Mobile internet for house AND boat

Dannii75

Hi all! I’m looking for some advice on the best mobile internet setup that I can use both at home and on my boat. I’d ideally like unlimited data, decent speeds for streaming, Teams calls and working downloads etc, and the flexibility to move the router between two locations — basically, just pick it up and take it with me.

I’ll be using it in the South-West, Shropshire & North Wales, and I need something reliable enough to work remotely from any location.

I’m open to having a dual SIM (so I get signal if one provide goes blippy I can use the other) if it gives me better reliability and coverage.

Cheers! 

QrizB

What sort of boat, and what sort of boating? Canals and rivers or the open sea?

Boats have a habit of going where mobile phone signals don't. For example I know first-hand that it's tricky to get a phone connection in lots of Cornish coves, and I suspect parts of the canal system are likewise poorly served.

Dannii75

QrizB said:

What sort of boat, and what sort of boating? Canals and rivers or the open sea?

Boats have a habit of going where mobile phone signals don't. For example I know first-hand that it's tricky to get a phone connection in lots of Cornish coves, and I suspect parts of the canal system are likewise poorly served.

Hi, it'll be inland waterways. I was considering Starlink Roam but it's so spenny, I'm sure a dual SIM would be a damn lot cheaper - although, I don't know if it'll work!  

QrizB

On Inland waterways you've got a fighting chance of finding a signal.

You've really got four options:

- Tether to your phone.

- Use a USB dongle in your laptop.

- Use a MiFi-like portable device.

- Use a fully-fledged mobile internet router.

As you move down the list the devices become more capable but larger, more expensive and less convenient to move around. Also routers tend to expect mains power rather than USB charging.

I'm not aware of any of those apart for the phone coming in dual-SIM versions. It's usually simple enough to swap the SIM manually though.