douglas_family
Well-Known Member
i've heard mobile phones can be used as modems for internet access while at anchor. any one have any experience of this and how expensive is it. is it difficult to set up.
Mobile internet access
- Thread starter douglas_family
- Start date
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
It's easy enough to set up. Most mobile phone providers and major phone manufacturers have areas on their website where you enter your details, and they text your phone with a special message that does the set up for you. You also need some software for your computer which will have come on a cd with the phone, or can be downloaded from the manufacturers website.
It can be a very expensive way of accessing email and internet however. Exact cost depends on the plan you have, and the international costs if you are travelling between countries
It can be a very expensive way of accessing email and internet however. Exact cost depends on the plan you have, and the international costs if you are travelling between countries
webcraft
Well-Known Member
Not sure if you mean in the UK or abroad, but cost and method are pretty much identical.
Get a local sim card and use a local ISP
We have used GRPS mobile phones for internet access in Ireland, Spain and Portugal using Irish, Spanish and Portuguese ISPs. Get the details from Google and set up a connection. (FOr Spain for example we use Vodaphone Spain)
Cost is just the normal rate - typically E0.30 - E0.40 per minute - and the data rate is 9.6kbps
What this means is that it generally costs you about E1 to download 10 - 15 text email messages - not too bad, but death to your wallet if people decide to send you ten 2MB photos of their new budgie.
The secret if you are going to do this is to set up a new email address and only check that. Make sure you only give it out to people you really want to hear from, and make sure they understand it must be plain text only. Same applies for any high cost / low bandwidth method (eg Satphone)
Hope this help,
Nick
Get a local sim card and use a local ISP
We have used GRPS mobile phones for internet access in Ireland, Spain and Portugal using Irish, Spanish and Portuguese ISPs. Get the details from Google and set up a connection. (FOr Spain for example we use Vodaphone Spain)
Cost is just the normal rate - typically E0.30 - E0.40 per minute - and the data rate is 9.6kbps
What this means is that it generally costs you about E1 to download 10 - 15 text email messages - not too bad, but death to your wallet if people decide to send you ten 2MB photos of their new budgie.
The secret if you are going to do this is to set up a new email address and only check that. Make sure you only give it out to people you really want to hear from, and make sure they understand it must be plain text only. Same applies for any high cost / low bandwidth method (eg Satphone)
Hope this help,
Nick
AndrewB
Well-Known Member
I bought a bluetooth mobile phone, got an international simcard (Oneroam), signed up with an international ISP (Tempest), and fitted a bluetooth ariel in my laptop, to do just this.
In practice it is too fiddly and expensive to use the phone. I haven't used this route now for two years. So many marinas and even anchorages worldwide have wifi hotspots, often free. I'm posting this from an anchorage now, where with my Engenious wifi antennae amplifier I have a choice of three good free servers!
And if there isn't a hotspot, there is always a nearby internet cafe where you can take your laptop, and increasingly these will give free access if you buy a coffee.
In practice it is too fiddly and expensive to use the phone. I haven't used this route now for two years. So many marinas and even anchorages worldwide have wifi hotspots, often free. I'm posting this from an anchorage now, where with my Engenious wifi antennae amplifier I have a choice of three good free servers!
And if there isn't a hotspot, there is always a nearby internet cafe where you can take your laptop, and increasingly these will give free access if you buy a coffee.
Steve Clayton
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
What this means is that it generally costs you about E1 to download 10 - 15 text email messages - not too bad, but death to your wallet if people decide to send you ten 2MB photos of their new budgie.
[/ QUOTE ]
You can use a free webmail service to look at and manage your mail before you opt to download it - try www.mail2web.com
Save a bit more money by setting internet options to not download pictures.
When peeps reply to one of your mails they tend to include the message you originally sent. Try asking them to not include your original message or history.
Only send messages using plain text.
What this means is that it generally costs you about E1 to download 10 - 15 text email messages - not too bad, but death to your wallet if people decide to send you ten 2MB photos of their new budgie.
[/ QUOTE ]
You can use a free webmail service to look at and manage your mail before you opt to download it - try www.mail2web.com
Save a bit more money by setting internet options to not download pictures.
When peeps reply to one of your mails they tend to include the message you originally sent. Try asking them to not include your original message or history.
Only send messages using plain text.
douglas_family
Well-Known Member
Thanks thats useful advice. e-mail and downloading GRIB files is my main concern. we will be in Spain, Portugal and then canaries probably.
temptress
Well-Known Member
HI,
depending on what you need to do and where you want to use it there are several alternatives.
WiFi - uses a transmitter in (or attached) to the PC to connect to a local access point. These can be setup to work over a mile or so and are increasingly free around the world - although in the UK the tendancy is to charge too much for wireless access making the alternatives below more attractive.
Mobile phone modem - this uses the mobile phone as a modem and you are charged for time on distance calls just as per voice. You need an additional ISP to provide internet access. It is generally expensive, slow and complicated to use
GPRS - is usually charged at the volume of data downloaded and the internet (IP) connection provided by the carrier (ie the phone company) - you should not need an ISP to use this as your phone copany essentially becomes the Internet Service provider by giving you the IP address. It is generally OK but not nearly as fast as HSDPA.
HSDPA (sometines called 3G) allows near broadband speeds over a wireless network and is usually charged as a fixed monthly fee or by data volume. However roaming charges with this service canbe VERY expensive. Although in Spain, France, Italy and other countries (not the uk) you can get unlimited data pay as you go cards. These need to be researche dlocally as you usually need to 'fiddle' a local address to get one.
If you are looking to download GRIB files then as a minimum you need to use GPRS but HSDPA is the way to go. DELL now have HSDPA recieverd build into their laptops (they wrap it up and brand it as Truelife) others have similar technology.
If you are marina based then explore WiFi - most modern laptops have WiFi built in and you can buy a USB WiFI card relatively cheaply if not.
Good luck
depending on what you need to do and where you want to use it there are several alternatives.
WiFi - uses a transmitter in (or attached) to the PC to connect to a local access point. These can be setup to work over a mile or so and are increasingly free around the world - although in the UK the tendancy is to charge too much for wireless access making the alternatives below more attractive.
Mobile phone modem - this uses the mobile phone as a modem and you are charged for time on distance calls just as per voice. You need an additional ISP to provide internet access. It is generally expensive, slow and complicated to use
GPRS - is usually charged at the volume of data downloaded and the internet (IP) connection provided by the carrier (ie the phone company) - you should not need an ISP to use this as your phone copany essentially becomes the Internet Service provider by giving you the IP address. It is generally OK but not nearly as fast as HSDPA.
HSDPA (sometines called 3G) allows near broadband speeds over a wireless network and is usually charged as a fixed monthly fee or by data volume. However roaming charges with this service canbe VERY expensive. Although in Spain, France, Italy and other countries (not the uk) you can get unlimited data pay as you go cards. These need to be researche dlocally as you usually need to 'fiddle' a local address to get one.
If you are looking to download GRIB files then as a minimum you need to use GPRS but HSDPA is the way to go. DELL now have HSDPA recieverd build into their laptops (they wrap it up and brand it as Truelife) others have similar technology.
If you are marina based then explore WiFi - most modern laptops have WiFi built in and you can buy a USB WiFI card relatively cheaply if not.
Good luck
trouville
N/A
While main ISPs set up the routers in secure mode with a thousand letter number code,im happy to find more cafes binning their modems and putting in open wi-fi.As adsl modems become less costly.
In one very pleasant cafe near Dijon i was allowed to "plug in" i went and got my d-link router and had my own wi-fi very soon there was a growing group ordering their breakfast and later a bottle of wine.The cafe owner thought its was great!
Only draw back was his main connection was only 1 meg byte and the connection while ok for email and the morning paper became very slow.
The new drink drive rules have had the benifit that coka cola and tea cost 2.20€ a glass where as 1 liter bottle of very good burgundy cost only 3.50€!! A large green salad 2.20€ a large unhealthy ham sandwich 4.50€ (English men dont eat salad???Nor do some Germans while i was there)(wives dident think much of the economic reason to buy wine instead of tea)
11.00am when the cafe was calm with a fast connection a good early lunch with lots of fresh bread can be enjoyed at a price even the economically chalenged can find
Life really isent so bad,in summer.
In one very pleasant cafe near Dijon i was allowed to "plug in" i went and got my d-link router and had my own wi-fi very soon there was a growing group ordering their breakfast and later a bottle of wine.The cafe owner thought its was great!
Only draw back was his main connection was only 1 meg byte and the connection while ok for email and the morning paper became very slow.
The new drink drive rules have had the benifit that coka cola and tea cost 2.20€ a glass where as 1 liter bottle of very good burgundy cost only 3.50€!! A large green salad 2.20€ a large unhealthy ham sandwich 4.50€ (English men dont eat salad???Nor do some Germans while i was there)(wives dident think much of the economic reason to buy wine instead of tea)
11.00am when the cafe was calm with a fast connection a good early lunch with lots of fresh bread can be enjoyed at a price even the economically chalenged can find
Life really isent so bad,in summer.
Grehan
Well-Known Member
Temptress - have you slightly more detail on the French PAYG card? (for data access)(we have the necessary hardware - pc data card).
We would like to get one, but it's very unclear which to get/on what basis/how/etc. This is an area where the internet ought to provide clear guidance (albeit in French, Spanish or even English!) but doesn't. These mobile operators' websites are jazzy but [--word removed--] (<censored, eh!) at providing clear information about their many products, services and charge rates . . .
PM me if you wish, would be v.grateful.
We would like to get one, but it's very unclear which to get/on what basis/how/etc. This is an area where the internet ought to provide clear guidance (albeit in French, Spanish or even English!) but doesn't. These mobile operators' websites are jazzy but [--word removed--] (<censored, eh!) at providing clear information about their many products, services and charge rates . . .
PM me if you wish, would be v.grateful.
temptress
Well-Known Member
Good news and bad news.
These cards are availabe but the rules and way you get them are always unclear and are applied differently in difrent parts of each country. I'm afraid I don't know the how you currently get one in france but I'm sure someone else on here knows how it work scurrently.
These cards are availabe but the rules and way you get them are always unclear and are applied differently in difrent parts of each country. I'm afraid I don't know the how you currently get one in france but I'm sure someone else on here knows how it work scurrently.
Richard10002
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Thanks thats useful advice. e-mail and downloading GRIB files is my main concern. we will be in Spain, Portugal and then canaries probably.
[/ QUOTE ]
see here for spain:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?C...ID=#Post1489901
I'm using it for Grib, email and web 10 miles off the coast.
Thanks thats useful advice. e-mail and downloading GRIB files is my main concern. we will be in Spain, Portugal and then canaries probably.
[/ QUOTE ]
see here for spain:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php?C...ID=#Post1489901
I'm using it for Grib, email and web 10 miles off the coast.
MapisM
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
It can be a very expensive way of accessing email and internet
[/ QUOTE ]
Yup, it still is, but getting cheaper by the minute.
I recently shopped around for that, best options in Italy were:
1) 6€/month with a daily limit of 50mb;
2) 19€/month with a monthly limit of 5gb, including a hsdpa modem.
It can be a very expensive way of accessing email and internet
[/ QUOTE ]
Yup, it still is, but getting cheaper by the minute.
I recently shopped around for that, best options in Italy were:
1) 6€/month with a daily limit of 50mb;
2) 19€/month with a monthly limit of 5gb, including a hsdpa modem.
balimara
New Member
[ QUOTE ]
... So many marinas and even anchorages worldwide have wifi hotspots, often free. I'm posting this from an anchorage now, where with my Engenious wifi antennae amplifier I have a choice of three good free servers!
[/ QUOTE ]
Hi AndrewB,
thank You for this verry usefull information, we did not know (up to now) that even on an anchorage you will have hotspots.
... So many marinas and even anchorages worldwide have wifi hotspots, often free. I'm posting this from an anchorage now, where with my Engenious wifi antennae amplifier I have a choice of three good free servers!
[/ QUOTE ]
Hi AndrewB,
thank You for this verry usefull information, we did not know (up to now) that even on an anchorage you will have hotspots.
