Bongo Campervan Wifi

[mikeonb4c]

I have a solwise 3g router and USB 3g with a magmount booster antenna on the roof. Total cost about £70..! And you don't need to piggy back on someone else's WiFi connection

See:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-routers-3g-etr-9360.htm
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-datacard-to ... pt-026.htm

Thanks for this this, just ordered one and configured it today, superb!

I'm not very clued up on this stuff. If I bought this kit and set it up, what would it allow me to do with e.g. my laptop. Would it allow me to connect to an unsecured WiFi network. And if there were no WiFi nearby, would it allow me to connect to internet, email etc using mobile phone networks? And how would I then pay for my mobile phone (3g?) Connection? An idiots guide would be handy

[mikeonb4c]

Bump - I could really use some guidance in case its worth me taking the plunge. Thanks chums

[g8dhe]

I've no experience of that specific device, but yes the main box has a 3G data phone connected to a WiFi router providing you with a local Wireless LAN (WiFi) connected to the internet via the 3G data phone, the second device is just an external aerial to allow better 3G reception for the link to the Internet.

We use an unlocked Huawei E5830 device like these http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksi ... &_from=R40 never had the need for an external aerial to date, but it might depend on where you travel!

With either type of device you will need a SIM card for the phone part to allow you to connect to which ever service provider you want to use, this is the part where you need to be careful to make sure you get a suitable deal for the data link the costs can ramp up if your not careful.

[mikeonb4c]

I've no experience of that specific device, but yes the main box has a 3G data phone connected to a WiFi router providing you with a local Wireless LAN (WiFi) connected to the internet via the 3G data phone, the second device is just an external aerial to allow better 3G reception for the link to the Internet.

We use an unlocked Huawei E5830 device like these http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksi ... &_from=R40 never had the need for an external aerial to date, but it might depend on where you travel!

With either type of device you will need a SIM card for the phone part to allow you to connect to which ever service provider you want to use, this is the part where you need to be careful to make sure you get a suitable deal for the data link the costs can ramp up if your not careful.

Brilliant and thanks Geoff. I have an HTC Wildfire S and a deal with T-Mobile that gives me unlimited data. I wonder if that can be used in conjunction with the 3g router to allow a laptop to connect in a field. Mind you I can do my surfing ok on the phone, as I am now, and 3g is probably slow for watching movies etc do i'm wondering what the advantage is!

[Simon Jones]

There is an app on the HTC to use it as a wifi hotspot so you can use any wifi enabled device such a laptop or iPad.

[mikeonb4c]

There is an app on the HTC to use it as a wifi hotspot so you can use any wifi enabled device such a laptop or iPad.

Wow! Mind you, my little one is struggling memory-wise already with a minimum number of apps on it. But if a fone van be a WiFi hotspot, what do we need all the special gear for?

[Simon Jones]

If you haven't already, download a utility that allows you to move most of the apps to the micro SD card. I use Super Tool Box which includes App2SD which does it for you. It also show memory/CPU and battery usage. Lots of apps will eat up phone memory such as maps, google, Play Store, Internet etc. Go in regularly to Settings > Applications > Manage Applications, select All, press Menu and select Sort by Size. Then go into the big ones and select Clear Cache. You can also use Clear Data, but that will wipe out your login details for certain apps.

I have to do this regularly as once the phone memory drops below 15mb, all email stops working.

[mikeonb4c]

If you haven't already, download a utility that allows you to move most of the apps to the micro SD card. I use Super Tool Box which includes App2SD which does it for you. It also show memory/CPU and battery usage. Lots of apps will eat up phone memory such as maps, google, Play Store, Internet etc. Go in regularly to Settings > Applications > Manage Applications, select All, press Menu and select Sort by Size. Then go into the big ones and select Clear Cache. You can also use Clear Data, but that will wipe out your login details for certain apps.

I have to do this regularly as once the phone memory drops below 15mb, all email stops working.

Brilliant tips there Simon. I'll try them out at once as I have exactly the problems you describe. If they work, I may make a visit to T-Mobile to ask the spivs there why they were only able to say the phone was a basic model, when I asked them for advice.

[dobby]

The battery in the router is a standard ultrafire battery also used in those high powered LED CREE torches on eBay. The torches are only £14 or so and have spare batteries and car chargers!

Thanks as well for this tip, I need to sort a decent cree t6 at some stage so will factor that iin.

Mike - apologies, been off line. I went for the solwise wifi router because I already had a 3g dongle for the laptop but we needed a way to get ipads and kindles online etc so the £35 quid was a cheaper option than Geoff's excellent mifi advice and also i don't have an android phone to use as a hot spot.

Lots of cheap data deals to be had now and the wifi app on your HTC makes good sense.

Cheers

[mikeonb4c]

The battery in the router is a standard ultrafire battery also used in those high powered LED CREE torches on eBay. The torches are only £14 or so and have spare batteries and car chargers!

Thanks as well for this tip, I need to sort a decent cree t6 at some stage so will factor that iin.

Mike - apologies, been off line. I went for the solwise wifi router because I already had a 3g dongle for the laptop but we needed a way to get ipads and kindles online etc so the £35 quid was a cheaper option than Geoff's excellent mifi advice and also i don't have an android phone to use as a hot spot.

Lots of cheap data deals to be had now and the wifi app on your HTC makes good sense.

Cheers

Thanks Dobby and big thanks to Simon. Whilst the app didn't reveal anything i could move to the storage card, his tip on clearing out data was exactly what i needed. Phone now working perfectly

[rapiddescent]

I'll write up a howto guide over the break!!

[dobby]

Potential bargain at http://www.virginmobile.com/vm/viewProd ... d=16185850

Cheap android phone with a 1gb per month deal on pays for £60. Just needs a hotspot app

[briwy]

If you haven't already, download a utility that allows you to move most of the apps to the micro SD card. I use Super Tool Box which includes App2SD which does it for you. It also show memory/CPU and battery usage. Lots of apps will eat up phone memory such as maps, google, Play Store, Internet etc. Go in regularly to Settings > Applications > Manage Applications, select All, press Menu and select Sort by Size. Then go into the big ones and select Clear Cache. You can also use Clear Data, but that will wipe out your login details for certain apps.

I have to do this regularly as once the phone memory drops below 15mb, all email stops working.

It doesn't work with all versions of Android unfortunately Simon.
It pops up and asks if I want to move things but won't do it.
I put it on my new Galaxy S3 and it refuses to move stuff over which is getting to be a bit of a pain. I guess there will be an update for the later Android versions sometime.

BTW. Anyone wanting free data check out Samba.

[kavinpeter]

I have a solwise 3g router and USB 3g with a magmount booster antenna on the roof. Total cost about £70..! And you don't need to piggy back on someone else's WiFi connection

See:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-routers-3g-etr-9360.htm
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-datacard-to ... pt-026.htm

Thanks for this this, just ordered one and configured it today, superb!

I'm not very clued up on this stuff. If I bought this kit and set it up, what would it allow me to do with e.g. my laptop. Would it allow me to connect to an unsecured WiFi network. And if there were no WiFi nearby, would it allow me to connect to internet, email etc using mobile phone networks? And how would I then pay for my mobile phone (3g?) Connection? An idiots guide would be handy

If you bought a kit like a 4G or 5G router with a SIM slot, it would allow your laptop to connect to the internet using mobile phone networks when there’s no WiFi nearby. You would need to get a mobile data plan from a provider, insert the SIM card into the router, and the router would connect you to the internet via 4G/5G. You would pay for your mobile phone connection based on the data plan you choose.

[Bongolian]

I’m a little confused..
I’ve use my phone as a WiFi Hotspot on occasion for many years without ever adding an App.
I’ve used ‘el cheapo’ Huawei, and better phones like Samsungs, simply accessed the Setting and created a Hot Spot.
I’ve done all sorts from allowing several others to access the tinterweb, to Zoom and Team video meetings with very little issue.
The keys are - check your provider doesn’t set some sharing limit, which again has never caused me any problems, and of course ensuring you have sufficient Data, mostly mine have been unlimited, but more recently even with a monthly 20Gb allowance it’s not caused me problems.
I guess a ‘proper’ Wi-Fi device would be more powerful and probably better at accessing a reliable connection, but so far so good

( fyi - I’ve done this in the UK and abroad inc the US and odd places like S.Korea, and so far I’ve incurred no additional charges).