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Hi guys and gals,
Sister-in-law lives in a very rural area in South West Wales and is using a Huawei 3G dongle and small external aerial. Whilst she gets some connectivity, it drops out a lot - I've yet to confirm a speed as yet or signal strength.
I'd like to help her get a better signal however, and was wondering what type of external aerial I could upgrade too to assist with this? Also - I'd like opinion on a decent wireless router too? I've seen a few, but wondered if there was a fav on the forum?!
Many thanks!
Si.
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What network? Mind posting the postcode?
Paul
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It's on 3 and the postcode is SA32 7HJ. Not sure where she's taking the signal from as there's very few masts near her location on the OffCom site?
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The Ofcom site is out of date, I can only say where the Orange / T-Mobile cell sites are in that area.
You need to move away from the dongle and look at a router that supports the sim slot and a external antenna point at your chosen cell site.
(I don't know of '3' are on the same cells but it's worth a shot.)
I might be wise to look at hardware that is also 4G capable when it comes to you, if your budget permits.
http://www.3grouterstore.co.uk/ - 3G / 4G routers. - Other hardware suppliers exist etc...
http://www.3grouterstore.co.uk/3G/3G_Antennas.html - You want high gain, but to keep the antenna cable length as short as poss.
Paul
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Fantastic fella. Many thanks for the pointers. Would 3 know/tell me where the nearest mast would be I wonder?
I actually landed on this site, but am a little confused as to what would be the best kit to buy to be honest? As I don't know where the mast is likely to be is it better to go with an omin-directional antenna? What's the max cable length you would suggest?
I'll look into the routers and see what I can find out. May call up the shop tomorrow.....
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Remember that as she is in Wales there is a Welsh assembly grant if she cannot get 2Mb BB.
This is worth looking into if she gets below this at present as at it can cover costs up to £1000, so could pay for a good antenna.
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/broadb...
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http://www.three.co.uk/Support/Coverage
Mobile Broadband coverage in...-
SA32 7HJ
There is currently no coverage in this area but we're working hard to bring our network to as much of the UK as possible. Please check back with us in the future to see if there is coverage in this area.
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Great - thanks thus far!
We've just gone through the process and now have a solid 6mb up and down Community service which has been awesome having had 0.25mb at best[0.10 at worst!!!!] in the past. The company which we went with have advised her that there are no sub sites set up in her area to take a signal from unfortunately and they aren't planning too. Other companies are much the same but seem to promise all and deliver absolutely zilch.
So really it's a case of boosting what she currently gets in the interim with some new kit?
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Try orange as they show some (all be it every low) signal
All the rest including 3 show "no service"
So orange might be better. Get a pay as you go deal to test
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There's a 3 site around the a40 / b4300 which also has t-mobile
On this site t-mobile (same as orange nowadays) has almost double the transmit power.
There's a group of them around llwynconwyl isaf
A485 has a t-mobile and 3 mast near the anchorage. Again t-mobile transmit power is much better\
Camarthen has a few masts.
Where you are there's a few masts all around but the signal is probably poor to pretty much every mast.
I'd give orange pay as you go a shot. It has higher transmit power. See how this is.
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WAG are to release a FTTC roll out map sometime this autumn -
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/businessandeconomy/broadb...
Mortgage Advisor 2000-2008
Green Energy Advisor 2008-2010
Charity Health Care Provider Advisor 2010-
I'm alright Jack....
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Ah right , sweet. So it's worth trying Orange PAYG SIM to see if handset picks up 3G - is that what you're suggesting? If the signal is better, then some of the associated antennae could ensure that a more consistent or better strength would be gained, or both?
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Bit of an update for you.
There is currently no aerial outside at all, so I was wrong there. Basically, she hangs the dongle out of the window and uses a usb extension cable to the laptop!
With that setup she gets [Speedtest.net] 4.25mbps down and 0.27mbps up. Ping is 78ms from a server in Coventry. No idea where the signal is picked up from via 3 - she was told it's thrown from the Preseli TV mast weirdly which is where the digital tv signal is from.
I'm guessing that with a directional aerial and a decent embedded wireless router, I'd be able to get her a pretty solid connection throughout the house.
Thoughts?
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Heh!!! That you is it!?
It's just really unstable with weather etc?
Found this router:
And this antenna:
Gotta be worth a try.
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Try orange yep
Will probably be much more reliable! Speeds might be less due to more people being on orange but reliability should be far better.
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Basically same thing
Only t mobile service is marginal whereas orange shows some
Getting an orange sim will connect to orange
Getting a t mobile will hold onto the marginal t mobile signal before switching to the hopefully OK orange
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Okay - great so far guys!
I think she contracted to 3 with the mobile broadband - but I can check to see if she's not. Otherwise I'll just get a PAYG Sim is it to see if the phone will pick up 3G? Not a Mobile Broadband Package straight off? Can someone confirm that?
Someone did come out from a local shop to set up her dongle et and confirmed that 3 would be the better signal however? Just a bit sceptical. If it is thoughm and back to my original question I guess - would the kit I've linked too above [or similar] give her a more stable connection rate? Surely it must? Certainly if she gets 4.2 mbps already?
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Basically same thing
Only t mobile service is marginal whereas orange shows some
Getting an orange sim will connect to orange
Getting a t mobile will hold onto the marginal t mobile signal before switching to the hopefully OK orange
I can make my dongle to switch between Orange and T-Mobile at will, simply by selecting Network in the dongle's software. Although my cotract is with Orange I get a better signal and 3G+ from T-Mobile.
Not sure what will happen when it's all EE....darn.
Regardss,
Martin
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Final update guys.
Installed the antenna pretty much in line with the TV aerial as this was getting the best down and upload speeds across the board. Unfortunately, I was unable to get Hyperterminal to talk to the router to easily pinpoint the best area so it had to be Speedtest! Orange had nothing at all. 
After installing the embedded router, we managed a 90% solid 2.8mbps down and 0.80 upload with wireless working well to all devices.
So basically, chuffed. It looks like the 4mbps was sporadic and the aerial seems to equal the signal out across any dips.
Thanks for the help!
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Did you mess around with the direction? Think that's what you mean?
There's various 3 masts around you so it's possible one's better than the other. Hence a good try out in all directions is a clever idea. I assume you did this.
Anyway it's great to see you have a working service
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