can anyone give advice on the most efficient mobile Wi-fi service please? i am considering investing in one for my van
Peter_n_Margaret said
01:11 PM Oct 27, 2020
We simply use a mobile 'phone as a hot spot.
Cheers,
Peter
leanne irvine said
01:40 PM Oct 27, 2020
i need something i can use more regularly with excellent capacity as i also work on email daily
Tony Bev said
02:28 PM Oct 27, 2020
As I am not a techi, I hope to learn something from this post
I currently just use a pre paid USB dongle, from Telstra
I look for campsites with a phone signal, if there is a phone signal, then I know I will have internet
yobarr said
02:29 PM Oct 27, 2020
leanne irvine wrote:
i need something i can use more regularly with excellent capacity as i also work on email daily
Hi Leanne...the hotspot will work fine,I'd say.My mobile plan with Telstra includes 180 GB/month,which is heaps! I also have a Celfi Go setup for "in da bush".Cheers.
hufnpuf said
02:39 PM Oct 27, 2020
Tony Bev wrote:
I currently just use a pre paid USB dongle, from Telstra
I use a wireless modem, but with Optus. As Tony Bev said, it depends on mobile phone signal, and Telstra has wider coverage than other providers in out of the way places (I didn't have signal on the western side of the Exmouth Gulf, but believe that I would have if I was with Telstra).
As for using regularly, it's all I've got (at home or away). It works fine. If I recharge before the data expires, it rolls over, so I've got heaps (I use very little)
Expensive compared to dongle? Maybe not as portable. ? I can take my dongle to a cafe and provided there is phone coverage it will work. in motorhome it is on the wall connected to an exterior aerial which gives really good connection, actually better than phone. Only issue, is cost of data. dongle expensive.
leanne irvine said
04:45 PM Oct 27, 2020
travelling with 2 large dogs, so cafe is not an option for me
I just recently went through this process for my mobile home. The RVwifi seems to be aimed at the "newbie" market. It is a "set & forget", while shopping around I mentioned it to a few vendors & they all poo poo'd it (maybe coz they don't sell it :) ) I ended up with a similar device (from Amazon) for much less money that is slightly less user friendly. It's been great, I have a wifi network in & around my MH just as if I was in a B&M dwelling. The Telstra branded Nighthawk may also be a an option to consider but they seem to have battery failures when constantly powered up.
leanne irvine said
05:57 PM Oct 27, 2020
that sounds interesting
what was the product you got on Amazon please?
Possum3 said
06:25 PM Oct 27, 2020
We use mobile as a "hot spot" but watch data downloads.
Warren-Pat_01 said
07:55 PM Oct 27, 2020
We use a Telstra Nighthawk M2 (50Gb) plus our phones (30 Gb each).
I carry a small UHF aerial but haven't had to use it much.
This is our home & away system, mostly it is good but occasionally it plays up at home (& we are within cooey of one of the city's main transmitter sites).
Pat had her phone on Optus but was often frustrated when just 40kms west of Townsville she couldn't download an app we use for birdwatching. Is now with Telstra.
Muskat55 said
03:37 PM Oct 28, 2020
We use a Telstra Nighthawk M2
Hydeeeho said
06:53 PM Oct 30, 2020
These are the best
msg said
10:12 PM Oct 30, 2020
leanne irvine wrote:
travelling with 2 large dogs, so cafe is not an option for me
will look into it further, but thanks anyway
OK I will not contribute to any of your posts Leanne. So dismissive. You have no idea what you ae doing and yet you knock back someone with many years experience. OK you may not be able to sit at a cafe, (although my dog is often allowed to sit under the table outside with me. ) how about helping out another traveller at their van? A portable dongle is a valid option even if you don't at the moment see it.
-- Edited by msg on Friday 30th of October 2020 10:37:50 PM
mischief said
08:50 PM Nov 3, 2020
a telstra dongle,using boost is a good option too.
PeterX said
05:13 AM Nov 7, 2020
The technical name for what you are asking for is a router OR a modem
More specifically a Mobile wifi router
A router allows multiple devices to connect
In my opinion , lot of Mobile Wifi routers are overpriced for what they are.
Pocket ones may start at $20 generic to a several 100 for more features
If a person is not knowledgeable most of the price would be for the advice and could be $100+ range. Ive seen them for sale up to $500+
Using a mobile phone hotspot is certainly a viable option for email.
Email would tend to not use much data. Unless a person receive 1000s emails in a session or the data consumed is several 100 mb / hour
However if its a persons only mobile device it would be possible, but sometimes a bit inconvenient if you want to use phone for calls while also using it for data. It should work, however.
When using my phones hot spot feature for extended session, I plug it into a charger to maintain its charge status.
A router is more likely to have external antenna connection .
A router will have more capacity (as in RAM /CPU / number of concurrent connections) to handle multiple devices - ie if several PCs / phones using wifi connection at the same time
A usb dongle is also a viable option . Some dongles also allow a external antenna connection. USB cables can be up to 5m long . which can be useful in low signal areas.
Personally just for email id use either. a dongle of a mobile phone hotspot.
A RV mobile router is the Rolls Royce option
Id choose this option if , not concerned about cost, have multiple devices connected at same time, like 3+ or if consuming lots data in a session (100s of Mb ).
Phones tend to heat up in such situations.
As there are several mobile phone bands , a person needs to check this as well as 4g, 5g? capability . I believe 3g will still be around for several more years.
PeterX said
05:14 AM Nov 7, 2020
suggest do not get a device that is locked to a carriers network
can anyone give advice on the most efficient mobile Wi-fi service please? i am considering investing in one for my van
Cheers,
Peter
i need something i can use more regularly with excellent capacity as i also work on email daily
I currently just use a pre paid USB dongle, from Telstra
I look for campsites with a phone signal, if there is a phone signal, then I know I will have internet
Hi Leanne...the hotspot will work fine,I'd say.My mobile plan with Telstra includes 180 GB/month,which is heaps! I also have a Celfi Go setup for "in da bush".Cheers.
I use a wireless modem, but with Optus. As Tony Bev said, it depends on mobile phone signal, and Telstra has wider coverage than other providers in out of the way places (I didn't have signal on the western side of the Exmouth Gulf, but believe that I would have if I was with Telstra).
As for using regularly, it's all I've got (at home or away). It works fine. If I recharge before the data expires, it rolls over, so I've got heaps (I use very little)
thanks, perhaps will try that
i was however looking at this https://www.rvwifi.com.au/
anyone had experience using this option??
travelling with 2 large dogs, so cafe is not an option for me
will look into it further, but thanks anyway
I just recently went through this process for my mobile home. The RVwifi seems to be aimed at the "newbie" market. It is a "set & forget", while shopping around I mentioned it to a few vendors & they all poo poo'd it (maybe coz they don't sell it :) ) I ended up with a similar device (from Amazon) for much less money that is slightly less user friendly. It's been great, I have a wifi network in & around my MH just as if I was in a B&M dwelling. The Telstra branded Nighthawk may also be a an option to consider but they seem to have battery failures when constantly powered up.
that sounds interesting
what was the product you got on Amazon please?
I carry a small UHF aerial but haven't had to use it much.
This is our home & away system, mostly it is good but occasionally it plays up at home (& we are within cooey of one of the city's main transmitter sites).
Pat had her phone on Optus but was often frustrated when just 40kms west of Townsville she couldn't download an app we use for birdwatching. Is now with Telstra.
These are the best
OK I will not contribute to any of your posts Leanne. So dismissive. You have no idea what you ae doing and yet you knock back someone with many years experience. OK you may not be able to sit at a cafe, (although my dog is often allowed to sit under the table outside with me. ) how about helping out another traveller at their van? A portable dongle is a valid option even if you don't at the moment see it.
-- Edited by msg on Friday 30th of October 2020 10:37:50 PM
The technical name for what you are asking for is a router OR a modem
More specifically a Mobile wifi router
A router allows multiple devices to connect
In my opinion , lot of Mobile Wifi routers are overpriced for what they are.
Pocket ones may start at $20 generic to a several 100 for more features
If a person is not knowledgeable most of the price would be for the advice and could be $100+ range. Ive seen them for sale up to $500+
Using a mobile phone hotspot is certainly a viable option for email.
Email would tend to not use much data. Unless a person receive 1000s emails in a session or the data consumed is several 100 mb / hour
However if its a persons only mobile device it would be possible, but sometimes a bit inconvenient if you want to use phone for calls while also using it for data. It should work, however.
When using my phones hot spot feature for extended session, I plug it into a charger to maintain its charge status.
A router is more likely to have external antenna connection .
A router will have more capacity (as in RAM /CPU / number of concurrent connections) to handle multiple devices - ie if several PCs / phones using wifi connection at the same time
A usb dongle is also a viable option . Some dongles also allow a external antenna connection. USB cables can be up to 5m long . which can be useful in low signal areas.
Personally just for email id use either. a dongle of a mobile phone hotspot.
A RV mobile router is the Rolls Royce option
Id choose this option if , not concerned about cost, have multiple devices connected at same time, like 3+ or if consuming lots data in a session (100s of Mb ).
Phones tend to heat up in such situations.
As there are several mobile phone bands , a person needs to check this as well as 4g, 5g? capability . I believe 3g will still be around for several more years.