Internet for idiots

[Guest]

Make sure it is unlimited and has tethering inuded as there are two plans now.

 

?? - according to their site as long as it's a One Plan it allows both.

 

http://support.three.co.uk/srvs/cgi-bin/webisapi.dll?command=new,kb=mobile,ts=mobile,t=article,varset_cat=internetapps,varset_subcat=3582,case=obj(3599),varset_username=Mobile:mobileUser?s_search=helpsearch

 

If you're on The One Plan you can use the internet when you're out and about with other devices including laptops, tablets and games consoles, just by connecting them through Wi-Fi or USB to your phone. You can tether on all our One Plan tariffs including our one month rolling SIM plan.

Edited May 25, 2013 by The Dog House

[Richard10002]

 

?? - according to their site as long as it's a One Plan it allows both.

 

http://support.three.co.uk/srvs/cgi-bin/webisapi.dll?command=new,kb=mobile,ts=mobile,t=article,varset_cat=internetapps,varset_subcat=3582,case=obj(3599),varset_username=Mobile:mobileUser?s_search=helpsearch

 

If you're on The One Plan you can use the internet when you're out and about with other devices including laptops, tablets and games consoles, just by connecting them through Wi-Fi or USB to your phone. You can tether on all our One Plan tariffs including our one month rolling SIM plan.

There do seem to be a couple of The One Plan sim only plans.

 

http://store.three.co.uk/view/searchTariff?sort=priceValue-descending&deviceType=SIM_ONLY&priceplan=PAY_MONTHLY&deviceType=SIM_ONLY

 

The one month rolling contract is £25 per month and provides unlimited data and tethering.

 

The 12 month contract is £20 per month but only includes 2Gb per month and tethering.

 

This is the phone I got on The One Plan:

 

http://store.three.co.uk/view/product/ql_catalog/threecatdevice/2438?priceplan=PAY_MONTHLY

[Richard10002]

 

 

This sounds like what i need.

 

So am i right in saying it is not just an internet contract, but a mobile phone contract aswell? I.e., it comes with a telephone number?

Yes! 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, unlimited tetherable data, 5000 3 to 3 minutes.

 

So when my contract is up, if i go to the Three mobile shop, i want to get a 'One plan' contract with a handset that will work as a router. Is that correct?

Yes.... but they tend to call it a Personal Hotspot, rather than a router..... and you can pay much more per month for the latest phones.

 

 

Does that mean that the fastest wi-fi speed i'll ever get is '3G' as it's coming through a phone? Or is 3G about as fast as it gets with any sort of internet on a boat anyway?

In principle "Yes" but....... 3G on the phones we are talking about can be around 10-15Mb - I usually get around 7Mb. Plenty fast enough to watch TV and stuff.

 

and..... 4G is becoming available, at great cost, with low data limits, and only on capable phones.

 

I plan to avoid 4G until the tech and pricing has settled down.... almost certainly a few years yet?

 

Can you get 'One plan' with one of those little mini router things or does it only come with a phone?

Like Martin said, it only seems to come with a phone, and you can't make it work in a dongle - I've tried aswell.

 

If you want the Internet to remain on the boat for family members to use etc., you might need a phone dedicated to Internet on the boat, and a separate phone with maybe a PAYG sim that you can take with you when out and about. I retained my iPhone 3GS and got a Giffgaff Sim, for just this eventuality. It also offers a backup on the O2 network if anything went wrong with the Three thing.

 

Quite complicated, but hope it helps.

 

Most important is that you need to know that the Three Network works where you will be, (mostly).

[nb Innisfree]

and..... 4G is becoming available, at great cost, with low data limits, and only on capable phones.

 

4G with low data limit, what a con, about as much use as a concrete parachute.

[Richard10002]

4G with low data limit, what a con, about as much use as a concrete parachute.

There will be early adopters taking up the offer, and there will be the naive who will get big bills for exceeding the limit, and the companies will make their money, then things will change gradually as the con becomes apparent to enough.

 

I think this type of thing is actually worse than the Googles and Apples avoiding tax.

[OldGoat]

Junior -

Before committing yourself to a long term mobile contract, might I suggest that you:-

Look at the coverage map(s) for your target suppliers to see what sort of signal you might get. That's obviously most useful if you are not doing much cruising.

If you do intend to move around, then perhaps, you'd be better advised to buy a used dongle (MiFi types, particularly the Huawei E5332) from eBay. Get it unlocked and you can then use it with others providers on a PAYG basis. Sometimes it pays to be independent. Works for dongles because they're cheap, whereas getting a high end phone isn't.

As to coverage and from whom - it's all dependant on where you are.

 

In my limited experience:-

Three generally gives good coverage, closely followed by

EE (tmobile / Orange)

Vodafone are said to be good in urban areas - but rubbish where I am at home..

O2 can be very patchy.

 

Thus when folks on here say it's "great for me" you have to discover where they are....

 

I'm a recent convert to the MiFi concept as it save me running cables across the cabin and / or getting tangled with SWMBO. Because it's WiFi within the boat other user(s) can share the connection.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

You can buy a 3 sim with 1Gb on it fro ebay for about £6 and a second hand dongle for around £10 so its not really a problem to get one to try before you buy. The coverage maps don't tell the whole story and if you get an unlocked dongle you can try lots of companies. I find 3 very good and the only place I couldn't use it at all was S Oxford between the Rock and Bakers lock. But of course I have not been everywhere.

Edited May 25, 2013 by ditchcrawler

[Phil Ambrose]

Do you not mean MiFi?

MiFi is just O2's name for their WiFi bit of kit. They use "M" alot as in MyO2 etc etc

 

Phil

[nb Innisfree]

MiFi is just O2's name for their WiFi bit of kit. They use "M" alot as in MyO2 etc etc

 

Phil

In the UK MiFi is a trademark belonging to the 3 network.

[OldGoat]

WiFi is the term used for short range local coverage and uses different frequencies and protocols to thos on the phone network - has been used for ages to connect PCs to in house networks.

 

I guess "3" wanted to distinguish between wifi and 3G phone connections. The 3 dongle does both. Most dongles to do this don't have an aerial socket, which to my mind can limit the coverage. The Huawei E5332 does but the E5331 doesn't (that answers one comment in an earlier post on this thread.

 

I will only buy (hopefully I've stopped buying these...) a dongle or **fi unit with an aerial socket, but that's me. Be aware that the sockets are different, both look the same but aren't.

[nb Innisfree]

In the USA MiFi is a trademark belonging to Verizon, a neat little name for a self powered mobile broadband wifi router.

[Phil Ambrose]

In the UK MiFi is a trademark belonging to the 3 network.

Well somebody should tell O2.

 

Phil

[nb Innisfree]

Well somebody should tell O2.

 

Phil

O2 refer to their MiFi device as an 'O2 Pocket Hotspot'

[Phil Ambrose]

O2 refer to their MiFi device as an 'O2 Pocket Hotspot'

Not when you phone them up.

Anyway does it matter? we all know what bit of kit we are talking about all providers that have these bits of kit can call them whatever they like, this does not detract in anyway from what they are supplying which is something to connect you wirelessly to the net.

 

Phil

[nb Innisfree]

Not when you phone them up.

Anyway does it matter? we all know what bit of kit we are talking about all providers that have these bits of kit can call them whatever they like, this does not detract in anyway from what they are supplying which is something to connect you wirelessly to the net.

 

Phil

Agreed, it's become a general term and though 3 could take legal action against a company adopting the name they can't stop people calling it that. Handy bit of kit, I always slip mine into a pocket when I leave home, when 4G becomes more usable I will get a suitable MiFi.

[Guest]

Hoover anyone???

[CptnKirk]

Although not cheap - you can always use a GlobeSurfer III wireless router.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/networking-and-wi-fi/modem-routers/option-globesurfer-iii-527758/review

 

All you need to do here is to put your DATA simm you purchased from 'Who-ever' and you can connect any device to the internet separately.

Easy to setup - furthermore, because the unit is a wireless router - all you devices can work with each other - meaning you can share files - photo's etc.....

 

It is just another idea you can add to your equations. Again - not the cheapest and it is DATA simm contract only.

[junior]

I think I've almost worked out what I need but I have a couple more questions if I may. If I get a '3' MiFi router thingy, does it have a cable going to an Ae on the roof or is the Ae built into the device?

 

Second question, if I get a smart phone on the One Plan with tethering (this is the system I am leaning towards atm) am I reliant on the phone getting a signal inside the boat? I understand this can be difficult sometimes?

 

Having read everything on this thread and checked out the 3 website, I'm thinking towards getting a Samsung smart phone on the One Plan with tethering. It looks to be about £30 odd quid a month and will do what I want. If I went for any of the dongle/mifi options, I'd have to pay for that AND a mobile phone contract.

 

Although not cheap - you can always use a GlobeSurfer III wireless router.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/networking-and-wi-fi/modem-routers/option-globesurfer-iii-527758/review

 

All you need to do here is to put your DATA simm you purchased from 'Who-ever' and you can connect any device to the internet separately.

Easy to setup - furthermore, because the unit is a wireless router - all you devices can work with each other - meaning you can share files - photo's etc.....

 

It is just another idea you can add to your equations. Again - not the cheapest and it is DATA simm contract only.

 

If I've understood the 3 website and this thread correctly, it is not possible to get an 'all you can eat' DATA sim?

[nb Innisfree]

Although not cheap - you can always use a GlobeSurfer III wireless router.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/pc-mac/networking-and-wi-fi/modem-routers/option-globesurfer-iii-527758/review

 

All you need to do here is to put your DATA simm you purchased from 'Who-ever' and you can connect any device to the internet separately.

Easy to setup - furthermore, because the unit is a wireless router - all you devices can work with each other - meaning you can share files - photo's etc.....

 

It is just another idea you can add to your equations. Again - not the cheapest and it is DATA simm contract only.

Sounds like an expensive MiFi which can do all that for a cheaper price, mind you that article is a but out of date (2009) things have moved on a bit since then.

[nb Innisfree]

MiFi has an inbuilt aerial like a mobile phone, some have a socket to connect an external aerial as well as the built in one.

 

Mobile phones including smartphones don't have an aerial socket so you have to rely on the built in aerial which can be a bit iffy in a steel boat.

 

There is no unlimited data on a data only sim, unlimited data is only available via a phone sim, data only sims take priority over phone sims, that's why they are limited, otherwise they would use too much data. Phone sims are unlimited because network operators can throttle them back when needed to give priority to their limited data sims. Obvious when you think about it, they are not going to hand out a free for all. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

 

We have a 3 data only sim on a MiFi, very handy when our O2 signal is a bit iffy or the web is too slow, we just switch on the MiFi and connect via wifi.

I think I've almost worked out what I need but I have a couple more questions if I may. If I get a '3' MiFi router thingy, does it have a cable going to an Ae on the roof or is the Ae built into the device?

 

Second question, if I get a smart phone on the One Plan with tethering (this is the system I am leaning towards atm) am I reliant on the phone getting a signal inside the boat? I understand this can be difficult sometimes?

 

Having read everything on this thread and checked out the 3 website, I'm thinking towards getting a Samsung smart phone on the One Plan with tethering. It looks to be about £30 odd quid a month and will do what I want. If I went for any of the dongle/mifi options, I'd have to pay for that AND a mobile phone contract.

 

 

 

If I've understood the 3 website and this thread correctly, it is not possible to get an 'all you can eat' DATA sim?

Edited May 27, 2013 by nb Innisfree

[junior]

MiFi has an inbuilt aerial like a mobile phone, some have a socket to connect an external aerial as well as the built in one.

 

Mobile phones including smartphones don't have an aerial socket so you have to rely on the built in aerial which can be a bit iffy in a steel boat.

 

There is no unlimited data on a data only sim, unlimited data is only available via a phone sim, data only sims take priority over phone sims, that's why they are limited, otherwise they would use too much data. Phone sims are unlimited because network operators can throttle them back when needed to give priority to their limited data sims. Obvious when you think about it, they are not going to hand out a free for all. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

 

We have a 3 data only sim on a MiFi, very handy when our O2 signal is a bit iffy or the web is too slow, we just switch on the MiFi and connect via wifi.

 

Ok so a good solution could be to get a smart phone with an all you can eat contract AND purchase a WiFi/MiFi thing that takes DATA sims and get a few pay as you go sims (is that poss?) to keep as a back up for when the phone can't get signal or when the speed gets too low. Would this be feasible?

[nb Innisfree]

Yes you can do that.

 

We have a contract data sim with 3 (£8 pm) which we keep as it's good value, we also buy a 3 PAYG sim from ebay, (£12ish for 3gb) but it only lasts 3 months. We run our smartphones on Giffgaff, missus on a £5 goodybag which gives her 60min 300 texts and 20mb data which does her for email, she can also access the web via wifi on our MiFi or router or via my tethered phone which has a Giffgaff goodybag that has calls, texts and limited data (being limited they let me tether) At byhome we tend to use our 3 contract sim in a router, PAYG in the MiFi.

 

She can't be arsed to surf on her iphone though, prefers the laptop.

 

ETA: To be really flexible you could get an unlocked MiFi and use any network sim.

 

Further edit: Giffgaff on O2 do unlimited data phone sims from £12 pm, though I doubt it's as good as 3. Worth considering though.

Edited May 27, 2013 by nb Innisfree

[Richard10002]

Ok so a good solution could be to get a smart phone with an all you can eat contract AND purchase a WiFi/MiFi thing that takes DATA sims and get a few pay as you go sims (is that poss?) to keep as a back up for when the phone can't get signal or when the speed gets too low. Would this be feasible?

That is exactly where I have ended up after a couple of years experimenting, and waiting for things to be priced right.

 

As I said, I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 on The One Plan with Three - a 24 month contract, so unlimited, tetherable data. It works fine on The Bridgewater Canal inside my 45ft steel narrowboat.

 

I also have a Three Mifi thing without aerial. I got this on a 24 month contract in Sept 2011, so it is close to ending - when it ends, I'll get some kind of cheap PAYG deal, do I have a backup.

 

During the trip from Burton on Trent to Stretford on The Trent & Mersey Canal in 2011, the Three Mifi worked fine wherever I used it.

 

Be aware that the Giffgaff £10 per month has 1Gb of tetherable data. The Giffgaff £12 per month has unlimited, but not tetherable, data.

[pelicanafloat]

4G with low data limit, what a con, about as much use as a concrete parachute.

There will be early adopters taking up the offer, and there will be the naive who will get big bills for exceeding the limit, and the companies will make their money, then things will change gradually as the con becomes apparent to enough.

I think this type of thing is actually worse than the Googles and Apples avoiding tax.

4G with low data limit, what a con, about as much use as a concrete parachute.

There will be early adopters taking up the offer, and there will be the naive who will get big bills for exceeding the limit, and the companies will make their money, then things will change gradually as the con becomes apparent to enough.

I think this type of thing is actually worse than the Googles and Apples avoiding tax.

There will be early adopters taking up the offer, and there will be the naive who will get big bills for exceeding the limit, and the companies will make their money, then things will change gradually as the con becomes apparent to enough.

I think this type of thing is actually worse than the Googles and Apples avoiding tax.

I'm just curious. What amount of data do you guys go through each month? I and wife between us have 2 laptops we keep updated, 2 android tablets, and 2 smartphones. We use Skype and we browse and email and check on the weather, and all this and we do not exceed 3Gb. I suppose if you wanted to stream live TV etc, that could be quite heavy usage, but we find that satellite and or digital aerials quite a good alternative ..... and we are continuous cruising. Just wondered because you seem very anti towards 4g, almost as if you to frightened to use it in case you got your fingers burnt :-) ....

[nb Innisfree]

 

I'm just curious. What amount of data do you guys go through each month? I and wife between us have 2 laptops we keep updated, 2 android tablets, and 2 smartphones. We use Skype and we browse and email and check on the weather, and all this and we do not exceed 3Gb. I suppose if you wanted to stream live TV etc, that could be quite heavy usage, but we find that satellite and or digital aerials quite a good alternative ..... and we are continuous cruising. Just wondered because you seem very anti towards 4g, almost as if you to frightened to use it in case you got your fingers burnt :-) ....

Varies, between 4 and 8 gb, depends on how many videos we watch, for instance, porn can suck up the data, if you follow my drift.

 

Trouble with 4G is the fast speed, handy but expensive and with a low allowance a bit pointless if it is used up quickly. When it's reliably available everywhere in large quantities and reasonably priced, like 3G is now, then I will welcome it.

Edited May 28, 2013 by nb Innisfree