WiFi Boosters

Pembers
Pembers Forum Participant Posts: 8
edited May 2020 in Parts & Accessories #1

We tour in UK and Europe in our motorhome, mainly on sites. We need a reasonable wifi connection. Site wifi is unpredictable at best especially in Europe. I have been looking at wifi boosters. The two I am looking at are iBoost and Kuma wifi. These are not cheap at £160+. Before investing, I wondered if anyone had experience of using these or similar products.

Comments

  • MichaelT
    MichaelT Forum Participant Posts: 1,874
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    edited May 2020 #2

    We sold our iboost, too much hassle to get it out and set up each time then put away again next morning so we just use a mifi for 4G connection if the site wifi is either weak or no signal.  You could just use your phone to tether to if you have enough data allowance if not some good data only deals out there for a sim,

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #3

    I looked at all the options some while back and everything seemed to have a drawback.

    In the end I settled for tethering to my phone which involved buying no extra equipment and the 4G network seems to perform better than most Wi-fi systems (site or otherwise) in my experience. 

     

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #4

    I have a Solwise system and I tend to agree with Michael that they are a lot of hassle to set up. Since I purchased the Solwise, a few years ago, I changed my phone to use 4G and I have  found that far easier to set up as a WiFi point. OK you can't guarantee to always get a 4G signal but probably in 90/95% of the time I can in this country. Currently you can use your phone in Europe using your UK data allowance, whether that continues into the future we will have to see since our exit from the EU. It seems inconceivable that telecoms will try and go back the previous charging regime?

    David

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited May 2020 #5

    i agree with all the above posters, with the really good 4/5g signal all over europe, i sorted a deal with a decent data volume and this runs my phone and two tethered ipads....we rarely bother with site wifi.

     

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited May 2020 #6

    Hu

    I've had an iboost for 9 years now and I'll agree with above posts, it's a chore to set up for the odd night. It's a good set up however when I'm working on site for months, it makes an average unsecured site wifi average and secure! We also use our phone for tethering as we have sacks of data! 

    JK

  • Philnffc
    Philnffc Forum Participant Posts: 317
    edited May 2020 #7

    Hi

    I have had a Suma set up for about seven years now and works really well but is a bit of a faff to set up but i need a good signal for my IPTV dodgy box to watch TV, so if you consider the cost of a satellite system against a good wifi booster no competition really.

    I also used my system to watch TV on site for over two months in Jan/Feb this year and it never failed once good strength signal at all times.

    JK tut tut tut

    Phil

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited May 2020 #8

    I suppose it's alright when you work in auld London Taahn Phil! Consider us country folk down west with corroded copper wires!wink

    JK

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2020 #9

    Are these WiFi boosters being used for watching TV etc on sites using the same small bandwidth that is found on most club sites? and therefore slowing the site system that results in so many complaints about the systems?frown

    Just asking or am i barking up the wrong treewink

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #10

    Barking, anyway🤨

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2020 #11

    To come on here you have to be ,and thick skinnedwink

    but do you know the answer?

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #12

    I have iboost and it’s a good bit of kit.  I brought it mainly to connect more than one device which is handy when using the clubs WiFi.  Personally we don’t carry a tv in the van and only rarely stream the news when over there

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #13

    Only for myself and, as I don't use site wifi, it's irrelevant 🤷🏻‍♂️

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,860 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #14

    Probably at best it will give you a consistent signal rather than floating in and out. I am not sure how you can hog a CMC WiFi connection as it seems to be limited on each connection. When ever I have done a speed test on a Club site I often struggle to get 1mbps which is not enough to stream in any quality. Using my phone I can get many times that signal strength.

    David

  • Philnffc
    Philnffc Forum Participant Posts: 317
    edited May 2020 #15

    Actually the signal at ABW was that bad i asked AA if they wanted me to come work for them, spent days upon days re booting and on the phone to them. That's why i used my booster.

    Nice 28 here today and out to the local bar for a nice red tonight for the first time

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited May 2020 #16

    Hi

    When we isolated at Blackhorse Farm in March which is a gold standard site we were getting 32mbs. Down here now which is a bronze site with no one on it we are lucky to get .6mbs. BT have been a couple of weeks ago surveying and I think we are to get fibre installed as it's part of the 5g preparations. 

    JK

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2020 #17

    But streaming on club sites is what gives most problems to other users and as per the leaflet that is available on all club sites you asked to not do itundecided

  • Tammygirl
    Tammygirl Club Member Posts: 7,957 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #18

    OH uses his phone which has good data, I have a mifi which I can use either my laptop or my tablet.

    I got so fed up of getting nowhere on the club's wifi it was/is a waste of money, so I used that money to load the mifi when  we are abroad anywhere we take the mifi it so much easier. 

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited May 2020 #19

    I used a Solwise for a while but when we switched to the motorhome it was more difficult to locate the aerial so I gave up with it. It can be a nuisance to set up, searching for and connecting to the right source. It is handy as a repeater for other devices but, of course, although it boosts the signal it won’t improve the download speed as this is determined by the site’s system.