3G mobile broadband at home?
lloyd
they say my coverage is very good on my postcode. I just rang and
checked and they also confirmed it. Seems strange as 02 and tmobile
coverage is pretty poor and 02 say dont go for mobile BB in my area.
Anyway 3G reckon its good for my home PC just plug the dongle in and
we are away.
What do you lot think? We only surf the net and email really,
currently running at around 2.5gb pm so the 5gb 3G should be ample.
TIA
lloyd
PS its for use on a home PC and not a laptop so will be under a desk
but stay in the same room, any issues with this?
Colin Wilson
> they say my coverage is very good on my postcode.
I'm in a "good" reception area, but i'm unable to call my wife's
mobile if she's at home (unable to connect etc).
I had one of the iphone sims with a dongle, and the speed (to be fair)
went from just about usable to completely unavailable for a period of
time.
Try finding the nearest cellphone mast here (they're the triangles,
but they only show the supplier info when you're zoomed in fully) -
it's not perfect, but it'll give you a reasonable idea of distance and
the power of the cell to weigh up the pros and cons.
lloyd
Looks like 3 masts together 02/orange/3 the 3 one says and is about a
mile from our office as the crow flies.
Name of Operator
3
Operator Site Ref.
PE0108
Station Type
Macrocell
Height of Antenna
23 Metres
Frequency Range
2100 MHz
Transmitter Power
24.46 dBW
Maximum licensed power
32 dBW
Type of Transmission
UMTS
Any good?
R D S
"lloyd" <pl...@none.co.uk> wrote in message
news:c6due55fc0mrfj0eq...@4ax.com...
Try and blag a router from them, it made a massive difference for me,
service went from flaky to perfect.
Simon
I've been using '3' Mobile Broadband as my main internet connection for the
past 4 months (as BT were unable to get adsl working on my landline).
Generally it's been pretty good, there have been a couple of evenings where
it's just refused to work for an hour or so, but it always sorts itself out.
I also travel about quite a lot with work and there's only been 2 occasions
where I've been unable to get a signal. The modem has broken once, but they
were very quick to get a replacement out to me.
I also have a o2 data package on my PDA which I can use as a modem, however
I almost always find the coverage and speed from '3' much better.
Simon
Shopping Online?? Discount Vouchers and Codes @ www.VoucherSearch.co.uk
Graham.
"lloyd" <pl...@none.co.uk> wrote in message news:kgdue59m1rq2n3re1...@4ax.com...
They will probably provide a USB 'A' male to 'A' female extension cable
so you can position the dongle for a better signal
--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%
Steve Terry
http://freeagent.three.co.uk/stand/view/id/5276
"lloyd" <pl...@none.co.uk> wrote in message
news:c6due55fc0mrfj0eq...@4ax.com...
What do you mean "3G reckon it's good for your home PC"?
All the networks offer 3G data, i presume you mean Three network
3G broadband??
If the Three network is OK in your area?
I would recommend you buy a Skype S2 HSDPA data phone on
Three 3pay PAYG which are 50quid (with �18 cashback through Quidco)
http://www.quidco.com/3-mobile/
A Skype S2 is more sensitive than a dongle, and is all ready to use
on 5quid per month PAYG internet.
Steve Terry
--
Get a free Three 3pay Sim with �2 bonus after �10 top up
Ruth
What router did they provide? Does it has a USB
port for the dongle?
lloyd
wrote:
>
>"lloyd" <pl...@none.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:c6due55fc0mrfj0eq...@4ax.com...
>> Hi, desperate to get shot of BT, I note on the 3G website BB checker
>> they say my coverage is very good on my postcode. I just rang and
>> checked and they also confirmed it. Seems strange as 02 and tmobile
>> coverage is pretty poor and 02 say dont go for mobile BB in my area.
>> Anyway 3G reckon its good for my home PC just plug the dongle in and
>> we are away.
>>
>> What do you lot think? We only surf the net and email really,
>> currently running at around 2.5gb pm so the 5gb 3G should be ample.
>> TIA
>
>I've been using '3' Mobile Broadband as my main internet connection for the
>past 4 months (as BT were unable to get adsl working on my landline).
>Generally it's been pretty good, there have been a couple of evenings where
>it's just refused to work for an hour or so, but it always sorts itself out.
>I also travel about quite a lot with work and there's only been 2 occasions
>where I've been unable to get a signal. The modem has broken once, but they
>were very quick to get a replacement out to me.
>
Thanks. Think I'll give it the 14 day trial. Just the dongle and 1
month deal at �15pm they also do an 18 month deal @�15pm in which you
get a free 9.99 dongle. Why would anyone choose that? LOL
lloyd
That will be handy, though I do appreciate I may well need to relocate
PC anyway. Sods law their mast direction is on the wrong side of the
house.
I'm going to go with the 14 day trial anyway to test it out. If
successful is there anyway to lose the dongle and have a *normal*
router type setup? My PC is not wifi presently and I don't really like
it anyhow if I can possibly avoid it. Though it's obviously a mobile
network.
lloyd
PS: This is only because I find the USB dongle a tad delicate, rather
than wanting more than one internet connection to my PC, though I
guess if the dongle is on a USB extension lead I can tuck it out of
the way anyway. What's the longest USB lead you could reliably use I
wonder?
Adrian C
> PS: This is only because I find the USB dongle a tad delicate, rather
> than wanting more than one internet connection to my PC, though I
> guess if the dongle is on a USB extension lead I can tuck it out of
> the way anyway. What's the longest USB lead you could reliably use I
> wonder?
>
45 meters(!) using a cheap two part gizmo to adapt USB to work over Cat5
network cable. Depending on the power consumption of the device (and the
friendlyness of your USB port) you might get away with using just this,
or additionally just use a powered hub at near the far end to supply
enough juice to the 3G modem.
Search Aria.co.uk for item# 17185
SB Extender (UP TO 45m) - �13.53 inc. VAT
A friend has used this successfully in a remote part of Spain by moving
his 3G stick to the peak of his roof. Reception and performance
elsewhere was sorely lacking.
--
Adrian C
lloyd
wrote:
I'll check thjat out. Thanks
Adrian C
No problem.
Though I should really point out that this link stuff is for USB 1.1
spec (12 Mbits/s Full-Speed), and not anything faster with USB 2.0
Not that it matters for a 3G modem, but just in case someone on google
has other application ideas for it.
--
Adrian C
lloyd
wrote:
>lloyd wrote:
I like this review :)
- exactly what it says on the tin! by bowier
I was unsure of the compatability of this kit with a vodafone mobile
internet dongle. I connected as in instructions, one unit in pc one
into dongle.I connected these with a 30m aria rj45 cable. I then ran
the cable into the roof space (Concrete office block) and instantly
went from zero reception to full strength signal. Saving a few hundred
quid on having a network point etc fitted. Excellent product. Many
thanks -
R D S
"Ruth" <redredred...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:7la52nF...@mid.individual.net...
One of these,
http://www.three.co.uk/_standalone/Device_Detail?content_aid=1214306597442
> Does it has a USB port for the dongle?
Yes.
Jon
pl...@none.co.uk says...
> Hi, desperate to get shot of BT, I note on the 3G website BB checker
> they say my coverage is very good on my postcode. I just rang and
> checked and they also confirmed it. Seems strange as 02 and tmobile
> coverage is pretty poor and 02 say dont go for mobile BB in my area.
> Anyway 3G reckon its good for my home PC just plug the dongle in and
> we are away.
>
> What do you lot think?
The coverage checker is an estimate, not a measurement.
The speed you get will be very slow indeed compared to even a slow
fixed-line connection. I urge you to reconsider.
--
Regards
Jon
Steve Terry
news:MPG.255aa696a...@news.eternal-september.org...
> Jon
>
>
On Three I get around 1.5 to 2mbps d/l and 300kbps u/l.
That's better that most people get on ADSL if they're more than a couple
of miles from the exchange
and for 5quid per month, that's dial up money
--
Get a free Three 3pay Sim with �2 bonus after �10 top up
lloyd
wrote:
>"Jon" <sp...@jonparker.plus.com> wrote in message
>news:MPG.255aa696a...@news.eternal-september.org...
>> In article <c6due55fc0mrfj0eq...@4ax.com>,
>> pl...@none.co.uk says...
>>> Hi, desperate to get shot of BT, I note on the 3G website BB checker
>>> they say my coverage is very good on my postcode. I just rang and
>>> checked and they also confirmed it. Seems strange as 02 and tmobile
>>> coverage is pretty poor and 02 say dont go for mobile BB in my area.
>>> Anyway 3G reckon its good for my home PC just plug the dongle in and
>>> we are away.
>>>
>>> What do you lot think?
>>
>> The coverage checker is an estimate, not a measurement.
>>
>> The speed you get will be very slow indeed compared to even a slow
>> fixed-line connection. I urge you to reconsider.
>> Regards
>> Jon
>>
>>
>On Three I get around 1.5 to 2mbps d/l and 300kbps u/l.
I get about 1.5mb presently on a fixed line.
>That's better that most people get on ADSL if they're more than a couple
>of miles from the exchange
3 miles as the vulture flies roughly.
>and for 5quid per month, that's dial up money
�5! who dat wid?
Roger Mills
lloyd <pl...@none.co.uk> wrote:
I use a 3 dongle for mobile internet when away from home - and have been
very disappointed with its performance. On my last holiday - in the New
Forest - it didn't work at all, and when it *does* work (even at home) the
best download speed I can get is 1Mbps - and it often only achieves half of
that. In order to achieve that, I have to dangle the dongle out of a window
on the end of a USB extension lead.
Something which I *haven't* tried, but which may improve the performance, is
to use an external antenna. There is a socket on the side of the dongle -
under a very small removeable cover - which allows an antenna to be plugged
in.
As others have said, there is a router available, into which you can plug
the USB-based dongle, and which then allows the connection to be shared by
multiple PCs over ethernet. I don't know how well this works - but I would
certainly be investigating both of the above options were I considering
using this for my *main* internet connection.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!
Steve Terry
> On Wed, 4 Nov 2009 02:09:28 -0000, "Steve Terry" <gfou...@tesco.net>
> wrote:
>>"Jon" <sp...@jonparker.plus.com> wrote in message
>>news:MPG.255aa696a...@news.eternal-september.org...
>>> In article <c6due55fc0mrfj0eq...@4ax.com>,
>>> pl...@none.co.uk says...
>
>>and for 5quid per month, that's dial up money
>
> �5! who dat wid?
>
>
Skype S2 connected via its USB lead to my laptop
with "3internet" APN
Only difference between Three PAYG internet and broadband
seems to be that some ports may be blocked?
For email i use googlemail on it's SSL ports,
they work OK
Steve Terry
Adrian C
> Something which I *haven't* tried, but which may improve the performance, is
> to use an external antenna. There is a socket on the side of the dongle -
> under a very small removeable cover - which allows an antenna to be plugged
> in.
Get the original 3G stick up high first, encase it in some waterproof
box and place it outside. External antennas are costly and many do not
work quite as well as advertised.
> As others have said, there is a router available, into which you can plug
> the USB-based dongle, and which then allows the connection to be shared by
> multiple PCs over ethernet. I don't know how well this works
Solwise do something called a NET-3G-3GWIFIMRW
(3.5G plus WLAN mobile Server Router)
Avoid, Avoid, Avoid...
It's crap, BTDTGTTS :-(
--
Adrian C
Theo Markettos
> I use a 3 dongle for mobile internet when away from home - and have been
> very disappointed with its performance. On my last holiday - in the New
> Forest - it didn't work at all, and when it *does* work (even at home) the
> best download speed I can get is 1Mbps - and it often only achieves half of
> that. In order to achieve that, I have to dangle the dongle out of a window
> on the end of a USB extension lead.
My idea is to glue a sucker to the dongle, then it can be stuck to an
appropriate window.
Not having taken mine apart, anyone know if the antenna is particularly
polarised? So does it matter the angle it is presented to the base station?
That'll matter where I position the sucker.
> Something which I *haven't* tried, but which may improve the performance,
> is to use an external antenna. There is a socket on the side of the dongle
> - under a very small removeable cover - which allows an antenna to be
> plugged in.
I wouldn't bother with a long cable run (the loss will swamp any antenna
gain). But it might be worth fitting a bigger antenna than the tiny PCB
strip in the dongle (and then hanging dongle+antenna out the window, or
whatever). Netbooks have antennas that run around the whole of the screen,
and seem to get better reception.
Theo
Gyp
Looking at the rest of the thread, it seems speeds can vary quite a bit
- I stuck with a 3 dongle for a few months, but with a typical measured
download speed of 30-40 kbps (in SW1) I gave up.
Re the 14 day "trial", doesn't 3 only let you send it back within 14
days if you've not actually put the sim in and started using it..?
--
Gyp
replace .co.uk with .com to reply
fader...@live.co.uk
> A Skype S2 is more sensitive than a dongle, and is all ready to use
> on 5quid per month PAYG internet.
Isn't that only for 150MB?
PeeGee
That's the "free" 90-day allowance for every top-up. The add-on is
"unlimited" (subject to fair use!).
--
PeeGee
"Nothing should be able to load itself onto a computer without the
knowledge or consent of the computer user. Software should also be able
to be removed from a computer easily."
Peter Cullen, Microsoft Chief Privacy Strategist (Computing 18 Aug 05)
iain
wrote:
>The coverage checker is an estimate, not a measurement.
Yes.
>The speed you get will be very slow indeed compared to even a slow
>fixed-line connection. I urge you to reconsider.
I wish my ADSL was always as fast as my Three 3G connection.
At one location, the ADSL does 2.5MB/sec throughput, which is the same
speed as the 3 dongle (though the uplink speed of the 3G is a bit
faster thant he uplink of the ADSL)
But at the other location, the ADSL struggles to approach half that
speed. It's at the end of several miles of aluminium wire.
Unfortunately, there is no 3G coverage there, or the ADSL would be
history.
It is well worth trying 3G as an alternative if there is a reasonable
signal.
Iain
fader...@live.co.uk
> fader...@live.co.uk wrote:
>> Steve Terry wrote:
>>> A Skype S2 is more sensitive than a dongle, and is all ready to use
>>> on 5quid per month PAYG internet.
>> Isn't that only for 150MB?
>
> That's the "free" 90-day allowance for every top-up. The add-on is
> "unlimited" (subject to fair use!).
So I have needlessly been buying �15 top-ups for 3GB on 3PayAYG when
there is unlimited available for �5?
Dennis Ferguson
It's not unlimited, it is "unlimited". I think the fair use restricts
you to 1GB, though I'm not positive. Also, the Terms and Conditions
restrict the £5 add-on to handset use only, though in real life it
works tethered as well.
So whether paying the bigger price is "needless" or not depends
on your point of view. I use the handset data for casual use
from my laptop when I need to but if I really want it to work,
like when I'm travelling and don't want to pay for the hotel's
in-room Internet service for my laptop, I'll spring for a £10
1GB add-on instead.
Dennis Ferguson
lloyd
>Hi, desperate to get shot of BT, I note on the 3G website BB checker
>they say my coverage is very good on my postcode. I just rang and
>checked and they also confirmed it. Seems strange as 02 and tmobile
>coverage is pretty poor and 02 say dont go for mobile BB in my area.
>Anyway 3G reckon its good for my home PC just plug the dongle in and
>we are away.
>
>What do you lot think? We only surf the net and email really,
>currently running at around 2.5gb pm so the 5gb 3G should be ample.
>TIA
>
>PS its for use on a home PC and not a laptop so will be under a desk
>but stay in the same room, any issues with this?
Tried it and it was the pits. Best signal I got was one bar and that
was not usable. So much for a very good coverage area! 3G are
obviously just trying it on to claim their signal is very good,
whereas 02 were honest enough to admit the coverage was too poor for
BB.
Oh well back to good old BT.