PAYG sim card and router

[PostHeads123]

I need temporary WiFi access to run a camera at elderly relatives house for few months I don't want to sign up for broadband package. I was looking at these routers that you can run using a sim card so I was thinking of getting a payg sim but not sure if I can you top up these sim remotely online or do I need to have it a phone to top up ? Any other better options for temporary wifi ?

Thanks

Edited by PostHeads123 on Monday 15th May 20:15

[FilH]

Smarty do a one month contract sim at £20 per month, unlimited data, so no top ups.

[RammyMP]

I had a 4G mobile WiFi hotspot connected to Three on a 28 day contract, it was about £12 a month when I had it and I used something similar to this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/D-Link-Mbps-Wi-Fi-Hotspot...

[somouk]

A good way to run things, get something cheap from Ebay and a sim only deal on a rolling 30 day contract. See what signal is good in the area, 1p mobile for EE, or smarty, giff gaff, Lebara, all have offerings that are cheap.

[PostHeads123]

Yeah EE.is good around there so will probably go with that, the router I need to be plug in rather than battery found this. I'm just not sure if I can topup payg sims remotely online as the router will be 200miles away from me, 30 day rolling good idea I need sim by Friday.

Tenda 4G03 300 Mbps 4G Mobile Wi-Fi Router, 4G Router with Sim Slot Unlocked, No Configuration Required, 2 Fast Ports, Internal Wi-Fi Antennas, UK Plug https://amzn.eu/d/25sERNm

[GlenMH]

Popit mobile can do that - all the account managment is done over a web interface and you initially go in to a rolling monthly contract.
Network is Vodafone though.

[megaphone]

Any neighbours you can ask if you can use their WiFi?

[Anastie]

I’ve just done something very similar. I found a used 4g router on CEX. They had loads! I dropped a smarty sim in and jobs a good un!

[sgrimshaw]

This should give you plenty of data for the period you need, 24GB lasts for 24mths .. no contract :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M3VJ2B2/ref...

[w1bbles]

I have recently done the same. TP-link 4G LTE router with a GiffGaff SIM. 100GB per month for £20. Top up is on auto-renew. I could probably get away with less data so will ramp down if I need to.

[SlimJim16v]

I was looking into this today. Decided a camera permanently on would eat data, so decided against it.
I went for a movement detector that sends you a text instead.

Edited by SlimJim16v on Tuesday 16th May 17:21

[Ham_and_Jam]

SlimJim16v said:

I was looking into this today. Decided a camera permanently on would eat data, so decided against it.
I went for a movement detector that sends you a text instead.

Edited by SlimJim16v on Tuesday 16th May 17:21

I run a Blink CCTV, Nextflix / Amazon Films, 4 x phones, and a couple laptops for general browsing on a 100Gb sim for £10 / month at our holiday home.

The CCTV is set to movement alerts, so only sends a clip if it detects something, although you can drop in ‘live’ at any time.

I reckon the CCTV on it’s own wouldn’t use any more than 5Gb / month, so £5.

[SlimJim16v]

Ham_and_Jam said:

I reckon the CCTV on it’s own wouldn’t use any more than 5Gb / month, so £5.

Thanks. The motion detector is out of stock, so might go for CCTV instead.

[RammyMP]

Ham_and_Jam said:

I run a Blink CCTV, Nextflix / Amazon Films, 4 x phones, and a couple laptops for general browsing on a 100Gb sim for £10 / month at our holiday home.

The CCTV is set to movement alerts, so only sends a clip if it detects something, although you can drop in ‘live’ at any time.

I reckon the CCTV on it’s own wouldn’t use any more than 5Gb / month, so £5.

Sorry to hijack the thread but how often do you use your holiday home? I’m in a similar situation and I don’t know if 100Gb a month will be enough if streaming Netflix etc. Do you manage ok with that?

I was looking at a unlimited data sim but it’s £30 a month plus. Can’t get a signal on Three so that’s out the window!

[Ham_and_Jam]

SlimJim16v said:

Thanks. The motion detector is out of stock, so might go for CCTV instead.

Just mske sure you purchase CCTV that saves locally (SD card or USB), and only sends clips via motion alert.

Blink does this very well, but you need to buy the camera AND the Sync module. This also means you don’t need to purchase the monthly subscription.

[Ham_and_Jam]

RammyMP said:

Sorry to hijack the thread but how often do you use your holiday home? I’m in a similar situation and I don’t know if 100Gb a month will be enough if streaming Netflix etc. Do you manage ok with that?

I was looking at a unlimited data sim but it’s £30 a month plus. Can’t get a signal on Three so that’s out the window!

We’re there 3 nights a week, pretty much every week.

Usually stream about 10 films a month plus odd things on catchup, 3-4 adults browsing on multiple devices, plus the CCTV.

I monitor the data on the router homepage. Only been close to the limit once, but usually tops out about 75-80Gb each month.

We never limit useage, just use it at we need it. Suits our needs perfectly.

[RammyMP]

Ham_and_Jam said:

We’re there 3 nights a week, pretty much every week.

Usually stream about 10 films a month plus odd things on catchup, 3-4 adults browsing on multiple devices, plus the CCTV.

I monitor the data on the router homepage. Only been close to the limit once, but usually tops out about 75-80Gb each month.

We never limit useage, just use it at we need it. Suits our needs perfectly.

Cheers. 100Gb may be enough for us then, only planning on going every other weekend so should be ok.

[Ham_and_Jam]

RammyMP said:

Cheers. 100Gb may be enough for us then, only planning on going every other weekend so should be ok.

Reckon so. Not sure what router you have / purchasing, but set up an alert at 80/90% of usage.

I purchased a TP Link and been very happy with it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B083KDK9JC?psc=1&...

A bit pricier than some of the cheaper makes, but has all the features of a traditional line in router. Has worked flawlessly over the last 8 months since purchasing.

[w1bbles]

RammyMP said:

Sorry to hijack the thread but how often do you use your holiday home? I’m in a similar situation and I don’t know if 100Gb a month will be enough if streaming Netflix etc. Do you manage ok with that?

I was looking at a unlimited data sim but it’s £30 a month plus. Can’t get a signal on Three so that’s out the window!

EE are generally up for a good haggle. I've had some great deals with them for unlimited data in the past - phone them and have a chat. They seem to like it if you can find something comparable with e.g., Three and bargain nicely.

[silentbrown]

Ham_and_Jam said:

I purchased a TP Link and been very happy with it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B083KDK9JC?psc=1&...

A bit pricier than some of the cheaper makes, but has all the features of a traditional line in router. Has worked flawlessly over the last 8 months since purchasing.

^^ Another vote for these. ^^ This was our main home broadband for over a year. (ADSL gave just 1mbit, 4G was around 15. Not ideal, but a massive step forwards...)

Pick up a few free sims and see which gives best performance. We ended up on ASDA Mobile which uses the Vodafone network.