Need a travel router with wifi and mobile internet?

petertr2000 · 13 Jun 2016 at 13:55

Does such a thing exist?

Ideally, it will be able to take either an ethernet or a wifi signal, be able to log to any registration-style page, and then rebroadcast that signal seamlessly as a wifi hotspot so that I can use as many devices as I want.

Also, I want to put a SIM card in, so that it can act as a mobile hotspot when I'm not able to piggyback onto a wifi signal. Would be ideal if it had a good aerial in it so that it can pick up a stronger signal than a phone

Oh, we travel around a lot in our caravan, hence the requirements

ANDARIAL · 13 Jun 2016 at 16:50

Yup plenty of those around.some take a usb modem some take a mobile sim on its own
I got a `bigpond`one ages ago.Works well

Rroff · 13 Jun 2016 at 16:54

Fair few devices like that as Andarial said - I've found it simpler in the past just to use an old phone or my Sony Xperia Z tablet (has LTE and a sim port).

petertr2000 · 13 Jun 2016 at 22:15

With a phone, I guess you log into the wifi you want to share, and then you share it via Bluetooth?

As phones aren't able to connect to one Wifi AND create a mobile hotspot via Wifi at the same time, right?

Sparx · 13 Jun 2016 at 22:48

You want a 4G router, also dubbed Mi-Fi hub/modem/hotspot whatever.

If it's to be your primary connection if you travel a lot, you want the hardware to be decent. I wouldn't personally buy any cheap USB dongles.

In which case I suggest you search for the TP-LINK M7350 4G router it's around £69. Or there is the Huawei E5377s for about £80 similar specs.

Throw an EE 4G SIM in or whatever your preferred network is and away you go. It will work on both 3G and 4G.

Signal on these things is great. The only limitations are of course the signal in the particular area, and it can only connect up to 10 devices. Great bit of kit though!

Caged · 13 Jun 2016 at 23:01

Using the Wi-Fi as the internet connection and also wanting to turn the AP on might be a bit of an ask, not seen any that can do that. You'd need two radios I'd imagine.

petertr2000 · 23 Jun 2016 at 09:33

Sparx said:
You want a 4G router, also dubbed Mi-Fi hub/modem/hotspot whatever.

If it's to be your primary connection if you travel a lot, you want the hardware to be decent. I wouldn't personally buy any cheap USB dongles.

In which case I suggest you search for the TP-LINK M7350 4G router it's around £69. Or there is the Huawei E5377s for about £80 similar specs.

Throw an EE 4G SIM in or whatever your preferred network is and away you go. It will work on both 3G and 4G.

Signal on these things is great. The only limitations are of course the signal in the particular area, and it can only connect up to 10 devices. Great bit of kit though!

No, I don't.

I want a dual hotspot. One that can connect to EITHER Mobile Data OR Wifi AND then rebroadcast it.

AND it needs to be able to "log into" that WiFi - such as with a paid subscription where only one device can be logged on at any time.

That's why I'm finding it hard to get.

So far, the only solution I have is to connect my Laptop to the WiFi, log in, and then use Internet Connection Sharing over Bluetooth.

Begbie · 23 Jun 2016 at 09:38

petertr2000 said:
No, I don't.

I want a dual hotspot. One that can connect to EITHER Mobile Data OR Wifi AND then rebroadcast it.

AND it needs to be able to "log into" that WiFi - such as with a paid subscription where only one device can be logged on at any time.

That's why I'm finding it hard to get.

So far, the only solution I have is to connect my Laptop to the WiFi, log in, and then use Internet Connection Sharing over Bluetooth.

Get a USB Wifi dongle and you can re-broadcast via that rather than using bluetooth.

SC0TTRS · 23 Jun 2016 at 09:52

petertr2000 said:
I want a dual hotspot. One that can connect to EITHER Mobile Data OR Wifi AND then rebroadcast it.

AND it needs to be able to "log into" that WiFi - such as with a paid subscription where only one device can be logged on at any time.

That's why I'm finding it hard to get.

I've used a Huawei 4G Router that had a wired connection, and a fail over 3/4g backup. Don't think you could get a device that broadcasts (gives WiFi) internet access through a wired connection, and a 3/4G connection at the same time.

It probably had the ability to access the internet through a splash page. Although I've slept since then, and can't remember.

Caged · 23 Jun 2016 at 20:00

This is the closest I've seen:

http://www.netgear.co.uk/home/products/networking/wifi-routers/PR2000.aspx

But doesn't do 3G/4G.

Sparx · 23 Jun 2016 at 21:06

petertr2000 said:
No, I don't.

Tough **** then! You will struggle like you said. Your requirements are a little too specific for a single device mate.

Why do you need a user login/splash page? If the AP/router has a wifi password anyway, why do you also need a further login page? Seems odd.

SC0TTRS · 27 Jun 2016 at 12:21

Sparx said:
Why do you need a user login/splash page? If the AP/router has a wifi password anyway, why do you also need a further login page? Seems odd.

Think he wants to charge people for the use.

the-evaluator · 27 Jun 2016 at 12:36

I read it as he wants to only need to do the captive portal stuff once and then all other devices connected to his wifi will get straight out to the internet.

Andre · 28 Jun 2016 at 13:32

I use Connectify Hotspot on my tablet - can share WiFi over the same adapter as it receives it on (so it says!)

petertr2000 · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:55

Sparx said:
Why do you need a user login/splash page? If the AP/router has a wifi password anyway, why do you also need a further login page? Seems odd.

SC0TTRS said:
Think he wants to charge people for the use.

Not far off, but functionality wise, that's correct

I go caravanning - and you can buy annual passes at the Caravan Club where you can be logged on with only one device at a time.

I'm damned if I'm paying 3 times so that our phones, laptop, RPi etc can all be connected at once - even if you're not using them at the same time, having to log in/out all the time is a PITA.

petertr2000 · 26 Jul 2016 at 21:57

the-evaluator said:
I read it as he wants to only need to do the captive portal stuff once and then all other devices connected to his wifi will get straight out to the internet.

Exactly.

Sometimes I'll have an account - be it the Caravan Site WiFi, or maybe BT FON - other times I'll be relying on a 3/4G connection..

Just want something seamless.

joeyjojo · 27 Jul 2016 at 08:53

Caged said:
Using the Wi-Fi as the internet connection and also wanting to turn the AP on might be a bit of an ask, not seen any that can do that. You'd need two radios I'd imagine.

Aside: you don't need two radios, what you're describing is a repeater and these can work fine with one radio, albeit at half bandwidth since the same radio is used for TX and RX.