Android Tablet - Internet connection options?

LisaO

Hi all - hope this is in the right place.

Daughter wants a tablet for Xmas, currently considering Nexus 7 or Samsung 7".

My big concern is whether the device wll actually be of any use due to our very limited Internet coverage at home. There is no broadband option here, we can get only dial-up or mobile. We currently use a 3 mobile dongle - it will work in a couple of rooms only. Is it possible to use the dongle with a tablet? Or do they only work on Wi-Fi?

Any help or suggestions much appreciated

lucretiaborgia

LisaO wrote: »

Hi all - hope this is in the right place.

Daughter wants a tablet for Xmas, currently considering Nexus 7 or Samsung 7".

My big concern is whether the device wll actually be of any use due to our very limited Internet coverage at home. There is no broadband option here, we can get only dial-up or mobile. We currently use a 3 mobile dongle - it will work in a couple of rooms only. Is it possible to use the dongle with a tablet? Or do they only work on Wi-Fi?

Any help or suggestions much appreciated

The nexus 7 will only work with wifi. Don't know about the other one. By dongle you presumably mean a USB modem that you plug directly into a pc?? If so, that won't work with the nexus 7.

You need some kind of a mobile router ...these are available from the likes of Three, O2 , Vodafone. They use the mobile network to pick up a signal and send out a wireless wifi signal which can be used with any device that is wifi enabled.

Atomic Pineapple

you'll need a Mi-Fi device like THIS. Or buy a 3G enabled tablet.

pickarooney

Sounds like it will be a bit of a disappointment of a gift, to be honest. At the very least, it's going to be a lot of hassle just to use it, at worst it could be completely unusable. If I had to choose, though, I would go for one with an SD card so you could at least copy files over from a PC if you can't get a signal directly on the device.

whomitconcerns

lisa dont do it...without the internet it really will be next to useless...they are designed to be living on wifi...and unless she is interested in watching movies, loaded via computer or something it wont be good....sorry

LisaO

Many thanks for the replies, which have confirmed what I feared

lucretiaborgia - yeah, sorry, I meant USB modem, couldn't remember what to call it!

We did have a wi-fi modem until the dog ate it but it was pretty useless! Again, it would only get a signal in 2 rooms & only then if it was perched on the windows on one side, plus the signal was so weak you could only connect to it if you were in the same room so defeated the purpose of it.

I think we will need to re-think the whole tablet thing :mad:

galwayjohn89

LisaO wrote: »

Many thanks for the replies, which have confirmed what I feared

lucretiaborgia - yeah, sorry, I meant USB modem, couldn't remember what to call it!

We did have a wi-fi modem until the dog ate it but it was pretty useless! Again, it would only get a signal in 2 rooms & only then if it was perched on the windows on one side, plus the signal was so weak you could only connect to it if you were in the same room so defeated the purpose of it.

I think we will need to re-think the whole tablet thing :mad:

I would recommend getting a 3G router something like this. I would combine it with a USB extension cable and plug the USB modem into the extension cable and then into the Router. Place the USB modem near the window in a room that has good signal.

The router will create a WIFI hotspot that should be accessible anywhere in your house. The router is N enabled so has further range.

LisaO

Vuzuggu wrote: »

I would recommend getting a 3G router something like this. I would combine it with a USB extension cable and plug the USB modem into the extension cable and then into the Router. Place the USB modem near the window in a room that has good signal.

The router will create a WIFI hotspot that should be accessible anywhere in your house. The router is N enabled so has further range.

It's an old house with thick solid stone walls - would that cause problems? We can't use a cordless phone, for example.

Mobile signal here is not consistent either. Someone suggested getting a signal booster from 3 to improve this?

galwayjohn89

LisaO wrote: »

It's an old house with thick solid stone walls - would that cause problems? We can't use a cordless phone, for example.

Mobile signal here is not consistent either. Someone suggested getting a signal booster from 3 to improve this?

It would lessen the range of the router but it would still be far better then the mifi device you had. Another option would be using Powerline which would give you internet via ethernet(wired connection) You could then put an access point in the room you want wifi.

The signal booster from three would be worth a shot should improve the internet connection (conection from router to the phone network/internet) but not the wireless connection(connection from computer to router)

a clanger

The nexus 7 32gb with 3G is now on sale so you could buy this then stick a SIM card in it ... It's fantastic value as long as she is not streaming movies it's as good as you will get unless you move house to somewhere with UPC