Wi Fi

[Geof Angi]

Good evening all

 

Sorry but I am over 10 years old, I have a lap top that work's on "Wi Fi" which I know how to work fron an hotel room but how do I use in in the motor home, i.e. what do I need to buy and fit or does this need to be done by some one who is experianced

 

Your comments would be very welcome as I would love to have this up and running before my hol's in June

 

Regards

 

Geof

[alan]

O dear I'm 12 can u please answer the same????

alan

[GJH]

Geof & Angi - 2008-03-02 9:17 PM

 

Sorry but I am over 10 years old, I have a lap top that work's on "Wi Fi" which I know how to work fron an hotel room but how do I use in in the motor home, i.e. what do I need to buy and fit or does this need to be done by some one who is experianced

I'm assuming from your message that you're using it in a hotel room connected to a WiFi hotspot rather than having to plug a cable in between the laptop and a network point.

 

That being the case it is the same in a motorhome - but you do need to be somewhere with access to a hotspot, like some CC sites. In those circumstances you will normally need to buy a scratch card which gives you access for a day, week or month.

 

Having tried that at two CC sites (£25 for a week) we decided (just last week) to go for a mobile broadband deal. Checked out offerings from T-Mobile, Vodafone and Three and went with T-Mobile. £15 a month for up to 3GB on a 24 month contract with the modem free.

 

Graham

[Miami]

If you go with any of T-Mobile, Vodafone and Three then check overseas coverage and costs first. We use 3 as we got to Ireland a lot and the usage is free there. Fast speed if in a 3g area.

[GJH]

Miami - 2008-03-03 7:34 AM

check overseas coverage and costs first

Good point John - and equally valid for voice/text usage of mobile phones.

 

We don't go abroad so not a consideration for us :-D

 

Graham

[Miami]

Surprised you don't go abroad Graham!

You could look for more friendly parking places!!!!

[GJH]

Miami - 2008-03-03 9:16 AM

Surprised you don't go abroad Graham!

You could look for more friendly parking places!!!!

Too much of this country we haven't seen yet John - one of these days we'll even get to Worcestershire again :-D Graham

[chris]

Joining this posting as researching this topic too

chris

[Miami]

Hi Graham

I think we will have moved by then. Going to live in Hampshire end of April!

[GJH]

Miami - 2008-03-05 7:49 AM

I think we will have moved by then. Going to live in Hampshire end of April!

Sorry John, didn't mean to chase you out (lol)

 

We travelled through Hampshire last year on the way to Lulworth Castle for an ECWS event. We're going again in May but I think we miss Hampshire on the way down as we are going via Stratford-upon-Avon and Bristol.

 

Coming back via Tewkesbury though so you better watch out (lol)

 

Graham

[Keith T]

we've just gone onto 3 mobile broadband as we're temporaily 'living' in the motorhome sort of longish term, and I got fed up with trying to find a cafe

In any case I did not fancy the 'security' of some wifi spots, nor the cost of the CC ones - in fact found the signal of theirs not good, and at Abbey Wood CC site a couple of months ago, had to sit outside reception on a cold night to actually get one strong enough to use.I only wish I'd found about about the mobile system earlier, but now I pay £10 per month for 1Gb download, and despite quite full usage last month ( the first one logged) only used 80% of the allowance. So far, signal in the motorhome has beed very good, although occasionally a bit slow, but adequate.

[snobbyafghan]

Keith

 

Is this one of those that doesn't work abroad, say in France? Or would it be horribly expensive overseas. Any idea?

 

Do you download directly to your phone or do you hook the phone up to your laptop?

 

Doug

[Miami]

Doug

You don't need a phone. You get the modem free with £15 per month. Reception is available everywhere but not all free with the rental. There is loads of info on this site about the 3 modem. Try a search or log onto the 3 sitehttp://www.three.co.uk

[Basil]

Better deal still with T Mobile in the Metro today, same free 3G dongle and unlimited use for £15 per month with a 24 month contract deal includes unlimited use of WiFi hotspots as well with next day delivery, offer ends 31st March 08 listed as Deal 3 on 08454122680 or online at

 

www.t-mobile.co.uk/metro

 

and is only available direct from T Mobile.

 

Or there is 3GB/month for £10/ month at Carphone Warehouse including free modem.

 

Must say I am tempted.

 

Bas

[Guest Tracker]

In countries where 3 operate data usage is the same cost as UK ie £10 a month for up to 1gb and 10p a mb if you go over. No rollover of unused.

Main countries are UK Ireland Austria Denmark Italy Sweden.

 

In countries where there is a reciprocal agreement with 3 the data cost is an extra £3 per mb - which is very expensive.

Main countries are Belgium Finland France Greece Portugal Spain.

But the cost probably makes it impractical for all but brief emailing.

 

Does anyone know how to guestimate the data volume used when surfing or emailing?

 

I'll have a look at TMobile.

[GJH]

Basil - 2008-03-06 10:32 AM

 

Better deal still with T Mobile in the Metro today, same free 3G dongle and unlimited use for £15 per month with a 24 month contract deal includes unlimited use of WiFi hotspots as well with next day delivery, offer ends 31st March 08 listed as Deal 3 on 08454122680 or online at

 

www.t-mobile.co.uk/metro

 

and is only available direct from T Mobile.

That's the deal I went for last week. Also available as Web 'n' Walk Plus HERE. Usage isn't actually uinlimited though - 3GB limit applies.

 

3GB per month should be adequate for most people for e-mails/surfing but I suppose it might bet a bit tight for people who want to download large music and video files.

 

So far I've only used it at home in Middlesbrough for testing and on a visit to my Mum in north west Derbyshire last weekend but it was perfectly acceptable performance.

 

The only glitch I have noticed was with initial installation. The laptop accepted the modem OK but wouldn't load the management software until I rebooted - don't know if it was something I did wrong or what.

 

Graham

[Guest Tracker]

Just been looking at T Mobile and it does seem a good deal for UK use.

 

Can't find owt on their website for foreign use so I've emailed them to ask and am awaiting their reply.

[GJH]

Tracker - 2008-03-06 11:29 AM

 

Can't find owt on their website for foreign use.

's alright - you can use 'em in England as well as Wales (lol) (lol)

 

Graham

[Guest Tracker]

T Mobile is a VERY hefty £7.50 per 1mb data abroad - yet to discover which countries!

[Shaun]

But, hopefully, for not too much longer:

 

"T-Mobile has announced plans to reduce its roaming charges for business travellers by more than half. However, the cuts only apply to data sent from countries already on the T-Mobile network in Europe and the US.

 

T-Mobile said its data roaming charges will fall from £7.50/MB to £3/MB for business customers travelling in 10 countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and Poland, as well as the UK and the US.

 

The new pricing, which will take effect from 16 February, applies to both sending and receiving data. A similar package for consumers is expected this summer."

 

Shaun

[Basil]

GJH - 2008-03-06 11:19 AM

 

That's the deal I went for last week. Also available as Web 'n' Walk Plus HERE. Usage isn't actually uinlimited though - 3GB limit applies.

 

3GB per month should be adequate for most people for e-mails/surfing but I suppose it might bet a bit tight for people who want to download large music and video files.

 

Graham

 

No 3GB limit is not the deal in the Metro where it quite clearly states 'Surf as much as you like at no extra cost' and 'Never pay more than £15 a month'. I did not look at the web address before posting having read the full page advert, however the address does not come up as put in so I would suggest phoning the 0845 number and quoting the offer in todays Metro page 6.

If there was/ is a 3GB limit you would be better going for the Carphone Warehouse cut price deal as that is only £10/month for 3GB.

 

Bas

[GJH]

Basil - 2008-03-06 2:35 PMNo 3GB limit is not the deal in the Metro where it quite clearly states 'Surf as much as you like at no extra cost' and 'Never pay more than £15 a month'. I did not look at the web address before posting having read the full page advert, however the address does not come up as put in so I would suggest phoning the 0845 number and quoting the offer in todays Metro page 6.

Haven't seen the Metro Bas but I don't doubt what you say.

 

However, the address www.t-mobile.co.uk/metro (which works OK for me) leads to a page of Easter offers and following the appropriate links brings you HERE, where the 3GB limit is mentioned.

 

Betcha they claim a misprint and "E&OE" to anyone who rings and tries to claim unlimited :-D

 

Graham

[GJH]

Basil - 2008-03-06 2:35 PMIf there was/ is a 3GB limit you would be better going for the Carphone Warehouse cut price deal as that is only £10/month for 3GB.

 

Bas

Just had a look at the Carphone Warehouse web site and it's the same deal - details HERE - but with £120 back over the 2 year contract when you send in certain bills "This is a chequeback offer - this means you pay the full line rental every month (as stated in the contract details) and in order to get the reduced line rental, you need to send back your 4th, 8th airtime bills and we will send you a cheque for each one."

 

Full Ts&Cs of that offer HERE. OK if you remember to send back the appropriate bills.

 

I assume that after the first 2 years it will be £15 per month with no further rebate - though by that time (hopefully) prices will have come down anyway so maybe a new contract will be available.

 

Graham

[Basil]

Hi Graham,

 

When I said it does not go to the address put in if you look at the address bar when you get to the Easter Offers it's not what you put in, so I was not sure what that meant (if anything). But the advert is clearly different to what is on that web page so something is not quite right. For them to say E&OE would be blatant as the offers being made are in larger headline type not in the smaller more normal print so immediately catch the eye.

 

I accept what you are saying about Carphone Warehouse deal, but I would have thought that anyone entering that deal would surely remember to do that and you do get 60 days to do it, thats quite a long claim time, and it does mean that you get it for £10/ month

 

Bas

[GJH]

Basil - 2008-03-06 3:17 PM

When I said it does not go to the address put in if you look at the address bar when you get to the Easter Offers it's not what you put in, so I was not sure what that meant (if anything).

Hello Bas,

 

I would guess that the "Metro" bit is just a way of abbreviating a long address - and making people think it is special to the paper.

 

Basil - 2008-03-06 3:17 PM

But the advert is clearly different to what is on that web page so something is not quite right. For them to say E&OE would be blatant as the offers being made are in larger headline type not in the smaller more normal print so immediately catch the eye.

Just thinking about talking to the sales lady last week and she used a similar phrase - but meant never paying more than £15 for the 3GB max service. Bet they would still claim a misunderstanding :-D

 

Basil - 2008-03-06 3:17 PM

I accept what you are saying about Carphone Warehouse deal, but I would have thought that anyone entering that deal would surely remember to do that and you do get 60 days to do it, thats quite a long claim time, and it does mean that you get it for £10/ month

Yes, you would think so - and I bet sensible people like you and I would make sure we sent them in. However, I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that companies make quite a lot on this sort of deal because so many people forget to send the bills in.

 

It's similar to the 0% interest and deferred payment deals that are around - OK if you pay the amount owed off in time but massive interest rates if you are late even by a day or two. I've only had one of those deals (for a laptop) and a friend advised me to pay in plenty of time so that the company could not claim that the payment had not been processed before the time was up.

 

Graham