I want a bigger Dongle !

[onionbargee]

i'm on a 3 dongle for my internet, when there's a weak signal i've got a 4 meter USB extension cable to get the dongle on the roof, this is not as good as taking the laptop outside, so whats the best set up for finding a weak signal?

[mrsmelly]

i'm on a 3 dongle for my internet, when there's a weak signal i've got a 4 meter USB extension cable to get the dongle on the roof, this is not as good as taking the laptop outside, so whats the best set up for finding a weak signal?

 

Move

[steelaway]

i'm on a 3 dongle for my internet, when there's a weak signal i've got a 4 meter USB extension cable to get the dongle on the roof, this is not as good as taking the laptop outside, so whats the best set up for finding a weak signal?

 

OOH 'er - Misses - so do I!!

 

Alex

[Nickhlx]

OOH 'er - Misses - so do I!!

 

Alex

 

A dongle with an aerial socket on. and plugging into it an exterior high gain whip aerial - have a look on e-bay or a specialist mobile / laptop site or shop...

 

Nick

[Guest]

[Ark Right]

Hi, I would suggest using an "active usb cable" They compensate for losses in long usb cables. Linky

Cheers

A

[Nightwatch]

A picture of your sock drawer then Martin.

 

Martyn

[Justme]

The new ish 3 high speed dongle works better in low signal areas.

[jelunga]

Use a wireless dongle. You can put it outside or use an external antenna. We put our 3 and t mobile wireless ones in the porthole and get a good signal strength

Edited February 21, 2012 by jelunga

[Rich]

i'm on a 3 dongle for my internet, when there's a weak signal i've got a 4 meter USB extension cable to get the dongle on the roof, this is not as good as taking the laptop outside, so whats the best set up for finding a weak signal?

I found that if I raised the dongle off the roof by about 18" (450mm) it improved the signal.

 

I now use a Huawei 160 dongle which has an antenna socket and plug it into an external antenna.

 

The antenna came from an independent mobile phone shop and sticks to the roof via its magnetic base. This gives me a better signal than a dongle lying on the roof and there is no danger of the dongle or sim card being damaged by damp.

[OldGoat]

Use a wireless dongle. You can put it outside or use an external antenna. We put our 3 and t mobile wireless ones in the porthole and get a good signal strength

 

 

I think the OP has already done that.

 

 

However - after some experimentation (on the basis of nil carborundum ( ) I've found that - what works for me -is:

a dongle with an aerial socket in the cabin (Huawei E160, E122 and some others)

a 3G aerial with mag mount on the roof such as This one from Solwise OK it's an indoor one but works if you don't leave it up 24/7/365.

 

What wasn't so good were -

A dongle on a long pole

an aerial (as in the above) on a long pole.

 

NOTE:-

 

Not all suppliers give good coverage. Out in the sticks - and that can meen just outside a town - coverage can be abysmal with one supplier, but usable with another.

 

We cruise a bit and have found that Vodafone is poor away from centres of population, Orange/ T-mobile moderate, O2 non existent, but Three is the most consistent.

That's from the SouthEast up to Brum.

 

Suppliers always work harder for lots of customers clustered together (good business sense) so folks on the cut get short shrift.

Before you spend a bit of cash loog at the coverage maps for where you are, then decide on the best supplier.

 

 

 

Of course if you coulds a general hint of where you were - I could have been more specific...........

Edited February 24, 2012 by OldGoat

[Pretty Funked Up]

I got a cheap S2 phone for 3 and bunged the sim in there. bluetooth link to lappie and stick the phone somewhere for good reception. Its been pretty flawless and cost £20 from fleabay. The phone is permantely in the boat connected to power so it also has other uses too (backup phone for emergencies etc.). It cost £5 /month for the 2gb bolt on, I never seem to use it all either.

Edited February 25, 2012 by Pretty Funked Up

[Notlostyet]

just been to 3 store they have a new web cube suposidly better signal and runs up to 5 seperate wifi connections 15.99 per month 15gb

seems interesting

[Scooby]

I have been with 3 for 2 years now, i did have dongle with aerial socket and have aeriel on the roof from the dongle, it did work ok but since upgrading my contract with 3 they have sent me a new dongle the white one E353, its far better than the previous one i had from them, i now get a signal in places that i didnt used to, i have tried the E367, and the E122, all with aeriel sockets, my newest has great speeds,

 

This test is from a place in middle of nowhere, i usually get double this.

 

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1797536967.png

 

[Jo_]

I like the look of 3's Huawei white cube too ... but it's only on market testing in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Leeds at the moment. And I'm not actually sure it will be better than the new MiFi HSDPA jobby on a narrowboat. The cube will need to be put down somewhere - we hang the MiFi jobby at a window.

[Richard10002]

I like the look of 3's Huawei white cube too ... but it's only on market testing in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Leeds at the moment. And I'm not actually sure it will be better than the new MiFi HSDPA jobby on a narrowboat. The cube will need to be put down somewhere - we hang the MiFi jobby at a window.

 

Looks like it plugs into the mains, rather than being rechargeable like the MiFi. I think I would prefer the MiFi for the boat. I get about 13Mb download and 6Mb upload, and can recharge via mains or USB.

 

Not sure why I might prefer the cube at home, unless it's cheaper, or unlimited.

[bizzard]

Mines held to the window curtain with a wooden clothes peg.

[Scooby]

I have been with 3 for 2 years now, i did have dongle with aerial socket and have aeriel on the roof from the dongle, it did work ok but since upgrading my contract with 3 they have sent me a new dongle the white one E353, its far better than the previous one i had from them, i now get a signal in places that i didnt used to, i have tried the E367, and the E122, all with aeriel sockets, my newest has great speeds,

 

This test is from a place in middle of nowhere, i usually get double this.

 

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1797536967.png

 

 

Aint no cube just a dongle in the window.

 

Back at mooring now.