Using a mobile as a hotspot

[cheb]

I'm using a phone as a hotspot for the time being, will a dedicated internet box be any faster? Which ever I choose would be using EE or a piggybacking supplier. I'm loath to lump out £35 a month for a box when a £10 a month top up gets me all I need. There's only one device connected at a time.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The only way it would be quicker is if it has a better signal and therefore more bandwidth.

[weeksy]

Tethering/hotspot isn't particularly quick in my experience. It's ok, but that's about it.

[Rockburner]

The only way it would be quicker is if it has a better signal and therefore more bandwidth.

This. The chokepoint will be the 4g signal.

With a separate device you "can" add extra aerials to improve the signal, but as long as you've got a good signal on the phone it won't make much difference.

[v8-powered]

I can get around 1Gb transfer a mile or so from home, far quicker than I get on our fibre at home.

I tether at work as I can't access the corporate network as a contractor, never had a problem running usual apps and Teams etc.

[Zimbo]

We gave up wired broadband years ago and exist very happily on a 4G TP Link router and unlimited SIM from Smarty. No issues at all streaming video , sky box etc.

[Demannu]

We used to use a huawei cube with a 4g sim and get 3-4mbs out in the sticks of france.
As for your 'is a dedicated line better', depends on many things like distance from exchange, users on the same circuit. Have a look at samknows and that may answer some questions.
Until they lit up the local fibre I was quite happy with my 4g

[wheelnut]

Phones are awkward to use as a router as they tend to switch the hotspot off when it’s idle and need to be reconnected.

Teltonika make reasonable 4g routers but, as always, it depends on what you need.

[Greenman]

I visited a company a few weeks ago that was using a 4G router for their entire campus, it was shocking, if i was working there i think my machine would be been chucked out the window within a week.

They are in an ex NHS building where the upstairs part is still controlled by the NHS who refuse to let anyone piggy back off their fibre line or to get any other line installed into the building, some sort of silly politics as per usual. I resolved the issue they had in there by moving the router closer to the window!

The Director said she is moving to a new setting soon so they can actually get a decent internet line in!

[DefTrap]

I'm old enough to remember when when the satellite office I was in (a hundred yards or so from the main building) was connected to that network via a line-of-sight laser link. When it got foggy some winter mornings we were effectively disconnected.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I'm old enough to remember when when the satellite office I was in (a hundred yards or so from the main building) was connected to that network via a line-of-sight laser link. When it got foggy some winter mornings we were effectively disconnected.

Ha, we still had that at our old place in 2012!

[KungFooBob]

I had two sites connected by microwave link!

Some trees on private land grew a bit too tall, the Chairman's builder cousin chopped them down for me in the middle of the night

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

We've got two offices linked by a microwave link, by sea they're about 2 miles apart, by road it's an hours drive, it cuts out when a ship crosses the beam.

[Jody]

Tethering/hotspot isn't particularly quick in my experience. It's ok, but that's about it.

TBF mate, even in Cornwall, my Macbook tethered to my phone lets me watch 1080p videos on youtube!!

[wheelnut]

I'm using a phone as a hotspot for the time being, will a dedicated internet box be any faster? Which ever I choose would be using EE or a piggybacking supplier. I'm loath to lump out £35 a month for a box when a £10 a month top up gets me all I need. There's only one device connected at a time.

Location, location, location. It all depends on what you can get where you are. If you can get decent fibre to the cabinet or fibre to the premises then yes, it’s worth it. If the 4g connection is usable and you’re happy then it’s all good. Bear in mind there will be a fair usage policy with the 4g connection though.

If you’re happy to continue using the 4g connection then you may want to consider using a a router - Teltonika make some decent ones.

[v8-powered]

Can get pretty decent downloads via a tethered mobile

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[Trinity765]

I've just purchased a 5G data only sim from Vodafone. £21 on a 20 day rolling contract that I can stop and start when I like. There is a data limit but can't remember what it is - not that it matters for now as it's for experimental purposes only. I'm also thinking of getting the D-Link Portable WiFi 6 5G router and I will be doing some testing as I travel around the UK this year.

[wheelnut]

I've just purchased a 5G data only sim from Vodafone. £21 on a 20 day rolling contract that I can stop and start when I like. There is a data limit but can't remember what it is - not that it matters for now as it's for experimental purposes only. I'm also thinking of getting the D-Link Portable WiFi 6 5G router and I will be doing some testing as I travel around the UK this year.

Even the unlimited sims have a fair use policy attached to them. Normally 5-600GB per month which sounds a lot but …..

[Jody]

Tethering/hotspot isn't particularly quick in my experience. It's ok, but that's about it.

I was able to watch youtube etc when in right out in the stick in Cornwall. Interestingly though I could tell when my mate woke up (100 yards away in a different building) as the connection would be slower when he used it too!

[Felix]

Cheap data sim and a mifi box. Not this one as you can get unlocked ones for less so shop around. Its what i will be sticking in my camperbus for if we are stuck in due to rain. Ill have my internet and firestick. https://www.currys.co.uk/products/ee-4g ... &gclsrc=ds