You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Are these things worth it? We have our first motorhome coming and i see a lot of leaflets about systems such as Maxview that promise great connectivity, but as i expect i'm going to be in places with poor mobile phone signals (lakes and highlands etc) I'm not totally convinced. I would want to use it for streaming tv which i think may just result in frustration. Am I wrong?
Or would i be better off just pre downloading a ton of content to my phone at home and then connecting it to the TV while away.
We hotspot from our phone. Never have a problem in UK and Europe. We also download Netflix to an old laptop and occasionally watch it on the TV.
For music its Spotify onto a Bose Soundllink Mini
I use my phones hotspot and, like Tracey, have only had an issue on a handful of locations. I really do think that these systems are a bit of a rip off being sold to pensioners.
Yeah I just use the phone as a hotspot.
Maxxview is just a rebadged Teltonika router and a MIMO antenna, I think. With a decent premium on top.
There's definitely been a few occasions for me where it's been worthwhile having. More so for piggybacking WiFi networks than for 4g - but even for mobile, I get better signal on it than from my phone.
Downside is you do kinda have to give it a sim card of its own, which does kinda double your mobile data cost.
They are quite good, but still I would suggest using your phone data
Sorry for the dumb question you hotspotters are now about to endure....
If i can get a signal on my phone, why would i set my phone as a hotspot and connect the TV to it that way rather than just connect it via an HDMI cable?
I have an antenna on my caravan with a router - bought separately not branded cost me around £200. 90% of the time the phone hotspot is easier/less hassle and I just use that, but when the signal exists but is poor the antenna can still pull down something very usable where the phone is barely functioning. The antenna cannot make no signal become a signal though, but it is very useful for the WIFI side both for using campsite wifi when abroad (stays logged in, allows lots of users like my kids to use a single site login) but also broadcasts my wifi for a big range around the 'van so if thats the only signal we have it works for a range of probably 100m from the caravan.
We used our phones for wifi and streaming when in our static caravan as they were faster and more reliable than the site wifi (which you needed to buy a booster to access).
I've got a mi-fi unit with an external aerial. It's the aerial that makes the difference and really does give connection when a phone can't pick up a signal. You don't need to go speccing a special system though. I got the mi-fi unit and aerial and fitted them myself and got a cheap sim to go in it.
I’ve got a mi-fi unit with an external aerial.
Ditto.
The problem we found was that the phone signal inside the van almost disappeared when the (aluminised) blinds were closed. I don't think I'd bother with the external aerial again, just mount the mi-fi unit in one of the skylights - high up and above the blind.
Looking into this atm, too.
Using my phone as a hotspot with an Italian sim card (Italian data plans are some of the cheapest in Europe). Works fine if the signal is strong. Generally better signal in the cab than in the rear.
Maybe a small mobile router on the dash would work, but it doesn't get a stronger signal than a phone, but would mean I don't have to sit in the cab.
Tend to park up relatively remotely and the GF needs internet for her job.
Some systems seem incredibly expensive. Have heard from others that an aerial helps.
We a) take books and b) pre-download things to a cheap tablet. I have just organised a magnetic mount for it on the existing TV stand (we did not fit that) and c) use our phones.
Have had MiFi in the motorhome for 4 years now. Will get a good signal when the phone can’t. Rarely happens though tbf.
Be aware that a lot of the mifi / preinstalled stuff will be slower than phone downloads as a lot are cat6. Phones will be cat19 so a noticeable difference in speed. Regardless of what the router advertises as wifi speed. The lower cat rating the slower browsing will be.
learnt that the painful way after serious whining from kids.
current set up is a Huawei B something Cat19 4g router with external aerial. I just pop my unlimited data card in the router and fall back on a payg esim i have. Do not underestimate the impact of an external antenna to help pick up a signal. Although not all aerials are made equal!
i also have a hard drive of predownloaded stuff for when signal is really non-esistent. I use a TP-Link travel router to bridge the drive and router as there’s no usb port on the router.
apple TV to stream or playback the pre-downloaded stuff.
decent wifi and download speed for the kids.
I'm with @Lowey on this. As others we have an Amazon tablet which we use to download Netflix, get into bed and fall asleep within 10 mins, repeat each night that we are away. I do have a nice Bluetooth speaker and we listen to a fair bit of R6 show downloads and downloaded music. We are exhausted by the time we get to our van each day so possibly not the target audience for this stuff. Have a T6 so small to be spending to much time in. Do recommend one of these though for tablet watching:
Same probably as silasgreenback, I’ve got a second hand unlocked huawei router, B 535 or something, that happens to run on 12 v or 240v via an adapter, an ee data sim and a plug in external aerial. It can be used when travelling on the 12v supply or when hooked up by using the plug in adaptor. I haven’t hard wired it as I also use it at the in laws remote cottage that doesn’t have broadband and only a sketchy line of sight 4g connection. The external antenna is great if signal is poor, generally in the uk but often when we’re camping in France often it’s not required. If you have a metal bodied van conversion an external antenna is really important. Especially with foil backed insulated blackout blinds!
Have a look at this YouTube channel - lots of good advice.
@surfer might get one of those mounts.
out of interest what Bluetooth speaker do you have?
contemplating getting a semi decent one for my van
Does anyone use a TPLink 7350 in a panel van conversion?