Mifi + aerial

kwikbreaks

spud17

Many thanks kwikbreaks. :beer:

Have purchased one from the Three shop, comes unlocked, perhaps not the cheapest way, but the quickest.
Going to have a play with it at my house tonight, than take it to theirs tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
One last Q, if we decide an aerial is necessary, we need to look for MIMO type?
This will give the 2 connections?

jshm2

The best option is to go with 3 or O2 as you'll get more data for less cost.

Mifi routers are crap - you are better using an old smartphone or buying a travel router. Then use a wireless signal booster to extend the signal.

spud17

With the unit sat next to me on my desk

3 sim gives 50 ping 6.5 Mbps down 15 Mbps up
Life sim (out my phone) 40 ping 10.7 Mbps down 2.5 Mbps up

Compared to my landline of 45 ping 5.7 Mbps down 0.66 Mbps up

If it works any thing like this tomorrow they will be chuffed.

kwikbreaks

jshm2 wrote: »

The best option is to go with 3 or O2 as you'll get more data for less cost.

In rural locations the choice of provider is more ofter dictated by what works rather than on price per GB, 50GB for 50p is a poor deal if you can't get a connection

jshm2 wrote: »

Mifi routers are crap - you are better using an old smartphone or buying a travel router. Then use a wireless signal booster to extend the signal.

I've had four different Huawei MiFi models over the years and every one has worked perfectly for me.

@spud17
I'm currently using a dirt cheap antenna off eBay. Like this one - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/35dBi-Dual-Broadband-Signal-Amplifier-Antenna-4G-3G-Booster-LTE-TS9-HUAWEI-E392-/231666510248 there are umpteen sellers of the same thing so find the cheapest. The 35dB must be relative to a short circuit buried 5 foot deep but mine does work considerably better with the antenna than without it.

Ideally the antenna would be high and outside but the lead is only a couple of meters so you may as well stick it on a window. You'll have to experiment. If it has to go upstairs the WiFi may be the limiting factor. If you can't get it to work there are better antennas with longer leads but they don't come cheap.

[Deleted User]

spud17 wrote: »

With the unit sat next to me on my desk

3 sim gives 50 ping 6.5 Mbps down 15 Mbps up
Life sim (out my phone) 40 ping 10.7 Mbps down 2.5 Mbps up

Compared to my landline of 45 ping 5.7 Mbps down 0.66 Mbps up

If it works any thing like this tomorrow they will be chuffed.

Let us know how you got on?


A while back I trialled a similar system for a mate and at that time EE did 50GB mobile data for £25 which seemed pretty good when compared to other networks.


Again rural with no hope of achieving more than 1mbps but a very strong 3G signal, 4G might be available now...


Data usage can be reduced/controlled by sticking to SD instead of HD, local raspberry pi caching proxy squid server and even a repurposed TPlink [or similar] load balancing router which has rules to control/limit bandwidth to each device on the LAN.


Personally I would trial with a MiFi but if permanent go straight to a Huawei B315.


Lots of options


Cheers

spud17

I've not had time to set it up for them this evening.

kwikbreaks
Thanks again for the link.
Also agree with your comment re networks, often you have to go with what's available.
As I said before, EE 4g is available in the garden, O2 and Three just about usable for data, but going to try different sims
Thankfully Vodafone are non existent.

jeepjunkie
This is just a desperate attempt to try and get some sort of BB.
Agreed the Huawei B315 looks like the mutts for a permanent solution, but slightly too expensive for a trial.

If the mifi works out, being mobile, I can see it spending weekends in the camper.

[Deleted User]

JP1978 wrote: »

I am told that MiFi's are not that good for a semi-permanent solution, they can need constant resetting etc.

Not my experience.

debitcardmayhem

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

Not my experience.

Been away for a year Bob ?

[Deleted User]

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Been away for a year Bob ?

No, why do you ask?