Club WiFi booster

[Chunky]

Hi all.
Probably been asked many a time before…….
On our current site we use club WiFi. I have read numerous posts about using 3/4/5g sim mobile data receivers the likes of maxiveiw , avtex and alike. What I want to know is will these devices connect to the club WiFi on site (which requires a password) without having to use a sim? Problem I get is the signal inside the van is poor to none existent, so I require some type of signal booster to connect items inside the van to the WiFi. What’s out there and what have people used to overcome this issue?

 

[Mr Plodd]

A sim card gives access to the mobile phone network, WiFi is a totally different system and it doesn't require a sim card.

 

[Chunky]

A sim card gives access to the mobile phone network, WiFi is a totally different system and it doesn't require a sim card.

Cheers for reply. Well aware WiFi is different to using a sim on a mobile network. Was wondering if the systems available which use a sim over a mobile network will also work by picking up or designed to act as a WiFi booster using site WiFi.

 

[Mr Plodd]

That would be like trying to pick up a satellite TV programme with a terrestrial aerial, totally incompatible systems.

 

[Chunky]

A sim card gives access to the mobile phone network, WiFi is a totally different system and it doesn't require a sim card.

Not too different to what a mobile phone can do. It will pick up both sim and WiFi which you can hotspot from on other devices

 

[RogerL]

Hi all.
Probably been asked many a time before…….
On our current site we use club WiFi. I have read numerous posts about using 3/4/5g sim mobile data receivers the likes of maxiveiw , avtex and alike. What I want to know is will these devices connect to the club WiFi on site (which requires a password) without having to use a sim? Problem I get is the signal inside the van is poor to none existent, so I require some type of signal booster to connect items inside the van to the WiFi. What’s out there and what have people used to overcome this issue?

Some MIFI units can be configured to pick up site WIFI and use it as input to the unit's local wifi, as well as picking up mobile phone broadband which needs a sim

 

[Jcloughie]

With the massive improvement in mobile networks over recent years I have found that tethering to my phones hot spot rarely let me down. As a backup, we used two phones on different networks. After all. Data is so cheap now.

With weak signals, putting the phone in the skylight helped.

John

 

[Dustydog]

Like John we often use tethering when the TV signal is poor or no site WiFi.

I set up personal hotspot via settings on iPhone. This allows me to connect iPad (or smart Tv if you have one) to surf and stream programmes (provided mobile signal strong enough).

Data consumption is heavy but these days a lot of providers offer unlimited data.

 

[Beardy]

Like John we often use tethering when the TV signal is poor or no site WiFi.

I set up personal hotspot via settings on iPhone. This allows me to connect iPad (or smart Tv if you have one) to surf and stream programmes (provided mobile signal strong enough).

Data consumption is heavy but these days a lot of providers offer unlimited data.

On my last outing the mobile signal was excellent, the strongest signal I'd had on any site I'd stayed at. On the second day I checked my data usage and found that I'd used 12 gb, almost a quarter of my allowance (we'd watched 1 film and an hours catch-up TV). Normally I'd expect to use 3-4 gb for this. After doing some digging I discovered that my TV uses HD if the signal is strong enough, I had to downgrade the signal to SD on my Netflix account to stop this happening (couldn't figure out how to do it on the TV).

Something to keep an eye on if you're not on unlimited data.

 

[RogerL]

I find mobile phone signal very variable - we're on Vodafone and Three and were surprised that the 3 sites we used on our southern England tour last year were very intermittent - worse than the Scottish Highlands where we expect the terrain to interfere with signals.

To overcome this , we've bought a TP-Link MR600 which is a MU-MIMO mifi to pull in a mobile signal and create a local wifi - we'll try it as it comes out of the box but may need to get an external pole antenna as the aerial height can be critical.

4G+ Cat6 AC1200 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit Router

This 4G LTE router supports 4G+ Cat6 for 300Mbps speeds. Plug in your SIM and enjoy HD movies, file downloads, and gaming. Gigabit Ethernet ports provide speed and reliability.

www.tp-link.com

 

[AlyviaLarsen]

I’ve had the same issue and found that just moving closer to the reception helped loads, especially with bad weather. I also try to stay away from other vans blocking the signal.

 

[Woodentop]

With the massive improvement in mobile networks over recent years I have found that tethering to my phones hot spot rarely let me down. As a backup, we used two phones on different networks. After all. Data is so cheap now.

With weak signals, putting the phone in the skylight helped.

John

For info, EE and 3 share sites and distribution using a jointly owned service known as MBNA. Similarly Vodafone and O2 share sites and distribution under the Cornerstone Project.
Ergo, if you want to cover most options, you need one phone on EE or 3 (Sparky on 3 is cheap) and the other on VF/O2 (Voxi on VF is cheap) and it should not let you down. 4G is the most likely, but if your phone does 5G then 3 has the best coverage in that band.

 

[Sam Vimes]

A somewhat old thread but still relevant.

I found that even pulling the blackout blinds down reduced the signal level.

Also note that although there are only 4 main operators (3 now that Vodafone and Three are merging), not all the cheap resellers eg. Asda, Tesco, Giffgaff may have full access to all the services their main carrier has.

 

[Jcloughie]

For info, EE and 3 share sites and distribution using a jointly owned service known as MBNA. Similarly Vodafone and O2 share sites and distribution under the Cornerstone Project.
Ergo, if you want to cover most options, you need one phone on EE or 3 (Sparky on 3 is cheap) and the other on VF/O2 (Voxi on VF is cheap) and it should not let you down. 4G is the most likely, but if your phone does 5G then 3 has the best coverage in that band.

Useful info.

When we were towing we had that covered all be it by accident. One on Vodafone, the other on Smarty (3).

John

 

[Sam Vimes]

Where I live 3 isn't too bad but Vodafone is non existent. I'm hoping the merger doesn't reduce the 3 service in favour of Vodafone.

 

[Jcloughie]

A somewhat old thread but still relevant.

I found that even pulling the blackout blinds down reduced the signal level.

Also note that although there are only 4 main operators (3 now that Vodafone and Three are merging), not all the cheap resellers eg. Asda, Tesco, Giffgaff may have full access to all the services their main carrier has.

I think your post contradicts Woodentops. Perhaps one is a bit out of date.

John

 

[Sam Vimes]

Not quite the same thing.

Vodafone and 3 are merging at the company level.

I believe Woodentop is referring to the fact that different carriers may share services on the same mast.

 

[GUMPY]

EE and Three might share masts but that doesn't mean they have the same coverage.
I have often found a huge difference between them even though the masts are co located.
Take my local mast on 4g as an example
EE mast id 20956 band 3
Three mast id 5952 bands 1,3,20,28
Both are in the same location I will leave it to your imagination which provides the stronger better service and it's not EE
Its the same across the country although both are in the same locations the coverage varies wildly sometimes EE is better and sometimes Three. That's why I have Three and a 1pmobile Sims.
I'm afraid that for me O2 and Vodafone lag way behind Three and EE for coverage. Not to mention costs.

Another example but the opposite way round is the mast just outside of Fishguard on the A40
3 id 10649 B20
EE id 19654 B3, 20
EE is much faster from the CS at Letterston

Yes I'm sad 🫣

 

[Eldorado]

slightly random question, here seems a good a place to ask as anywhere

With these 4G router systems you can put outside your van, can you use the SIM out of your phone while you are using the 4G router system? And then back in your phone when you are done?

I know you wont be able to make calls while SIM is in router, but that's okay with me because its a business phone, I wont want any calls

 

[RogerL]

slightly random question, here seems a good a place to ask as anywhere

With these 4G router systems you can put outside your van, can you use the SIM out of your phone while you are using the 4G router system? And then back in your phone when you are done?

I know you wont be able to make calls while SIM is in router, but that's okay with me because its a business phone, I wont want any calls

Yes - there's nothing special about the SIM needed for a Mifi router - I don't know if the phone would still work on wifi calling whilst it has no SIM in it.

 

[GUMPY]

Yes you can.
However I travel with a dedicated 3 SIM for the MiFi and a 1pmobile SIM for when 3 doesn't work well.

 

[Sam Vimes]

slightly random question, here seems a good a place to ask as anywhere

With these 4G router systems you can put outside your van, can you use the SIM out of your phone while you are using the 4G router system? And then back in your phone when you are done?

I know you wont be able to make calls while SIM is in router, but that's okay with me because its a business phone, I wont want any calls

The only thing you might need to consider is the physical size of the SIM. My phone uses the nano-sim but the WiFi router uses a micro-sim, which is bigger. You can get adapters.

 

[GUMPY]

The only thing you might need to consider is the physical size of the SIM. My phone uses the nano-sim but the WiFi router uses a micro-sim, which is bigger. You can get adapters.

Adapters don't always fit in things that they should as often they are too thick.
When I fit a nano SIM I keep the micro and mini parts and I use them later as adapters if needed.

 

[Sam Vimes]

When I fit a nano SIM I keep the micro and mini parts and I use them later as adapters if needed.

Me to.