Portable router

[Robotstar5]

The place we are going on hols this year doesn't have WiFi so I was thinking of getting one of these....

Mainly so I can watch Youtube on the laptop while Mrs Robo hogs the TV watching "housewives of.....", "ghost hunters" etc.

Looking at the Smarty site it looks like I can just buy a month then let it lapse, most other ads want me to sign up to a rolling contract.

Over to the collective for thoughts, Cheers.

 

[MattF]

I use a Smarty sim in my router. As you say, simply a monthly plan, no contract. You can cancel at any time.

 

[sako243]

Do you have unlimited or a lot of data with a phone contact? I just leave mine set up as a WiFi hot-spot.

 

[indy4x]

I've got a a few Teltonika mobile routers



3 in total

RUT240
RUT241
RUT950

All essentially do the same thing, pop a SIM card in them and off you go

All of them came via eBay and cost me about £50. If you want to do a buy it now they are usually a bit more pricey but I just watched a few auctions and had a punt with a max bid of £50 and if it got outbid I'd just look for another listing

They are intended for industrial use but loads of people use them in camper vans which is why i
I originally bought one

They will run off any voltage between 9V and 30V DC

The antennas do have some gain which helps in weaker signal areas.

I am typing this from inside our campervan at a campsite by Sutton Hoo. There is some mobile signal but it's weak, Web pages take a while to load and YT is dire. With the mobile router turned on everything is useable. It's currently sat on the dashboard

I did some comparisons a while back of the SNR of mobile reception on my phone (Samsung S23 Ultra) to that of the RUT router in a poor signal area and this was the result (screenshot of a WhatsApp convo)



That was with the stock antennas

I also use them when we do event support as the events are usually in areas with poor mobile phone reception and power them from an 18V power tool battery

They do need mobile signal, they don't magically work where there is zero mobile signal

 

[Robotstar5]

Do you have unlimited or a lot of data with a phone contact? I just leave mine set up as a WiFi hot-spot.

I don't really like using my phone as I find the screen too small so only have a small monthly allowance, Mrs Robo has quite a lot of data on her contract but it disappeared at an alarming rate last time I connected my laptop to it so I'm looking for a stand alone option

 

[skotl]

I don't really like using my phone as I find the screen too small so only have a small monthly allowance, Mrs Robo has quite a lot of data on her contract but it disappeared at an alarming rate last time I connected my laptop to it so I'm looking for a stand alone option

Sako was talking about using your phone as a hotspot. Basically doing what the router would do and all your tablets, laptops etc would connect to it via WiFi and share its 4G or 5G connection.

We’re on holiday now and I’m using my iPhone to connect to Vodafone and share its signal to the Fire Stick and all the laptops / iPads.

 

[Robotstar5]

Sako was talking about using your phone as a hotspot. Basically doing what the router would do and all your tablets, laptops etc would connect to it via WiFi and share its 4G or 5G connection.

We’re on holiday now and I’m using my iPhone to connect to Vodafone and share its signal to the Fire Stick and all the laptops / iPads.

I realise that but neither of us have enough data allowance (particularly me) to support a weeks use as a hotspot

 

[TEO]

I realise that but neither of us have enough data allowance (particularly me) to support a weeks use as a hotspot

If you've time before you head off, there are v cheap phone sims with tons of data on 30 day rolling contracts. That way you can just stop the contract when you get home.
You need to check that the provider allows unlimited teathering within the contract.
I've used money saving expert to find good deals but check that the provider has good coverage where you're headed. In my experience they all stretch the truth about coverage so may be worth checking a local FB group or the like to get decent info.

 

[TEO]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/mobiles/

 

[iNf]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/
Lol @TEO teo was quicker
Pop in an old phone job done.

 

[MattF]

You need to check that the provider allows unlimited teathering within the contract.

3/Three removed that restriction a year or two ago, as I recall.

 

[gaz1]

I don't really like using my phone as I find the screen too small so only have a small monthly allowance, Mrs Robo has quite a lot of data on her contract but it disappeared at an alarming rate last time I connected my laptop to it so I'm looking for a stand alone option

I realise that but neither of us have enough data allowance (particularly me) to support a weeks use as a hotspot

ive hotspoted off the mobile phone on payg 50gb and an 80gb service a month

and you know i post on the netflix post

so yes im near films but im not watching 4k as that chews through data

youtube is a killer for data and so is chat programs the other chewer of data is adult sites

 

[sako243]

I realise that but neither of us have enough data allowance (particularly me) to support a weeks use as a hotspot

Do either of your phones allow a dual sim card in them? Or perhaps one of these eSims or whatever they're called?

Back to the original question I have used a smarty sim before for a work project that was deployed for testing without WiFi access. It was pretty hassle free, just bought it via Amazon I think. Registered it and installed it into a USB dongle I had plugged into a Raspberry Pi and away I went.

If you've got a spare Pi lying around with WiFi those can be portable hotspots so a free alternative

 

[RichardM]

My Lebara contract is on a rolling month basis. Previous ID Mobile was as well.

 

[qwakers]

Voxi is a good option. Video and social media usage does not go against your data usage

 

[Robotstar5]

Thanks for the replies, as the TP Link router has had no negative replies I'll get one of those and do more research on the sim cards mentioned. Cheers

 

[RichardM]

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/1122248?clickPR=plp:3:89

Maybe just for the SIM and data package is extra

 

[voipio]

It might be worth checking the mobile phone network coverage at your intended destination:

Coverage checker

SMARTY is a new SIM-only mobile network that’s built to be fair, transparent and smart.

smarty.co.uk

 

[MattF]

as the TP Link router has had no negative replies

I've personally always found their gear quite dependable. I have a Teltonika, nowadays, but started off here with a TPlink.

 

[OJCar]

https://www.moneysupermarket.com/mobile-phones/sim-only/networks/smarty/