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MIFI anyone?


rusty69

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Perhaps they're trying to get rid of them...

 

Tim - this type (looks suspiciously like the Netgear variant -of which I have two) is usually unlocked and yes they take a standard SIM. The price is good 'cos a decent MiiFi goes for £30 ++ in eBay and as often battered.

Seem strange to me that the Vodafone 'botched' version of an older and less powerful model (R216) goes  for more money.

(It's botched 'cos Voda put their own software on the dongle which slows it down, even though it's prettier than the base Huawei set).

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10 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

do you just need any old sim thingy with that then?

Don't ask me Tim,I haven't read the small print. I expect it is unlocked to any network, will take a standard sized sim card of the mobile broadband variety or apparently the  three networks allows use of their standard sims in these devices these days.

 

Smallprint

Suggest if anyone actually wants to buy one, then they read up the detailed spec of the device and their sim card first.

Edited by rusty69
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51 minutes ago, gbclive said:

Seems good value - however, no option to plug in an external antenna?

So how does that work then with no external aeriel. Signal is notoriousy poor in a narrowboat anyway isnt it......i want to find a solution to this thats affordable and that is an option.

 

Does anyone have one that can review for me?

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1 minute ago, Matt&Jo said:

So how does that work then with no external aeriel. Signal is notoriousy poor in a narrowboat anyway isnt it......i want to find a solution to this thats affordable and that is an option.

 

Does anyone have one that can review for me?

It will work in a strong signal area within a metal boat. Our Huawei one in poor signal areas would only work with the mifi in the window or cratch. Obviously if there is no signal at all, an external aerial will make no difference.

 

If you are dependant on internet, chuck a bit more money at it. I picked up a teltonika router and poynting aerial for about 130 quid off ebay....second hand of course

 

 

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So its basicly a wireless home wifi system that will allow multiple devices to feed off it....sorry im rubbish with all this tinternet stuff....we have 20gb on a sim allowance and our phones at 30gb mobile internet so lots of data but phones struggle....

Looking for a booster of some description i guess.....is that what it is?

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1 minute ago, Matt&Jo said:

So its basicly a wireless home wifi system that will allow multiple devices to feed off it....sorry im rubbish with all this tinternet stuff....we have 20gb on a sim allowance and our phones at 30gb mobile internet so lots of data but phones struggle....

Looking for a booster of some description i guess.....is that what it is?

No.its just like your phone without the phone/app capability.

 

If you struggle with internet on your phone and its in a window and acting hotspot, then this device will not improve matters.

 

You either need to find a supplier who's signal is stronger in your area, or get the signal into the boat better with an external aerial.

 

I think you had another thread going on this that suggested a booster device too iirc

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2 minutes ago, Matt&Jo said:

Yes i did get involved in that thread just wondered if this was an alternative was all. Apologies for my lack of understanding with this....the price drew me in i must say!!!

No problem. Try placing your phone in hotspot mode (if your provider allows this).Stick it in a window and connect another device to browse via the hotspot. If it improves , this is what the mifi device will allow you to do with a dedicated data sim (or perhaps a three sim).

 

If it doesn't then you need a different provider or an external aeriel and router/mifi that will accept one, or move the boat elsewhere.

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2 hours ago, OldGoat said:

Perhaps they're trying to get rid of them...

 

Tim - this type (looks suspiciously like the Netgear variant -of which I have two) is usually unlocked and yes they take a standard SIM. The price is good 'cos a decent MiiFi goes for £30 ++ in eBay and as often battered.

Seem strange to me that the Vodafone 'botched' version of an older and less powerful model (R216) goes  for more money.

(It's botched 'cos Voda put their own software on the dongle which slows it down, even though it's prettier than the base Huawei set).

Ive got a white huwaye thingy that works well. It doesnt have aeirial connection but theres a good o2 signal here so I just lay it on a table and it works well. On my all portholed cave, sorry boat getting a signal was bloomin hard work. The Argos offering is good at thirty quid innitt?

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13 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Ive got a white huwaye thingy that works well. It doesnt have aeirial connection but theres a good o2 signal here so I just lay it on a table and it works well. On my all portholed cave, sorry boat getting a signal was bloomin hard work. The Argos offering is good at thirty quid innitt?

Well, is does - but NOT if it ain't got an (usually two) aerial socket. Plenty of adequate kit available on fleabay at similar or less prices. I looked at Tp-Link's website and couldn't find any mention of antenna sockets. So be warned.

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52 minutes ago, bizzard said:

My Huawei Why-Fi E5330 hanging in its Meccano cradle in the window, no need really it would work on the floor or anywhere.

 

you might improve things further in a poor signal area if you used plastic to hang it rather than metal

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4 minutes ago, Jess-- said:

you might improve things further in a poor signal area if you used plastic to hang it rather than metal

They are the blue and yellow flexible plastic plates, only the little holders at the bottom are steel strip.?

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1 minute ago, bizzard said:

They are the blue and yellow flexible plastic plates, only the little holders at the bottom are steel strip.?

I assumed that you had built it from proper meccano not the rubbish plastic stuff ;)

 

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3 hours ago, rusty69 said:

Probably,if you don't need an aerial connection. What we need is some reviews from someone who actually has one.

I have two!

I ended up with a spare due to a warranty failure after nearly 3 years

Excellent piece of kit way better than the Huawei with the two antenna ports that I also have.

No problems with signal inside the boat better than the Huawei in the same place.

prices were between £60 and £70 originally so this is a goOd deal.

If I didnt have two I would get one as a spare at this price.

ETA

No external antenna ports but it doesn't need them, it will also do 5g wifi instead of 2.4g, and finally it has a high power wifi mode so coverage in the boat and outside is excellent.

ETA2

Out of stock

only place I can find stock is Cambridge and Witney.

Edited by Loddon
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12 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Does this device do anything a mobile phone set up as a wifi hotspot doesn't?

No. But you can fit it where it gets a good signal, and connect it to a charger permanently.

 

i used to find it irritating to have to keep retrieving the phone from its good signal location, (to make calls or other things), and have to keep connecting it to its charger.

 

Also, for some years, most phone sims limited the amount of data per month that could be used by tethering, whereas you could get larger monthly data allowances on data sims.

 

Maybe not the case now that Three offer unlimited tethering - although, when I had their previous unlimited tethering offering, they throttled the speed between 3pm and midnight, so I dumped them as soon as practicably possible.

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 I wouldn't want to hang up an expensive posh mobile in a window where it could get damaged and for all to see

Nor stick it up a pole as some do (?)

A MiFi is a lot cheaper

          More compact

          Easier to charge

          less desirable

         has socket(s) for an antenna

        can be had for £15 - £30 on eBay

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