WiFi Extenders

How do you get on with the SFR dongle?

I find the website won't let me recharge - it is blocked for some reason. I have to hunt around to find a big enough SFR outlet that sells coupons.

My spoken french, or rather my listening french, is not good enough to recharge over the phone - they have one of those 'orrible answering systems that refuse point black to put me through to a human. And I have read on their forums of one Brit who was told that staff are not permitted to use English, even if they speak it. I don't know how the hard of hearing in France get on....


Polly
 
Pollik said:
I find the website won't let me recharge - it is blocked for some reason. I have to hunt around to find a big enough SFR outlet that sells coupons.
Click to expand...

The website requires that you have set up the credit card to use for recharges and only takes French cards, so a no-go for most of us.

The coupons for recharging are available in almost every Tabac and grocery store. Just make sure you get the right one for 3G Data only. Also make sure the clerk enters it correctly for internet - the grocery store clerks aren't very familiar with these cards and can screw up. The printed coupon will say PASS INTERNET 3G+ at the top.

You used to be able to enter the coupon code online, but now you have to phone the number on the coupon and enter the digits. If you don't speak French, you will have to enlist the aid of someone who does. It only takes a minute or two to do it (billed at regular calling rates, of course).

If you buy it at the SFR store, they will do it for you. If the Tabac is not busy, you will probably find the owner willing to do it for you. Make sure you know the phone number assigned to the dongle SIM as it needs to be entered when topping up. I don't remember if the password is also required...

Peter
 
Last edited:
Ah, that makes things a lot clearer, thank you.

With the coupon (from a SFR shop) in my hand, my french is just about good enough to use the phone. I have seen the top up cards in places like Casino, but didn't spot that some are for 3G data - I will guess that I bought the wrong one. My french was not good enough to have a conversation about what I needed, but I am working on it.

Thanks again :)



Polly
 
Sat in a bar at San Vicente de la Baquera in Spain.
Could not get a connection with the booster so I came over to the bar and got it free.
Will try again with the booster now that I know the correct name.
30 degree yesterday, but today down to 22 deg
 
TBear,

That's the one.

Great item this to mount your WiFi antenna outside van (if it's steel!!)
 
Bigpeetee said:
TBear,

That's the one.

Great item this to mount your WiFi antenna outside van (if it's steel!!)
Click to expand...

Thanks Pete. As the top foot of the van is plastic and the rest of the wall steel I may be able to mount inside. I will have to wait for it to arrive from china. Hopefully I will have time to trial it and then order a mount if needed in time for our trip to France.

Richard
 
Bigpeetee said:
Great item this to mount your WiFi antenna outside van (if it's steel!!)
Click to expand...

I glued a piece of galvanized steel just large enough for the magnetic base in a convenient spot over the door, so I can just reach out and slap the antenna on it. It's above eye level, so invisible.

I only do that if I am having trouble with the antenna in its usual spot on the stove. Or if I want to cook :)

WiFi Antenna.jpg


Which is where it is right this minute - very discreet.

Peter
 
The Solwise Rocket arrived this morning - very quick indeed...just two days.

It is not installing well, though.

Has anyone installed on Windows 7?




Polly
 
Polly,

I am using my 3G dongle while having breakfast with the pink flamingoes out on the Camargue.

I notice that there is an info number for the 3G listed on the Gestionnaire de Connexion.

06 10 00 19 50 - I don't know if that gets you to a human, but worth noting.

For all my previous complaining about it being slow, the connection here is amazingly fast. I have been watching videos on it.

I have also summarized my strategy for staying connected with WiFi on the road on my web site:

Peter's Paragliding Nomadness - WiFi on the Road

which might be of use to others. It shows exactly what equipment I use and why. It all works very well for me. If anything is unclear, let me know, so I can improve the page.

Peter
 
Firefox said:
OK, I've taken your recommendation Pete, and ordered one yesterday. I'll report on how long it takes to arrive.

I am going to cancel my Virgin Broadband and go with BT, as can pretty much guarantee picking up Openzone or BT Fon anywhere near a built up place espec with an antenna this should be the case. I'll have to go against my principles to subscribe to BT but that's another story. I'll ditch them as soon as anyone else gets on the openzone bandwaggon.

So it's goodbye to the Three Dongle except for emergency use.
Click to expand...

I pick up BT open zone and fon as well as cloud etc., with my O2 dongle. just like it says on the box. but could do with a boost when in Wales sometimes
 
I've got a Vodafone dongle, it works well in some places and not so well in others. Some rural areas it's surprisingly good!!

I use a USB extension lead to get the dongle as high as possible and away from metal work (esp important for those in tin vans, but still useful for GRP.

I've glued a simple sucker on the side, but it's not waterproofed.

I now use the inclusive data allowance on my wifes phone as a tethered modem, not all phones will allow this operation, but if I can't get free WiFi, this is a fall back.
 
MarcJ said:
Here's one from the UK that's weather proof.
Not quite so much gain as the mentioned at the top of the thread but sounds ok.
Can't be doing with waiting a month! :D
Long range USB antenna NET-WL-USB-CPE2512bg
Click to expand...

Just an update on this one. It installed no bother and the software seems very straight forward.
I had it finding 8 or 9 signals in remote wales pointing back down a road 1 or 2 miles away from the houses. Though do like the idea of a magnetic base just reading the reports above! :)
 
Ordered a larger "Rubber" antenna off Ebay complete with magnetic base, similar to Geonomad's pic.

Coming from China so may take a few weeks, but will let everyone know how it performs.

Couldn't do without the booster, only once or twice I couldn't get a FON/Free signal, nearly always get a router somewhere, it's just that they're encrypted!!
 
Hi bought one of these wi fi extenders tried to install on my laptop which has windows vista but can not find setup.exe for vista any help please
 
That's not a problem. Alfa who made the original have a website that allows the download of their drivers. Go to:

ALFA Network – WLAN, WiFi phone, ADSL, KVM, Bluetooth, PoE Products -- Driver

Find the driver for AWUS036H, it shows that the driver for vista is just the normal one, just download and install.

Also, Geonomad put a link, look at the second item in the thread, does the same thing.

Hope this is OK.

Can't live without mine now. Away to Cardiff tomorrow as my wife is at a seminar, looking at the weather forcast, connecting to FON may come in handy!!

I've attached my big antenna to a block of wood for stability, when away from it all, I can place it on the roof to get better connection (or even one at all!!)

Connection is never guaranteed, but I've rarely not found something except in the deepest of forest or mountainous areas.
 
I've been following this thread with interest, pleased with the results I was getting on the road using my Solwise Rocket & I am interested in something that would give me a bit more range. Looking at the link to the 41dBm Mini Desktop WiFi USB Booster Planar Antenna Set on ebay, I have a couple of questions

What need to go outside, just the plastic box & aerial fit or all of it?
Where does the flat circuit board go?
How does it all connect up?
The wires don't look that long, can you extend it with a USB cable?
What size is it, doesn't say on the website?

Noticed on ebay that there was a couple of negative comments regarding the booster, one saying it was fake & another saying it didn't work.
 
Hi Ed,

Yes it is a copy, aren't a lot of things from China, but I know of at least 8 that are working.

The only issues are the drivers on the CD. It's instructions are in Chinese English !!!
.
But if you follow the links given by Geonamad or myself, you'll be able to download decent drivers.

I let the PC load up, then plug in the external device

INSTALLATION

The Flat antenna is best mountedon a solid lump of wood or box that enables it to see through the window or be mounted outside.

It just replaces the rubber antenna provided.

If you wand any further distance between the laptop and booster box, use a long USB lead not longe coax.

If you decidet use the antenna outside, try fitting into a microwave safe food box to stop the rain getting to it.

Last week I managed to get a signal through a heavily wooded area to habitation over 1/3 mile away.

It wont work every where, but helps.

PS, if you use a 3G dongle, mount that vertically on a lump of wood with plastic box to waterproof it and long USB extender and stick it on the roof or on a pole up high, the signal improves greatly, also helps to rotate to get best signal as inbuilt antenna is sheilded by electronics. Really important if you have a tin van.
 
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