Improving onboard Mobile communications

[LadyG]

OK well ive decided to buy a new mifi.

What a mess of potage: E5785 has a dozen or more variations, and there are other gadgets which have different numbering, possibly designed for houses with several rooms.

Looking up up best deals gives me a clue, but apart from thinking i want twin aerial sockets Ts9, and a biggish battery, a screen that shows me what is going on, and costs about £120, im stuffed.

I assume i want unlocked and LTE (the latest models have this). 

There are some that come with external aerials, but more of the puck design not masts, and often not waterproof to industry standards.

PS Delivery might be an issue: there is an Amazon counter nearby.

Ty

Edited yesterday at 08:07 by LadyG

[Peugeot 106]

22 hours ago, bizzard said:

Keeping them plugged in does shorten battery life and they can go bang. Yesterday a TUI Boeing 787 did an emergency landing, smoke in the cockpit again, possibly lithium battery problem, again.

I know very little about phones but understand that swollen lithium batteries are dangerous if left on charge and the cause of many fires. As Bizzard says they are easy enough to replace if you google them. It’s just not worth the risk

[LadyG]

28 minutes ago, Peugeot 106 said:

I know very little about phones but understand that swollen lithium batteries are dangerous if left on charge and the cause of many fires. As Bizzard says they are easy enough to replace if you google them. It’s just not worth the risk

I know, that is why i am replacing the router.

Its not easy to replace things if i am  out in rhe sticks

Its impossible to get on the net without having it plugged in.

Its faulty, that is why i am replacing it with an updated mi fi.

Its not easy as it keeps dropping the signal.

Edited yesterday at 08:47 by LadyG

[IanD]

2 hours ago, LadyG said:

I know, that is why i am replacing the router.

Its not easy to replace things if i am  out in rhe sticks

Its impossible to get on the net without having it plugged in.

Its faulty, that is why i am replacing it with an updated mi fi.

Its not easy as it keeps dropping the signal.

 

Decent MiFi are quite expensive; the Netgear M2 (which is often recommended) is more than £400 new.

 

You might be better getting a domestic router, there are plenty of good ones available secondhand (e.g. Zyxel NR5103E for £130 or so) which will even do 5G for "future-proofing"... 😉 

 

(these can run off 12V via cheap DC-DC converter, about £10)

 

You don't need a screen, a phone app is a much easier way of managing them.

Edited yesterday at 11:32 by IanD

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, IanD said:

 

Decent MiFi are quite expensive; the Netgear M2 (which is often recommended) is more than £400 new.

 

You might be better getting a domestic router, there are plenty of good ones available secondhand (e.g. Zyxel NR5103E for £130 or so) which will even do 5G for "future-proofing"... 😉 

 

(these can run off 12V via cheap DC-DC converter, about £10)

 

You don't need a screen, a phone app is a much easier way of managing them.

Yes, Im sure there are better gadgets, ill have a look at the one you recommend. 

I think its a matter of getting a better signal, not sure if it does that , its probably Three problem most of the time.

I prefer not to have to use two gadgets to access one, if you see what i mean.

I probablydont do downloading stuff or uploading stuff.

Todays problem is getting a delivery to somewhere i can walk to, a lot of sellers wont clik and collect high value hi tech gadgets.

I think the pub Im moored at is providing my internet, who knows .......

PS i tried to paste that number and it came uo with lots of items, maybe £600.

My budget is £120

 

UPDATE I ve managed to order a replacement battery to be delivered to an amazon counter tomorrow.

I still want to replace my huawei E5785 which is now about five years old, but its a nightmare.

I need to use amazon due to ease of delivery.

I am just guessing that if they cost about £120 they are worth looking at.

I want a battery that will last for ten hours, and have twin Ts9.. 

I cant see how to google the difference between those that cost £600 and £60, i assume that the bigger ones can run an office and the little ones cant. I only have two gadgets, and use a usb socket.

The first fatal flaw seems to be the female socket on the gadget. I think this is built in obselesence and very annoying.

After all my recent problems i now need to buy new cables, must be a common probkem as the local Shell garage has a stand full of expensive options.

 

 

Edited yesterday at 14:09 by LadyG

[LadyG]

Ive ordered Huawei B535-232  which is about £87, saving £55 , aparently. (Amazon).

Its supposed to be 12v and has twin aerials attached, not sure if i can replace them with my outdoor aerials.

Ive got great internet from the pub next door ( they sell White Rat, a rather nice IPA style beer). 

 

Edited 22 hours ago by LadyG

[Hudds Lad]

6 hours ago, LadyG said:

Ive ordered Huawei B535-232  which is about £87, saving £55 , aparently. (Amazon).

Its supposed to be 12v and has twin aerials attached, not sure if i can replace them with my outdoor aerials.

Ive got great internet from the pub next door ( they sell White Rat, a rather nice IPA style beer). 

 

You can unscrew the stubby aerials and connect an external one, you may need new adapters though as they will be SMA-Female on the back of the router.

You'll need to connect to the router with a laptop/tablet/phone to switch the setting to external aerial too for best results (connect to wifi, type 192.168.1.1 in a browser window). Don't think the Huawei app gives you that much control if memory serves.

 

I have the same router paired with an external Poynting aerial.

[cheesegas]

7 hours ago, LadyG said:

Ive ordered Huawei B535-232  which is about £87, saving £55 , aparently. (Amazon).

Its supposed to be 12v and has twin aerials attached, not sure if i can replace them with my outdoor aerials.

Ive got great internet from the pub next door ( they sell White Rat, a rather nice IPA style beer). 

 

It’s 12v but use a DC-DC converter if running from the boats 12v system, avoid connecting it directly as it goes up to 14.4-14.8v. Some routers seem to be fine with the variation, some die within a week or two.

[LadyG]

2 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

You can unscrew the stubby aerials and connect an external one, you may need new adapters though as they will be SMA-Female on the back of the router.

You'll need to connect to the router with a laptop/tablet/phone to switch the setting to external aerial too for best results (connect to wifi, type 192.168.1.1 in a browser window). Don't think the Huawei app gives you that much control if memory serves.

 

I have the same router paired with an external Poynting aerial.

I have considered the Poynting but it requires tools and skills i dont possess.

I should now have three options: mooring near good signal/new router/original mifi.

I hope the new router arrives before the boat fitter who is due here  this week, and should manage the internet stuff.

 

[IanD]

6 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I have considered the Poynting but it requires tools and skills i dont possess.

I should now have three options: mooring near good signal/new router/original mifi.

I hope the new router arrives before the boat fitter who is due here  this week, and should manage the internet stuff.

 

The Huawei is a good choice if you don't want/need 5G.

 

If you still have poor reception/data rates then a better antenna might help. You could also (cheaper and easier) try a different network, EE have the best overall coverage but are not as cheap as Three -- you could try this out using a 1-month SIM from 1pMobile.

[Hudds Lad]

3 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I have considered the Poynting but it requires tools and skills i dont possess.

If you can pass the cables outside easily through a mushroom vent or similar all it requires is the ability to use a screwdriver to tighten it's clamp onto a suitable pole (we use a short mag mount one on the roof). Guess it depends on your perception of neat and tidy. The cables themselves just screw on so no special tools required. There's a fair length of cable attached, ours passes through a vent into the well deck void where the water tank is then into the cupboard by the doors, so all excess length is coiled in the void.

[LadyG]

20 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

If you can pass the cables outside easily through a mushroom vent or similar all it requires is the ability to use a screwdriver to tighten it's clamp onto a suitable pole (we use a short mag mount one on the roof). Guess it depends on your perception of neat and tidy. The cables themselves just screw on so no special tools required. There's a fair length of cable attached, ours passes through a vent into the well deck void where the water tank is then into the cupboard by the doors, so all excess length is coiled in the void.

Yes, i could do that, ty, but my current set up, mi fi (needs new battery £19), wired through open window to twin antenae (£19.99) and a monthly sub to Three seems to work without my intervention, which is what i want.

I could try to get  boat 12v usb  stable , but it will either work, or it will die,  in which case ill send it back. The usb sockets show some sort of rating, I assume tberefore that they have some sort of buffereing capability in order to output tbe rated output.

Edited 11 hours ago by LadyG

[IanD]

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Yes, i could do that, ty, but my current set up, mi fi (needs new battery £19), wired through open window to twin antenae (£19.99) and a monthly sub to Three seems to work without my intervention, which is what i want.

I could try to get  boat 12v usb  stable , but it will either work, or it will die,  in which case ill send it back. The usb sockets show some sort of rating, I assume tberefore that they have some sort of buffereing capability in order to output tbe rated output.

If your router/MiFi runs off USB and you have USB sockets (or adapters) on the boat you should be fine -- the warning was for routers (like your new Huawei?) which normally run off 12v DC via a mains adapter, don't run these straight off the boat DC.

Edited 11 hours ago by IanD

[Hudds Lad]

34 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Yes, i could do that, ty, but my current set up, mi fi (needs new battery £19), wired through open window to twin antenae (£19.99) and a monthly sub to Three seems to work without my intervention, which is what i want.

Fair enough, just wanted to make sure you weren't being put off doing it by thinking it was too tricky (your mention of lack of skills and tools).  

[LadyG]

7 hours ago, Hudds Lad said:

Fair enough, just wanted to make sure you weren't being put off doing it by thinking it was too tricky (your mention of lack of skills and tools).  

I was envisaging drilling in to the steel.

I ve ordered the router and will see if it works using my magnetic twin aerials.

If not , I'll regroup.

Edited 3 hours ago by LadyG

[IanD]

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I was envisaging drilling in to the steel.

I ve ordered the router and will see if it works using my magnetic twin aerials.

If not , I'll regroup.

If you're not going to have 230Vac available all the time to plug the mains adapter into, you'll also need a clean 12V 1A DC power supply for it, get a DC-DC converter for about a tenner. It can't be powered from a USB socket.

[GUMPY]

12 minutes ago, IanD said:

It can't be powered from a USB socket.

I ran mine with one of these:

Step Up Converter,KUNCAN 5V to 12V 1A USB Step Up Voltage Transformer DC Power Cable with Barrel Jack Booster Module  https://amzn.eu/d/ffrCr6c

 

Needs a 2 amp usb socket to run it.

[IanD]

4 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

I ran mine with one of these:

Step Up Converter,KUNCAN 5V to 12V 1A USB Step Up Voltage Transformer DC Power Cable with Barrel Jack Booster Module  https://amzn.eu/d/ffrCr6c

 

Needs a 2 amp usb socket to run it.

Should work -- I meant it can't be powered directly from the USB.

 

Router power spec is 12V 1A (12W), hopefully it takes less than this since a 2A USB will only provide maybe 9W after the DC-DC converter. Not all USB sockets are rated at 2A, a 1A one won't be enough.

Edited 2 hours ago by IanD