Beginner new set up

I am living in a first floor flat, no fibre available and copper broadband lucky if up to 2mbps

The windows are about 30mm 6mm each side of plate, so seems to block signal how ever building is timber frame.

I bought an unbranded chinese 4g lte router, absolute garbage I have an old andoid samsung which is about the same reception and an iphone seven which may give me 5 megabits ps.
Using a 3 sim card as closest mast 260 metres away, not clear line of site.

Few Questions

I have a 3 unlinited phone contract , about 15.60 pounds pm which I am using if you get a mobile broadband package think 25 quid will this give faster speeds?

Best router for under 100 ?

Is it possible to get an antenna that can be stuck on the window outside ? I dont think allowed to drill through the property

Thanks

Sean

If you are living alone, so internet is (often) not needed when you go out, might your best bet be tethering to the phone for your computer kit?

You my be able to "upgrade" your existing Three contract, which looks like a legacy type at a discounted price to the £20 unlimited everything one. (Sounds silly but started as a recommendation to what was there a couple of days ago. £22 but £11 for the first 6 months of 24). It might still be worth a look as other parts of it might be better than what you have.

If that's wrong, then is there anything impracticable in my first suggestion - tethering? That does allow multiple connections to the phone.

In reply to a post by maxwonga:

I have a 3 unlinited phone contract , about 15.60 pounds pm which I am using if you get a mobile broadband package think 25 quid will this give faster speeds?

I bought the cheapest 4G 1 Month Three Mobile Broadband plan from three, which came with the Huawei E5783B-230 (Mobile WiFi).

39 pound for the modem
12 pound for the first month, which you cancel that month. Total cost 51 pound.

I have found the device a tiny bit faster than tethering from my mobile for the past 12 months. However, the phone I was using was super old.

However, I put an existing Smarty (Three rebranded) unlimited SIM into it.

Given it's just you, it's probably better to just tether to you mobile when home, and move to a better provider like EE or VOXI.

Go get a VOXI sim for 10 quid and test the speeds on that, you can get unlimited fo 35 month.

A mobile broadband package from three won't provide any faster speeds than three on your mobile. It's all the same 4G signal in your area. iPhone 7 is a more than capable device.

Finally, try tethering to your computer WITHOUT using WiFi (use USB), and see if that improves things. WiFi is also usually the weakest link.

Edited by Anonymous1337 (Wed 13-Jan-21 11:33:08)

I have just ordered a huwawei b535 I pretty sure I will need external antenna,

Could anyone advise type I would need, the 3 mast is not far away but there is a building in sight line, I am in a 2nd floor flat but the flat opposite is in the way, Have been reading about building materials that can affect signal the buildings are timber frame but it seems the foil backed dense insulation isnt great and the windows are double glazed with plate glass each side.

Other than flat opposite nothing else in the way.

Any thoughts type of aerial? does more db gain mean better reception ?

Thanks

Sean

You may find it easier if you can work out who is the best network operator in you area, bear in mind the speeds indicated will be done with a mobile phone and the speeds from a mobile router should be much higher.

Download the app called Open signal from the playstore / itunes

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.st...

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/opensignal-speed-test-...

click on the location icon in the app, then click on view network stats, this should give you a list of what the best speeds users are getting on all the networks in your area.

In reply to a post by Sl3dg34fun:

this should give you a list of what the best speeds users are getting on all the networks in your area.

I don't think many people in the UK use this app, it may work where you are, but in many areas there is no data.

speeds from a mobile router should be much higher.

You have this backwards. Many routers are Cat 6 or lower. Most modern phones will be Cat 12 or higher.

Thanks for the reply usefull ap

Thanks. Iwish I had that info nearlier, although I suspected it,

So a fairly uptodate smarthphone would give me a better signal than a huwawei b535 , in theory ....

I just bought a b535 and it is marginally better than a 30 quid chinese 4g router !!!!!

The thing I am hoping for is, external antennas will make the b535 leaps and bounds better as Chinese one doesnt have that option

In reply to a post by maxwonga:

The thing I am hoping for is, external antennas will make the b535 leaps and bounds better as Chinese one doesnt have that option

Try a modern phone standing outside your home, and see what speeds you get. External antennas are a lottery, some people get better performance, some do not.

If you have plenty of signal, and the mast can hear your transmissions clearly in return, then you should get the same as the phone standing outside.

If the phone is slow then try other networks. Not all networks are the same in terms of the radio capacity they have, and how much they choose to deploy in an area.

If your iPhone 7 only gives 5 Mbps on Three when you are outside then the Three signal in your area is likely overloaded, and you should investigate other networks.

Edited by jchamier (Sun 07-Feb-21 18:05:36)

It might be worth trying a few PAYG SIMs in your iPhone preferably outside at the front, back and both sides of your house. O2 might still be sending free ones, many convenience stores and papershops have 99p/£1 ones.

You will probably need to add £5 or £10 of topup. But only buy mainstream SIMs. O2, EE, Three, Vodafone. Even VM are simply reselling (I think) Vodafone. I think I've missed one .

GiffGaff and Smarty - NO!

Edit: As pointed out by GonePostal, added "Three".

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 08-Feb-21 01:44:06)