Motorhome wifi router/hot spot recommendations

[E-bmw]

Hi there, I have a motorhome which we normally take away with 2 x smart tv, 2 x mobile phones, 1 x surface tab & 1 x chromebook.

Every time we go somewhere different logging onto the wifi with everything that all work differently can take us up to 2 hours sometimes & it detracts from our day 1 everywhere we go.

I recently bought & tried a TPlink WR1502 but couldn't get it set up to do what I wanted it to do reliably, so it has been returned.

Obviously it is possible it was defective, but I think it was just ridiculously difficult to set up in itself, which obviously defeats the objective of having it.

Can anyone recommend a similar bit of kit that is both effective & easily controlled/connected via phone app or similar?

I just want a router/hot spot/access point that I can log everything above onto & then just open an app to log the device onto the site wifi.

[daydotz]

Why wouldn't you just use a data SIM & 4g router if you need to connect that many devices it ruins your holiday
Instead of trying to figure out how to rebroadcast someone's free WiFi

Edited by daydotz on Sunday 28th December 14:05

Edited by daydotz on Sunday 28th December 14:06

[Ham_and_Jam]

daydotz said:

Why wouldn't you just use a data SIM & 4g router if you need to connect that many devices it ruins your holiday
Instead of trying to figure out how to rebroadcast someone's free WiFi

I m pretty sure that s what the OP is trying to achieve.

Edit: just realised the OP want to use an acces point to connect to the free site wifi.

OP, just buy a decent 4G router and spend £10-15 / month on unlimited data. They work really well and you won’t have a faff connecting multiple devices plus you can use it where wifi isn’t available.

Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Sunday 28th December 14:15

[indigochim]

My understanding is you want to turn up to a site and connect whatever you get to the site wifi and have your devices reconfigured to connect to your device as aposed to having your own router with a 3g,4g,5g simcard.

The device you bought should be suitable for that it may be that you need to take some time to work out how to use it. Looking at the instructions you need to look at the section titled Hotspot Mode. You'd be able to configure it as a test at home connecting to your homes access point then connect each of your devices to it. Then once at a new location you would go to the configuration page http://tplinkwifi.net or http://192.168.0.1 and connect it to the sites wifi. All your other devices will be configured to connect to it so you would just look at section 15 of those instructions.

Most similar devices will require the same setup and wether it be via an app or a Web page on the router once you've done it a couple of times it should be easy. Not having to use an app is an advantage I. My book as they often change or get dropped where as the device has its own website built it and will stay more consistent and you can configure from a phone, tablet, laptop....

[Ham_and_Jam]

daydotz said:

I read it as he wants to connect a router to the free WiFi and then use that has his own WiFi network to save time & money on data

He does, I edited my post before you replied

Much better route is a 4G router.

[daydotz]

Ham_and_Jam said:

daydotz said:

I read it as he wants to connect a router to the free WiFi and then use that has his own WiFi network to save time & money on data

He does, I edited my post before you replied

Much better route is a 4G router.

Indeed

[Captain_Morgan]

daydotz said:

Why wouldn't you just use a data SIM & 4g router if you need to connect that many devices it ruins your holiday
Instead of trying to figure out how to rebroadcast someone's free WiFi

Edited by daydotz on Sunday 28th December 14:05

Edited by daydotz on Sunday 28th December 14:06

If I had to guess it might be that there might not be any coverage for the network in that location & that you have to pay for service when not in uses ether monthly or some kind of pre-pay package.


I’m assuming the aim is to log the router into the wifi and then sharing that out to devices.

If so look at https://youtu.be/szqme3j7h10

[E-bmw]

Captain_Morgan said:

daydotz said:

Why wouldn't you just use a data SIM & 4g router if you need to connect that many devices it ruins your holiday
Instead of trying to figure out how to rebroadcast someone's free WiFi

Edited by daydotz on Sunday 28th December 14:05

Edited by daydotz on Sunday 28th December 14:06

If I had to guess it might be that there might not be any coverage for the network in that location & that you have to pay for service when not in uses ether monthly or some kind of pre-pay package.


I m assuming the aim is to log the router into the wifi and then sharing that out to devices.

If so look at https://youtu.be/szqme3j7h10

Correct, there isn't always sufficient Mobil signal to use mobile data sim.

Also correct, I want to log everything onto a router/hot spot and then when I arrive, I open an app (ideally) & log the router/hot spot onto the site wifi, which they all have.

[superpp]

I use one of these mini routers, it can logon on to a wifi network even if there is a captive portal landing page to register.
https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-sft1200/

Mine is also set to VPN back to my home network automatically.

[E-bmw]

superpp said:

I use one of these mini routers, it can logon on to a wifi network even if there is a captive portal landing page to register.
https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-sft1200/

Mine is also set to VPN back to my home network automatically.

I did see that one on Amazon and virtually dismissed it as the app gets slated widely in g-play.

Are you saying it is pretty easy to work with?

[superpp]

I don't use an app with it, I just logon to the routers webpage and I think it has a great interface.

Here's the captive portal guide as it is slightly more involved, but not difficult.
https://docs.gl-inet.com/router/en/3/tutorials/con...

if you are just repeating a network with a password (its very very simple)

[w1bbles]

I have a TP Link 4G router on a boat, so a similar proposition. We have EE unlimited data and it is rare not to have reception these days (Scottish west coast). I snipped off the 240v transformer and replaced it with a DC-DC converter to get 5 volts from the boat's 12 volt supply, so no need to have a thirsty inverter on to use it.

[Mr Pointy]

The GLiNet routers are brilliant - at least 10 of our on site team have bought them to use in the hotels we stay in.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GL-iNet-GL-AXT1800-Pocket...

We use the Slate AX as it gives much better performance over VPNs, although this may not be a priority for you: the fact it can log in via the hotel network landing page is very useful though. It also has a USB-C power input so I bought an Anker dual-head USB-C cable so I don't need to carry the router 240v psu with me & just use my phone or laptop charger/psu.

Lots of cruise ships ban these routers now as they want to charge for every device connected to the Wi-Fi network & these make all your devices like one.

[fooman]

My Android phone will bridge free WiFi to it's hotspot and allow multiple devices to connect.

[E-bmw]

fooman said:

My Android phone will bridge free WiFi to it's hotspot and allow multiple devices to connect.

Unfortunately not every site has sufficient mobile reception as we have already found.

Also both of our phones state as soon as you try to open a hot spot that you have to turn wifi off so it is a no for ours.

[E-bmw]

Mr Pointy said:

The GLiNet routers are brilliant - at least 10 of our on site team have bought them to use in the hotels we stay in.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GL-iNet-GL-AXT1800-Pocket...

We use the Slate AX as it gives much better performance over VPNs, although this may not be a priority for you: the fact it can log in via the hotel network landing page is very useful though. It also has a USB-C power input so I bought an Anker dual-head USB-C cable so I don't need to carry the router 240v psu with me & just use my phone or laptop charger/psu.

Lots of cruise ships ban these routers now as they want to charge for every device connected to the Wi-Fi network & these make all your devices like one.

I did see that one but VPN isn't an issue for us & the multiple of 3 in price over the 1200 mentioned above doesn't feel worth it to me at this moment.

[superpp]

if you do get the gli.net router, one tip which confused me for a while...

if setting it up via your phone, turn off your phones mobile data whilst connecting to the routers web page or the router won't be found.

[E-bmw]

superpp said:

if you do get the gli.net router, one tip which confused me for a while...

if setting it up via your phone, turn off your phones mobile data whilst connecting to the routers web page or the router won't be found.

Thanks for that top tip, I think that is the one I will be going for, thanks again.

[ARH]

Why not just use a hotspot on your phone?

[E-bmw]

ARH said:

Why not just use a hotspot on your phone?

Like I have said a few times already, not all sites have good mobile signal, most are "out in the sticks" and nowhere near a good mast.

I think the closest we have ever been to even a decent sized town is over a mile away.