Internet when away

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hogger

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Hello Campers

I've had a look through some of the posts on this but more confused by the array of methods. Wondering about internet whilst away. How do you all do it? at the moment I have an 02 sim only with my iphone. I'm a technophobe so can I use my phone data to connect to my lap top? bluetooth? personal hotspot bla bla.....It's all gobbledegook to me. I don't want to go into a phone shop and get sold a crap deal. We'll only be doing the UK this year obviously
 
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glenn2926 said:
EE is very poor coverage around the Dales. O2 is the best coverage here, that can be patchy though.
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That's true of a lot of North Yorks generally in my experience. My relatives live between Ripon and Thirsk and all have O2. My 3 and partner's EE can't find a signal there at all.
 
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hogger said:
Hello Campers

I've had a look through some of the posts on this but more confused by the array of methods. Wondering about internet whilst away. How do you all do it? at the moment I have an 02 sim only with my iphone. I'm a technophobe so can I use my phone data to connect to my lap top? bluetooth? personal hotspot bla bla.....It's all gobbledegook to me. I don't want to go into a phone shop and get sold a crap deal. We'll only be doing the UK this year obviously
Click to expand...

Try reading this
 
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I've got a data only sim from Three and a cheap Mifi unit I got off Amazon. The sim allows me to binge watch Netflix and listen to Spotify and so far has offered a good internet service for watching YouTube and general internet surfing on the laptop. There have been times when it's not so good, but my mobile is on O2 and I'll pair it to that if required.

The sim is £20 p/m and the mifi unit was around £40.

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If you have Tesco Clubcard points then Tesco Mobile Pay monthly sim is half price. That uses the 02 network.

Geoff
 
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If you are not on a contract with your existing phone provider then change to another one which gives you a lot more data cheaper and you can then use this for your internet on other stuff.

Check out the current offerings from www.mobiles.co.uk and www.fonehouse.co.uk to see if anything suits, we got a good Vodafone sim deal from them in November last year paying £8 a month (after cashback) for a 24 month Vodafone contract, 100gb data and unlimited calls/texts. The cashback claims are easy to do (roughly every 2 months).

When comparing the prices on these 2 sited you need to be aware that they aren't 'like for like' comparisons on monthly costs though as Fonehouse shows the price BEFORE cashback has been deducted but Mobiles one shows it AFTER.

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[Broken Link Removed]
 
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hogger said:
Yes we have BT internet, Tv, Landline although I don't know why as we never use it
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Presumably you're using BT internet to access and use Netflix, Prime and YouTube whilst at home (see your Post #7)?
 
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hogger said:
Hello Campers

I've had a look through some of the posts on this but more confused by the array of methods. Wondering about internet whilst away. How do you all do it? at the moment I have an 02 sim only with my iphone. I'm a technophobe so can I use my phone data to connect to my lap top? bluetooth? personal hotspot bla bla.....It's all gobbledegook to me. I don't want to go into a phone shop and get sold a crap deal. We'll only be doing the UK this year obviously
Click to expand...
have a look on utube ..john and mandy on tour....he explains hid 5gb router and areail and a cheaper version....really goes into detail..worth a look

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rnb100 said:
I've got a data only sim from Three and a cheap Mifi unit I got off Amazon. The sim allows me to binge watch Netflix and listen to Spotify and so far has offered a good internet service for watching YouTube and general internet surfing on the laptop. There have been times when it's not so good, but my mobile is on O2 and I'll pair it to that if required.

The sim is £20 p/m and the mifi unit was around £40.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I tried calling BT this morning as I'm with them for home internet, tv etc. Couldn't get through. I'm not sure why I was calling them but you'd think they would do a deal on a sim I thought. I'm wondering though, why pay for a separate sim?
Would it be possible to get an unlimited data one and a copy to use in a mifi?
 
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ray63 said:
have a look on utube ..john and mandy on tour....he explains hid 5gb router and areail and a cheaper version....really goes into detail..worth a look
Click to expand...
will have a look. seems a mifi and Ariel l is the way to go
 
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hogger said:
Hello Campers

I've had a look through some of the posts on this but more confused by the array of methods. Wondering about internet whilst away. How do you all do it? at the moment I have an 02 sim only with my iphone. I'm a technophobe so can I use my phone data to connect to my lap top? bluetooth? personal hotspot bla bla.....It's all gobbledegook to me. I don't want to go into a phone shop and get sold a crap deal. We'll only be doing the UK this year obviously
Click to expand...
A key question is whether you have an A-class or a PVC? If A class then the walls are fibreglass, etc and so transparent to electromagnetic waves, i.e. mobile phone signals. If a PVC then the walls are steel (with a few holes) and so a Faraday Cage: "Elevators and other rooms with metallic conducting frames and walls simulate a Faraday cage effect, leading to a loss of signal and "dead zones" for users of cellular phones, radios, and other electronic devices that require external electromagnetic signals." So if you have a PVC you will have more need of an external aerial than if you have an A Class.
en.wikipedia.org

Faraday cage - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
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Boris7 said:

Teltonika Here​


EE give the best overall coverage and data sims are cheap enough
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what router would you recommend boris? I had a look and and there's quite a few. I don't think we'll be more than low to medium users either internet or TV.
 
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Lots of Funsters use Huawei 5577 mifis - they are relatively cheap and allow external aerials to be attached, if required...... (y)

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I've been working from home exclusively for over a year, often from van parked on the drive, and cope fine without broadband using unlimited data SIM contract from Vodafone. In North Yorkshire. I can watch iPlayer, Amazon Prime, BFI Player etc without difficulty on laptop or Chromebook and can participate in the usual video calls and "webinars".
 
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hogger said:
Yes we have BT internet, Tv, Landline although I don't know why as we never use it
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We have BT at home like you so we've gone for two mobile phone contracts at £9 per month ( this includes the £5 month family discount) and they double the data as well so we get 12 GB each per month (24Gb in total), and unlimited calls and texts of course, I'm currently on a site using this to do this post and I'm getting a speed of 13Mb/sec using simple tethering. Works for us at the moment.
( Oh and I've cancelled the BT TV cos we are never there to use it and use Freeview and catch-up. To busy being away in MH of course. (Shame they ended YouView so we could set programs while away so that another reason to dump BT TV. )

moho on site.png
 
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Just done a speed test on my laptop which is tethered to my phone's internet (Vodafone) and this is the result - I'm in Cottingham near Hull ... nowhere near London:

1619045979052.png
 
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I used to use a mifi with prepaid data, but find it much simpler and cheaper just to use my phone as a hotspot. While roaming you can use any network so I have never had a problem getting a signal while away.

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We use an old phone with an unlimited smarty sim in it. At £20 per month - no contract so you can just use it when you are out on the road and not don't have to pay if you are at home. Its as cheap as home wifi. (If you are going to use netflix etc you will need unlimited data)

Set that phone as a hot spot and connect your laptop/smart TV/firestick (or whatever you are using to watch) to it. You could use your own phone if you put the Smarty sim in it or have a spare sim slot.

What ever you use when out on the road you are going to be limited by phone signal.

Can't see the point in wifi Routers etc in a van - it only does the same thing as above but using more equipment.
 
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VXman said
’Can't see the point in wifi Routers etc in a van - it only does the same thing as above but using more equipment.’

But a separate mifi allows for remote monitoring of the ‘van whilst away from it, if you do not have an old ‘phone to use. ;)
 
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I use a Huawei mifi bought it on amazon. I have absolutely no clue about technology. This is pretty simple. I also buy a 3 sim card thing from amazon. I download new books, check my email and watch movies on amazon while I'm away. Great for the evenings.
 
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I'm going to leave the idea of mifi wifi for the time being and see how I get on with my phone. I've a sim only with O2 at the mo but might change to EE or Go to BT as that's my broadband and Tv provider. Thanks all for the advice (y)
 
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One thing with any of these mifi routers is make sure you have mimo antenna connections then you can install an external antenna for better signal in poor coverage areas Where your signal on the phone is nil or poor a puck antenna will get a signal they do work very well if you get a decent one.😊👍

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VXman said:
What ever you use when out on the road you are going to be limited by phone signal.

Can't see the point in wifi Routers etc in a van - it only does the same thing as above but using more equipment.
Click to expand...
That is where a Mifi with a decent MIMO aerial comes into its own, we often pull in a 3 g signal on the mifi when both our phones have no data or comms signals.
 
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I have a Huawei 5577 with the cheapest EE pay monthly sim and another for my teenage son. I have a generous allowance on my phone which has an EE sim and just transfer data across to either son or the MiFI as required. EE has the best signal and if in a remote area, we just pop it out on the roof in a plastic bag
 
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There is an s version with a bigger battery I have the c version.
When I clicked your link Amazon told me I bought this item on xxx, so I think it will have the aerial connections. Easy enough to return with Amazon it is doesn't.
 
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Thanks Lenny managed to sort it out with the help of Addie from seaching one his earlier posts.
There's now two models of the E5577. The E5577-320 comes without antenna ports and the -321 comes with.
There's £30 difference!

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GMLS said:
I have an EE SIm in my phone with a generous data allowance.My teenager son as the cheapest EE monthly contract and I got the same for my Huwaei E5577 router.I then move my data around the other devices as needed.EE has best coverage which is why the emergency services us it I believe.If in a poor signal area just pop it out on the roof in a plastic bag.Link it up to an Amazon firestick
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Just remember in the morning that it’s up there ☹️😂
 
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