SFR changing the way subscribers opt in / opt out. Latterly, SFR and BT have been offering a two-tiered service where FON credentials are no longer valid for some types of hotspots.

FON are generally pretty good at support (still) and there is an easy way to re-register a dormant or second-hand Fonera which I have some instructions for which I can dig out if helpful.

FON can be contacted here:

 

[timdownieuk]

We have a fon access point at home that we bought to get fon access when away. Yes we still manage to connect abroad, not everywhere but enough to be useful. I understand you cannot buy a fon anymore so unsure what will happen if you turn off and want to reinstate later.

I guess you could put your fon access point in a tin box to cut down on signals around the house.

Funnily enough, I did try that. I have a fairly robust strong box but I couldn’t close the lid completely due to the wires. Sadly (and surprisingly) it hardly made any difference.

 

[timdownieuk]

FON are generally pretty good at support (still) and there is an easy way to re-register a dormant or second-hand Fonera which I have some instructions for which I can dig out if helpful.

FON can be contacted here:

That’s useful info, thanks. I might just unplug mine then.

 

[pappajohn]

View attachment 234563
Sorry mate I didn't know who your other provider was, but this is what I get on my phone if I am out of range of wifi and I just login with my bt details but also agree it's pretty much useless as opposed to 4g

That's not FON that's regular BT WIFI.
as a BT broadband user you sacrifice a little bit of your bandwidth so others can use it as a HOTSPOT... In return you get to use the same sacrificed by other BT customers.
At home you have your own WiFi network, on the street you have BT HOTSPOTS & BT with FON... I have NEVER found a FON network address, Only HOTSPOTS. .
You also have WiFi X..... I still haven't figured out what that is but it doesn't do anything at home.

 

[Allanm]

We use our Fon access in France all the time and generally get a good signal.
We have a Fon router and a BT account back in the UK. I have more trouble connecting to BT hotspots in the U.K. than I do with SFR Fon networks in France.

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