Is it better to go for a home mobile broadband package or buy an unlimited sim, stick it in an old phone and run the mobile hotspot. Live in NI where traditional broadband packages are pants and speeds are low
Depends on the features you want. A phone's mobile hotspot will have limited wifi range/penetration and little or no routing/networking options.
There is a halfway-house option of connecting an Android smartphone to an Asus router via USB tether to lever the standard features of the router such as • dual band decent penetration 2.4GHz & 5GHz wifi, • multiple LAN ports (typically gigabit), • integral VPN client; integral torrent client, • real routing/networking options, • decent interface often with mobile app • option for custom firmware providing additional features • optional WiFi 6 • the router also powers/charges the phone when USB tethering. Typical Asus router prices from £8+ via CEX, with £15 Asus RT AC1200G+ probably being the sweetspot uk.webuy.com/pro…692 All with 2 years warranty. Add £1 for a USB cable if you haven't got one kicking around a drawer.
Author
Hi AndyRoyd, thanks for the reply. Mostly need for streaming and supporting smart devices, alexa, tado, bulbs. Have Virgin broadband and it keeps dropping off, running slow. I have 2 of their WiFi boosters and it doesn't make much difference. O2 5G has just started in my area, and I can double my speed using mobile data. I actually never use my WiFi at home because its so bad. I can get an unlimited o2 sim card for around the same price I'm paying for virgin
Given NI has 93% of premises with FTTP availability, you are very unlucky. Have you checked with the altnet Fibrus for your area (as they have been very active in rural NI with Government supported contracts) ? Source of % figures is thinkbroadband.com/new…ons
Author
Hi, thanks for the reply. I live in Antrim, which is a fairly large town, so not rural, so i should be well connected. I currently have Virgin Media fibre, its just not very good. Maybe my issue is that I'm running too many smart devices off the router, but it's supposed to be a 250Mb connection, so surely can handle a dozen devices?
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sorted byA phone's mobile hotspot will have limited wifi range/penetration and little or no routing/networking options.
There is a halfway-house option of connecting an Android smartphone to an Asus router via USB tether to lever the standard features of the router such as
• dual band decent penetration 2.4GHz & 5GHz wifi,
• multiple LAN ports (typically gigabit),
• integral VPN client; integral torrent client,
• real routing/networking options,
• decent interface often with mobile app
• option for custom firmware providing additional features
• optional WiFi 6
• the router also powers/charges the phone when USB tethering.
Typical Asus router prices from £8+ via CEX, with £15 Asus RT AC1200G+ probably being the sweetspot
uk.webuy.com/pro…692
All with 2 years warranty.
Add £1 for a USB cable if you haven't got one kicking around a drawer.
Have you checked with the altnet Fibrus for your area (as they have been very active in rural NI with Government supported contracts) ?
Source of % figures is thinkbroadband.com/new…ons