Cloven
Well-Known Member
Don't want to hijack the recent post on WiFi in France, but does anyone know if its now possible to get a WiFi dongle on PAYG to link to a laptop.
Thanks for any replies
Thanks for any replies
PAYG dongle in France
- Thread starter Cloven
- Start date
BrendanS
Well-Known Member
I suspect you want a 3G (data) dongle. Not a wifi dongle. A wifi dongle will connect you to a wifi router or wifi service. PAYG is normally a phone data service, and the connection is on the phone service and the 3G dongle has a sim card in it, just like a phone.
RobbieW
Well-Known Member
This is kind of reading between the lines; the software that typically installs with a dongle sets up a regime where the user may be able to choose what sort of connection you want. So if you have a PAYG service that included access to WiFi, the dongle does the mobile connection and your laptops WiFi does the WiFi connection. The software from, say Vodafone, enables access to any qualifying WiFi signal and sorts out the security codes.
I'm sure someone will be along shortly to correct me if I'm wrong. This is based on my reading of the services my Voda Portugal dongle can offer, but I've never taken the laptop anywhere it could see a qualifying WiFi service. It could even be that the dongle is dual funcion.
I'm sure someone will be along shortly to correct me if I'm wrong. This is based on my reading of the services my Voda Portugal dongle can offer, but I've never taken the laptop anywhere it could see a qualifying WiFi service. It could even be that the dongle is dual funcion.
Cloven
Well-Known Member
OK - maybe asking for the wrong thing.
I currently have a Vodaphone PAYG dongle which I can use to access the internet anywhere in the UK that I can get a Vadoaphone signal - is this 3G?
If so, my original question is, can I get a similar set up for France?
I currently have a Vodaphone PAYG dongle which I can use to access the internet anywhere in the UK that I can get a Vadoaphone signal - is this 3G?
If so, my original question is, can I get a similar set up for France?
Grehan
Well-Known Member
Yes you can.
You can get a USB data/internet dongle that will connect to a network's (eg Orange or SFR) 3G service. Contract or PAYG.
As RobbieW says, our own SFR 3G dongle also facilitates our connecting to SFR's (free) WiFi network of which there are a multitude of hotspots.
You can get a USB data/internet dongle that will connect to a network's (eg Orange or SFR) 3G service. Contract or PAYG.
As RobbieW says, our own SFR 3G dongle also facilitates our connecting to SFR's (free) WiFi network of which there are a multitude of hotspots.
Cloven
Well-Known Member
Brilliant - thanks so much, just what I needed to know. Just guess I will have to visit the first Orange/SFR shop I can find.
Hoolie
Well-Known Member
Bouygues do one as well though it's not cheap to use. Go to an independent and weigh up the options!
Liz_I
Well-Known Member
Major downside to PAYG Dongle in France. You will need a French address and French bank account!! 
RobbieW
Well-Known Member
Major downside to PAYG Dongle in France. You will need a French address and French bank account!!
SFR sold me a dongle without either last summer - mind you it never worked!
LadyInBed
Well-Known Member
Another route is to get a Kindle 3g
It is supposed to have free (almost) world wide 3g cover.
You can use it for e-mail, look at synoptics, brows (but only in monochrome) and connect it to your LT to transfer data / web page info between the two.
It is supposed to have free (almost) world wide 3g cover.
You can use it for e-mail, look at synoptics, brows (but only in monochrome) and connect it to your LT to transfer data / web page info between the two.
Seren
Well-Known Member
SFR - be careful!
+ 1 in 2010. SFR shops are franchises so profit is paramount. Even though we returned ours by registered mail and was regularly chased up by resident French friends we heard no more.
+ 1 in 2010. SFR shops are franchises so profit is paramount. Even though we returned ours by registered mail and was regularly chased up by resident French friends we heard no more.
Cloven
Well-Known Member
So I take the Laptop to the shop with me and get them to set it up and only pay if its working OK.
BTW - Seren are you based at LRB?
st599
Well-Known Member
Amazon got wise - read the terms and conditions for a new purchase - can only be used to download purchases from their webstore.
DaveRo
Well-Known Member
I see that SFR do a PAYG dongle (clé) called CLÉ PRÊTE À SURFER
Offres internet pour tablettes et clés 3G+
Another option is to buy an unlocked dongle on ebay. I bought a Huawei E220 a few years back. It works with both GPRS and 3G, though not the faster 3G available these days. That saves loading new software into your laptop for each new country. (But in fact I've never used it - I use a phone instead.)
Offres internet pour tablettes et clés 3G+
Another option is to buy an unlocked dongle on ebay. I bought a Huawei E220 a few years back. It works with both GPRS and 3G, though not the faster 3G available these days. That saves loading new software into your laptop for each new country. (But in fact I've never used it - I use a phone instead.)
RobbieW
Well-Known Member
Sounds a good plan - dont buy any pre-paid data until you know it works either, the other mistake I made
bendyone
Well-Known Member
Major downside to PAYG Dongle in France. You will need a French address and French bank account!!
Not true, I have an Orange PAYG data sim in France. top up €5 for 70mbs over 7 days. Not the cheapest but works for me.
Liz_I
Well-Known Member
That is indeed interesting. Can you let me know where/when you got the dongle and original SIM card. Ta
psymon
New Member
quick question, do the British mobile companies class Europe as roaming?
i ask because i live in Indonesia and over here, outside of the office, the internet is well... unreliable. The best way i've found around this is to 'tether' my phone to the laptop and use the phones 3g/Edge/GPRS/4g connection. is about $10 for a month and/or upto 1.5gb of data.
I'd be really surprised if the mobile companies in the UK dont have something similar?
thanks
i ask because i live in Indonesia and over here, outside of the office, the internet is well... unreliable. The best way i've found around this is to 'tether' my phone to the laptop and use the phones 3g/Edge/GPRS/4g connection. is about $10 for a month and/or upto 1.5gb of data.
I'd be really surprised if the mobile companies in the UK dont have something similar?
thanks
Vara
Well-Known Member
This looks quite interesting;
http://www.lefrenchmobile.com/en/order-sim-card-for-france.html
Haven't had a chance to use them.
You can get a PAYG sim in France without French address/bank account, but it's hard work, eventually got one from SFR.
http://www.lefrenchmobile.com/en/order-sim-card-for-france.html
Haven't had a chance to use them.
You can get a PAYG sim in France without French address/bank account, but it's hard work, eventually got one from SFR.
Plomong
Well-Known Member
Yes, it is. Last year we bought an Orange PAYG "puck" that creates your very own wifi area. It is a biscuit-shaped wifi router which, when fired up, connects to the Orange 3G network. You then look for the router on your PC under wireless connections and Bob's your uncle. Up to two users can connect at a time. Access is password protected so the neighbours cannot use up your cash.
Worked a treat everywhere along the west coast of France, including the islands, and up to 20+km off the north coast going across channel. Very satisfied with it.
Would not go back to depending on marina wifi ever again. It just doesn't exist as advertised.
Plomong
