Wi-Fi

[Mac IV]

Anyone know the best way on getting wifi on a narrowboat?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Welcome to the forum. This question gets asked a lot. There is a search facility, which will answer your question.

[Mac IV]

Thanks Jen-in-Wellies

[ditchcrawler]

8 minutes ago, Mac IV said:

Anyone know the best way on getting wifi on a narrowboat?

welcome to the forum here are some leads for you 

 

 

 

[GUMPY]

49 minutes ago, Mac IV said:

Anyone know the best way on getting wifi on a narrowboat?

Yes I do thanks

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, Mac IV said:

Anyone know the best way on getting wifi on a narrowboat?

A good router and a mobile SIM contract.  Depending on your location you may need a specific provider.  Depending on your budget and quality of WiFi required will determine whether you need an expensive router, a cheap mifi or just tether from a phone.

[blackrose]

If you have enough data allowance on your mobile phone and you're not going to be downloading movies, etc, the first thing to try is wireless tethering from your phone to your computer (using your phone as a mobile hotspot) with the phone in the window. That won't cost you anything if you stay within your data allowance. I did that for years working from the boat before finally taking out a separate broadband contract with 3.

 

If you do need a separate broadband deal then before you choose a network provider go onto the Ofcom broadband signal checker guide and have a look for your area.

 

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-telecoms-and-internet/advice-for-consumers/advice/ofcom-checker

 

The network providers will have their own versions of this of course but Ofcom is likely to be more unbiased.

Edited October 27, 2023 by blackrose

[Alan de Enfield]

3 hours ago, blackrose said:

If you do need a separate broadband deal then before you choose a network provider go onto the Ofcom broadband signal checker guide and have a look for your area.

 

Excellent advice, but if you intend to move about and 'cruise the system' then check all of your most likely cruising areas for signal - what may be excellent in the centre of city may not be any use at all in the wilds of (say) Leicestershire or Lincolnshire.

[Mac IV]

To everyone who answered my question. I thank you all. I will try the easy option first ( phone) . But if I need something else ie router Ariel etc . What equipment would you recommend for a decent to good+, signal. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as this topic is not my forte. Thanks M

[pig]

Many people on here use the Huawei B535 router:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unlocked-B535-333-Soyealink-External-Antennas/dp/B09J94GLN3/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3GA3VN5B7CKQK&keywords=b535&qid=1698391666&sprefix=b535%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-4

 

and an unlimited data sim from Smarty, which has a 28 day rolling contract (you only pay for the months that you actually will be using it).

 Many people use a Poynting aerial, but I've found that the router is particularly sensitive and the external aerial makes little or no difference.

[Paul C]

This thread, more than ever, illustrates why a Wiki would be a good idea.

Edited October 27, 2023 by Paul C

[David Mack]

1 minute ago, Paul C said:

This thread, more than ever, illustrates why a Wiki would be a good idea.

But that would require someone to determine what subjects should be in the wiki, write the articles, update and maintain them etc. Are you volunteering for that?

The forum does have pinned topics for subjects that come up often, but newbies and established members alike still ask the same questions afresh.

[Paul C]

Just now, David Mack said:

But that would require someone to determine what subjects should be in the wiki, write the articles, update and maintain them etc. Are you volunteering for that?

The forum does have pinned topics for subjects that come up often, but newbies and established members alike still ask the same questions afresh.

You don't know my history on this.......

[Tony1]

 

As was said above, if you are staying in one location you may find there is a network that works really well in that spot, and that their phone signal is good enough to use for internet. Local boaters will usually have some idea what networks work best, so its worth asking around before committing money.  

If you are going to be doing some travelling, I've found that none of them have 100% coverage (especially in more rural areas), but EE has been the one that worked in the most locations I've visited.

(So providers that piggyback on the EE network (like Smarty), should (in theory?) also give a pretty wide coverage.) 

In my view the best all round solution would be an EE SIM, with a router and at least 6ft aerial on the roof.  

But even EE sometimes lets you down, and there have been places where my O2 SIM worked ok when the EE SIM got no usable signal. For example in the visitor moorings opposite Anderton marina my EE SIM could get no usable signal, but the O2 SIM (helped by a 6ft mast) was just about ok. I spoke to a few locals in nearby Barnton and several have ongoing signal problems.

So I currently use both EE and O2 SIMs, the EE in my phone and the O2 permanently in the router.

There are some notorious dead spots (typically in shadow of hills) where no network can provide a signal, but they are fairly few. 

But as said, a lot depends on your travelling/ cruising pattern, the places you are going to be mooring, the budget, and how critical it is to ensure you have signal almost everywhere. 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

40 minutes ago, Paul C said:

This thread, more than ever, illustrates why a Wiki would be a good idea.

There is a frequently asked questions section that isn't used much.

https://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?/forum/48-frequently-asked-questions/

 

[GUMPY]

Smarty is owned by Three and used the Three network 🤔

[IanD]

 

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, pig said:

 Many people use a Poynting aerial, but I've found that the router is particularly sensitive and the external aerial makes little or no difference.

 

Depends on the particular boat of course are the combined area of windows. 

 

At my mooring there is a very weak 3 and a better EE signal but that's it. I'm on 3 and without the external aerial I don't get anything. With the aerial I get 5 bars on the B353 router.

[IanD]

46 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

As was said above, if you are staying in one location you may find there is a network that works really well in that spot, and that their phone signal is good enough to use for internet. Local boaters will usually have some idea what networks work best, so its worth asking around before committing money.  

If you are going to be doing some travelling, I've found that none of them have 100% coverage (especially in more rural areas), but EE has been the one that worked in the most locations I've visited.

(So providers that piggyback on the EE network (like Smarty), should (in theory?) also give a pretty wide coverage.) 

In my view the best all round solution would be an EE SIM, with a router and at least 6ft aerial on the roof.  

But even EE sometimes lets you down, and there have been places where my O2 SIM worked ok when the EE SIM got no usable signal. For example in the visitor moorings opposite Anderton marina my EE SIM could get no usable signal, but the O2 SIM (helped by a 6ft mast) was just about ok. I spoke to a few locals in nearby Barnton and several have ongoing signal problems.

So I currently use both EE and O2 SIMs, the EE in my phone and the O2 permanently in the router.

There are some notorious dead spots (typically in shadow of hills) where no network can provide a signal, but they are fairly few. 

But as said, a lot depends on your travelling/ cruising pattern, the places you are going to be mooring, the budget, and how critical it is to ensure you have signal almost everywhere. 

 

 

 

EE does have the best coverage across the whole of the UK especially in rural areas, but that doesn't mean it's the best everywhere -- see the "consistent quality" results here:

 

https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2023/09/uk/mobile-network-experience

 

I'm moored in Uplands Marina (opposite Anderton Marina) and the EE signal level there at the boat is pretty bad -- my phone often can't get reception at all, and even the onboard router/external antenna (both 4x4 MIMO, the best I could find) drops offline sometimes especially in bad weather.

6 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

Depends on the particular boat of course are the combined area of windows. 

 

At my mooring there is a very weak 3 and a better EE signal but that's it. I'm on 3 and without the external aerial I don't get anything. With the aerial I get 5 bars on the B353 router.

 

And location. On my boat the router (NR5103E 4x4 MIMO) is near both a porthole and glazed side doors on both sides. If the signal is weak -- which it certainly is where the boat is moored! -- then there is no reception at all with the internal antenna but there is with the external one.

[Paul C]

3 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

EE does have the best coverage across the whole of the UK especially in rural areas, but that doesn't mean it's the best everywhere -- see the "consistent quality" results here:

 

https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2023/09/uk/mobile-network-experience

 

I'm moored in Uplands Marina (opposite Anderton Marina) and the EE signal level there at the boat is pretty bad -- my phone often can't get reception at all, and even the onboard router/external antenna (both 4x4 MIMO, the best I could find) drops offline sometimes especially in bad weather.

 

It would be a useful comparison to try the other networks at the same place. To this end, it might be worth seeking out the cheapest deals for each of the networks, so that you (and others) can do this kind of comparison. I've mentioned it before, but Lebara (uswitch offer) is cheap, and a uswitch referral is even cheaper - that's Vodaphone covered.

 

Don't know about the others though.

[IanD]

2 minutes ago, Paul C said:

 

It would be a useful comparison to try the other networks at the same place. To this end, it might be worth seeking out the cheapest deals for each of the networks, so that you (and others) can do this kind of comparison. I've mentioned it before, but Lebara (uswitch offer) is cheap, and a uswitch referral is even cheaper - that's Vodaphone covered.

 

Don't know about the others though.

 

If you're mostly in one place then it's obviously worth getting a few cheap SIMs and trying out all the networks to see which is best where you are.

 

I don't live aboard or spend any significant time in the marina, it's just a mooring, and the only reason for needing internet access is remote monitoring of the boat, so all that's needed is a link that works (most of the time) at any speed. When I'm out and about on the network coverage matters, hence the choice of EE (1pmobile).

 

During my recent trip from Sheffield to Anderton over the Rochdale I always had enough bandwidth for TV streaming (iPlayer) even when moored in the middle of nowhere -- this is with a router/antenna setup that cost about £400 which is a bit steep for many people, but I also need to be able to work from the boat, meaning video calls as well as decent VPN access into the company network.

[Tony1]

5 minutes ago, IanD said:

 

EE does have the best coverage across the whole of the UK especially in rural areas, but that doesn't mean it's the best everywhere -- see the "consistent quality" results here:

 

https://www.opensignal.com/reports/2023/09/uk/mobile-network-experience

 

I'm moored in Uplands Marina (opposite Anderton Marina) and the EE signal level there at the boat is pretty bad -- my phone often can't get reception at all, and even the onboard router/external antenna (both 4x4 MIMO, the best I could find) drops offline sometimes especially in bad weather.

 

 

 

Yes, that's pretty much what I was saying- EE is the one I've found to work in the most locations, and generally with the best signal.

But none are infallible (eg the Anderton area)- and that's why I also have an O2 SIM, which works (albeit indifferently) at Anderton and Barnton. 

But having a second SIM is clearly a more expensive solution, and not everyone will think its worth the extra cost.

I think its about £25/month for an O2 SIM with say 250Gb of data, and that one is my 'workhorse' provider, as its cheap and it works reasonably (with the mast) in most places. 

But for the OP. it will depend on his cruising patterns, preferences, and budget.  People do report good results with the piggybacking providers, and they are cheaper, but I think when trying to make a decision, its important to be clear on how far and in what areas someone cruises. 

Someone living aboard in Anderton might say O2 is their best option, but someone who travels more widely might say EE.

 

 

[dmr]

51 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

Smarty is owned by Three and used the Three network 🤔

 

Its all very odd, Smarty is Three and its cheaper and offers a rolling no commitment contract, the only? downside is less technical support, but Three support is pretty bad anyway.

 

We have used Three for years and find the coverage very good but it can be slow, probably because Three is popular so over-subscribed. EE is non existent at our winter base so I have no experience of it. The phones are O2 to act as a backup if Three does not work somewhere. Three coverage appears much better than O2.

[Tony1]

56 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

Smarty is owned by Three and used the Three network 🤔

 

Thanks for that clarification. 

 

[IanD]

19 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

Yes, that's pretty much what I was saying- EE is the one I've found to work in the most locations, and generally with the best signal.

But none are infallible (eg the Anderton area)- and that's why I also have an O2 SIM, which works (albeit indifferently) at Anderton and Barnton. 

But having a second SIM is clearly a more expensive solution, and not everyone will think its worth the extra cost.

I think its about £25/month for an O2 SIM with say 250Gb of data, and that one is my 'workhorse' provider, as its cheap and it works reasonably (with the mast) in most places. 

But for the OP. it will depend on his cruising patterns, preferences, and budget.  People do report good results with the piggybacking providers, and they are cheaper, but I think when trying to make a decision, its important to be clear on how far and in what areas someone cruises. 

Someone living aboard in Anderton might say O2 is their best option, but someone who travels more widely might say EE.

 

 

 

Some of the piggybacking providers (MVNOs) have exactly the same coverage and features as the parent network (e.g. 1pmobile on EE), some have (often well-hidden...) limitations such as not using all available bands which reduces coverage in remote areas (e.g. Lyca Mobile on EE), and it's often not easy to find out about these limitations -- see here for some examples:

 

https://www.simsherpa.com/networks/ee/virtual-providers-on-ee

 

What the MVNOs often are is cheaper and with no long-term contracts to lock you in (usually 1 month only), so if you can find one that suits you (e.g. 1pmobile, Smarty, GiffGaff) they're almost always a better deal than the parent network provider (e.g. EE, Three, O2).

Edited October 27, 2023 by IanD