Fon WiFi network

Airecraft

Guest
Just got a wifi booster and very impressed so I'm thinking about joining the Fon network but can't really make any sense of it. Can anyone who uses it explain a few things? Am I right in thinking I can buy a Fon - Simpl - The easiest way to get WiFi router and use it, through Talktalk, as a Fon access point and then be able to access all BT Fon wifi points and others worldwide free of charge ? I've tried to get the 10 minute free Fon trial through a BT Fon hotspot but get a different splash screen without the "Watch Ad" option. There is also no option to create an account. I don't want to change my ISP as I have a good deal which is no longer available, so moving to BT is not an option.
Fon seems a great idea but very confusing, especially with all the childish jargon for different things.

TIA

Andy

PS I've tried a forum search for Fon but am told the word is too short - not sure what I can do about that!!!
 
Hi,

Look on my newly developing web pages: Motorhome Comms

For info on WiFi & FON.

If it's no clearer give me a quick call, number on contacts page
 
Bigpeetee said:
Hi,

Look on my newly developing web pages: Motorhome Comms

For info on WiFi & FON.

If it's no clearer give me a quick call, number on contacts page
Click to expand...

That's a great resource, much clearer than the Fon website. I didn't know about the 0.5Mbs limit but as you say, that's still a lot better than nothing. Thanks very much.
Andy
 
I had BT Business broadband which gave me free minutes on any FON or BTOpenzone. I also have an extended wifif booster/aerial thingy.

FON is not much good, the range is rubbish as you are usually relying on picking someones FON router up in their house which has a tiny aerial. Think I was able to connect to FON twice when out in the MH and both times the connection was unreliable.
 
Thanks all for info - currently posting from a Fon connection about 200 yds away, impressed with speed. Only using my 10 min trial which cannot be activated from BT Fon hotspots - only Fon routers. Will be buying a Fon router myself to use, even if its just to pick up email etc whilst in transit.
Andy
 
Thanks for that. I'm not looking for 100% coverage so I can get internet access while parked up in a forest or wherever. I'll be quite happy to able to drive through a town and stop for 10 minutes to get email etc without having to detour to MacDonalds and negotiate their restricted carparks. I'm looking to use it mostly in France and Spain as data roaming is still too expensive / slow for me. My experience of wifi from bars in France is pretty poor, and I don't mean when hanging around in the street outside. 90% of the time I get no connection and only a Gallic shrug when I query things.
 
Last edited:
From 200 yards away? I am impressed.

I have a Fonera connected to my router, which gives me free fon connections globally, at least while my node is still active.

In the UK, Fon is quite common, but I am finding that the signal is usually weak and unreliable. I am not using an external antenna at present having broken my last one twice on low hanging branches and I haven't been able to find a set up I want, which is a dongle in the laptop and connected to an external antenna mounted on a spring base.

On the other hand, I hope that most of my time will be spent in Europe where Fon is much, much rarer. On my last trip, 3 months, I didn't find a single Fon connection.

Fon is one of those ideas that shows great promise, but doesn't really work for all that well, yet.




Polly
 
Pollik said:
From 200 yards away? I am impressed.

I have a Fonera connected to my router, which gives me free fon connections globally, at least while my node is still active.

In the UK, Fon is quite common, but I am finding that the signal is usually weak and unreliable. I am not using an external antenna at present having broken my last one twice on low hanging branches and I haven't been able to find a set up I want, which is a dongle in the laptop and connected to an external antenna mounted on a spring base.

On the other hand, I hope that most of my time will be spent in Europe where Fon is much, much rarer. On my last trip, 3 months, I didn't find a single Fon connection.

Fon is one of those ideas that shows great promise, but doesn't really work for all that well, yet.

Polly
Click to expand...

200 yds is with Long range USB antenna NET-WL-USB-CPE2512bg which I got today and am well impressed with.
Looking at the Fon map of one town I plan to visit at Xmas, Valladolid, shows loads of access points:
fon.JPG
Do these need to be taken with a pinch of salt?
 
Last edited:
Pollik said:
From 200 yards away? I am impressed.

I have a Fonera connected to my router, which gives me free fon connections globally, at least while my node is still active.

In the UK, Fon is quite common, but I am finding that the signal is usually weak and unreliable. I am not using an external antenna at present having broken my last one twice on low hanging branches and I haven't been able to find a set up I want, which is a dongle in the laptop and connected to an external antenna mounted on a spring base.

On the other hand, I hope that most of my time will be spent in Europe where Fon is much, much rarer. On my last trip, 3 months, I didn't find a single Fon connection.

Fon is one of those ideas that shows great promise, but doesn't really work for all that well, yet.




Polly
Click to expand...
The external antennas are not meant to be left connected, that's why the ones I sell have suction cups. Motorhome Comms

I use a directional antenna for best range, best I've done was 4.5 miles but Geonomad got in excess of 18 miles last spring!!

World record of 250+Km!!! (But did use massive dish antennas on mountain tops)

I often get 400 metres with an external whip antenna
 
Looking at the Fon map of one town I plan to visit at Xmas, Valladolid, shows loads of access points:

Do these need to be taken with a pinch of salt?
Click to expand...

Hugely so, yes, for a number of reasons. They have no control over whether a node is switched on or off, so a map is only as accurate as the last update...and if you don't have internet, you can't access the map, and if you do have internet, you don't need Fon. The POI files are totally useless and, I believe, no longer supported by Fon.

Having said that, Fon is not difficult to find in towns in the UK.

It is worth knowing that long range antenna is worth having...I am guessing it is directional and mounted inside the van?
 
I use a ling range antenna, usually inside the van (if it's GRP), but you have to know where to point it!

Obviously to point at a group of houses is a good start, if you use the inssider software see: Motorhome Commsthen you get a bargraph on all the channels and the relative signal strength so you can sweep the area with your antenna.

In more remote areas I put it outside on top of the MH, even the windows give an attenuation to the signal so if it's poor to start with just moving outside helps a lot Just have to remember to take it in before you move off!
 
I had a go with the inSSIDer software (from the link on Pete's site) had problems trying to install it but managed eventually with help from their forum. Think that www.vistumbler.net/ (also free software) works better when trying to get the best signal as you can get it to speak the signal strength, when trying to get onto wifi when travelling you can see the ones that are unsecured (authentication - open & encryption - open)
 
Aire_on_a_shoestring said:
200 yds is with Long range USB antenna NET-WL-USB-CPE2512bg which I got today and am well impressed with.
Looking at the Fon map of one town I plan to visit at Xmas, Valladolid, shows loads of access points:
View attachment 3521
Do these need to be taken with a pinch of salt?
Click to expand...

I joined FON a long time ago , was number less than 2 thousand and I think it is over 2 million now

do you need to take these points with a pinch of salt ? not at all , but the problem is in valladolid for example that most people live in apartments and often you can't park anywhere near where the signal is not blocked out ! couple this with the fact that the point only works if the router is switched on and it is sometimes difficult to access from the vehicle

with regard to the BT position in the UK , it's not that people have switched off in my experience , but that they were never switched on!!!
in reality , only a tiny proportion of people ever touch their BT supplied router , don't know how ,don't want to , just expect it to work ; when BT joined the FON network you had to make a firmware download to enable the FON connection , in other words you had to take steps and opt in ; for the previously stated reason few did and the vast majority remained inaccessible ; however , seeing the advantages , BT made a big investment in FON , and are now a major shareholder ; from this point all routers provided by BT were delivered enabled , but with the option to opt out as stated ; since that , the number of points available has increased dramatically ...I notice the difference each time I come to UK which is now brilliant for finding a point

incidentally , in france NEUF/SFR have joined FON ; however , here again , the user has to opt in , and on the same basis as UK , few have done so
in portugal the biggest cable operator ZON [ a copy ?] has joined and it appears that their equipment is delivered already enabled

final point ....I am away half the year [ no point having a motorhome if you don't use it , is there :) ] ; FON keep a constant check to ensure you are keeping your end of the bargain and if you are switched off for more than 3 weeks or so your privileges are cut off until you start it up again ; so as well as the FON router at my home [ for the convenience of fellow members ] I installed one at my daughters house in the UK as that runs 365/365

personally I have a securit [?]wifi range extender permanently attached to the terrestrial TV aerial tube , 5metre usb cable goes down the tube
this model is no longer made [ too expensive ] but there is a smaller , cheaper one now and I am sure there are other makes now ; anyway , very convenient , just plug into the laptop and rotate to find a signal
 

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***** said:
Hi lebesset.
I found that when I was in France I did see the SFR Wi Fi, can't remember if it was Fon but although I am a bT customer with Fon, I could not log on to SFR as it wanted a password.
I think that I tried my BT Fon password? or maybe not, can't remember.
So are you saying that the SDR Fon is the same as BT with reciprocal arrangements.
I thought that SFR had a tie up with Vodafone although Vod sold their part back.
I gave up in the end and just used bars and hotels.

ps
I also have the same Repeatit and also the cheaper model. Both work about the same.

As I said before, they work well in the UK with Fon.
Kontiki, Conway Marina is a good example.
Click to expand...

well SFR the mobile phone company HAVE now bought out vodafone and they also now own NEUF the internet provider
probably you tried to log in to the SFR /NEUF routers belonging to customers that have not opted in to FON ....however they are available to SFR/NEUF's other customers ...their router [ called a NEUFBOX ] is adjustable

so briefly , if you see a hotspot SFR wifi this is a private wifi network for their customers only , but if it is called SFR wifi FON it is someone who has opted in to FON
 
Hi
On our hints and tips page Campervan Tips Index we have some FAQs which may help, including:-
- FON FAQs
- Wifi booster FAQs
- Other ways to get free internet abroad

And a GPS database (Autoroute) for FON spots in Europe that you can download to your laptop offline.
 
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