which network and dongle

[The Crusty Crow]

We're looking to use the internet on our boat again after a break. Last time was a two year contract with T Mobile and a dongle on a stick on top of the roof. I found the network coverage not too good in certain places. Anyone got any advice on deals with internet providers at the moment. Also are there purpose built out door dongles available?

[Guest]

We're looking to use the internet on our boat again after a break. Last time was a two year contract with T Mobile and a dongle on a stick on top of the roof. I found the network coverage not too good in certain places. Anyone got any advice on deals with internet providers at the moment. Also are there purpose built out door dongles available?

 

Check out

 

this previous thread

 

Take account of the fact that I might have influenced the first few votes by using a title that might have attracted only 3 network users. Note though that even after I asked the mods to alter the title the votes for 3 still kept coming.

 

3 for me BUT with a couple of back up dongles/sims from Orange and Vodafone.

 

and no there are no outdoor dongles, at least none that can survive adverse weather. Out door solutions are available though.

[Smelly]

T Mob's coverage improved significantly on the W&B between 2008 and 2010... We had lots of signal on the Severn between Stourport and Worcester, and reasonable on the S&W last year. Don't give up on them yet, when they go live with Orange's 3G network I imagine they may well get the best coverage, although rapidly increasing contention ratios seem to be an issue atm.

[onionbargee]

T Mob's coverage improved significantly on the W&B between 2008 and 2010... We had lots of signal on the Severn between Stourport and Worcester, and reasonable on the S&W last year. Don't give up on them yet, when they go live with Orange's 3G network I imagine they may well get the best coverage, although rapidly increasing contention ratios seem to be an issue atm.

T flippin mobile once sent me a bill for £800 for 3 days dongle use, it took a couple of years to fight that one off, even they said it was phsically impossible, but they sold the debt to bailiffs, who sold it on to more bailiffs,they all eventually gave up.

[Rich]

We're looking to use the internet on our boat again after a break. Last time was a two year contract with T Mobile and a dongle on a stick on top of the roof. I found the network coverage not too good in certain places. Anyone got any advice on deals with internet providers at the moment. Also are there purpose built out door dongles available?

 

Whatever network you use, and I have been using Orange 3g for some years now with mostly good results, to avoid sticking the dongle on the roof which is not good for them, or hanging it in windows and portholes and hoping for the best use a Huawei 160 dongle which has an accessible antenna socket as standard. You can Google for 3g antennas and take your pick of what you come up with.

 

They do work well but if you get one that doesn't you can send it back under the Distance Selling Regs.

[Martyn Hicks]

We're looking to use the internet on our boat again after a break. Last time was a two year contract with T Mobile and a dongle on a stick on top of the roof. I found the network coverage not too good in certain places. Anyone got any advice on deals with internet providers at the moment. Also are there purpose built out door dongles available?

 

Hi I can only go on what my satellite customers tell me they have used or have got and the network 3 seems to come out on top

 

Martyn...

[The Crusty Crow]

Whatever network you use, and I have been using Orange 3g for some years now with mostly good results, to avoid sticking the dongle on the roof which is not good for them, or hanging it in windows and portholes and hoping for the best use a Huawei 160 dongle which has an accessible antenna socket as standard. You can Google for 3g antennas and take your pick of what you come up with.

 

They do work well but if you get one that doesn't you can send it back under the Distance Selling Regs.

Thanks for this.

My last dongle nearly fell in the cut a few times and It didn't look too good tied to a line prop in a plastic bag sticking out the top of the boat.

I'll have a look on line for something better

Thanks everyone who answered my question

 

Best Wishes

 

Roy

[muddywaters]

TMobile and orange are sharing their networks now.

So if you are out of range of one could be in range of the other.

I'm on orange with my mobile and have never had any problems out and about on boats.

But my Dongle is on vodafone but have never taken it on a cruise so don't know how good or bad they are

[nb Innisfree]

We are very pleased with our mobile broadband contract with 3 and since installing a magnetic 3g aerial on the roof which plugs into a Huawei E156G dongle which then plugs into a router we have had excellent results.

 

It seems that since 3 recently discontinued their 2G backup from Orange (3 have never had their own 2G masts) their phone service has deteriorated as it is now 3G only which though the best of all the providers (alledgedly) isn't so good indoors, we get very frustrated with our phone losing signal and have to fall back on our PAYG Orange/TMobile 2G. Perhaps we could cancel our contract on the basis that the service is unfit for purpose? (they never told me they would be turning their 2G off )

Edited February 25, 2011 by nb Innisfree

[bottle]

TMobile and orange are sharing their networks now.

So if you are out of range of one could be in range of the other.

I'm on orange with my mobile and have never had any problems out and about on boats.

But my Dongle is on vodafone but have never taken it on a cruise so don't know how good or bad they are

 

Only on their 2g networks, so only any good for phone calls and texts.

[Scooby]

We are very pleased with our mobile broadband contract with 3 and since installing a magnetic 3g aerial on the roof which plugs into a Huawei E156G dongle which then plugs into a router we have had excellent results.

 

It seems that since 3 recently discontinued their 2G backup from Orange (3 have never had their own 2G masts) their phone service has deteriorated as it is now 3G only which though the best of all the providers (alledgedly) isn't so good indoors, we get very frustrated with our phone losing signal and have to fall back on our PAYG Orange/TMobile 2G. Perhaps we could cancel our contract on the basis that the service is unfit for purpose? (they never told me they would be turning their 2G off )

[/q

 

I live on the boat and need/use the internet all the time, 3 dongle plugged into 12 volt router, ariel socket in the dongle connected to magnetic ariel on the roof, works perfect almost anywhere, and wifi all around the boat for the wife to connect laptop or kindle to. Costs about £150 to set up but beats going outside checking the rusty dongle and drying out the simcard everytime it rains.

[TONYWILKO]

We're looking to use the internet on our boat again after a break. Last time was a two year contract with T Mobile and a dongle on a stick on top of the roof. I found the network coverage not too good in certain places. Anyone got any advice on deals with internet providers at the moment. Also are there purpose built out door dongles available?

 

I use a huawei e583 on the 3 network now and it is as good as having a telephone line. you can put it any were in the boat ( best near a window ) i was on bt service most days only 1 bar of service