WiFi on the boat - advice pls

[mjf]

Hi,


Need some help / confirmation on what to do


I currently have a 3Gs iphone for calls and e-mails and use a dongle for web access on the laptop should I need a bigger picture or require outlook. I do not steam video nor do i game and currently have no need for a Mifi set up as its only me who uses the web on the boat.

Question is this - my iphone is good at most things but its battery life is nowhere as good as my previous blackberry and contract is at the end so able to update to iphone 4s FOC.

I understand that this new kit can act as a MiFi station so I can get rid of the dongle maybe and just have one contract for phone/ internet access and maybe get a basic ipad for surfing and backup navigation. Is that true?

FYG - my phone and laptop are always together on the boat / at home etc


The only flaw I see is that current set means I have access to two different networks so if one shows a weak signal the other is often good.


What do you think I should do please as I'm a bit untech on this phone / 3G stuff.

 

[thomshap]

I was paying for two data connections, my phone and another and a second with my iPad, one option you have is what I did, I upgraded my phone to an iPhone 4 on vodafone (was o2) which allowed me to use the phone as a wifi hot spot, this works very will and I've yet to go over my monthly data limit.

 

[fireball]

In a similar situation to yourself - except already got an iphone 4 and SWMBO has the 4s - on two different networks.

I'd like a MiFi, but wouldn't use it enough to warrant the cost ..

Personal Hotspot is what you're after ... it does eat the battery, but if you're on the boat you can just plug it in .. I don't think it will be as quick as a dedicated MiFi unit - but it's not bad - can usually get 3Mb out of it in a good signal area.

Steaming video - well, we have used it to watch Strictly - although quality wasn't very good ..

The only fly may be if your phone provider locks off the personal hotspot option - we've got O2 and 3 network - and both are enabled ...

 

[mjf]

thanks - thats good news

Regarding data etc I am a low user on the phone - mainly recv calls not make 'em; and on the dongle its typically 6 hrs a month and 1/2 Gb from 3Gb allowed so ought to work as your set up does and saves the 'hassle' of the dongle account too

 

[Hurricane]

The MiFi option you are talking about is more often called "tethering".
i.e. the WiFi interface on the phone becomes an access point and the 3G radio is used to connect to the internet.

Up until recently, the mobile phone providers detected "tethering" and have been known to charge through the nose for it. I believe that the big operators are including the ability to "tether" within the contract - but you will need to check. Vodafone for example changed last summer - it may be that contracts bought before then still have the excessive tethering charges - I believe new contracts now include tethering - BUT CHECK

I use an Android phone which includes tethering option as partt of the operating system and it works fine for me.

I had a big "run in" with Vodafone this year. They offered me a great package when buying the phone but changed their minds after the contract had started. Thankfully I had an email confirmation from them confirming the offer but it took me three months to get them to put me on the correct tarrif.

Be aware that they are selling "unlimited" data contracts. This often is then "followed up" by a "fair usage" statement and can actually mean that they charge excessive rates after 1Gb per month. IMO, this isnt like the "unfair usage" that we used to get on the broadband - 1Gb can be easily reached. I'm sure this limit will get challenged soon.

An interesting tarrif
For those travelling abroard, Vodafone have a package where you can have 25Mb data in Europe per day free - plenty for casual use - weather forecasts - email and this forum etc.

 

[landlockedpirate]

Android phones with 2.3 and above have a Wifi Hotspot option, this is not tethering and allows you to use any device with Wifi through the phones data allowance.

Speed is the same as whatever your phone is getting, I can even watch live streaming on ITV or BBC with mine if the phone has a fast connection.

This allows me to connect all the familys stuff while on the boat at no cost (I have unlimited data), it will run 2 pads and 2 laptops at the same time with a decent signal.

 

[vas]

Android phones with 2.3 and above have a Wifi Hotspot option, this is not tethering and allows you to use any device with Wifi through the phones data allowance.

slightly confused, care to explain what's the difference between wifi hotspot and tethering? I had the impression it's the same thing.

cheers

V.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

slightly confused, care to explain what's the difference between wifi hotspot and tethering? I had the impression it's the same thing.

cheers

V.

I thought that tethering was where you could you use your phone to provide connectivity to a single (virtually) attached device; hotspotting is where you make your phones connectivity available to multiple devices - ie you expose the phone as a hotspot.

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[Chi Man]

i phone 4

I have an i phone 4 and use the Personal Hotspot, works really well so no need for dongle, even quicker than at home sometimes, use it on the train too, performance is just down to reception area. My problem is the battery life on phone and lap top, so am investing in an inverter this season.

 

[mjf]

Many thanks for these interesting replies - I'm pleased my idea was not 'barking'

Its all down to signal it seems so until I try it I will use both systems initially.

What i did not mention earlier is that my phone is 02 and generally excellent signal in most locations (even newtown ck) dongle is vodafone which is sometimes slow at LW at my berth and in certain areas in the solent - so I have another T-mobile dongle that provides excellent cover when vodafone is weak - like N yorks moors a couple of weeks ago

 

[Hurricane]

I thought that tethering was where you could you use your phone to provide connectivity to a single (virtually) attached device; hotspotting is where you make your phones connectivity available to multiple devices - ie you expose the phone as a hotspot.

Cheers
Jimmy

OK - I see the subtle difference.

Under Android, both USB Tethering and Mobile Access Point come under the menu item of Tethering.
My point was that I believe the mobile operators can detect it and you have to be careful not to get charged extra.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

OK - I see the subtle difference.

Under Android, both USB Tethering and Mobile Access Point come under the menu item of Tethering.
My point was that I believe the mobile operators can detect it and you have to be careful not to get charged extra.

Hiya Mike, sorry - wasn't intending to contradict you, just trying to anwer virtuvas's question.

I thought your tip about the vodafone tariff was useful. I'm at a contract break point with o2 at the moment, and I'm planning to spend much more time abroad next year - so the 25mb a day allowance could be useful. O2 don't seem to have an equivalent offering. I also notice that you can't seem to buy more than 1gb of data per month now, even though I have an old 3g dongle from o2 which gives me 3gb a month (old contract).

Cheers
Jimmy

 

[BartW]

I can't advice on the Iphone hotspot solution,

on my boat I have a Voloacces
http://www.vololink.com/ez-live/site/index.php/eng/Products/VoloAccess/VoloAccess

this is a G3 wireless terminal,
or
a wifi router with a G3 card in it.

the advantage is that anybody on the boat, swmbo, kids, friends, have wifi available (if you give them the password) for phones, Ipads and laptops.
also when I'm not there.

I have the optional pair of high quality marina antenna's with it, but these are not yet installed;

even without these antenna's the unit works very well.
the unit switches automatically "on" when I switch on the 230V supply in the boat.
it could also work on a 12V

 

[mjf]

Hiya Mike, sorry - wasn't intending to contradict you, just trying to anwer virtuvas's question.

I thought your tip about the vodafone tariff was useful. I'm at a contract break point with o2 at the moment, and I'm planning to spend much more time abroad next year - so the 25mb a day allowance could be useful. O2 don't seem to have an equivalent offering. I also notice that you can't seem to buy more than 1gb of data per month now, even though I have an old 3g dongle from o2 which gives me 3gb a month (old contract).

Cheers
Jimmy

JTB - I use the iphone quite heavily when abroad and have a bolt on option that caps the bill

trick is to edit messages and dump stuff into a trash box and only open the messages / attachments needed.

My Vodafone dongle allows 3G / m and the t-mobile 1G /m over the three months pay as you go which was £40 all up last month.

 

[landlockedpirate]

OK - I see the subtle difference.

Under Android, both USB Tethering and Mobile Access Point come under the menu item of Tethering.
My point was that I believe the mobile operators can detect it and you have to be careful not to get charged extra.

I'm not an expert, but tethering is what we used to do with phones, i.e. use the phone as a modem and then connect it to a laptop by cable or infrared. I still remember looking at my computer in astonishment when I connected this way for the 1st time in the middle of the solent ! It was only 10 or 11 years ago.

You can still do this (but more likely with bluetooth) now. Most providers will charge extra for this.

Using the phone as a wifi hotspot is different, the phone basically turns its self into a MiFi, on Orange there is no extra data charge, you just use the data on your plan.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

I guess the hotspot question has been pretty thoroughly answered. As far as the battery is concerned although the iPhone battery isn't removable you can get quite a range of "battery extenders". Basically these are simply batteries that plug into your iPhoneand charge it's battery up as it goes. They'll bring your phone back to life if it's dead pretty much straight away as well. Google iPhone battery extender and you'll see loads of them.

 

[ccscott49]

OK, with this stuff going on here, I have a similar problem with things. I have a vodafone dongle here in Greece, mounted in a special home made fitting, on the wheelhouse roof, to allow better signal. I want a MiFi (I guess), to allow me to plug in my dongle and allow WiFi around the boat, is this correct? If so, where can I get one (wifey is in UK at the moment) and how much is it going to cost me? I've had enough of running USB repeater cables all over the place!
Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

[mjf]

again thanks for the replies - my understanding is the 4S does act as a stand alone MiFi so allowing 3G+ steaming from one source (if good signal) and provides a boat hot spot using only one mobile account for phone/data which is the plan.

I'm told that the phone will not work if its MiFi is in use - I will have to see.

I intend to report back once I have the blessed new phone that typically is now out of stock! Hey Ho!

 

[volvopaul]

I recently had I pad 2 bought me but have laptop with 3 dongle which gives 5 g a month for £8 so didn't want to take out sim contract for I pad. Sourced a zoom modem that takes my dongle, it has a battery that lasts about 4 hours, so have now linked I pad and laptop, both I phones etc to it, as it's stand alone I place it on the flybridge as high up as possible , the fly has a cover on it so it doesn't get wet and works very well, I think from memory it was £49.99 it also works in the car very well. I will use this till my dongle contract runs out. I know I could have cut down the sim to fit the I pad but that would have rendered the laptop u s on the boat.

 

[fireball]

I'm told that the phone will not work if its MiFi is in use - I will have to see.

Not true - SWMBO and I both have iPhones and if just one of us has a signal we'll turn on the Personal Hotspot - then carry on using both phones - facebook, safari, email - all ok ...