Teflontim87 Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 As a first timer on forum and France ( see earlier post) let me start by saying this forum is fantastic and thank you Rachel stohart for pointing me in its direction. But down to business. France first time, wife and myself have embraced the digital age, I pad, I phones etc. iPads are wireless and 3 g and look like they will prove useful on our trip ( if only for keeping in touch with the forum!) What's the best / cheapest way to use them in France? Thanks everyone. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 MacDonalds. Try doing a search "WiFi Mobile" , search all, and you will get a lot of inf This may also help http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/iBoost-System-from-Motorhome-WIFI-for-Ipad/29807/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 using a cellular phone network VERY expensive abroad, so as SS says it has to be wifi. IPad good for this as its not like lugging a laptop around, but the prohibitive connectability with apple products a disgrace (we have one)..... A wifi booster aerial a good idea but dont know if one available for the IPad, but Im sure there is it has been discussed previously. Well it seems there is as found this and it may help http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/technical/general/WiFi-booster-for-iPad-or-tablet/rt/290606/ anyway.....forgetaboutit! your supposed to be on holiday! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Eddie I believe you have a Rocket USB wifi long range aerial/booster Facility X do a USB wifi router which you can plug the rocket into about 50 quid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 lennyhb - 2013-04-25 1:27 PM Eddie I believe you have a Rocket USB wifi long range aerial/booster Facility X do a USB wifi router which you can plug the rocket into about 50 quid. no dont think its the rocket and seems to have disapeared from website now anyway *-) http://www.faculty-x.net/direct-home.htm but what we have works well with the laptop on sites or wherever, but the IPad handier for carrying so its OK for wifi when used out and about. can you ID what I need to use ipad in van from the link above, as I have not a clue :-D EDIT: called them and they are calling back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 With a WiFi booster connected to your laptop you can use software (Clonectify??) to make your laptop into a Hotspot and then connect iPad etc. I have my own booster based on a simple USB booster with a home built Yagi aerial connected and getting excellent results. Was connected to a BT Fon spot a mile away with clear line if sight and got excellent performance. At moment on Stagecoach bus using iPad connected to bus WiFi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-04-25 1:43 PM lennyhb - 2013-04-25 1:27 PM Eddie I believe you have a Rocket USB wifi long range aerial/booster Facility X do a USB wifi router which you can plug the rocket into about 50 quid. no dont think its the rocket and seems to have disapeared from website now anyway *-) http://www.faculty-x.net/direct-home.htm but what we have works well with the laptop on sites or wherever, but the IPad handier for carrying so its OK for wifi when used out and about. can you ID what I need to use ipad in van from the link above, as I have not a clue :-D EDIT: called them and they are calling back Try This page it has the rocket & wifi router Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambukashot Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 For help on getting wifi in your motorhome/ipad/PC whilst abroad i have wrote a beginners guide on the subject:http://www.camperstops.co.uk/index.php/en/home-page/motorhome-articles/motorhome-wifi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted April 25, 2013 Share Posted April 25, 2013 Sending this from my kindle fire hd using free WiFi provided by casino opposite grand plage in Biarritz, Jean using same wifi on here mini i-pad. there are many more places in France to find wifi than MacDonald. Some Aires now provide it free or low cost as do many tourist information office. Nearly always a bar or cafe in each town, we like these best as good excuse to try the local wine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Finding free wifi is always favourite of course. But we also carry a Huawei Mobile Wifi unit - tiny thing, smaller than your phone, which uses the 3G signal to create a Wifi "hotspot." Gives a very good signal, usually about 72mbps, to up to 5 devices at a time. It came with a "3" PAYG Simcard, which we use in the UK, but when we tried it in France it gobbled up money at a horrendous rate. So I've now got it unlocked, and plan to buy a local Sim from whichever company has best coverage in whichever country we visit. I'll post how we get on, during our next trip in June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambukashot Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Im using an unlocked dongle in Spain and the coverage is great, never had any problems anywhere! already used 3gb of data this month and all this for 10 Euros! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 sambukashot - 2013-04-26 2:39 PM Im using an unlocked dongle in Spain and the coverage is great, never had any problems anywhere! already used 3gb of data this month and all this for 10 Euros! Local sim? How do you top it up plse.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertandjean Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Have thought of using our mifi but not yet found a reasonable deal on SIM in France, or if did easy way to top up. Now in St John De ,Luz where town provides free WiFi in various places throughout town. (Staying on aire which just opposite port and centre but set between main road and rail track with very tight spaces, so only for true Aires devotees). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambukashot Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-04-26 3:23 PMsambukashot - 2013-04-26 2:39 PMIm using an unlocked dongle in Spain and the coverage is great, never had any problems anywhere! already used 3gb of data this month and all this for 10 Euros!Local sim? How do you top it up plse....When you purchace the sim card you are allocated a mobile number that goes with it, just go to any shop that sells mobile cards (there are plenty of them around) give them your number and 10 euros they then place the credit in their computer and away you go instant top up! you can allways top up online with your credit card, done instantly :) You can send and receive SMS messages from your data card using the software for the dongle on your PC at no extra cost which can be a big saving over time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Just got back from another 4 weeks chugging around the south west quarter of France, and as usual we only needed to go to any McDonalds for free and unlimited wifi, anytime we wanted to go on-line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 sambukashot - 2013-04-26 5:45 PMJudgeMental - 2013-04-26 3:23 PMsambukashot - 2013-04-26 2:39 PMIm using an unlocked dongle in Spain and the coverage is great, never had any problems anywhere! already used 3gb of data this month and all this for 10 Euros!Local sim? How do you top it up plse....[When you purchace the sim card you are allocated a mobile number that goes with it, just go to any shop that sells mobile cards (there are plenty of them around) give them your number and 10 euros they then place the credit in their computer and away you go instant top up! you can allways top up online with your credit card, done instantly :) You can send and receive SMS messages from your data card using the software for the dongle on your PC at no extra cost which can be a big saving over time...We are used to buying local Sim's when we go long haul...But I thought it more problematic in France...Spain OK I believe (we have one for Italy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilmac Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Our current setup works well for us. We use a laptop, with Faculty-x long range aerial if needed to find unsecured wifi. Then Connectify software to create a hotspot for Ipad and another laptop to connect with as required. Also a useful arrangement when wifi is purchased but is only useable for 1 machine. There are other solutions for Ipad only connections but the above covers our needs ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sambukashot Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Hi Judgemental,I should have made it clearer, the local sim card i mentioned was for Spain not France, I will be in France in the next 2 weeks so i will find out the 3G sim card situation there, i bet it wont be as flexable as Spain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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