three broadband.

Hey so im going to have to get another isp. sky are ridclious. My choices are either 3 or imagine. After doing some research on imagine im staying far away. 3 dont seem terrible besides odd contention during peak. Anyway anyone that has the broadband with em 4 g what are they like. Also is therea device you can put on the sideof your house to improve the signal to their mast. I was talking to someone a few weeks ago that said they have something on their house round that cost that helps them get a better connection to the mast or whatever. If i google it its only showing up wifi boosters and routars

Simi

Wexman1992 wrote: »

Hey so im going to have to get another isp. sky are ridclious. My choices are either 3 or imagine. After doing some research on imagine im staying far away. 3 dont seem terrible besides odd contention during peak. Anyway anyone that has the broadband with em 4 g what are they like. Also is therea device you can put on the sideof your house to improve the signal to their mast. I was talking to someone a few weeks ago that said they have something on their house round that cost that helps them get a better connection to the mast or whatever. If i google it its only showing up wifi boosters and routars

You can get an external 4g antenna if you need to boost signal, but I'd investigate how you get on without one at first. Easiest way to check is to buy a three prepay SIM and do speed tests all over your house until you find the best signal, usually an upstairs window.

Then you can either sign up for three's broadband or buy your own 4g router and pop your prepay SIM in it. Both methods work out about the same in cost over a year.

Hey thanks for your response. Can you link me an external 4g antenna youre talking about. It should boost the signal from the mast to the routar for stronger speeds. Im looking at it online an the only things i can find are "wifi boosters" which just boost your wifi from your routar. Thats not what i want as ill be using a wired connection.

Well you get a 14 day trial period with the three. Are you talking about this https://www.three.ie/shop/broadband/bill-pay-broadband.html. Ignore 5g i cant get that i mean the 4g one. Theres two options im not really sure the difference. Are you talking about buying the 3 broadband unlimited sim only( no contract) and testing it out for month or two? And i just take speed tests on that and try find the best place in my house( i have no upstairs to put it) and put the then put the router there( im obviously testing from my phone, should i be using a hotspot or something?) when i get the "three broadband unlimited plan"? Sorry im just trying to understand here before committing to such a long contract so detailed responses appreciated.

smuggler.ie

You need this, €20/28d, no contract:
https://www.three.ie/buy/prepay.html#sim-only

You might need:
4G+ router(Huawei B525, Huawei B535, Huawei B818 or similar)
4G LTE antenna, not booster
Locate your local masts <5km radius https://siteviewer.comreg.ie/#explore
Consider installing Cellmapper app, so you will be able to see what exact mast/cell you are connecting to.

Recommend to read and test a lot before committing to purchase any equipment to avoid/reduce disappointment.

*Other tools might be available.
**Other ISP's might provide better service in your area.
***More to read and ask here: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1147

Hey. Thanks for the reply. Alot to unpack there. Is the 20 euro per month plan the same speeds as the one i linked earlier. 24 months 30 euro 750GB allowance? Besides price and no contract whats the difference? Less allowance slower speeds etc? As you can see i dont know much about this stuff. Pretty much learning bout it all today.

Do I need the router to stick the sim in? then the rest of the house including me can work from that? I want to stick ethernet cable in routar to pc and playstation. Is that what im doing here? Also those routars from what ive seen are 200 euro a pop thats expensive unless you can find me a link that there not so much.

Yeh i was looking at the 4G LTE antennas. Im a bit confused i was under the impression theyre illegal. https://www.irishwireless.net/xpol-a0002 it says this is illegal, however i couldnt find anything being said that this one https://www.novatel.ie/9dbi-cross-polarised-high-gain-outdoor-lte-panel-antenna-xpol-2 is illegal. Theres more expensive ones on that website to. Just clarify for me if its illegal or not and why i cant purchase the other. I want something to boost my signal from the mast NOT something that helps my wifi in my house im using a eternet for that. I dont want to get fined or anything. Also feel free to link a good one thats also legal if you know of one.


My closest mast i think is about 8 miles. Though on the map there says theres a closer one but its operated by meteor apparently. Im guessing i can only connect to the ones that say operated by 3.




I clicked that cellmapper link. What do the numbers mean on the masts. Kilmore quay says 3142 and under bands 3,20. Can you clarify what that means. Best to be equipped with all this info before as you aid commit. Thanks for your help so far though

smuggler.ie

Wexman1992 wrote: »

Hey. Thanks for the reply. Alot to unpack there. Is the 20 euro per month plan the same speeds as the one i linked earlier. 24 months 30 euro 750GB allowance? Besides price and no contract whats the difference? Less allowance slower speeds etc? As you can see i dont know much about this stuff. Pretty much learning bout it all today.

Different plans SIM's still use the same mast's. Where it might be possible for service provider to apply different service/restrictions on different service plans, Three 20/28 states "unlimited" (*actual 2TB) anyway and it is. with €30 contract you officially get "support", if you need them to tell you that you need:
1. restart your router
2. reset your router
3. "you have had ??Mbps DL speed* in last 24hours and your connection considered good, case closed."
*See small print for actual numbers https://www.three.ie/pdf/NBS_smallprint.pdf

Wexman1992 wrote: »

Do I need the router to stick the sim in? then the rest of the house including me can work from that? I want to stick ethernet cable in routar to pc and playstation. Is that what im doing here? Also those routars from what ive seen are 200 euro a pop thats expensive unless you can find me a link that there not so much.

It does not have to be router, you can HotSpot from the phone. But if you want to get wired connection to devices, along WiFi - yes router will be needed. Re cost calculation vs beneffits, look here, you get the idea. Newer models=newer tech, some significant benefits. I only speak of models i had/have, but check and compare specifications, very important among other is LTE CATxx(category)

Wexman1992 wrote: »

Yeh i was looking at the 4G LTE antennas. Im a bit confused i was under the impression theyre illegal. https://www.irishwireless.net/xpol-a0002 it says this is illegal, however i couldnt find anything being said that this one https://www.novatel.ie/9dbi-cross-polarised-high-gain-outdoor-lte-panel-antenna-xpol-2 is illegal. Theres more expensive ones on that website to. Just clarify for me if its illegal or not and why i cant purchase the other. I want something to boost my signal from the mast NOT something that helps my wifi in my house im using a eternet for that. I dont want to get fined or anything. Also feel free to link a good one thats also legal if you know of one.

Don't have definitive answer to that, not a lawyer. Booster vs antenna two different things. Some opinions voiced here
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2058119585

Wexman1992 wrote: »

My closest mast i think is about 8 miles. Though on the map there says theres a closer one but its operated by meteor apparently. Im guessing i can only connect to the ones that say operated by 3.

8 miles(~13km) is not good. Here benefit having unlocked router vs contract comes to play. if cant get usable internet from one provider just switch to next. If at some point other provider might get mast closer, you have option to switch again.

Wexman1992 wrote: »

I clicked that cellmapper link. What do the numbers mean on the masts. Kilmore quay says 3142 and under bands 3,20. Can you clarify what that means. Best to be equipped with all this info before as you aid commit. Thanks for your help so far though

Router (huawei in particular) will show some statistics. Cell ID on router and mast ID on Comreg do not match, Cellmapper allow to determine what mast exctly you are connecting, but this relevant if you have more than one in near vicinity. 1, 3, 20, ... are bands known that mast operate.


Most if not all is discussed on Midband forum, more to read and more to learn

8 miles(~13km) is not good. Here benefit having unlocked router vs contract comes to play. if cant get usable internet from one provider just switch to next. If at some point other provider might get mast closer, you have option to switch again.

I agree with you but only three from what ive seen do rolling contracts I think. Unless you can link me others. From what ive seen both eir and vodaphone are both contract. If we're talking about the pay as you go option here, you get a sim from 3 and with your 4g routar plug that sim into it, and just keep paying 20 euro per month? Im wit vodaphone presently but i dont have any data or stuff i just use credit. Are 3 going to ask me to change my number from vodaphone to them and i gotta keep plugging my sim from my phone into the routar? Im so confused with the payg stuff. I checked with vodaphone payg stuff and they just offer 20g download i think. https://n.vodafone.ie/shop/broadband/mobile-broadband.html

Wat do you use exactly now yourself( routar, antenna etc) and what speeds do you get down and up. i saw a thread from 2018 about you talking about how bad three speeds were espically for gaming. I think it was you anyway.

waynescales1

smuggler.ie wrote: »

You need this, €20/28d, no contract:
https://www.three.ie/buy/prepay.html#sim-only

Aren't there 2 different types of Sim? A mobile sim (which works in a mobile) and a broadband sim (which works in a router). A mobile sim won't work in a router.

smuggler.ie

Wexman1992 wrote: »

.......Im wit vodaphone presently but i dont have any data or stuff i just use credit. Are 3 going to ask me to change my number from vodaphone to them and i gotta keep plugging my sim from my phone into the routar?

If willing to use 4G as your habitat internet connection, leave your phone alone - new SIM in to the router - no swapping, no number porting, no ISP change.

If you need connection just for yourself and not willing to spend on router, etc. - just use tethering directly from you phone, but your current plan might not be suitable in relation to data allowance

If you need connection just for yourself and willing to spend on router and swapping from phone once home - suite yourself, but your current plan might not be suitable in relation to data allowance

Wexman1992 wrote: »

Wat do you use exactly now yourself( routar, antenna etc) and what speeds do you get down and up. i saw a thread from 2018 about you talking about how bad three speeds were espically for gaming. I think it was you anyway.

Can't recall , but could have , back in 2012 they were even worse. It all have changed and still gradually does, but differently by location. Most places got upgraded.
Your options and results will be different as you are based in ... where you live. You need test all potential providers and make decision based on it. I cant and wont do that for you, but i gave you at least few places where to start.

Have two setups, both on Three, pointing same mast(4km):
B818+Iskra P58 L700(on the roof) and B525+whatever brand this is(on the wall, 1.5m off ground), speeds differ between B818 and B525.

smuggler.ie

waynescales1 wrote: »

Aren't there 2 different types of Sim? A mobile sim (which works in a mobile) and a broadband sim (which works in a router). A mobile sim won't work in a router.

Not that i am aware about Three and several SIM's in past few years had no hiccups once in the router. But shed light with link if you have.

waynescales1

smuggler.ie wrote: »

Not that i am aware about Three and several SIM's in past few years had no hiccups once in the router. But shed light with link if you have.

A few weeks ago I spoke to a Three employee, in store, who told me my mobile sim would "not work" in a 4G router, but that I would need a broadband sim instead (which come with different, less favourable plans than voice sims).

Today, speaking to a Three employee on Online Chat, I was told that my standard "voice" sim would "work" in a 4G router but that the speeds would not be as fast.

Another thing to be aware of is that 4G routers, like phones, can be locked to a specific network provider.

waynescales1

smuggler.ie wrote: »

If willing to use 4G as your habitat internet connection, leave your phone alone - new SIM in to the router - no swapping, no number porting, no ISP change.

Any good (cheap) router options you're aware of?

smuggler.ie

smuggler.ie wrote: »

If willing to use 4G as your habitat internet connection, leave your phone alone - new SIM in to the router - no swapping, no number porting, no ISP change.

If you need connection just for yourself and not willing to spend on router, etc. - just use tethering directly from you phone, but your current plan might not be suitable in relation to data allowance

If you need connection just for yourself and willing to spend on router and swapping from phone once home - suite yourself, but your current plan might not be suitable in relation to data allowance


Can't recall , but could have , back in 2012 they were even worse. It all have changed and still gradually does, but differently by location. Most places got upgraded.
Your options and results will be different as you are based in ... where you live. You need test all potential providers and make decision based on it. I cant and wont do that for you, but i gave you at least few places where to start.

Have two setups, both on Three, pointing same mast(4km):
B818+Iskra P58 L700(on the roof) and B525+whatever brand this is(on the wall, 1.5m off ground), speeds differ between B818 and B525.

Hey thanks for your reply. Didnt you say or maybe it was someone else that the 20 pm 28 day payg option is like 2tb fair usage policy?

Also i have no "current plan" lol.

smuggler.ie

waynescales1 wrote: »

A few weeks ago I spoke to a Three employee, in store, who told me my mobile sim would "not work" in a 4G router, but that I would need a broadband sim instead (which come with different, less favourable plans than voice sims).

Today, speaking to a Three employee on Online Chat, I was told that my standard "voice" sim would "work" in a 4G router but that the speeds would not be as fast.

Another thing to be aware of is that 4G routers, like phones, can be locked to a specific network provider.

And Midband forum will tell you that there are significant number of people that use standard SIM in the router and have no issues in that regard.
Again, things are dynamic and providers could potentially have ability to apply restrictions, if you get new SIM and find issue let us know.
Speed differences comes from various other things.


Don't buy router from ISP, and when buying from other sources, check and verify it is unlocked to all networks.

smuggler.ie

waynescales1 wrote: »

Any good (cheap) router options you're aware of?

For last ~10+ years using Huawei in this order- B593, E5186, B525, B818

basill

Most people who go for mobile broadband grab payg sim cards for the services to see what reception is like before committing. Sign up for 48.ie. 10.99 a month and they use 3 network. Gomo use Eir. Throw their sim cards into a spare phone and see how you get on with signal before taking the plunge and signing up for their mobile broadband. Does Eir work where you are? They just brought out a 5g offering, 99 for the 5g router and 45 a month. 750gb per billing cycle fair use policy which should be more than enough for most.