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Ally
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MiFi

 ·  Posted: 24.02.2012  ·  #1
Anyone use a 3 MiFi on here? any good?
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 24.02.2012  ·  #2
NOPE..
3 is poor in our area
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 25.02.2012  ·  #3
i wanted a mobile dongle to use when away
i must say shops were very open about coverage
02 said poor reception in north coast and enniskillen
3 said very poor coverage

orange was best coverage
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 25.02.2012  ·  #4
I'll forget about 3 then.

I use my 3G on my phone as a dongle, I am with 02, they are not exaggerating when they say North Coast is bad!
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 09.05.2012  ·  #5
I recently bought a 3 mifi from the 3 store in Drogheda. I gave it a proper test over last weekend when we took a team of racing cyclists to compete in the Kanturk 3 day race. I put the mifi in its cradle and plugged it into a small inverter in our motorhome. (the cradle apparently improves the reception)
We used the motorhome as team HQ for the three days and had the mifi running continuously with up to five devices connected simultaneously. The devices included an IPad, an IPod, an IPhone, an HTC Android mobile and a Windows notebook. The access for email and internet on each device was excellent. We were easily able to download each days results and to send our reports home.
I then experimented with the mifi running on its own battery on the drive home to Belfast from Kanturk via Fermoy, M8, M7, M1. I had email access the whole way on my HTC with its own data roaming turned off.
I haven't used the mifi in the North yet but I know that the coverage will not be as good.
Conclusion: brilliant device so far

Drew
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 09.05.2012  ·  #6
Ta Drew :up:
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further mifi testing

 ·  Posted: 28.05.2012  ·  #7
I did some more testing of the mifi last weekend. Admittedly I was on my motorbike rather than in my motorhome (boo, hiss, etc from the audience!)
I stayed south of Belmullet, near the end of the Mullet peninsula on Friday night - easily able to check email, facebook, forums.
Saturday, stopped for lunch at a picnic table in a layby near Mulranny. Signal not quite as good but able to check everything with reasonable speed.
Saturday afternoon, stopped for photos of a stone cross in middle of nowhere west of Galway. Signal showed 'H' instead of '3G' but still able to get emails.
Saturday evening, stayed in the Lakeside Holiday Park, Mountshannon, Co Clare. There was wifi available but not at my end of the campsite. I couldn't even get a signal on my mobile but by putting the mifi into its cradle I was very surprised to get respectable internet access.
Sunday morning Limerick centre - full 3G, perfect access.
Sunday afternoon, photo stop at Monaincha Abbey, 3k east of Roscrea. I could have done with my trail bike to get along the boreen to this one! I still got full internet access, albeit at a slightly reduced speed.
Summary - this tiny device seems to be perfect in the south of Ireland. I mostly work via the internet so this could really increase our use of our motorhome.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.05.2012  ·  #8
Excellent they seem worthwhile.

P.S. Think you will find "H" is faster than 3G
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.05.2012  ·  #9
what is 'H'?
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.05.2012  ·  #10
H stands for
HSDPA which means High Seed Packet Data Access which is usually faster than 3G.

Basic 3G speed is 380kb -385kbps.

But HSPDA is from
3.6Mbps to over 10Mbps.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.05.2012  ·  #11
and I thought that I knew everything -
well I do now!

thanks, Drew
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 22.08.2013  ·  #12
After all this time I have purchased an UNLOCKED MIFI from HERE if it arrives in time I plan to try it at Belturbet. I have an Irish 02 Sim that I can top up online by just using the phone number. Also plan to get a Three SIM both UK and Ireland, so if there is no o2 signal I can use it and vice versa. Top up small amounts on each.

I'l let you know how it goes :)
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 22.08.2013  ·  #13
what's the difference in using that mifi yoke & tethering off a mobile with the sane sim installed?
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 22.08.2013  ·  #14
Ally you really are a SIM wizard.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 23.08.2013  ·  #15
Quote by nipper

what's the difference in using that mifi yoke & tethering off a mobile with the sane sim installed?


In theory - feck all

But the options an Unlocked MIFi opens up with different sims etc- I know I been in LOADS of occasions where I have no 3g/4g but someone on a different network has full data.

Also, I can switch my data off so I am not roaming on my mobile yet use a different sim for that country.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 23.08.2013  ·  #16
It's all vetry complicated

A long way from queuing for the payphone [pesetas in hand] on the ole package hols 20 years ago
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 23.08.2013  ·  #17
(Great party - don't even remember posting the above)

It also has advantages on signal, it will receive a data connection where a phone won't, far superior aerial fitted.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #18
Didn't get using the MiFi at Belturbet, wrong sim with me. Got my Three UK sim today and give it a whirl, wow! amazing bit of kit and faster than my home broadband, although that's not hard.

Looking forward to trying it on our next trip away.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #19
With the plan three are offering from the uk I might just get a mifi for the motorhome as both orange and O2 currently don't have great roaming rates on data. Anyone I know who has one has nothing but good things to say about them for both reception and speed.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #20
Was thinking the same, but can't find out if the "Feel like home" covers a data only SIM, in fact I don't think it will as the T&C's have this:


Quote
You can’t use your phone to tether while you’re abroad.

If you use more than 25GB of data, 5000 texts or 3000 minutes per month in any two months within a year, you may be blocked from using these services.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #21
I was reading it earlier and I think it does, the tethering only applies to phone sims on all you can eat data plans, where as the data ones have 1gb for 30days
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #22
Hope so, I suppose it has to be contract?
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #23
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #24
But will the "Feel like home" work on PAYG?

I just bought a 3GB sim which lasts 90 days and can be topped up - £11 on ebay.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 28.08.2013  ·  #25
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 04.09.2013  ·  #26
Quote by Ally

Didn't get using the MiFi at Belturbet, wrong sim with me. Got my Three UK sim today and give it a whirl, wow! amazing bit of kit and faster than my home broadband, although that's not hard.

Looking forward to trying it on our next trip away.


Ally, Don't forget to report on this when you get to use it.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 05.09.2013  ·  #27
Hopefully heading away today for a few days so ill use it then and report back.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #28
Two words - bloody maervellous!

Sitting at Island Hill between Comber and Newtownards..

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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #29
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #30
yep same here, I am on 2.3 at home.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #31
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #32
:lol:
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #33
Donaghadee Aire

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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #34
I thought it was faster, so tested again..

Donaghadee Aire:

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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 06.09.2013  ·  #35
Ally must have a talk with you about this Mifi.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 08.09.2013  ·  #36
Ally, remind me what sim you are using in the MiFi?

Also cost/usage allowed per month or quarter & lastly how much to use it over the border or in France?
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 08.09.2013  ·  #37
I could be wrong but I think he covered a lot of that earlier in this thread. Different sim for different countries or location depending on signal.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 08.09.2013  ·  #38
Quote by nipper

Ally, remind me what sim you are using in the MiFi?

Also cost/usage allowed per month or quarter & lastly how much to use it over the border or in France?


I think I did cover it but anyhow...


Using a Three SIM, I also have a Three Irish sim.

Both PAYG - UK one valid for 3 months with 3GB of data, purchased of ebay for £11.90- just search for 3G data Sim. But if you visit three.co.uk you will see all the other options for pay monthly and PAYG. Ebay was cheaper than the three website - go figure!

Irish sim, purchased of three.ie by Dave "Eirebus" as the website would not allow me to buy it in the North. Purchased for €5 with 1GB of data but can be topped up at anytime.

French sims are available on Ebay as are other countries.
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 08.09.2013  ·  #39
Ally is it just plug the sim in & connect?
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Re: MiFi

 ·  Posted: 08.09.2013  ·  #40
If it was a LOCKED one it would be but as it is unlocked and can take any sim, you need to log into it via a web browser but only when you change the sim.

Pretty easy - connect to it via wifi, open a browser and connect to it by typing 192.168.1.1 in the address bar and hitting enter.

Then go through the "easy setup wizard" to let it know what sim is in there.
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