Is MiFi the way to go?

stevec59

A dear friend of mine has a normal Wi-Fi network with a hub, it’s costing her quite a bit per month, I could look at reducing the monthly cost, but I’m wondering if MiFi would be a cheaper option, I don’t really know a lot about MiFi, is it as secure as a normal network router thing? I don’t think speed matters too much because she only uses it for banking, so security is a big issue.Does Mi-Fi have download limits or is it to do with the Sim? I’ve looked on the Ofgem website for data coverage in her area and it doesn’t say a lot about indoor use mainly outdoor therefore should I avoid it and look to get her a better Wi-Fi deal? Finally, is there a Mi-Fi that has a ethernet port on it as this might be useful to connect to a TV,some TVs have an ethernet port but they do not cater for Wi-Fi. The MiFi would need to come with a power supply rather than replace batteries. A while ago BT messed up our Internet, so they sent us a 4G mini hub and that seem to work reasonably well, I think it ran on batteries

Many thanks for your help. Steve

QrizB

stevec59 said:

A dear friend of mine has a normal Wi-Fi network with a hub, it’s costing her quite a bit per month

She has wired broadband? Which supplier, and what product? Wired broadband starts in the mid-£20s a month and goes up to £100+ depending on your chosen package.

stevec59 said:

I could look at reducing the monthly cost, but I’m wondering if MiFi would be a cheaper option

Unlimited wireless broadband starts at about £15 a month (a bit less if you get a contract with some sort of joining bonus or discount) but you need to buy your own router and coverage depends on your location.

stevec59 said:

... is it as secure as a normal network router thing?

Yes.

stevec59 said:

Does Mi-Fi have download limits or is it to do with the Sim?

Depends on the SIM.

stevec59 said:

I’ve looked on the Ofgem website for data coverage in her area and it doesn’t say a lot about indoor use mainly outdoor therefore should I avoid it and look to get her a better Wi-Fi deal?

Does she get reliable mobile interenet indoors on her smartphone? If she does, mobile internet is likely to work for her. If not, she can try a different network but might find that none of them are viable.

stevec59 said:

Finally, is there a Mi-Fi that has a ethernet port on it as this might be useful to connect to a TV,some TVs have an ethernet port but they do not cater for Wi-Fi. The MiFi would need to come with a power supply rather than replace batteries.

Most of the devices intended for permanent household use have ethernet ports and mains power adapters.