Home

   Log in or Register



Insurance Quotes
forums Campsite Search Comp Directory tips virtual brochure Profile
Tent and Awning Reviews Competitions Caravans and Motorhomes For Sale Shopping Diary Advent Calendar

Advertisement

Message Forums
Welcome Guest Register Login Search The Forum Posts Since Last Visit
 Reception - All Forums
  Camping and Caravanning Equipment 		Share   Post on X / Twitter  Share on Facebook  Email  Printer Friendly Version Print
Subject Topic: External 4g / 5g antenna Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonShaino
via mobile 28/10/2024 at 8:02pm
 Location: 
 Outfit: None Entered View Shaino's Profile View Profile   Reply to Shaino Reply   Quote Shaino Quote  
Joined: 01/8/2023

Standard Member
Standard Member

Forum Posts:   6
Site Reviews Total: 0
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0
Hi,

Has anyone used an external 4g / 5g antenna to get all mobile signal bars for 4g / 5g?
In the UK and France/Spain.

I'm considering getting an omnidirectional one (to be fit on a pole) but not sure if i should just get a smaller one


Persondk168
29/10/2024 at 8:12am
 Location: Devizes Wiltshire
 Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC View dk168's Profile View Profile   Reply to dk168 Reply   Quote dk168 Quote  
Joined: 19/6/2009

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   9596
Tent Reviews:   6
Site Reviews Total: 56
Site Reviews 2024: 9  
Site Reviews 2023: 9  
Site Reviews 2022: 8  
Site Reviews 2021: 9  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 45
Site Nights 2023: 47
Site Nights 2022: 46
Site Nights 2021: 34
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0
My own experience with my allegedly super duper 5G roof-mounted antenna from Motorhome WiFi is that, it cannot boost a signal when there is none, and there are still plenty of mobile phone signal blackholes in UK and EU!

I carry a spare phone and PAYG SIMs for the other 2 networks so that I have all 4 networks covered - my phone is with EE and the 5G router is with Smarty which is 3.

DK

-------------
* Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *


PersonShaino
29/10/2024 at 10:51am
 Location: 
 Outfit: None Entered View Shaino's Profile View Profile   Reply to Shaino Reply   Quote Shaino Quote  
Joined: 01/8/2023

Standard Member
Standard Member

Forum Posts:   6
Site Reviews Total: 0
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 29/10/2024
it cannot boost a signal when there is none


Yep that makes sense, but quite often you get 1-2 bars in various places on site, which means the signal is there. Just need a long pole to reach to it :)


PersonMrWez
29/10/2024 at 4:52pm
 Location: Wessex
 Outfit: Dethleffs Trend T675 View MrWez's Profile View Profile   Reply to MrWez Reply   Quote MrWez Quote  
Joined: 11/7/2015

Gold Member
Gold Member

Forum Posts:   396
Site Reviews Total: 16
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 1  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 2
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 2
Site Nights 2018: 0
Our current moho came with the Motorhome WiFi external aerial fitted, we've always managed to get a signal and WiFi coverage wherever we've been even if we couldn't get a phone signal ourselves.

We used it all the time in France this year, never once had to resort to external (e.g. campsite/aire) WiFi, we're impressed with it.

We use a Popit SIM which is aligned to the EE network in our MiFi device.


PersonFiona W
via mobile 30/10/2024 at 10:39pm
 Location: Ayrshire
 Outfit: Auto-Sleeper MHs View Fiona W's Profile View Profile   Reply to Fiona W Reply   Quote Fiona W Quote  
Joined: 10/4/2007

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   5143
Tent Reviews:   1
Site Reviews Total: 234
Site Reviews 2024: 18 
Site Reviews 2023: 8  
Site Reviews 2022: 12 
Site Reviews 2021: 10 
Site Reviews 2020: 4  
Site Reviews 2019: 9  
Site Reviews 2018: 18 
Site Nights 2024: 37
Site Nights 2023: 25
Site Nights 2022: 32
Site Nights 2021: 25
Site Nights 2020: 20
Site Nights 2019: 28
Site Nights 2018: 30
You’ll need satellite technology to get Wi-Fi in some rural areas where mountains block the signals from masts. We had 3 days without email in NW Scotland for that reason so we used several supermarkets’ Wi-Fi. You might get good mobile signal from one provider but zero from another: some advertise what % population they cover, others what % geographical area.

-------------
2024 = 20 sites / 41 nights. 2023 = 9/23. 2022 = 13/35. 2021 = 11/29. 2020 = 4/20. 2019 = 13/35. 2018 = 20/33. 2017 = 10/22. 2016 = 19/33. 2015 = 15 sites / 27 nights. Didn't count 1976 to 2014.


Advertisement



Persondk168
31/10/2024 at 2:08am
 Location: Devizes Wiltshire
 Outfit: MWB VW Crafter PVC View dk168's Profile View Profile   Reply to dk168 Reply   Quote dk168 Quote  
Joined: 19/6/2009

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   9596
Tent Reviews:   6
Site Reviews Total: 56
Site Reviews 2024: 9  
Site Reviews 2023: 9  
Site Reviews 2022: 8  
Site Reviews 2021: 9  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 45
Site Nights 2023: 47
Site Nights 2022: 46
Site Nights 2021: 34
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0
At C&CC Cheddar Mendip Height where I stayed in June 2024, I had zero mobile phone cover for EE and Smarty/3; and the site Wi-Fi at my pitch was not strong or reliable, to the extent that I cut my trip short and went home as I needed to be continuously contactable for work.

According to the site wardens, only 1 out of the 4 providers worked at that site, either O2 or Vodafone.

Hence I carry SIMs for O2 and Vodafone as well as a spare phone after that trip.

I also check mobile phone signal coverage for the big 4 networks as part of my due diligence when searching for new to me campsites.

DK

-------------
* Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest And Play! *
- 2025 - inc. FR & DE
- 2024 - 10/56 inc. FR & NL
- 2023 - 48 inc. FR
- 2022 - 49
- 2021 - 34
* Ex-tenter & solo female camper *
* Treat life events like a dog: If you can't eat it, play with it, or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away! *


PersonPixie_Hez
31/10/2024 at 8:39am
 Location: Liverpool
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 560 View Pixie_Hez's Profile View Profile   Reply to Pixie_Hez Reply   Quote Pixie_Hez Quote  
Joined: 05/7/2003

Diamond Member
Diamond Member

Forum Posts:   1937
Site Reviews Total: 121
Site Reviews 2024: 15 
Site Reviews 2023: 15 
Site Reviews 2022: 14 
Site Reviews 2021: 11 
Site Reviews 2020: 8  
Site Reviews 2019: 17 
Site Reviews 2018: 8  
Site Nights 2024: 78
Site Nights 2023: 75
Site Nights 2022: 66
Site Nights 2021: 57
Site Nights 2020: 39
Site Nights 2019: 68
Site Nights 2018: 44
It’s amazing how different the signal can be between providers. I am with EE and the site we are currently on is giving me 4 bars but only a speed of 5mbps. My husband is with Vodafone and has a 3 bar signal but because Vodafone have 5G in this area, he is getting 300mbps

We use a TP Link 4g router and so far we have got a decent signal with just the two small antenna. When we first got it, we thought about an external antenna but decided to hold off and see how it went without one and so far, it has been fine everywhere. However, when we were thinking about it, the Poynting antennae seemed to get good reviews.

-------------
Pixie


PersonSamP
03/11/2024 at 6:06pm
 Location: S Wales The Badland
 Outfit: Swift Challenger 530 View SamP's Profile View Profile   Reply to SamP Reply   Quote SamP Quote  
Joined: 17/5/2005

Gold Member
Gold Member

Forum Posts:   229
Site Reviews Total: 6
Site Reviews 2024: 1  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 0  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 0  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 13
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 0
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 0
Site Nights 2018: 0
For use in the van I have a small TP-Link 4g router without an external aerial.

I usually balance it just inside the roof vent to get a better signal (on the principle that higher is better, which seems to work).

If the signal strength was really poor I might stick it on a pole to get it even higher off the ground. The router's wifi signal will easily reach into the van.
I'd make due allowance for weather-proofing (i.e. stick in in a plastic bag).

A tad Heath-Robinson, but a lot cheaper than paying for one of those fancy external antennas, and it doesn't involve drilling holes in the van's roof.

-------------
SamP


PersonMrWez
04/11/2024 at 6:26am
 Location: Wessex
 Outfit: Dethleffs Trend T675 View MrWez's Profile View Profile   Reply to MrWez Reply   Quote MrWez Quote  
Joined: 11/7/2015

Gold Member
Gold Member

Forum Posts:   396
Site Reviews Total: 16
Site Reviews 2024: 0  
Site Reviews 2023: 0  
Site Reviews 2022: 0  
Site Reviews 2021: 1  
Site Reviews 2020: 0  
Site Reviews 2019: 1  
Site Reviews 2018: 0  
Site Nights 2024: 0
Site Nights 2023: 0
Site Nights 2022: 0
Site Nights 2021: 2
Site Nights 2020: 0
Site Nights 2019: 2
Site Nights 2018: 0
SamP,

Your solution is certainly effective, having the aerial (router in your case), on or above the roof would give you the best reception.

The telephone signals are line of sight transmissions from the masts to the receiver so on the roof where the signals aren't disrupted works best, the further you are away from these obstructions (e.g. the higher), the better.

Our current moho came with the MotorhomeWiFi fitted thanks to the previous owners, it was professionally fitted the dealers and appears properly sealed so I'm quite happy and would have similar with a future moho.



In order to post a reply you will need to register, or if already registered please log in here

Prev       Next
Quick Links - All Forums - Camping and Caravanning Equipment - Top of Page

Printer Friendly Version Printable version      Share   Post on X / Twitter  Share on Facebook  Email


Latest News, Discounts and Competitions  see all...

5017 Visitors online !

Free UKCampsite.co.uk Window Sticker  -  Recommend to Friend  -  Add a Missing Campsite

[Message Forums]  [Caravan Sites & Camping]  [Company Listings]  [Features / Advice]  [Virtual Brochure]  [Shop!]
[Reception]  [Competitions]  [Caravans & Motorhomes For Sale]  [Event Diary]  [Contact Us]  [Tent Reviews] 



Please note we are not responsible for the content of external sites & any reviews represent the author's personal view only. Please report any error here. You may view our privacy and cookie policy and terms and conditions here. All copyrights & other intellectual property rights in the design and content of this web site are reserved to the UKCampsite.co.uk © 1999 - 2024


Advertisement
Advertisement


UKCampsite.co.uk
2024 Advent Calendar

Advent Calendar

24 Daily Prizes PLUS a Christmas Day Star Prize worth £999

Request a Reminder