FAO RichardandRos

I bought a TP-Link WiFi router model number TL6400 and hooked it up to run my home network using a Three Mobile pay as you go sim. It works a treat even without the external aerial. I am getting between 10 to 12 Mbs download and 5 to 8 Mbs upload speeds. I am going to run it for a while to make sure there are no problems with internet TV and Voip but it is certainly good enough for quite quick browsing of the internet and email.

peedee

Been a while since I commented on this thread - but by way of an update - we are currently on a CL near Flamborough ( East Yorkshire, for you lot ‘darn sowf’!) Not one of the most densely populated areas of the country! With my set-up I am getting a peak of 85 Mbps download and a staggering 75 Mbps upload. 4 times faster than my fixed system at home. Admittedly, this is at 5 am, but even during the day it never falls below 50/30. Using Ookla to check speed.

That is pretty good RAR, cannot see mine reaching those dizy heights at home. With no external aerial,. speed is 10 times less than my broadband download but only half down on upload. Voip works fine, tested it out with an over the water call. Just TV internet to check out this evening.

peedee.

Peedee - the speeds you are getting are about the same as I had when I first set it up here - then I turned the aerial through 90 degrees - and bingo - I got the speeds I've described.  I wonder if you fiddle about with the positioning of the attached aerials, things might be improved?  I'll do a check with the external aerial disconnected in the morning and see just what difference that aerial is making but from past experience (so far) it seems to be significant - especially as our van is aluminium clad and that will undoubtedly be having an effect.

I bought a 120Gb EE data sim just after Christmas - for £50 and I've still got 30+ Gb left so pound/gigabyte, it's cheap internet - especially as it's in use for at least one week per month and more often recently, for two. The only thing that's stopping me ditching the EE broadband at home is that with that and all the other EE contracts I have, I do get quite a lot of add-ons/discounts.

Thanks for the info RAR, I was wondering what sim you were using. I bought a 3 mobile Pay as you go which gives me 16Gbs for a tenner valid for a month. This was just to see how it works. I watched catch up TV using it yesterday evening and it worked perfectly. I don't think I will use all of that in a month (depends on how much internet TV we watch) but I am going to keep it running until the end of the period and take it from there. If it works out ok I can save myself £50 a month if I ditched Virgin totally.

peedee

Peedee - as promised, I ran the comparison test this morning.  The external aerial does make quite a significant difference although performance is still acceptable with the 'internal' aerials.  Without is 39/3.5 and With is 75/26 Mbps.  I did attach the Oookla screenshots but then Deleted User them because they show my IP address which I thought wouldn't be a sensible idea to publish on a public website!

Thanks RAR. If I end up deciding to use the TP-Link router for internet access I think it will be wise to fit and external aerial.

peedee

FYI 3 Mobile are offering home broadband, 4G or 5G, unlimited data for £10 a month for the first 6 months and £20 per month thereafter.

https://www.three.co.uk/store/broadband/home-broadband

peedee