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Improving onboard Mobile communications


KJT

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That's fascinating, well written and very informative, so Thanks

Have a Greenie.

 

It would be great if the moderators could be persuaded to have an "oft requested topics" section as I'm sure that many threads disappear into history and folks ask the same question time after time.

 

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It's not surprising the the E5756 is faster than the 5332. It's designed for 4G networks which operate at a higher frequency and are capable of greater throughputs. SO they need a faster processor and more RAM to give what the vendors say they can!

 

I read somewhere that somebody is experimenting with a modified satellite setup that might give a bit more gain.

 

I'd forget Vodafone, they're really not setup for mobile internet. Their support is abysmal - nobody give the correct answer and you get a different version each time you ring. They won't put anything in writing, either in answer to a question or in their Ts & Cs. A bit like dealing with a government department....

 

 

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Internet

I think it’s well recognised, and it’s also my experience, that the ‘3’ network has the most extensive and reliable coverage of the canal system.

 

 

I'm sure there's some great technical information in your post, but I'm afraid for me your initial premise doesn't hold water.

 

I used to be on the 3 network and unless it's been drastically improved in the last few years it's actually recognised by many people (including non-boaters), as not only being one of the worst networks, but also having the poorest customer service when things aren't working. I've been living on rivers for the past 5 years rather than canals so perhaps that's it - there was no 3 coverage at my mooring on the Thames which is why I changed and as far as I know there's no 3 coverage here on the Avon either. Anyway, my experience certainly differers from yours and I'd never go back to 3.

Edited by blackrose
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Did you get to try it in that other well known internet black hole, Heyford on the southern Oxford?

 

MtB

I haven't moored in Heyford itself, but according to my annotations on my map, above Dashwood's Lock and above Heyford Common lock I get good Internet on '3' and good phone signal on '3' and 02.

 

I'm sure there's some great technical information in your post, but I'm afraid for me your initial premise doesn't hold water.

 

I used to be on the 3 network and unless it's been drastically improved in the last few years it's actually recognised by many people (including non-boaters), as not only being one of the worst networks, but also having the poorest customer service when things aren't working. I've been living on rivers for the past 5 years rather than canals so perhaps that's it - there was no 3 coverage at my mooring on the Thames which is why I changed and as far as I know there's no 3 coverage here on the Avon either. Anyway, my experience certainly differers from yours and I'd never go back to 3.

As I mentioned in my post, there will be many whose experience is not the same as my own. That is a fact of the vagaries of technology.

I am merely recounting my experience and what I have used to try and get the best coverage.

I am sure that there are many places that my premise doesn't hold water, as you say. I am also sure there are many places that I couldn't get a useable signal. I have never tried, but I am fairly certain I wouldn't get Internet in Braunston Tunnel either. I think if you are wishing to get a useable signal you have to give the equipment a chance to grab whatever signal is available. It may be good, but it's not magic.

I have often sought the opinion of fellow boaters as to which is their preferred network and their experiences when travelling out and about. '3' is by far and away the most commonly referred to network used by those I have asked.

 

Your experience clearly is different. As a matter of interest what equipment do you use and what network and location?

 

Ken

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The difference of a few metres can make a lot of difference.

 

Even moving an aerial/antenna from one end of the boat to the other can make a huge difference.

 

Ken

 

Thanks for your post, very interesting.

 

Will stick with the bit of wet string, as the phone and internet are not a priority for me.

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From my researches - which aren't exhaustive - My unconsidered experience is:-

 

'3' best coverage everywhere, especially at home where they're the only supplier with 3G that works. Customer service good (the Rep: spoke excellent English)

 

EE - nearly as good. Haven't used CS

 

Vodafone Poor general coverage, good near major towns. otherwise v.poor. CS - absolutely abysmal, Reps are pleasant and helpful but their backup systems are really, really the pits. That results in inconsistent and unreliable information. The company's approach appears to be designed to deter you by any means possible. Folks like them because of good deals on phone tariffs, but they don't understand internet data needs. a Bit like BT....

 

 

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A few comments.

 

I find that our magbase aerial on the roof only gives about the same signal strength as putting the dongle itself outside on the roof, but is a lot more convenient as I kept forgetting to bring the dongle in when it rained.

 

When the signal is poor I do put the dongle outside raised up on a big stick using a USB extension lead.

I suspect this is better than putting the aerial up on a stick as it avoids the aerial cable losses, but I have not tried this.

This does not work with some cheaper USB extension leads!

 

MtB, this stick approach did get a bit of 3 signal at Lower Heyford a couple of days ago, but the internet was still useless

 

We run the dongle via a TPLink router so get good Wif throughout the boat even with the dongle outside.

 

I think there are two issue with poor internet, the first is to get an acceptable signal strength.

The second is that even with a good signal the connection is still sometimes slow or intermittent and I suspect this is because the system is overloaded by too many users. 3 does appear to have suffered badly from this in the last year.

 

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

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I'm sure there's some great technical information in your post, but I'm afraid for me your initial premise doesn't hold water.

 

I used to be on the 3 network and unless it's been drastically improved in the last few years it's actually recognised by many people (including non-boaters), as not only being one of the worst networks, but also having the poorest customer service when things aren't working. I've been living on rivers for the past 5 years rather than canals so perhaps that's it - there was no 3 coverage at my mooring on the Thames which is why I changed and as far as I know there's no 3 coverage here on the Avon either. Anyway, my experience certainly differers from yours and I'd never go back to 3.

I think it's because three are the the cheapest if using lots of data, I know if it's wasn't for The One Plan with unlimited tethering I wouldn't want to use Three due to their customer service!

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I think it's because three are the the cheapest if using lots of data, I know if it's wasn't for The One Plan with unlimited tethering I wouldn't want to use Three due to their customer service!

It's interesting that some won't consider using a network because of poor customer service. I can honestly say that in nearly three years of using '3', and the other networks for that matter, I haven't found it necessary to contact customer service at all. So I wouldn't know if they are good, bad or indifferent.

All of the networks I use just ask me for money from time to time, and I pay. The systems work, some better than others, hence my original post, but I wouldn't consider not using a particular network just because of lousy customer service.

 

Ken

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've just receive a Samsung S3/S4 patch lead from Australia. £29 for just the cable, DHL delivered. I'll get a cheap back cover for my S3 and drill a hole myself.

 

The cable came with an FME male connector, so I'll have buy a convertor for whichever antenna I buy.

 

The connector to the phone was very tight, and needed expanding a bit to go on. I was a bit worried about damaging the really thin pin in the cable connector, but it seems to have survived a few connect/disconnects.

 

Cant comment on performance yet as I havent bought an aerial. I'll need one that does 3G and 4G as I plan to buy a second hand Samsung Galaxy S4 to take advantage of 4G at no extra cost on Three.

 

Couldnt find a cheaper source in the UK but, since it arrived, I found it might be about £10 cheaper to buy one from Australia on ebay.

 

Not sure whether to try a cheap chinese aerial at about ten quid or so, or to go the whole hog and pay the £60-£90 to the OPs supplier, or Solwise, or similar.

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Your experience with the connector is the same as mine. It is a very tight fit. I was worried I might break something pushing it in too hard, however after a bit of gentle coaxing it snapped in place and is a nice secure fit. Not sure how it would cope with regular removal/fitting as it might be a bit fragile for repeated use.

 

Ken

Edited by NB Ellisiana
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Your experience with the connector is the same as mine. It is a very tight fit. I was worried I might break something pushing it in too hard, however after a bit of gentle coaxing it snapped in place and is a nice secure fit. Not sure how it would cope with regular removal/fitting as it might be a bit fragile for repeated use.

 

Ken

I was happier to keep pushing once I noticed the splits in the sides of the connector. This suggested that it would expand to fit if coaxed gently.

 

Did you try any cheaper aerials, or did you go straight for the £80 one?

 

Did you consider Solwise for the aerial?

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Having used the Telco pigtail a few times now on the S3 I do think it's more rugged than it initially appeared. But in view of the expense in replacing it I try not to overdo the removing/refitting more than neccessary.

 

I have only used it with the Connex aerial, purely because that was the aerial that I used on the '3' Mi-Fi and it worked a treat. So it seemed best to stick with a winning formula. I have been using that combination for three months now and it still performs very well on our travels. I didn't consider the Solwise but they look very similar to the Connex range. It would be interesting to see the results using one of them.

 

I did use other aerials in my earlier trials, the Boaters Phone mag mount aerial being the most promising, but using the wrap around pigtail. I found its performance very disappointing. I also used a Zead unlocked Dongle with a mag aerial on the '3' data network which seemed generally to work very well although I didn't trial it extensively. I couldn't get it to recognise my Vodafone sim at all. However I wanted the convenience of a Mi-Fi unit and Zead didn't do a suitable connection for the Mi-Fi.

 

Ken

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Recently we had a need for a second Mi-Fi unit and rather than go for another E5332, as good as it is, I thought technology may have improved and the latest offering from ‘3’ is the Huawei E5756. It is more expensive than their standard unit but it does have the external TS9 socket. Apparently this also has two internal aerials and is more sensitive to signal reception and can in fact use two cell masts at the same time if they are both in range. I gave it a try, first without the external aerial and alongside the E5332 and it is definitely faster opening identical pages on two identical laptop computers. Then I connected both to the external aerials (I now have two mast aerials, see later in this report) and again the E5756 was noticeably faster than the E5332 opening identical pages on identical laptops. Technology has definitely improved in the two years since I purchased the E5332.

Mi-Fiwithpatchleadand12vpowerlead_zps468

E5756 mifi with patch lead and 12v power lead

 

 

Very interesting, and proves how useless it can be going in to a shop and actually asking (!)

 

I was assured by staff in our local Three store that none of the Mi-Fi units would accept an external antenna. They seemed bemused that I would even suggest it!

 

A very strong point for this unit, if it can.

 

For those who are interested, the current deals with this unit are here - no particularly cost effective options for an occasional user like myself, it seems, but if it really is better / faster and will take an antenna without modification, otherwise it sounds pretty damned good.

Edited by alan_fincher
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Very interesting, and proves how useless it can be going in to a shop and actually asking (!)

I was assured by staff in our local Three store that none of the Mi-Fi units would accept an external antenna. They seemed bemused that I would even suggest it!

That was my experience when I went into the '3' store. I noticed on their display board the E5756 and asked the assistant if it had an external aerial. He assured me it didn't. On looking at it closer I noticed it had the little square cover and told him I thought it might well have and opened the socket cover, to reveal.........an external aerial socket!

The assistant was convinced it was a charging socket!

 

Ken

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