Internet booster for caravan

[PTA]

The sites we visit in Spain and Portugal have (allegedly) wifi. However, wherever we pitch there the signal is incredibly weak.
Can anyone recommend an effective booster suitable for a caravan please?
All responses valued.

 

[Gafferbill]

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.......I am not connected with the product or the maker of the video.
I have used this booster for about 8 years and would highly recommend it.
It connects to a laptop via a 5 metre cable to a USB port.
If needed when on a pitch with a very weak free wifi signal, I mount the booster at the top of 2.5 metre aluminium mast that I clamp to the caravan jockey wheel.
Often satisfactory results are obtained by just placing the booster inside the caravan by a window.
I usually use my laptop with the signal booster as a wifi hotspot which then allows phones to connect to the otherwise too weak signal.

PS...... I have never had the cable fall out which is a complaint by the reviewer.

 

[RayS]

I’m familiar with this situation and used to use ibooost booster from motorhomewi company. Very good BUT the problem was not only low signal strength but low server capacity and no booster will overcome this. Worse still, one internet company which served the site near Mojacar sought to minimise complaints by tweaking their software such the it would only connect to a single device eg laptop and not to any form of booster ( many of which act as hotspots and allow multiple connections ) This stopped the habit of many useres connecting via a booster and then leaving the connection on 24/24 with Skype or a VPN running all the time.
Also boosters need something approching line of sight to the local transmitter, which was becoming ( on our site) increasingly difficult to obtain from caravan level even with a mast due to increasing numbers of large tall motorhomes.

This last trip I bought a wifi hotspot device from TPLink and got a monthly contract from M3 unlimited at about £25/month which roamed happily in Europe with speeds of around 10 down 2 up. The device is SIM free and so a local data SIM can be bought and fitted. Multiple devices can be used. The only snag is that some cards need to be initiated in UK and that EU limit the amount you can supposedly use. Allegedly 14 Gb in 3 months except 19 in Spain. This presumably does not apply to a local SIzM. Local SIM looks like the answer to the possibly high roaming charges after we completely leave EU. The TP link device is smaller than a phone and charges by USB cable as usual. Battery life is claimed around 5 hours. Works well in the car too.

So all in all suggest you look at this before buying booster

 

[PTA]

Many thanks for responses. Food for thought.

 

[Woodentop]

Even simpler solution. If you have a smartphone and an unlimited data package, just turn your phone's hotspot (a.k.a tethering) on and use that.

 

[RayS]

Even simpler solution. If you have a smartphone and an unlimited data package, just turn your phone's hotspot (a.k.a tethering) on and use that.

 

[RayS]

Good idea but may still be subject to EU data limits. My phone has two SIM slots and I considered fitting the 3Mobile card into the second slot and therthering but decided against it as it invloves opening the phone which is difficult with restricted vision and also means the phone may be on the wrong SIM for incoming messages and also may run out of battery with extensive use of the internet facility. We are pretty heavy users at around 10Gb/month l so thought the relatively low cost TPLInkl hotspot - which remains connected to a USB charging point on the caravan 12v supply continuously was a btter solution - but each to their own and I agree usuing the phone as hotspot would be fine for moderate or low usage

 

[Gafferbill]

........I've found the hotspots sold for caravans to be unnecessary and expensive if you already own a laptop. They tend to be in the range of £120 - £200.
The booster aerial (outlined in the second post of this topic) is currently being sold for £50 with free delivery.
By connecting the booster aerial to your laptop, it can be configured to create a local secure private hotspot around your caravan.
This allows your other devices to connect to the free site wifi.

I have found it is best to have a variety of ways to connect to the internet when away with your caravan as sites differ a lot.
Unlimited data phones will cost around £20/month........too expensive for me but fine if you have one and you can get a signal.
My system is to take a laptop with the plug in wifi booster and two phones with inclusive data on £5/month contracts.
I utilise whatever system is cheapest on a particular site ...........works for me 🙂

I never pay to use a sites wifi 😉