Bad Signal areas/Caravan Site... repairable with one of these?

[DejaVu]

My mother just sold up her house and moved onto a static caravan site. For her, it's an excellent move financially and she loves it there.
She's out in the sticks with her dog, has a new car and is now finally mortgage free.

Now I've been called in to fix the issues she's having. The biggest being the fact she's not allowed to install a landline and has to rely on her mobile phone for the internet.
The problem is, the signal from her provider in the area is terrible (Three UK).

On the decking outside the caravan, she can make calls and text - just! Walk a little further towards her car and the internet appears, so it's not a completely dead area. It works, but is slow and patchy as hell.
I've looked about for things to improve the signal inside her caravan, but I've never been asked to do this type of thing, so am clueless.

The signal strength on her phone outside the van on her SGS2 is -113dBm 0asu (also known as fuck all!)
She's being asked by Three at the moment if she would like to upgrade her phone, but she doesn't want to if she cannot improve the signal where she now lives.

Here is what I was looking at getting her to try and solve it, but it sounds too good to be true to me.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271278088515
Is it possible that this thing can boost a non-existent signal into something half decent and does she just connect to it like any Wifi Router or is it just a 3G booster.

She is hoping to attach a NowTV to her phone and stream through Plex too...!

Any advice?

[akimba]

I looked into something like this for my house until I found out that these mobile repeaters are bordering on illegal google it some places say they fine but most say they are illegal unless you have a telecoms licence
http://www.smartermobile.com/blog/si...y-are-illegal/

[koola2]

Could you do a scan of avaliable networks on the phone in the caravan and see if any of them have a signal?

[DejaVu]

I looked into something like this for my house until I found out that these mobile repeaters are bordering on illegal google it some places say they fine but most say they are illegal unless you have a telecoms licence
http://www.smartermobile.com/blog/si...y-are-illegal/

OMFG, how pathetic is that. It's not a Jammer or anything capable of fucking with the signal. It's a receiving unit being used to gain a signal where it would not usually be available. This countrys laws are fucking ridiculous sometimes.

Could you do a scan of avaliable networks on the phone in the caravan and see if any of them have a signal?

Done this. Have spoke to other residents and they all recommend 02.
While this will work with call and texts (which so far is looking the best option), the internet capabilites of 02's network are not as good (no unlimited tariff available).

She was hoping to stick with Three due to the One Plan she's on has unlimited Data coverage and can be used for Skype and Plex.

--edit
Also found this well handy at finding the signal strengths for a specific area - http://opensignal.com/

[Goldberg]

Tell her to be careful if/when she upgrades because I am sure I heard Three have yanked the unlimited tethering now for new customers and they might try and trick her into new terms..

If you installed one of those dishes, surely people would think it was just a dish for TV? She doesn't have to tell people what it is.

[akimba]

If you installed one of those dishes, surely people would think it was just a dish for TV? She doesn't have to tell people what it is.

It will boost all their mobile phones as well as it does not limit to certain peoples handsets, I am just highlighting this as said I was going to get 1 but was certainly put off after googling but I had the option of installing a sure signal or this and obviously the sure signal was a safer option for me.

[beerman]

No BT openzone/FON in the caravan park?

[tips]

Hi DejaVu,

Take a look at the WiBE (Wireless Internet Broadband Extender), I use one whilst Motorhoming out in the sticks and it works a treat. We even use it to connect the Dreambox up so we can get all our channels whilst out and about. It is also handy for the likes of XBMC.

I am so reliant on mine that I even carry a spare (which I may be tempted to sell). Mine are the HS21 variant.

I use mine on the Three network and on the whole it is superb, only on the odd occasion has it struggled to get us a 3G signal.

[evilsatan]

This is handy too:
http://www.digital-forums.com/showth...aps-19-06-2010

I have the opensignal and coverage map apps on my iPhone which are crowd sourced.

have you looked into wireless broadband like county broadband? Or even satellite broadband?

[pickie]

if o2 signal is ok then go GiffGaff it uses the o2 network and for £12 a month pay as you go you get unlimited data, 250 mins phone unlimited txt

[Goldberg]

You cannot tether on GiffGaff though. Well you can, but they will soon turn you off for doing so.

[macmilm]

I was in a similar setup for a couple of years and I got an antenna/booster from maplin... similar to one you linked and it did make a difference...
Although what I found as a better solution was the site office had wifi (wep) say no more.. happily used the alternative with no repercussions but as above the boosters do work but don't expect a miracle
TBH I found switching network from 3 was a better solution... the area I was in (not far from colchester incidentally) had much better signal with Vodafone and got 3g no probs.

[pickie]

ah sorry yes was ment to mention that but forgot, yes unfortunately you cant teather to a pc , but for mobile download, watch, browse as much as you like,

[Mobileman]

i have the solution after years of getting installs done for worksites and people in remote locations ......

car kit fitted internally to caravan uses external antenna and you can fit a marina/yagi/base station antenna and will cost you about £150 for a decent kit fitted

check out co-star and panorama for some quality antennas, avoid ebay most are shite
http://www.co-star.co.uk/
http://www.panorama-antennas.com/

use the kit either handsfree or bluetooth and still on handset the carkit will still use the external antenna

job done


PS if she does ever upgrade she will lose the unlimited tethering as mentioned in other posts

[macmilm]

car kit fitted internally to caravan uses external antenna and you can fit a marina/yagi/base station antenna and will cost you about £150 for a decent kit fitted

As soon as I read that I remembered.. it was a Yagi that I had !!!!

[TAR]

car kit fitted internally to caravan uses external antenna and you can fit a marina/yagi/base station antenna and will cost you about £150 for a decent kit fitted

Got any links to these kits m8?

[Mobileman]

Got any links to these kits m8?

check out kits from
bury http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/thb-uni-s...talk-p4816.htm
ioplay
parrot http://www.amazon.co.uk/Parrot-CK310.../dp/B000621SN0
nokia

loads other stuff out there but i tend to avoid

[macmilm]

@Mobileman

Are you still able to connect to a handsfree kit and a laptop at the same time for tethering ????? They don't use same connectors

[Mobileman]

@Mobileman

Are you still able to connect to a handsfree kit and a laptop at the same time for tethering ????? They don't use same connectors

some car kits have separate data port so should be possible, alos laptop to phone via bluetooth should still work the phone is still the access point just signal and audio is going via car kit

[DejaVu]

This sounds like it's getting more and more technical, but I've now got the funds and the go-ahead with this and will be ordering everything I need today.

So what your saying MobileMan, is to buy a Bluetooth Handfree kit... like the Parrot (because I've heard of it) and set it up somewhere central in the Caravan.
The Parrot has it's own aerial connected to the outside of the caravan? Preferably a decent aerial from Co-Star like this one.

Then, when she walks into the Van, the phone connects to the Parrot via bluetooth, which gets it's signal from outside via a decent Yagi ariel.
She can then Portable Hotspot Tether (Wifi) her Laptop to the phone which should also be getting the signal from outside the van using the Parrots aerial?

Sound about right?

PS- Although still considering the Satellite route at the moment. If it improves everyone's signal in that area, it can't be a bad thing.

Take a look at the WiBE (Wireless Internet Broadband Extender), I use one whilst Motorhoming out in the sticks and it works a treat......(which I may be tempted to sell)....... Mine are the HS21 variant.

I use mine on the Three network and on the whole it is superb, only on the odd occasion has it struggled to get us a 3G signal.

The WiBe website (Deltenna?) is quite vague in the information it shares, pricing, capabilities etc. Does the device also improve GSM signal too or purely for 3G only?

Wouldn't want to tempt you outside the BST, but if it ticks all the boxes above and you can't recommend it enough, it maybe something I maybe interested in tempting you to sell.

No BT openzone/FON in the caravan park?

Nope. Unfortunately not. The clubhouse has a Free Wifi Hotspot for all residents (Web only - obviously), but it's too far from the caravan to use or extend.