Internet - Dongle or Tethering

[Sus Davy]

Sorry if this has been posted before!

 

We are trying to work out the bext internet option for our new narrowboat.

 

I know a lot of people use dongles, however the maximum they seem to offer is 15gb per month (with Three), but I don't think that would be enough for us.

 

The other option I think is the One Plan with Three, Sim only deal with unlimited data, and then we could buy a cheap tethering capable phone and use that.

 

My issue is with the sim only plan, can we still download films etc? Does anyone have any experience on this? And would the speed of the internet be ok (so long as we had signal)

 

We don't want to just tether from our current plans because we don't have much data allowance on them.

 

I've also read about 3g routers, but don't really understand them!

 

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks

[Guest]

Loads of previous threads - have a skeggy -

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=60537&hl=internet

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=59213&hl=internet

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=59952&hl=internet

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=59219&hl=internet

 

Plus loads more

 

- it's one of the most discussed issues on the forum and the 'best way to go' has as many opinions about it as there are stars in the sky (well not quite but opions are different for sure).

Edited October 29, 2013 by The Dog House

[Sus Davy]

Thanks! Although trying to translate a lot of this tech speak is a bit tricky for me!

 

So lots of people get a dongle, but then buy an arial too, to increase signal?

 

I'm leaning towards tethering with a phone, as it seems to get a more consistent signal? The One Plan from Three allows tethering (unlike most) and would be the most cost efficient... I think!

[Guest]

Some (like me) do indeed use an aerial (it's the only way I can get internet sometimes including on our mooring) some find them totally unnecessary and find the phone works fine just stuck in the window.

 

A lot depends on your signal strength of course.

 

The One Plan is a good option BUT note some members have reported problems with their usage being throttled back (and at peculiar times too not just when you would expect) and thus they lose iPlayer for example part way through a program.

[dmr]

15GByte is quite a lot, but if you have two people sharing (via a router/mifi) or if you like to download movies/watch internet TV, then it might not be enough.

Tethering looks like a good deal but "nothing is free". It appears the catch is that if you use it too much then the speed available will be massively reduced for a significant part of the day.

We run two contracts so get 30GByte and have not yet exceeded this.

 

............Dave

[davidc]

I use 3 unlimited data with the tethering option and when my son is on-board he plays Xbox live through my phone with no problems I play Netflix and the only problem is now and then it pauses while the download catches up I find by tethering the phone physical to the PC instead for using hotspot option this is reduced.

[Richard10002]

On the One Plan I get throttled for tethering to between 1Mb-2Mb between 3pm and midnight. Its bloody annoying, and useless for anything g involving video. Whilst it's explained on the Web site somewhere, it's not explained when you buy. So beware.

[Robbo]

I use the One Plan sim only deal (£25 month) and download around 50Gb a month. This is includes iplayer and 4od stuff - I mainly use the download options for these as 25% of the time it isn't quick enough (mainly 4od, iplayer handles lower bandwidth better)

[Guest]

On the One Plan I get throttled for tethering to between 1Mb-2Mb between 3pm and midnight. Its bloody annoying, and useless for anything g involving video. Whilst it's explained on the Web site somewhere, it's not explained when you buy. So beware.

 

They call it traffic sense though some members report experiencing the issue outside the 'peak' times too.

[SkyMover]

 

I've also read about 3g routers, but don't really understand them!

 

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks

 

3G Routers are not really much different to normal ADSL/Broadband outers. You put a SIM card in them (usually data only) just like a phone. You can then connect via wireless or ethernet cable just like a normal router. They are a more expensive option though - cost for a reasonably good one by Teltonika or ProRoute are usually £150 or more, and you still have to buy the SIM. But if you need reliability and speed then they are worth the extra cost.

 

 

This place is a good start http://www.3grouterstore.co.uk/

 

Chris

[davidc]

I'm on 3 ultimate Internet 300 phone plan with a tethering add on

 

And the model of phone is a Samsung

Edited October 29, 2013 by davidc

[DaveP]

I've been using a 3 15Gb dongle deal for the last couple of years. In summer I moved my phone (HTC Wildfire) onto the One Plan and used the hotspot. It's worked pretty well in the window on the Four Countries ring, Macc, Llangollen, Rochdale and Calder.

I was using the dongle with a Zoom 4506 wifi router, but the Zoom tethering software wouldn't work with the phone reliably so I've now got a Sapido rb-1632 wifi router which works directly with the Android tether (and runs off USB power and charges the phone).

 

I've been using 30-50Gb/mth and haven't noticed traffic sense kicking in. However, I don't attempt to watch live internet TV - I much prefer to download and watch later.

 

So, when the dongle contract expires in January, I'll kill it and rely on the One Plan phone alone.

 

--

Dave

[NBDensie]

 

3G Routers are not really much different to normal ADSL/Broadband outers. You put a SIM card in them (usually data only) just like a phone. You can then connect via wireless or ethernet cable just like a normal router. They are a more expensive option though - cost for a reasonably good one by Teltonika or ProRoute are usually £150 or more, and you still have to buy the SIM. But if you need reliability and speed then they are worth the extra cost.

 

 

This place is a good start http://www.3grouterstore.co.uk/

 

Chris

 

Or get one of these from 3 for (from memory) around £30, certainly < £50. I used to have an aerial with a Huawei dongle but the 3 mifi router works better - in bad reception areas just put it on the roof.

[junior]

I have a Samsung S4 on Three's 'The One Plan'. I can hook both my tablet and my laptop up to it no problem. I can also download films, watch BBC iPlayer/YouTube etc with no problems. I truley believe it is unrestricted data. I have seen people say on previous threads that they have experienced problems with the data rate slowing down at certain times, but i've not experienced this yet.

 

Since living aboard I have travelled from Braunston up North all the way down to London, round and up the River Lea,and I haven't once yet not had a signal be that data or phone. I also get a good signal inside the boat.

[alias]

I've had good results with one of these from Amazon (with a 3 dongle), which is a bit cheaper: http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-TL-MR3040-Portable-Battery-Wireless/dp/B00842KJOS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1383066737&sr=1-1&keywords=tl+mr+3040

 

Reviews do indicate though that it is intended only for short range wifi use, so maybe that's why. I also typically get only about 3 hours per battery charge rather than the longer figures claimed.

[Sus Davy]

Thanks for all this info guys!

Will talk to my boyfriend later, but think we will probably opt for the one plan. We tend to download things and then watch them. I just want the ease of knowing we won't ever go over a limit (such as 15gb)

 

Anyone around the K+A Bath / Bradford - on Avon area - whats the signal like?

[bottle]

 

whats the signal like?

 

A bit like asking how long is a piece of string.

 

For example, I am not on the K&A but when I moored today the Huawei router with external aerial could only just connect and the speed was abysmal.

 

Disconnected aeial moved router to front door and immediatley (without aerial) got good signal and a very fast download speed.

 

A movement of about 6 feet and I am in open countryside.

[Psycloud]

I've been using a 3 15Gb dongle deal for the last couple of years. In summer I moved my phone (HTC Wildfire) onto the One Plan and used the hotspot. It's worked pretty well in the window on the Four Countries ring, Macc, Llangollen, Rochdale and Calder.

 

I was using the dongle with a Zoom 4506 wifi router, but the Zoom tethering software wouldn't work with the phone reliably so I've now got a Sapido rb-1632 wifi router which works directly with the Android tether (and runs off USB power and charges the phone).

 

I've been using 30-50Gb/mth and haven't noticed traffic sense kicking in. However, I don't attempt to watch live internet TV - I much prefer to download and watch later.

 

So, when the dongle contract expires in January, I'll kill it and rely on the One Plan phone alone.

 

--

Dave

 

We have the same Zoom 3g router and also didn't manage to get it tethering properly so we bought the Zoom dongle and have that outside the boat (covered by a plastic bottle) and connected to the router via a 2m USB extension cable that comes in through one of the mushroom vents. The signal is so much better like this and whereas we regularly had to reboot the router due to dropping connections etc we've only had to reboot it once in 2 months sine putting the dongle outside. Our usage profile is similar to yours.

[Richard10002]

I've been using a 3 15Gb dongle deal for the last couple of years. In summer I moved my phone (HTC Wildfire) onto the One Plan and used the hotspot. It's worked pretty well in the window on the Four Countries ring, Macc, Llangollen, Rochdale and Calder.

 

I was using the dongle with a Zoom 4506 wifi router, but the Zoom tethering software wouldn't work with the phone reliably so I've now got a Sapido rb-1632 wifi router which works directly with the Android tether (and runs off USB power and charges the phone).

 

I've been using 30-50Gb/mth and haven't noticed traffic sense kicking in. However, I don't attempt to watch live internet TV - I much prefer to download and watch later.

 

So, when the dongle contract expires in January, I'll kill it and rely on the One Plan phone alone.

 

--

Dave

Beware! I didn't notice traffic sense until I cancelled my mifi contract. Amazing how it coincided, so I am certain they made a change to my account.

[adrianh]

Hi

The mobile phone signal is not good as you will be down in the valley and hidden from most good signals between bradford on avon and bathampton.

In some areas my O2 phone has no signal

[davidb]

"

The mobile phone signal is not good as you will be down in the valley and hidden from most good signals between bradford on avon and bathampton.

In some areas my O2 phone has no signal"

 

Apart from the stretch mentioned above, we have just completed the whole K&A and had a signal on our 3 mifi for the whole distance. In problem areas, of which there were few, i just put it on the roof near the hatch, under a cover.

 

For that reason I would use a dongle, I wouldn't like to leave a smartphone on the roof. David