Wifi in the truck. How?

£23 a month for totally unlimited 4g with www.three.co.uk

Also they have removed the tethering limit now, so you can use it as a hub for all your stuff.

I use it through a Galaxy S7 edge, all is good:

Laptop
Tablets
Rova Viva
Etc...

Egg

That does sound good - also I need to correct what I said it's not 30Gb from EE but 25.
If I was confident 3 coverage was better than EE I might go for that - still time to cancel.
 
Cheers all.

The data isn't as important to me, we both have decent data plans that we can create hotspots from. I want to use wifi IP cameras, and watch them on tablets. So, It's more the router functions I'm looking for. And it may as well connect to the internet as well, if I'm buying something.

I need to be able to see what's going on in the back, from the cab. And visa-verse.
 
Cheers all.

The data isn't as important to me, we both have decent data plans that we can create hotspots from. I want to use wifi IP cameras, and watch them on tablets. So, It's more the router functions I'm looking for. And it may as well connect to the internet as well, if I'm buying something.

I need to be able to see what's going on in the back, from the cab. And visa-verse.

Indeed. The discussion went off-track with different mobile data deals.

MiFi Dongles are also routers of course so kitting yourself with one of those should do the job. FWIW, This is the unit I have - https://amzn.to/2UgYWIy (it was a fair bit cheaper when I bought it!). Using a MiFi Dongle will tie you to the Mobile SIM within it though.
If you only ever want to use the same service always (say a THREE Data SIM for example) then that would likely be all you need.
The Ubiquiti kit in the thread I linked to will provide a secure "in-van" network for all the devices and the advantage of this is that you could link cameras, etc to the Ubiquiti network router, so that is all static and done, and then you just point the router to whatever service you want to use, be it a WiFi Hotspot, a Mifi Dongle or a Mobile Phone acting as a Hotspot. The beauty of this setup is that you only have to change one thing if changing the service provider and not update all your different devices.
(I don't have IP cameras in my Camper (yet!) but I have the Raspberry Pi, the Amazon Echo, an Amaxon Firestick and a NOW TV Stick - all those want the internet and I don't want to have to reconfigure them all if I switch from the MiFi Dongle to the WiFi router or whatever! with the Air Gateway and the NanoStation I don't need to.)


For some specifics on this area, have a look at the following video which ties up with my original thread.
Also worth watching the updated one he has made with updated kit from the same company
The guy is very knowledgable and has some great tips (as well as a weird and entertaining presentation style :) )

Original Video


Updated Video, with the New AirCube setup (link to it HERE) instead of the old Air Gateway that I have and is used in the first video
 
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That does sound good - also I need to correct what I said it's not 30Gb from EE but 25.
If I was confident 3 coverage was better than EE I might go for that - still time to cancel.
In my experience, EE coverage is slightly better than Three coverage, but EE speeds are much better than Three speeds.
Given the choice, I would always choose EE over Three, unless I wanted a routeable IP address, which you get from Three, but not from EE.
I think I pay £20 a month for 40GB on EE, but it was a special offer at the time.
 
Cheers all.

The data isn't as important to me, we both have decent data plans that we can create hotspots from. I want to use wifi IP cameras, and watch them on tablets. So, It's more the router functions I'm looking for. And it may as well connect to the internet as well, if I'm buying something.

I need to be able to see what's going on in the back, from the cab. And visa-verse.
A standard Huawei MiFi will do that. You can connect up to 10 wifi devices simultaneously.
However, they seem to cook batteries. In my experience, you need to replace the battery after every two or three years.
I don't think they disconnect the battery when it's full and there is external power, and you can't run them without a battery.
 
That's a tricky one Steve. The thing is, a router is the obvious answer to your DHCP distribution requirements and would also provide hard-wiring for cameras, etc if you wanted... but, as far as I know, they pretty much all need to get on the internet themselves. Does anyone know if there's a proper router out there that can piggyback off a wifi connection and assign IP addresses to redistribute that wifi, without needing its own connection to the internet? All I can think of is perhaps a wifi booster/enhancer/relay of some kind but then I'm not sure if any of these would have DHCP capability independently of the gizmo that's providing the internet connection in the first place, ie your phone. A solution would be much easier if you abandon the idea of using your phone data and get a proper router with 4G built in and use a dedicated data sim. A mifi unit is a basic version of this of course but it sounds like you need something better.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0161AC...t=&hvlocphy=9045815&hvtargid=pla-387791301993

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huawei-UNL...QKA3SQE7M4M&psc=1&refRID=RP56KAEPNQKA3SQE7M4M
 
Does anyone know if there's a proper router out there that can piggyback off a wifi connection and assign IP addresses to redistribute that wifi, without needing its own connection to the internet?

I wouldn't want to buy another sim, as we already have 2 in the phones.

The motorhome wifi thing does exactly what you've described in the quote above, so I think I'm back to that - but just buying the bits separately and configuring it myself. I.e. Loco M2 aerial and an air gateway LR as I've found one cheap on eBay. The newer version of that would be the Aircube.

All as Wildebus's linked videos above :)
 
In my experience, EE coverage is slightly better than Three coverage, but EE speeds are much better than Three speeds.
Given the choice, I would always choose EE over Three, unless I wanted a routeable IP address, which you get from Three, but not from EE.
I think I pay £20 a month for 40GB on EE, but it was a special offer at the time.


Now that you say that about the speed, I remember that I have heard similar before, and since I don't really understand the IP stuff I don't suppose I will miss having it - so that makes sticking with what I have ordered an easy decision.
 
I wouldn't want to buy another sim, as we already have 2 in the phones.

The motorhome wifi thing does exactly what you've described in the quote above, so I think I'm back to that - but just buying the bits separately and configuring it myself. I.e. Loco M2 aerial and an air gateway LR as I've found one cheap on eBay. The newer version of that would be the Aircube.

All as Wildebus's linked videos above :)
Just a note on the power supply discussion as if you go this route I am sure you will want to power it from DC power as well?

I noticed the Air Cube can be powered by a Mini-USB Charger as well, which is interesting, but I do wonder how that can then power the Radio Booster as well?
I (well Motorhomer.com did effectively, as I won the Weekly Draw :love:) ended up buying the bits I found on Amazon as while the method in the doc you found is quite right, the Air Gateway LR input power is via a male RJ45 plug, so you would need a Female RJ45 Socket, which are trickier to find, so I have bought this - https://amzn.to/2B8L5wV. The male plug is not needed, but the female socket is key and the jackplug will have the power in. For under a fiver it seems a worthwhile route to go.
(the document shows the LAN port of the Air Gateway being used to power the device but I need the LAN port free for the Raspberry Pi).

The 12V Voltage Level aspect was a bit of a concern as well. The Router will work, but the Radio is powered via the Router POE port and will route around the van and go outside (like my photos in the thread shows) - and the writeup suggests that under 15V may be an issue for longer length ethernet cable (the lower the voltage, the greater the loss & the higher the current - and ethernet core wires are very thin to start with) so I also bought one of these - https://amzn.to/2B6UlSm - to work as a voltage booster (It is much higher power than is needed for the internet kit but I bought the same device as a booster for my Diesel Heater and was impressed with the quality so decided to go with the devil I knew).
 
I am sure you will want to power it from DC power as well?

Probably!

I noticed the Air Cube can be powered by a Mini-USB Charger as well, which is interesting, but I do wonder how that can then power the Radio Booster as well?

The link I gave goes on to discuss it being able to go as low as 3.3v, so I suspect that it will just pass on the 5V to the radio.

input power is via a male RJ45 plug, so you would need a Female RJ45 Socket, which are trickier to find, so I have bought this - https://amzn.to/2B8L5wV. The male plug is not needed, but the female socket is key and the jackplug will have the power in. For under a fiver it seems a worthwhile route to go.

I have some cat5 modules ( Like https://www.cablemonkey.co.uk/cat6-...knfUaAvLHEALw_wcB#/618-no_of_outlets-1_outlet ) and wondered if that might work, or I had seen the amazon splitter kit in your link. But, You'll have half of that kit spare won't you ;) pmsl.

The 12V Voltage Level aspect was a bit of a concern as well.

I was going to see how it goes, my cable will probably be fairly short, but good idea. I have some 24V available as another option...
 
Sounds good.
I was going to ask you if you have a need for a RJ Cable Krone Punchdown Tool as I haven't used mine for years, but I have just seen how cheap these tools have become! check out the price of this full cable toolset ... https://amzn.to/2SbYfTw - £12.95 with free postage for this full set :oops: :oops:
 
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Sounds good.
I was going to ask you if you have a need for a RJ Cable Krone Punchdown Tool as I haven't used mine for years, but I have just seen how cheap these tools have become! check out the price of this full cable toolset ... https://amzn.to/2SbYfTw - £12.95 with free postage for this full set :oops: :oops:

That is a cheap kit :)

I've got a couple of the tools thanks David.
 
But you need to put a sim in that right? Rather than point it at a wifi hotspot?
Yes. With a decent data allowance, I can't see any point in faffing with wifi hotspots. They are always REALLY slow.
 
Now that you say that about the speed, I remember that I have heard similar before, and since I don't really understand the IP stuff I don't suppose I will miss having it - so that makes sticking with what I have ordered an easy decision.
I think it makes it a more difficult decision.
The IP stuff is better with Three, but if you don't need it (most people don't) it makes EE a better deal.
 
I think it makes it a more difficult decision.
The IP stuff is better with Three, but if you don't need it (most people don't) it makes EE a better deal.
I would say the actual quality of network service is more important than speed or stuff like static IP or whatever.

Who cares if EE is better speed than THREE if there is no EE signal? Where I live, until recently there would be no point in buying EE as there was no signal. no THREE signal either. Vodaphone only worked outside and then only occasionally. only reliable Network was O2 and for data that was only 2G.

Speed is not that important in truth anyway. once you hit a certain speed point, anything higher is irrelevant for the majority of people.
 
In general, I have found EE coverage to be better and more widespread than Three coverage.
In particular places, even the excerable O2 coverage is sometimes the best.
Overall, I'd say EE is best and Three is good enough.
I agree about speed. Once you are getting about 20mbit/sec, any quicker doesn't make much difference.
All too often Three has been slower than 2mbit/sec, and that does seem slow.
 
I have always used SFR FON in France without any problems because it is everywhere but this time it did not give me the normal login page, instead I was directed to SFR FON and given the option to pay for 1/5 days or a month, this was the same in Germany
I did find this which states it is still possible but I could not get it to work
https://support.fon.com/hc/en-us/articles/203542412-Sharing-member-in-France-
I'm not aware of any changes in the Fon network affecting France. When did you encounter problems? It worked fine for me in France in August and September 2018. The SFR/Fon login page that incorporates the paid access option also has a "Login Here" link in the Fon section that enables you to log in to Fon.
 
I'm not aware of any changes in the Fon network affecting France. When did you encounter problems? It worked fine for me in France in August and September 2018. The SFR/Fon login page that incorporates the paid access option also has a "Login Here" link in the Fon section that enables you to log in to Fon.
It was in January this year, I have been using the FON network in France for a long time and this is the first time that I have had problems, there was no option to log in, after trying several times I couldn't get past that page so just used my mifi, I found it was the same in Germany but that was the first time that I had tried it there but I was surprised not to be able to log in in France, I will be interested to hear if anyone else logged on OK because it is the best way for internet access (for my needs ;))
 

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