Mobile internet advice wanted - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 04:46:56 am
content: Just wondering if someone from the UK could advise me on mobile internet.I'd pondered getting mobile internet access (LTE perhaps?) as a backup for my ADSL, but from next week, I won't have ADSL any more, and I don't really fancy using V90 dialup unless I really have to.Could anyone advise as to what equipment I would need to get internet access into my home computer network, via GPRS/LTE or similar? (I know there are loads of different mobile standards in use at the moment). I also don't have a clue what I would need to get SIM card wise from a mobile phone company. I have never dealt with them for anything beyond pay as you go GSM.I would rather have it on a pay as you go basis, and really only need it for IRC, email, web browsing (probably text based). I can probably cope without watching EEVBlog.Thankssteve30

author: dexters_lab
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 07:50:36 am
content: if you just want to get your wifi enabled stuff online if your home network goes down then just a wifi hotspot dongle thing could work, like:http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Devices/Huawei/E5330_Mobile_Wi-Fi?memory=0&colour=WhiteAll the networks have similar products/plans available, you just need to check who has the best signal in your homeif you want also get your wired network devices online and have a permanent setup for long term usage then you'll need a modem/router that has 3G/4G. I dont know much about these so hopefully someone will link in some good suggestions. But there should be plenty of options.As for the SIM, you need a 'data only' SIM, these will come in various plans, PAYG or contract with different Gb allowances, just like your regular phone.

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 08:09:27 am
content: Many phones support tethering, so you can use your phone as a modem (via USB, sometimes Bluetooth) or access point (Wifi or Bluetooth). You can also buy access points with 3G/4G built in. Avoid those USB sticks, they all come with horrible drivers.Before you do this though, turn off everything that automatically updates on your pc... Data is still quite expensive. It's also worth installing a user agent switcher plugin for your browser, so it'll identify as a mobile browser. Most websites will serve you a low-bandwith version then.I wouldn't worry about 2G/EDGE/3G/4G/LTE/Whatever speed they advertise with. Speed isn't really important. You just hit your data cap faster. Everything above GPRS is acceptable really.

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 01:22:23 pm
content: Thanks for the replies.I'd prefer something with ethernet ports, but wireless will do. I do have a cell phone with a GPRS modem, but you can't use it with a computer, so I'll have to get a dedicated modem/router.I'll have a look round the mobile phone providers websites and see what is available.

author: Delta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 01:38:25 pm
content: Out of interest, where will you be that has no broadband connection?Wales? 😂

author: senso
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 01:57:51 pm
content: I'm actually using a mobile hotspot from Vodafone, unlimited data plan for "only" 30€/month, it costs the same as a basic advertised 24Mb ADSL but its mobile, and given that I'm a student/worker that moves from house to house, having a contract tethered to ONE house(landlords don't care about internet, its your problem to get it) I took the plunge and got a 3G modem/router(the 4G/LTE is on backorder for months now...) , in the first two weeks it was pretty nice, consistent 9Mb download, 6Mb upload, the second week passed and after a weekend at my real home, I came back and was presented with consistent 0.8Mb downloadTheir excuse is over selling in that area, the antennas can't keep up with demand, at 3am I get my old speed back, but that's a bit too late to be usefullNot really know what to do, maybe call them even more times and complain more..

author: rollatorwieltje
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 03:33:25 pm
content: Quote from: dexters_lab on May 15, 2015, 07:50:36 amI have one of those (slightly older model, Huawei E586). It works well, but realize you're basically buying a phone without keys. A low-end smartphone can do the same and costs the same. I bought it because I needed something easy, just turn it on and it works, but value for money a phone probably makes more sense. Even with a data only account you can still use SMS and Whatsapp.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 15, 2015, 03:43:53 pm
content: Quote from: dexters_lab on May 15, 2015, 07:50:36 amI concur that Three seems to have the best mobile broadband coverage even if it is behind others with 4G. Their 3G broadband is consistently far better than O2 or Vodafone in either 3G or 4G in my experience.I bought a Three all you can eat data monthly contract about four years ago when moving house as a backup, it worked well. It works through a tethered phone but if you try to use the SIM in an iPad or other non-voice device like a Mifi, it somehow detects this and won't work, so be aware of that!I've hear stories that the all you can eat data contracts are not now quite as generous, but I offer my experience FWIW.

author: cravenhaven
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2015, 02:25:36 am
content: FWIW I still use the old Billion 7404VGPX router. It provides 4 ethernet ports, WiFi, ADSL and 3G USB dongle. You can pick them up quite cheap here in OZ, but you'd have to check the USB dongle you plan on using to verify its compatibility.