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 & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 29/10/2024
it cannot boost a signal when there is none
Yep that makes sense, but quite often you get 1-2 bars in various places on site, which means the signal is there. Just need a long pole to reach to it :)
Our current moho came with the Motorhome WiFi external aerial fitted, we've always managed to get a signal and WiFi coverage wherever we've been even if we couldn't get a phone signal ourselves.
We used it all the time in France this year, never once had to resort to external (e.g. campsite/aire) WiFi, we're impressed with it.
We use a Popit SIM which is aligned to the EE network in our MiFi device.
You’ll need satellite technology to get Wi-Fi in some rural areas where mountains block the signals from masts. We had 3 days without email in NW Scotland for that reason so we used several supermarkets’ Wi-Fi. You might get good mobile signal from one provider but zero from another: some advertise what % population they cover, others what % geographical area.
At C&CC Cheddar Mendip Height where I stayed in June 2024, I had zero mobile phone cover for EE and Smarty/3; and the site Wi-Fi at my pitch was not strong or reliable, to the extent that I cut my trip short and went home as I needed to be continuously contactable for work.
According to the site wardens, only 1 out of the 4 providers worked at that site, either O2 or Vodafone.
Hence I carry SIMs for O2 and Vodafone as well as a spare phone after that trip.
I also check mobile phone signal coverage for the big 4 networks as part of my due diligence when searching for new to me campsites.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
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.
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.
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.
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Topic: External 4g / 5g antenna
via mobile 28/10/2024 at 8:02pm
