How important is on-site wifi?

Markas said:
When I go away I revel in the lack of emails and absence of distractions from the interweb, more time to enjoy my surroundings or get stuck into a good book .
If you travel with a 'significant other' isn't it a time to converse or share experiences instead of stuffing your nose in a mobile phone or laptop? Am I alone in thinking this?
Click to expand...

The two aren’t mutually exclusive though. You can enjoy both! :D
 
hilldweller said:
Problem is cost and speed compared to a site's hard wired internet service
Click to expand...

Have you used 4G? I've had speeds of 50mb down and 20mb up. That's better than my fibre connection at home! Most site WiFi I've used is terrible.


hilldweller said:
Yes I understand that but when abroad, roaming, the phone network can be variable and expensive
Click to expand...

Most of Europe has better coverage than the UK. And roaming in most places is now included in your contract for many of the providers (although that might change in a few weeks).
 
We use our password protected mifi, only catch up on emails and websites, don't use internet tv.
 
We have a MiFi on 3, it doesn’t often let us down-usually a complete lack of signal in an area.
Quality of signal is usually fairly good and we’ve got all day so although sometimes when it’s slow it’s frustrating it’s not the end of the world!

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Shrimp said:
We have a MiFi on 3, it doesn’t often let us down-usually a complete lack of signal in an area.
Quality of signal is usually fairly good and we’ve got all day so although sometimes when it’s slow it’s frustrating it’s not the end of the world!
Click to expand...
Have you downloaded the Huawei app? When touring France and especially Spain 3 seem to have favoured providers and I have found these occasionally to be poor or none existent. The app allows a search of providers and you can select them unless greyed.
 
Shrimp said:
We have a MiFi on 3, it doesn’t often let us down-usually a complete lack of signal in an area.
Click to expand...
Gave up with Three found it so slow, may improve now they are rolling out 4g for roaming.
Last couple of trips use EE & Vodafone more reliable and cheaper than Three.
We have a roof mounted aerial for our MiFi usually pulls in a 3g or 4g signal when we can't get any connection on our phones in remote areas.
 
Lenny HB said:
Gave up with Three found it so slow, may improve now they are rolling out 4g for roaming.
Last couple of trips use EE & Vodafone more reliable and cheaper than Three.
We have a roof mounted aerial for our MiFi usually pulls in a 3g or 4g signal when we can't get any connection on our phones in remote areas.
Click to expand...

We've found the same. The roof aerial makes little difference where the signal is good. Out in the sticks where your phone goes silent, the MiFi with the antenna keeps on pulling a few mb/s.
 
I don't take any type of internet enabled device when I go away, just hard copy site guides and a ten quid Tesco PAYG phone that only does calls and texts. From what I read on here the technicalities necessary and the uncertainty of accessing T.V., G4, WiFi etc. causes nothing but stress.
Recently in France a Dutch couple turned up, evidently minutes before the wife's favourite T.V. prog was about to start and the chap was rushing about madly and unsuccessfully trying to set up a tripod and dish whilst his wife shouted instructions from inside, becoming increasingly angry and desperate. It ended in a fearsome row between them.
Quite a few curtains twitched discretely in the neighbouring units. How we laughed.
 
Our MiFi is literally on all the time. It's been incredibly reliable. Means Google Maps running my Android Auto satnav can keep me navigating even in remote areas.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
hilldweller said:
You are hereby awarded The Grand Honour of The Olde Farte with Gold Star. Wear it with pride.
Click to expand...
Is there a windscreen sticker?
The m/h is my magic carpet for adventure, surprises and the unpredictable.
If I was so dependant upon the modern trappings, routine, security and entertainment of home I'd stay there under a sunlamp with a case of St Emilion reading guide books. It would be a lot cheaper (which seems to be the Holy Grail of so many). Although I might be tempted to install a Thetford in my shed and experiment with different fluids and pods, invite neighbours in for a sniff, then enthral bored Funsters on the Sol et Bleak aires by posting the results.
;)
 
Fontie said:
What MIFI are you guys using to get 4G, I assume Huawei but which model. And what antenna are you using.
Click to expand...
We have just bought this from Motorhome WiFi. Not fitted the Aerial yet, but the MiFi unit worked very well in the New Forest - An area renown for poor phone reception and no data coverage. We managed 4G streaming films to the FireTV Stick.
I have used a site where the WiFi is quite poor and Date coverage bad too - before haviing the MiFi unit. I would rather have no WiFi, than Poor or slow WiFi. If you provide it, it should be fast and cover the site. If you can't, don't supply it. Although we rarely use sites, not having WiFi certainly wouldn't be a deal breaker.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
Spriddler said:
Is there a windscreen sticker?
The m/h is my magic carpet for adventure, surprises and the unpredictable.
;)
Click to expand...

Windscreen stickers are not advised. There is always the risk of some horny young woman kidnapping you and keeping you as a toy/trophy and forcing you into unimaginable sex acts all day and night.

An internet connection can afford a weather report and help to steer you to more agreeable places. Can find free aires.
 
Sitting in the van at Keswick C&CC site using their, now free, WiFi. It's quite good, not as fast as the 4g on my phone but perfectly adequate for browsing or posting on here. Strong signal but slow speed, probably due to the numbers using it. Very busy here, site near full, beautiful weather.
 
For my job, I've been involved in setting up WiFi over a large area for a range of different types of devices... it was a factory and not a campsite, but I guess some experience is transferable...?

WiFi is much harder than it should be:
  • A couple of clients will suck down all the bandwidth and ruin it for everyone else (there are ways to manage this, but not in the cheap devices).
  • You'll have dead spots for no apparent reason. Radio is like voodoo as far as I'm concerned.
  • When it goes down, everyone will hate you.
  • When it comes back up, it won't immediately work for everyone because ethernet is annoying.
  • Some devices won't like your WiFi access points and the settings you use, even if it's the recommended settings...
  • They'll blame you even if their device is flaky.
  • And lastly, not matter how much bandwidth you have, people will find a way to use it all until something 'critical' doesn't work.
 
hilldweller said:
Windscreen stickers are not advised. There is always the risk of some horny young woman kidnapping you and keeping you as a toy/trophy and forcing you into unimaginable sex acts all day and night.
Click to expand...
Hmm, not had that problem so far. I think it's the CAMC sticker in the windscreen that deters 'em.
An internet connection can afford a weather report and help to steer you to more agreeable places. Can find free aires.
Click to expand...
Worth a go. Until now I've only used the 'Grab-a-Granny' websites to find agreeable overnight stops.
 
Gob smacked that I am getting 55Mb/s tethered to my phone on 4g here in Spain (Vodafone ES), that's faster than I get at home on BT fibre. Mind you I can see the tower on a nearby hilltop.
 
I use Huawei 5577c but no Aerial yet

I have given up on site wi fi TBH

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Switch my phone off when on holiday,just check it every other day, and enjoy the holiday. It was lovely 5 weeks in Spain. Motorhome at home.
 
two said:
If you have a phone, you can 'tether' your device to that. The only benefit MiFi can provide over that is that it can serve more than one device at the same time.
You'd need to put a 'data only' SIM into it. With few exceptions, most standard phone SIMs will not work.
Click to expand...
That's ok if you have internet on your phone?:) I just use a 3 mifi when out from here. Far better than the WiFi system in the house for which I pay stupid money for . Unless you are in or near a decent sized town here as the local phone shop woman said to me "it's still 3rd world here" :D2
Reallyretired said:
but chez ukbill in Murcia
Click to expand...
I thought it was in Alicante province ?
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top