Wi-Fi

Loughlin · Nov 2, 2013

Can anyone tell me about their experience of the Wi-Fi internet connection?
I'd like to be able to use my tablet to find sites etc but am puzzled about how this works. Is it a router which picks up free internet hot spots? Is it worth investing £583?
(Thanks to everyone who has posted information - we've learned tons of stuff from the forum)
Monica
P.S. Should have said California SE

Goldie · Nov 2, 2013

There are numerous free hotspots out there and quite often you will have minutes bundled into you phone contract or home Internet. If with BT you have BT WiFi and BT-Fon. Problem is you need to be static within range, i.e. cafe or pub etc to use it.

I have a 3G card in my iPad so connect to the internet directly. £11 for a three month / 3GB '3' Sim on Amazon.

If you have an Android phone you should be able to set up a wireless hotspot on that and connect your tablet or laptop to it using WiFi in exactly the sameway you do at home. If you have a large enough screen you won't need the tablet.

If you are abroad beware of roaming charges 'ouch'

Because I didn't plan ahead I found it very useful when I picked up my Cali in NI

Andy

comfortz · Nov 2, 2013

Just to add another point if you're using an android based phone - Ensure your contract includes 'Tethering' (Wireless hot spot) some phone companies like three (which I'm with) have some deals with unlimited internet but if tethering is not included they can/will charge you for it. I have to say, I have tethering included and connect my laptop and tablet to my phone all the time and the connection has always been fantastic providing you have a good phone signal. Even downloaded full movies whilst at the coast! Albeit over a couple of hours.

I also have BT home broadband which also has offers to pick up hotspots.

Just my ten pence worth.... :thumb

beardie · Nov 2, 2013

iPhones also can act as a hotspot. I have a unlimited data with tethering on 3 and can stream iplayer (with the ocassional pause) in good signal area's. The hotspot can then be used by upto 5 wifi users in range

Loughlin · Nov 2, 2013

Thanks for all your help and insights. It's really helpful.
Monica

reserves · Nov 3, 2013

Can't see anyway the VW option can be worth i

beardie · Nov 3, 2013

reserves said:
Can't see anyway the VW option can be worth i

agreed, bit like paying £1000 to have a £100 sat an integrated into the stereo!

Custardtart · Nov 3, 2013

beardie said:
reserves said:

Can't see anyway the VW option can be worth i

Click to expand...

agreed, bit like paying £1000 to have a £100 sat an integrated into the stereo!

That's so true - I finally moved into the 21st Century and just bought my first smartphone for a under £150. It's got fantastic sat nav, internet, gazillions of free apps .... and makes phone calls. How do the car manufacturers get away with charging £1000 - 2000 extra for a satnav function?

Unfortunately I prefer the user friendliness of the built in unit so have just allowed myself to be ripped off.

beardie · Nov 3, 2013

Custardtart said:
beardie said:

reserves said:

Can't see anyway the VW option can be worth i

Click to expand...

agreed, bit like paying £1000 to have a £100 sat an integrated into the stereo!

Click to expand...

That's so true - I finally moved into the 21st Century and just bought my first smartphone for a under £150. It's got fantastic sat nav, internet, gazillions of free apps .... and makes phone calls. How do the car manufacturers get away with charging £1000 - 2000 extra for a satnav function?

Unfortunately I prefer the user friendliness of the built in unit so have just allowed myself to be ripped off.

to be honest all vw need to do is supply a set of speakers with either Bluetooth or a cable and a tablet dock. Your tablet or iPad mini can then deal with the audio and 3G to wifi data and gps. Even if you shelled out £500 for an iPad mini you would still have saved £1500 over what VW wanted. You would also have the iPad to use when you weren't in the van!

HistoryBob · Nov 3, 2013

Can anyone advise me how to boost the WIFI signal from my BT router? I need to get from the house to a building approximately 40 yards away. The house has stone walls so not much is getting out.
How do they do this on camping sites where you can get a signal in any corner of the field?

beardie · Nov 3, 2013

HistoryBob said:
Can anyone advise me how to boost the WIFI signal from my BT router? I need to get from the house to a building approximately 40 yards away. The house has stone walls so not much is getting out.
How do they do this on camping sites where you can get a signal in any corner of the field?

you need an access point or a number of them around the property. Some wireless routers can be configured as access points. Some access points come with external antenna, they are likely to provide better signal coverage.

Oggie · Nov 3, 2013

Buy a tp link and you can boost your signal to wherever you have mains electric. Costs about 60 bucks and it's great. I have full wifi Internet access in my yurt which is 50 feet from the house.

Rob

Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk 2

calicasas · Nov 3, 2013

Hi,
If you just want to boost a signal or simply increase your chances of obtaining a signal, this seems to be a good product:
http://www.motorhomewifi.com

Good if you are a BT customer as you will more readily pick up those hotspots. Not tried it myself, but they do say its good.
I like the fact that a motor homing couple developed the product and started this company driven about by a need for good wifi connection.
Looks like u can connect more than one device at a time.
It's on my shopping list....

briwy · Nov 3, 2013

calicasas said:
Hi,
If you just want to boost a signal or simply increase your chances of obtaining a signal, this seems to be a good product:
http://www.motorhomewifi.com

Good if you are a BT customer as you will more readily pick up those hotspots. Not tried it myself, but they do say its good.
I like the fact that a motor homing couple developed the product and started this company driven about by a need for good wifi connection.
Looks like u can connect more than one device at a time.
It's on my shopping list....

We have a similar one to that and it works pretty well. It just attaches with a big sucker to any smooth surface (shown here stuck on the awning on our old Bongo)

It will pick up signals from up to a couple of miles away given line of sight. Of course it's not always possible to get access but a surprising number of spots don't have any protection.The only problem is that it (as yet) doesn't support Android, only Windows and Macs so needs a laptop rather than a tablet. Having said that when using it the inbuilt wireless in the laptop can be used as a hotspot so it is possible to tether other laptops, tablets etc to it. Much like using a smartphone to tether to.

comfortz · Nov 4, 2013

Wow Brian, that thing looks like it'd bring in low flying aircraft too :lol:

Goldie · Nov 4, 2013

HistoryBob said:
Can anyone advise me how to boost the WIFI signal from my BT router? I need to get from the house to a building approximately 40 yards away. The house has stone walls so not much is getting out.
How do they do this on camping sites where you can get a signal in any corner of the field?

When I got my BT Vision box, it came with a pair of Comtrend powerline adapters. Loads on eBay as people flogged them off.http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/comtrend-powerline-adapter. (There was a problem with the white ones with blue buttons and BT replaced them with the black ones - so don't buy white.) If you have electricity in both places you use the mains as the bearer and plug in a wireless access point. Also these from BT.http://www.shop.bt.com/products/trendnet-tpl-308e2k-powerline-200-av-nano-adapter-kit-8NGV.html

Andy