broadband - temporary/mobile

Independent12

Hi all, I currently live in rented accommodation and I use an o2 USB stick for internet on my laptop. The signal on it in the house isn't great. I have a HTC desire s phone but it doesn't get 3g in house. H at absolute best, whatever that is!
So basically I want good internet on my phone to use viber to talk to a friend in oz, we talk every day but it seems I need excellent WiFi for viber to work at all. As its rented accommodation and I won't be there for too long is there a way I can get good internet, even just in one room and using my o2 USB, phone or other?
Thanks

colm_mcm

Whereabouts are you living?

How much would you spend?

Independent12

I hadn't thought about budget. Was hoping I could work something out using what I have. If not I would fork out but would have to see what the options were and how effective they'd be before I decided how much

Independent12

Anyone have any ideas?

ED E

Get a vodaphone and a three sim card, run speed tests with them from your room. If either gets decent speeds, go with them.

bealtine

Independent12 wrote: »

The signal on it in the house isn't great.

Not much you can do about that...check the other networks and see if they can provide "broadband".

Independent12

ED E wrote: »

Get a vodaphone and a three sim card, run speed tests with them from your room. If either gets decent speeds, go with them.

Do 3, O2 and Vodafone all do those things that plug in to a socket?

Do they do free trials so you can test them out and see which works best?

GoodisonPark

Meteor are doing a mifi gadget , I use it on my travels , getting good download speeds on it at home. It's costing me just over €15 a month I think and can connect up to 5 devices to it wirelessly.
Might suit your needs.

Independent12

Thanks for the replies. Does anyone know if the providers do free trials where they give u the yoke for a few days to test the signal?

ED E

Independent12 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. Does anyone know if the providers do free trials where they give u the yoke for a few days to test the signal?

Use a prepay sim (€10 each, or borrow a friends). That in a phone connects to the same tower as a Hotshot style device.

areyawell

ED E wrote: »

Use a prepay sim (€10 each, or borrow a friends). That in a phone connects to the same tower as a Hotshot style device.

Sim cards are free in todays day and age. Vodafone would probably be your best bet, stay away from three! there brutal! hundreds on threads on boards about their broadband.

Yea shop will give you a loan of a stick to try out.

ED E

areyawell wrote: »

Sim cards are free in todays day and age. Vodafone would probably be your best bet, stay away from three! there brutal! hundreds on threads on boards about their broadband.

Yea shop will give you a loan of a stick to try out.

Not true. Three have great broadband in cities. Their problems arise when people in the countryside get dongles and are on vodaphone 2G space with bad reception.

Here in D14 I get a solid 3.5Mb+(up to 5.5).

bealtine

ED E wrote: »

Not true. Three have great broadband in cities. Their problems arise when people in the countryside get dongles and are on vodaphone 2G space with bad reception.

I'd never call 3 mobile internet great, it can be ok or not, it depends on a number of technical factors so I have to say lucky you. I've been measuring 3's speeds since xmas and it varies from zero connection to 3Mb/s and the pings vary wildly.

Wotty

Try making an ariel for your usb mobile broadband dongle.

I had a similar problem and I read on google that an empty pringles can can act as an ariel for the signal. It gives it a boost by directing all the signal in the one direction and shielding it in other directions. It basically focusses he energy and directs it towards the providers equipment that you log on to. It works because the pringles can is lined with foil and this reflects the signal rather than letting it pass straight through.

A friend tells me he achieved similar using a medium sized saucepan at his apartment.

I found that I had to vary the position of the usb mobile broadband dongle in the empty pringles can to get the best signal and best speed. I had to be patient setting it up but once I found the best position I was able to secure the usb dongle inside the can with sellotape and it pretty much stayed working once I didn't move the can.

Wotty

Forgot to mention that I needed a USB extension cable to fit between my laptop and the usb mobile broadband dongle in the pringles can.