OFF GRID INTERNET. Questions and advice ask

[demented dale]

Hello all. I have got some questions. I want a better internet connection in my tent for my laptop. I am doing all possible to avoid getting a smart phone and tethering it. I Have two dongles, both of which are ok for net surfing but rubbish when it comes to watching films. I don't download any films or big files so that's good. I want 12v preferably but 240v may work. What is out out there? What have you guys used, What would you do? What have you done? etc..... You lot are always great when it comes to these threads so I will say thank you in advance and leave it in your capable hands. DD xxxx

 

[British Red]

Hello all. I have got some questions. I want a better internet connection in my tent for my laptop. I am doing all possible to avoid getting a smart phone and tethering it. I Have two dongles, both of which are ok for net surfing but rubbish when it comes to watching films. I don't download any films or big files so that's good. I want 12v preferably but 240v may work. What is out out there? What have you guys used, What would you do? What have you done? etc..... You lot are always great when it comes to these threads so I will say thank you in advance and leave it in your capable hands. DD xxxx

Hi Dale,

If you don't have good 5G in your location, your best bet is a Starlink mini

Starlink

High-speed internet. Available almost anywhere on Earth.

www.starlink.com

 

[Broch]

If you have a decent connection you can get a SIM card router. 5G Unlimited data with Smarty is about £18/mth and a 5G router is around £200. There are 12v versions.

This works out a lot cheaper than any satellite link I have found in the past but things change fast in this world.

 

[demented dale]

there is no 5g coverage here yet. x

 

[Keith_Beef]

Hi Dale,

If you don't have good 5G in your location, your best bet is a Starlink mini

Starlink

High-speed internet. Available almost anywhere on Earth.

www.starlink.com

And if you don't want to put money in the pockets of the Teh Musky One, there are European alternatives.

These are the six European alternatives to Elon Musk's Starlink

There are concerns about whether Europe can continue to rely on Starlink. These are the European alternatives.

ioplus.nl

 

[Glow_worm]

Off grid here. I bought a cheap smartphone to tether (and only for that purpose, I don't do apps and stuff), before that I was using a little wireless box thingy.

Beware- data only sims are usually a rip off, try and find a way to be able to use a normal contract with minutes/texts included, ironically it works out cheaper. I'm paying £12 a month for unlimited data/texts/calls, that's all my communications sorted.

This is a useful tool, click the 'unlimited' box on the left, not sure if things are different in Ireland but you get the idea.

 

[slowworm]

there is no 5g coverage here yet. x

4g should be ample if you get a good signal. Average speeds should be 20-40Mbs which is more than double our land line connection and we can stream on that.

Having said that where we live and where my Mum lives the 4g signal is so week the speed is much less and the connection tends to just time out. (Putting the mobil router on the end of a tall poll can improve the connection).

 

[Broch]

there is no 5g coverage here yet. x

You can do the same with 4G - slower but adequate with a decent signal.

 

[Broch]

It's also worth considering that a Starlink system typically consumes about 50-75w continuous - a SIM router 5-15w. There are a number of systems used by the caravan/van fraternity that can be provided with range extenders/antennas.

 

[Chris]

It's also worth considering that a Starlink system typically consumes about 50-75w continuous - a SIM router 5-15w. There are a number of systems used by the caravan/van fraternity that can be provided with range extenders/antennas.

If not going with 4G LTE, the Mini would probably be a better (and less expensive) option for Dale than the standard Starlink package. It’s cheaper and power consumption is at 20-40W while in use and 15W at idle.

I agree though that in Dale’s instance if he can get a decent 4G signal, it’s likely the better option.

 

[demented dale]

I can't get decent 4g even, but I think it mite be the dongles. As it is useless for watching films even in Dublin it buffers and stutters. x

 

[demented dale]

And if you don't want to put money in the pockets of the Teh Musky One, there are European alternatives.

These are the six European alternatives to Elon Musk's Starlink

There are concerns about whether Europe can continue to rely on Starlink. These are the European alternatives.

ioplus.nl

i wont be giving musk a penny. I assure you; I will check those links for sure. thanks x

 

[mrmike]

I can't get decent 4g even, but I think it mite be the dongles. As it is useless for watching films even in Dublin it buffers and stutters. x

You may not be getting 4g on your network, but it might be there on a different network provider?
Try this (should even work on a dumb phone)

Settings - network - mobile data

There should be a setting that says "automatically select network"
If you uncheck this, the phone will start scanning for all networks and will show you their relative signal strength.

This should help in choosing a provider who can give you 4g

*The actual menu steps will vary from phone to phone, but it will be there.

Hope this helps

 

[mrmike]

Should look like this

 

[demented dale]

not on my phone lol. you can text and say hello. thats it x

 

[mrmike]

not on my phone lol. you can text and say hello. thats it x

Have a try. It should still tell you which networks are available and at what signal strength.

I'm not suggesting that you tether your phone, but use the info to steer choices of dongle provider.

 

[TeeDee]

i wont be giving musk a penny. I assure you; I will check those links for sure. thanks x

I do find this adoption of applied commercial principles interesting.

Lots of people with this level of quasi/political ethics seem to walk around in Nike trainers holding their I-phones without a single concerning thought to those purchases.


Just saying , not intending to start a war/debate. Bit of parity...

 

[Keith_Beef]

I do find this adoption of applied commercial principles interesting.

Lots of people with this level of quasi/political ethics seem to walk around in Nike trainers holding their I-phones without a single concerning thought to those purchases.


Just saying , not intending to start a war/debate. Bit of parity...

Yep.

Boycott this, boycott that, but as long as it is not inconvenient.

It's hard to avoid putting money in the pocket of Winnie the Pooh, but I try...

 

[Chris]

People just prioritise based on practicality and their own strengths of feeling and moral positions.

I’d rather not give Musk any money either, doesn’t mean I claim to boycott all bad things. Things are often nuanced rather than binary. Perfection is the enemy of progress, and all that.

 

[Glow_worm]

No help at all to DD, but it's scary how full of sattelites the night sky is now. Not so long ago they were an interesting happening, like meteorites. Now it's hard to scan the sky without seeing one. Negative effects for astronomers too of course.