Mobile broadband questions

[Systreg]

Hi,

I'm moving to Ireland in a few days time, I want mobile broadband for use on my laptop whilst in the car to Wales to the ferry and to try in Ireland, I found this pay as you go dongle:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/t-mob...-mobile-broadband-usb-modem-03097542-pdt.html

From what I can see there is a sim card inside the dongle, and I could get a new sim once in Ireland for on their system, first question is, how do I put credit on a dongle to be able to use it? Can it be done online and paid with PayPal?

I'll be on the road for about 5 - 7 hours plus waiting time before the ferry leaves, I think the car has a cigarette lighter in it, if so, how do I go about keeping the laptop charged, found this on PC World but it doesn't say it's for a laptop, or is it:

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/kensi...harger-for-ipad-iphone-ipod-05307020-pdt.html

Can't see anything that I need that does laptop charging on PC World, anyone got a clue if they do them?

 

[droid]

Last dongle I did you could pay online via card that was Tmobile one.

Re the charger try this one at Maplins. Beauty of them is you can take your laptop in just to make sure it is compatible:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx...ptop charger&gclid=CJmXlIOyoKQCFZL92AodR0ug4w

Gary

 

[Systreg]

@ Droid, thanks, looks like I'll have to scratch that idea then, our nearest Maplin would be about a 30 mile round trip taxi ride, and we only have an Electron card so probably wouldn't be able to use that to pay online for dongle connection, was hoping there would be something payable by PayPal, looks like a long boring drive without broadband then

 

[accelerator]

For laptop mobile broadband on a train or in the car, you tend not to get a very good service when moving anyway, because you keep moving in and out of 3G areas (mostly out!!), so the experience is poor and frustrating. Certainly when I've taken the train to London most of the time it's not been that great, because most of the time you're in countryside with no 3G.

For some reason, smartphones can offer a more consistent mobile broadband experience when travelling, but I don't know why. I think it's to do with traffic priority and that mobile networks route smartphone internet differently to laptop internet.

I don't remember ever seeing a PayPal option on mobile broadband TopUp online, and I've tried all the networks.

Better to get a second high performance battery for your laptop than use your car battery, see:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18167540&highlight=laptop+charger+car+battery

I would say hope for WiFi signal at the ferry terminal for your trip, then signup for your broadband connection, whatever that may be, once you're in Ireland. It's always best to ask the locals what the signal for mobile broadband is like before choosing the network. I know that Vodafone offer mobile broadband in Ireland.

Rgds

 

[Systreg]

@ Accelerator, thanks, not really worth bothering with then is it, sounds like a road load of hassle.

 

[AssetDomains]

I know you can top up the three mobile ones with a voucher just like a payg phone if thats any use

 

[wonder_lander]

Instead of a dongle I would look into getting a mifi. This will allow you to create your own mobile wifi hot spot using a 3G data sim card.

You have the advantage that you can put the mifi in a position that gets best signal, as opposed to a dongle which would be plugged into a USB port.

 

[Retired_member41]

mifi, I saw one of them on bbc's click program the other week, it looked brilliant.

 

[mally]

The mifi I had was for the three network, I've tried to get it unlocked so I could use my vodaphone unlimited card but as yet have failed to get it to work, great bit of kite but remember you still need a power source for the mifi as the battery life aint great


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[wonder_lander]

The mifi I had was for the three network, I've tried to get it unlocked so I could use my vodaphone unlimited card but as yet have failed to get it to work, great bit of kite but remember you still need a power source for the mifi as the battery life aint great


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Mally which mifi do you have? The older white one or the newer black one?

 

[mally]

Mines the White one, I even sent it away to some chap on eBay offering to unlock it, however I still can't get it to work with my Vodafone sim card


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