Wooie Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Has anyone out there got experience of the " Zead Z200 Wi-Fi Adapter " ? Or maybe similar products ? We already have a Vodafone dongle which is good but can be very very slow. We saw it at the Western Show last year and are wondering if it does do what it says on the box or is it just another gimmick to part you from your hard earned money. We didn`t get on with the guy on the stall who`s attitude was " This is the best and everything else is CRAP " We do need regular access to the internet when we are out and about and while " Smart Phones " are OK for a quick look you can`t to do anything serious on them and you need the laptop. We get " Free Unlimited Wi-FI " with our home broadband package and whilst it works very well you do have to be fairly close to a " Home Hub " for it to pick up a strong enough signal to be useful. This usually means being almost outside the house or better still on someones drive ( only joking ). Regards. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Recomended to me on here when I asked a similar question was Digital Yatch WL50 Yatch WiFi Antenna priced at £84 on Amazon For me this has worked VERY VERY well indeed, it has sucker feet mounts and permanent pole type mount and just plugs into your computer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 On a similar theme - does anyone know of a wifi booster for a smartphone and/or an ipad please as all the boosters I have seen have a usb plug which will not fit either device? I asked the Zead guy at the Newbury show and he said there is nothing on the market at the moment but Zead would have one 'shortly' which would, of course be the best! The best of what, I asked, if there are no others available to which he replied that it was just a figure of speech!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 Syd - 2012-06-08 11:51 AM Recomended to me on here when I asked a similar question was Digital Yatch WL50 Yatch WiFi Antenna priced at £84 on Amazon For me this has worked VERY VERY well indeed, it has sucker feet mounts and permanent pole type mount and just plugs into your computer Hi Syd, thanks for the reply, i`ve had a look at it on Amazon. Do you not find it a bit awkward at 60cms ( 2ft ) and do you just use it when you need it or have you done a permanent fitting ? Regards, Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 http://www.faculty-x.net/NET-WL-usb-cpe2512bgn i have the above as it was recommended on here...works fine once you manage to install it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syd Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Wooie - 2012-06-08 1:33 PM Syd - 2012-06-08 11:51 AM Recomended to me on here when I asked a similar question was Digital Yatch WL50 Yatch WiFi Antenna priced at £84 on Amazon For me this has worked VERY VERY well indeed, it has sucker feet mounts and permanent pole type mount and just plugs into your computer Hi Syd, thanks for the reply, i`ve had a look at it on Amazon. Do you not find it a bit awkward at 60cms ( 2ft ) and do you just use it when you need it or have you done a permanent fitting ? Regards, Graham. I have a permanent fitting, in Spain it made the computer work faster out there than mine works at home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I have the same one as Judge and it works well over quite a distance (depends on walls trees etc). Use it in conjunction with "inssider2 software to find what is available around you - see http://www.metageek.net/products/inssider/ This software can help get rid of conflict problems too as you can see if other local users to your home bband are using the same channel as you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meadows Engine Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Hi I have used one of these For the last 18 months and at £20 I can’t complain it works rather well, High Gain Long Distance USB O-B/G mni Antenna model NET-WL-USB-ROCKET I attach it with a pair of suckers and remove when finished and just store it in the wardrobe Its at http://www.faculty-x.net/NET-WL-ROCKET_BG John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 We use a Rocket as well, find it works well for an omni directional device and cheap, found not much difference using it inside or outside the van. The Z200 the OP mentions seems to be well over priced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Have a look at www.motorhomewifi.com It's the same antenna as the faculty x one and at the moment I think it's the best on the market. I know the guy who runs this company and he knows his stuff. The one from motorhomewifi is available with a very good suction mount so you can stick it anywhere on the van. It's excellent. I think he is looking at a solution for a wifi router as well for the apple USB issue as well. Ive just got one of these antennas and so far it's superb. It seems even better than my old Repeatit unit which cost over £100. My record with the old unit was 4 miles but I hope to beat that with the new one on this trip (currently in France) Addie from Motorhomewifi managed 18km! Line of sight is crucial though for these kind of distances. Even a tree or a camper in the way make a massive distance as I know from experience when on aires and some Motorhome comes chugging In blocking my signal. I'm hoping the new one will get round this problem as I can stick it on the roof and the suction adaptor raises it a good 9 inches above the highest point of the van Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Barry - is your antenna the omni-directional or the directional one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted June 9, 2012 Author Share Posted June 9, 2012 I`m a bit surprised that " no-one " has come back with info on the Zead. Maybe that`s the answer in itself, there`s no mad rush but i would like to get one sorted by the end of June and before we next go away. Stuck at home at the moment waiting for ANOTHER Alko Brake cable ( this time from Germany ). Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogerTalbot Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I went to newbury looking for wifi gear, took a look at all three systems mentioned here. I never buy at shows like to go away and do the research as so many people try and rip you off on an impulse purchase. Zead Wifi is the same as this on ebay, £19 they sell for £99 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221012842875 Zead 3G is the same as this £39 they sell for £99 http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-dongle-lp1917e.html I had already seen the faculty x antenna (£40). Chatted to the guys on the motorhome wifi stand - no sales tactics happy to chat about motorhoming, one of them had just come back from a year away it. Asked if it was the same as faculty x - yes, of course came the answer but he'd come up with a nifty bracket for it but was happy to sell one without if i wanted. I saw the big white pole one from Alltek but he was more interested in selling satellite systems. However when I looked more into it and it was only compatible with b and g networks - not n which is very surprising as it will be obsolete in a couple of years. Am leaning towards the motorhome wifi one but i need to decide if i want a suction bracket or a mount as without the bracket its cheaper from faculty x. Does anyone have one, is the bracket any good? Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I have the Faculty X one and just open Heki and pop it on roof. I have an old tv aerial pole that I intended to use but have not bothered.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Barryd999 - 2012-06-09 6:00 PM Have a look at www.motorhomewifi.com I got the omni directional one from there (£25) and it works well :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 Peter James - 2012-06-11 8:10 AM Barryd999 - 2012-06-09 6:00 PM Have a look at www.motorhomewifi.com I got the omni directional one from there (£25) and it works well :-) Hi Peter, Thanks for the info i`ve had a look. Realistically....... what sort of distances do you get ? And before all the comments come in, I know there are lots of factors to take into account like :- wind speed , cloud conditions , the price of fish , tide times and the price of Carlsberg....etc.......etc.....etc. All i asking is a rough idea from someone who has one Regards Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Wooie - 2012-06-11 8:38 AM Peter James - 2012-06-11 8:10 AM Barryd999 - 2012-06-09 6:00 PM Have a look at www.motorhomewifi.com I got the omni directional one from there (£25) and it works well :-) Hi Peter, Thanks for the info i`ve had a look. Realistically....... what sort of distances do you get ? And before all the comments come in, I know there are lots of factors to take into account like :- wind speed , cloud conditions , the price of fish , tide times and the price of Carlsberg....etc.......etc.....etc. All i asking is a rough idea from someone who has one Regards Graham. I don't really know the distances as I have only just fitted it and tried it on my panel van on my drive. Without it, I could only get my own wi fi signal from 20m away through the house at low power. With it I get my own wifi signal at high power, and about 10 other signals at varying strengths - I don't know how far away they are. PS: I am inside a steel panel van with no extra windows so I guess the difference would not be as great from inside a coachbuilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I have just recntly returned from trip to Spain and on the site I was on many where complaining about the free wifi and that the owner should improve it and charge for it... Well, with my booster, the signal was so strong it was faster then what I have at home... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Realistically you should expect about half of the manufacturers claimed distances. With the one I use (same one as Judge) I was receiving a useable signal from a weak b/g modem at around 500 meters (the modem was inside a restaurant with 2 stone walls between it and free air). If you are on to an"n" signal it can be much greater. There are a couple of things to consider when making your purchase: The antenna - what is it rated at - a 12 db antenna may give you up to 1500meters whereas a 9db may only give 500 meters in similar environments. It is important to remember that you may be able to "see" a hotspot but you may not get on if the signal you are transmitting is not powerful enough to reach. So you need the highest gain amplified transmitter you can get (legally). Directional antennas will give you a better chance of getting on to a distant hotspot than omnidirectional ones of the same power. That is because both the sending and receiving signal are concentrated in the one direction. The downside is that you may have to spend a bit of time on antenna waggling to get the optimum signal. There are very powerful transmitters available (around 600mw, often used on board boats). These can (with the right antenna ) transmit and receive over a few miles. If you use one of those you would find your neighbours getting upset as the signal would swamp everything else. There is also the question of legality - This one (http://www.cactusnav.com/digital-yacht-wl510-hipower-wifi-system-network-version-with-antenna-cable-p-11802.html ) would probably be ok at sea but with the vagaries of the different European wireless laws you may find that on land in some countries you would receive a visit from the police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Wooie - 2012-06-11 8:38 AM Peter James - 2012-06-11 8:10 AM Barryd999 - 2012-06-09 6:00 PM Have a look at www.motorhomewifi.com I got the omni directional one from there (£25) and it works well :-) Hi Peter, Thanks for the info i`ve had a look. Realistically....... what sort of distances do you get ? And before all the comments come in, I know there are lots of factors to take into account like :- wind speed , cloud conditions , the price of fish , tide times and the price of Carlsberg....etc.......etc.....etc. All i asking is a rough idea from someone who has one Regards Graham. I have the Solwise Rocket and it has no real capability for distance. A few times I have been in supermarket car parks in town centres and while the wife was shopping I tried it. No good (and I have BT Fon). I find a dongle is far superior under those conditions. I will be upgrading to the Faculty X. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 The one I have from www.motorhomewifi.com is the directional one. Officially it's less powerful than my old repeat it antenna which is 18dbi but so far the Motorhome wifi one which is newer technology has the edge I think. I have the suction mount which allows me to stick it anywhere and point it where I want although we are only a few days into our tour I haven't had chance to test it properly yet but it seems the best option. I've been using these things for a few years now and typically line of sight I can usually connect to a router in a house up to a mile away with reasonable success. Using inssider software which is free also allows you to fine tune the location of a signal. Often with a directional antenna a slight turn a few degrees can make all the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I've been using the omni directional Rocket for 3 years, for the price it is very good, within a couple of hundred metres of a router it can mean the difference between no signal & a usable signal but you can only ever hope to achieve the 500m spec with a clear line of site. I am now looking at getting the directional one as they are now only 35 quid they were over sixty when I brought my Rocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted June 12, 2012 Author Share Posted June 12, 2012 Decided to try the Solwise Rocket from Faculty - X £24.92 delivered and that includes the 2 sucker attachments as well. Thanks for all the input. Regards Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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