MiFi and "3" data sim help please.

[OldAgeTravellers]

Hi All,
A couple of years ago I bought a MiFi from the guy in Benidorm covered market and it worked very well all round Spain. I have no Idea the model number it is white without an external aerial and is ex Vodafone but unlocked. I usually use Satellite Internet but have just ordered a 12 month "3" sim from MyMemory £24.99 plus £1.95 to post to France, nice helpful guy Tom.
If I may I would like to ask a number of questions:

1. Does the 12 months start from when they ship the sim or when it is first switched on in the MiFi? We don't leave for three weeks so thought I would set it up just a couple of days before we go.
2. The MiFi has the Vodafone firmware will this be a limitation using the "3" sim. If so is it possible to re-flash with better firmware, if so how and where from.
3. It currently has a Libara sim that a guy in the shop set up for me when I bought it in Spain. What settings do I have to change for "3" and what to.
4. I have seen mention of a Huawei tool kit for the iPad on other threads is this something that would be of use to me or is it specific to more advanced MiFi's.
5. I have a dual sim Android phone, If the MiFi were to go wrong could I put the "3"sim in the second sim port of the phone to use it as a MiFi?
6. Any thing else I should be aware of with the "3" sim?

Thanks to anybody who can answer any of the above questions or point me to the best place to find out.
Steve

 

[Flamenca]

I use a Vodafone mifi with 3 SIM successfully. The mifi should have an identification label inside the unit. An unlock code is available on eBay for a couple of pounds. To answer some of your questions:
1 The 12 month period commences the dat you activate the SIM and not the date of purchase.
2 I would unlock the mifi rather than re-flash.
3 The settings I use in my Vodafone mifi for 3 are:

4G Preferred
Account type Custom
IPv4 + IPv6
APN 3Internet
Number 8080
Security PAP;CHAP

4 The Vodafone mobile broadband app works for me.
5 If it is a dual sim phone it may not work but I have a dual sim phablet which does work. I have two mifi's (a cheap one one for backup)

I hope this information is of some help.

 

[Camdoon]

Would not play with anything before you get the Sim. It may well work straight away.
As it costs £24 and is valid for 12 months then I would risk the notional £1 by installing the Sim when you receive it - 2 weeks early, that way you can sort any issues in slow time rather than faffing about without wifi while away.

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

Thanks @Flamenca, yes it is unlocked, just wasn't sure whether the Vodafone software would be a problem like for finding out the usage on the "3" sim. Glad to hear it won't be.
Thanks for the settings.
Steve

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

Would not play with anything before you get the Sim. It may well work straight away.
As it costs £24 and is valid for 12 months then I would risk the notional £1 by installing the Sim when you receive it - 2 weeks early, that way you can sort any issues in slow time rather than faffing about without wifi while away.

Good point Camdoon, it probably won't last 12 months anyway 1gb per month I think would be very low usage and as you say best to sort it out before needed.
Do you all just buy new sims or top up online when allowance is used up?
Steve

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[Flamenca]

Do you all just buy new sims or top up online when allowance is used up?

I throw away the SIM and start using another. I have never topped-up as it is usually more expensive. The 3 site states that you must activate a new SIM in UK but a few Funsters have reported that they have inserted a new SIM abroad and it has worked for them.

 

[Camdoon]

One ran out with me the other week and I think the top up was in the order of 7Gb for £25. Bin it and carry a spare

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

Hopefully it will activate OK in France as we will not be in the UK till October.

 

[SuperMike]

If it is unlocked, it will probably just work ok and seems to activate ok in France. My mifi thingy seems to with all sorts of sims. As for the 12g twelve month sims, I carry five of them for when we cross the channel. Just change, swap, store for when we get back etc etc. Works great most of the time. Sometimes I have to use the tp-link app to set to a better strength network if the unit auto locks onto one with a weak signal. All in all it's great.

 

[Lenny HB]

Am I right in assuming they still have the 60 day limit when using outside of the Uk ?
If so you need to reset them by using data in the UK. From the date you first use it in France if you use it in the UK after 29 days it resets and as it uses blocks of 30 it counts as zero likewise if you use in the UK on day 59 it only counts as 30 days. Go over 60 days that's your lot but some users have reported they sometimes carry on working.

I have a 2 year 24Gb one but only use it as a back up as since euro roaming came I've taken a £10/month sim contract that gives me 5Gb of data & 2000 min.

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[Clarky]

Looks like the price of the 12gb 3 data sim has gone from £30 to £40 if buying direct from 3.

Richard.

 

[Clarky]

Just ordered 2x 12gb sims from MyMemory.co.uk.
Still £24.99 inc delivery.

Grab 'em before the price rises.

Richard.

 

[mikebeaches]

I may be staying the obvious here. I like using my laptop for surfing etc, but have discovered it 'eats' the pre-paid 3 SIM data allowance much quicker than using my phone to surf. Presumably, because some of the time I'm using apps, rather than a browser. Also, I assume the phone is tuned to minimise data consumption.

Whatever, I'm using the phone more and more whilst roaming with the 3 Sim - which I think is a great bit of kit - 24 GB / 2 year pre-paid. Cost £27 on an Amazon offer, but no longer available anywhere near that price, unfortunately.

 

[Clarky]

I may be staying the obvious here. I like using my laptop for surfing etc, but have discovered it 'eats' the pre-paid 3 SIM data allowance much quicker than using my phone to surf. Presumably, because some of the time I'm using apps, rather than a browser. Also, I assume the phone is tuned to minimise data consumption.

Whatever, I'm using the phone more and more whilst roaming with the 3 Sim - which I think is a great bit of kit - 24 GB / 2 year pre-paid. Cost £27 on an Amazon offer, but no longer available anywhere near that price, unfortunately.

Have you made sure that auto updates are turned off?
I had mine set to update on wi-fi only so as not to eat mobile data. Didn't think about the mi-fi being wi-fi so it was running auto app updates without me realising.......doh!

Richard.

 

[Lenny HB]

Also need to set the laptop to treat as metered connection, I got caught when I changed the settings in my Alfa router and had a different logon forgot to change on the laptop, win update gobbled up a few GB.

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