MiFi connection

I can't comment on systems abroad because I have no experience of that - but I do use an external Poynting aerial on a 10' mast, with a TP Link router, and it does make a significant difference to the signal strength. By way of just one example, we are currently on a CS a couple of miles outside Malton which has notoriously bad 4g phone reception (on EE, in our case). I have just checked and am currently getting 20 Mbps download using the aerial although that will drop slightly later in the day as more demand is placed on the mast (wherever it is!). The only way we can reliably make phone calls is by using 'Wifi calling'.

This situation has been replicated at most sites we have been on, throughout this country, in the last couple of years.

The aerial was about £75 - so it's hardly a major investment.

We're having an Avtex AMR985 fitted next month. It takes 2 SIM cards if needed and has an aerial on the motorhome/caravan roof. Tv can be connected via Ethernet. The aerial will receive 5g when available but the router is 4g but this could be replaced easily. It's available for £332 ish from the CAMC shop but you need to drill a hole in the roof to fit it. A couple of hours work at a dealer.

There are videos on YouTube showing how it works. You were asking about a vpn. The router can be setup to use one, one of the videos shows how it's done. Motorhome wifi gives info about SIM cards etc and also sell alternative systems. As do Falcontechnology. They have an all in one router on a pole available.

We stayed at Malvern recently where the mobile signal was practically non-existent on both networks I normally use. The site only has a hotspot at present but I prefer to use my mobile when possible for security reasons.

thanks astartup and richardandros for your replies

A caravan is a big metal box and wireless signals are greatly reduced by passing through metal.  So an antenna outside the box provides a big improvement - though almost as good an improvement can be achieved by puting the phone up in a rooflight. 

An external antenna will get a better and better signal the higher up it is until there is a line of sight with the cellphone mast. However, the wire leading up to the antenna will cause a loss in the signal passing in either direction. The question is whether the increase in signal strength from height will be greater than the loss due to the length of cable involved.

The solution with maximum effect is to use a router at the top of the caravan mast. No losses in an antenna cable and the wifi will cover a larger area than if router is inside caravan.

"The solution with maximum effect is to use a router at the top of the caravan mast. No losses in an antenna cable and the wifi will cover a larger area than if router is inside caravan."

Navigateur - does such a device exist - because I can't deny the logic of what you say - despite the fact that providing the power supply might be problematic in some installations?

That said, what you are suggesting isn't a 1000 miles away from the Avtex solution - especially if the router is positioned close to the van roof where the leads come in because they'll only be a few inches long.

Just checked the speed again - and, as predicted, it has dropped to 13 Mbps - still Ok though. I think the best I've had is 85Mbps at the CAMC site at Wharfedale, which given the location, was a bit of a surprise! (Cable loss doesn't really matter, then!)

Such a device exists as I built one.  For the mast I use a multi-section telescopic pole sold for washing upstais windows.  It comes with two screw-on heads and I removed bristles from one and bolted on a small watertight food box.  Enough room inside for a router and a small solar panel power block. 

Until I got a power block that would provide an output while charging I just brough the router down and charged it in the caravan while we were out for the day.