Bloody hell!! We have never thought about signal after closing the blinds. Just changed to a Roam X 5g with an EE unlimited SIM and we are so happy in the UK and Europe. You are so right about the signal being worse in the UK. Another great video.
Totally agree about the need for a reliable, workable signal rather than a HUGE speed in urban locations that you just can’t use. I often get pushback when people say that their phone is faster than my set up but I always come back with that I need a signal to work and I can work on 10mbps. I can’t actually utilise 100 mbps you get in 5g areas. A solid 4g signal everywhere is what most people need. I used to use a Netgear Nighthawk M1 with a Poynting V3-12 (MIMO 2x2] and it worked fairly well. I’ve recently changed my van and took the opportunity to upgrade my router. I’ve now got a Teltonika RUTX14 connected to a Poynting V3-17 (MIMO 4x4) and it’s much better than the Nighthawk. Not cheap but I get a strong reliable signal virtually everywhere. Take care.
Great video. Always a mine field deciding what to buy for mobile viewing. Nice to know what works. I am also with 3 and have used my card abroad at no extra cost for around 3 years, and it still works. I do not kick the arse out of it and always stay within 80gb a month, never had an issue yet... However signal strenght in Scotland can be a joke with 3..
Thank you John for this excellent & informative video, it doesn't matter how much consumer research you do, finding someone with the knowledge you've built up is a godsend.
Thank you for this video. Just stumbled across this. Need a set up for my rural home. Looks like I could do the same as you and with the bigger antenna mounted outside or even one of the directional ones at my home over here in the states! You have given me hope.
Thanks so much for the video John. So informative and such useful information. I was researching Antenna myself but immediately ordered the last antenna you covered and recommended. Your channel really is Public Service Broadcasting and Consumer Information all in one. Thank you.
Another great informative vid John. The ever growing pace of technology will see you dealing with this subject again in a yr or two . Your needs for up load pace and Mandy’s work requirements perhaps would not need the quality items you have demonstrated here , for a majority of vanners, but great to learn what’s about. Thank you.
Another great tech vid John. Surprised how cheap the Bingfu antenna is @£13.99 compared to the Poynting puck that I paid £50 for and is now £79 on Amazon!!! That said, the puck works fine for me, but there's loads of negative reviews of the Bingfu antenna! I'm also using a ZTE MF971 router which cost £40 from eBay, with a 3 data only SIM, albeit only used for Netflix etc but the set up works just fine.
Brilliant video John, thank you i have been waiting to review your new aerial since Mandy put that on her van. Great review I bought that aerial the day Mandy put it on her channel but I have not put it on my new van that I am building. Thank you so much for all the other information, I bought the Engwe Engine x last week after your review, thank you so much for all you videos you are a 🌟
Hi John really enjoyed your video very informative on what works and doesn’t work for internet in your van looking forward to seeing your next video and now back on the John and Mandy channel as well keep safe 😊👍🏻
Thanks John- very useful! I wish I'd have bought the Bingfu 4G LTE now! I will see how my poynting puck 2 is soon- when I get a router! Like many, I just want enough signal wherever- so 3mb/s should work I would think. I don't suppose anyone knows of a phone that will accept aerial inputs?
Great comparison video John, really helpful info. Have you ever reviewed the "Teltonika" range of routers? e.g. the RUTX50 or RUTX14 etc? they offer dual sim ability for wan failover (Ideal if you lose signal whilst travelling) also provide multiple gigabit RJ45 ports. Not cheap by any strech but excellent build quality. A particularly geeky model (which I'm sure you will appreciate!) is the RUT956. It has multiple i/o that permits it to do all manner of weird & wonderful things. Also, can be powered directly from a 9-30vdc supply so ideal for vanlife. I'm about to pull the trigger on buying one myself as a upgrade to my woeful BT Broadband FTTC connection (28 dn/5 up). Was gonna pair it up with one of the fixed term EE sims on Amazon you were talking about in this video. Just a thought.
Hi John, Thanks for sharing your set-up. Still have to purchase my Netgear Nighthawk M2 but already fixed the antenne. 2 different size Pvc pipes that fit eachother exactly, extractable to 90 cm if needed and mounted on a heavy duty vacuum foot for temporary installation through one of the three skylights on the roof of our Bürstner campervan. Can’t wait to see the results. Thanks again, can mail you a picture incase you are interested.
Nicely presented. I used to work on the cellular systems in the UK so it was interesting to hear your user experience. The speed of the data connections is always dependent on the relationship between signal strength received and the radio noise it arrives with. If you can improve that ratio by have more signal but minimising the noise, you will have better speed and reliability. Directional antennas are best for this, but the ones you see advertised are not particularly directional, they may have modest gain in one direction but not much elsewhere. The signal loss in your connecting cables and connections will most often cancel out some gain these cheap aerials claim to have, but an external aerial will give a better signal to start with than an inside aerial.
ive followed your choices of network and router over the years and always super helpful mate, i had the netgear 820 something for years and it was good, i now have the M1 nighthawk and keep the 820 as a spare, for my use which is far less than your needs it is still great. i took out an EE contract a couple of years ago as its always give me signal but they kept putting the price up, ended up at £45 a month so cancelled it and bought a prepay unlimited sim from EE on Amazons black friday deal, £203 for unlimited data from november 2023 to june 2025, what a bargain :) i am still looking to try an external antenna as every one i research has a mix of good and rotten reviews and seems to be a real lucky dip, may take the plunge next spring when its warmer to work on the roof? keep up the good work gadget. 👍👍
I moved to mobile internet about 5 years ago and I got a ZTE NR5103e and I would say ZTE routers are the best I have come across, but this was a very good insight on getting a good antenna. 👍
What’s your view on best 12v router to run with starlink? I have done a 12v conversion on my starlink but using the router from my old router from the infamous mohowifi it works well but want to get make sure I get a good reliable 12v router with WAN input to run from my starlink poe. Seen a multitude used I would prefer one around the size of the m2 if possible so I don’t have a bulky set up but it would be connected to power constantly
Really helpful video. Thank you. I'm going to see how I can get on with an old EE router (close to £400 is a bit rich for my blood when I have a 12 v router) but I have just bought the aerial you recommend via your link. EE works well, as I understand it, because of the wavelength of its signal. It's long and like the old analogue LW radio, it travels well. I'm no expert but this is something I've picked up.
I also have the M2 and it’s been the best hotspot I have ever had, mainly used in the Westcountry. Steered (quad sims) if the price ever becomes viable for high data usage solves the network connectivity issue. We used EE as the steer, but there were a couple locations we had events at where there was no EE but Vodafone or three were available and pre-purchase 30 day sims from different networks and later steered sims were ideal for those
Great video John, I’ve found that with phones, I had an old iPhone SE from 2016 and it worked great on 4g and 3g if ever 4g wasn’t working you could go into settings to lock it to 3g and it’d be quicker, but my iPhone 12 you can only lock it onto 4g a 3g so when there is 4g but it’s slow you can’t put it on 3g! But I do need to upgrade my router as it’s very old 😅 I need to upgrade my antenna after watching this too 😂 I didn’t realise the 4g poyting was so lots dbi! 😅
John, you are a diamond. That was so useful as I've been mulling over an upgrade for a while now and although the gear I've got from the company you referred to works well, it does seem to be having a few issues and if I'm ever going to convince my better half that working from a van on a few days away is as good as working from home, I need a solid connection. But your advice about sim cards is even more useful as the deals from EE are clearly the best, while the support for data sims on a p.a.y.go is dismall. I've now got a much better idea what to look for. Cheers John, take care. P.S. no worries about the channels, these things always work out over time. 👋😊
Hay John I have the m2(ee) with the poynting puck for normal driving around and when we park up I have the poynting 5g antenna and if we say for more then 4 days I have a 4m pole with a directional kaser 4g with no issues on any of them we use it for streaming to and some work when we are way in wales and streaming the cameras in camp when we leave for the day best system tbh for people on the go. Great vid
Thanks for another really helpful and informative video👍 Great to see you kindly testing out the latest 5G gear (as I can't currently afford to) - and then confirm that most of us will probably be better off sticking with 4G for most scenarios for the time being. Thanks again.
Yep, I use a 4g router in my home as home broadband prices are just silly. I tested the 4g option using my phone for a few weeks, and had no problem at all even with Microsoft teams meetings for work. And streaming is fine too. So I went ahead and got the 4g router plus some antenna I can shove outside on bad signal days. It has been great, just as reliable as home broadband, and also has the advantage I can take it away in the van with me so I can work on the road too! The antenna are magnetic so I can just stick them to the roof when I need to. 😃
Hi John. I used a Nighthawk M1, which started to fail, but have now gone over to a Teltonika router. This router has duel sim & automatic switch over (to select which ever network has the strongest signal, EE/Vodaphone), this seems to work well with my Maview 5G compatible external aerial. Had I seen this video sooner, then I would have possibly tried the M2 ?
Great video John and thanks for making it available. The first 3 touters you mentioned I have used but always in a house for our Telecoms clients. In our old MoHo we used a TP-Link MR600 + Poynting X1 antenna but in the new one we will be changing this I think. Can I ask... Which antenna you currently use?
seen you loads of times but 1st time subscribing propa great vid john many thanks answered a lot of questions thanks pal keep them coming looking forward to watching you more ,i used to see you with darren urban van life cheers pal 10/10
Great video John. I've been looking for a static home set up because we're rural Devon with awful broadband speed. Trying TP-Link M600 router and getting about 60 to 100 MPPs with EE. SIM ( day 1) without connecting the Poynting antenna yet. Much better than the 6 to 10 Mbps on the broadband connection so overjoyed so far. Useful info too on you experience with SIM cards. I've seen those preloaded EE sims on Amazon and did wonder about them. Found your video very useful and explained in nice simple terms. It's certainly not my area of expertise so great to have someone like you giving this information on the kit you've tried. Any updates would be most welcome too.
Many thanx for your research. I may invest in one for home & C.van, as we live in middle of nowhere - in N.Wales very rural & bad WiFi speeds. Infact our vodaphone portable WiFi, that is used in Camper was much faster than home WiFi.
EE makes sense for best coverage across the widest of UK as they have been contracted to provide UK emergency services a replacement service for the Airwave network. This means they have been adding over last 3 yrs or so, lots more sites than perhaps other MNOs to provide the coverage... There might be a compromise in terms of speeds vs coverage ...
Hari OM Ta, John. (I was thrilled to see the J&M channel alive again!) All useful info... though my view has been coloured by being in this E-Transit. I had the interesting experience whilst in the wilds of Northumbria on that first trip out, that when sitting with a friend for pub lunch, my phone showed no signal. When I got back to The Grey, I had signal... and that is when I learned that the little black thing on the roof was probably an inbuilt booster! The van itself has connectivity if I choose to use it thus. I had been going to look into all this you spoke about, but found that even in the remotest spots (admittedly I've yet to get to the Highlands proper!) I always had at least three bars. That's inside a full panel van structure as I am not putting in windows. I was quite surprised but not complaining! It will be interesting to see what happens when I get myself norther and wester than I am at the mo. I also am using EE, but in the guise of Penny Mobile and pay just ten quid a month for 25GB data and all calls and texts included - which is proving quite sufficient for my needs at this stage. The unlimited data is twenty quid, so comparable with your deal. I have definitely had signal where others have struggled. Hope you are both staying warm and dry as the Scottish winter huddles down!!! YAM xx
The new “door stop” antenna you’re using. Can it be fit at a 90degree angle? To explain, I’d like to fit it to the side of my solar panels. These panels can tilt, from flat, obviously, to almost 90 degrees to the van roof. If you recon using it that way would interfere with its performance, please let me know.Look forward to seeing you both at Willow Fields again soon. Would be nice to know when,lol
I still have the netgear air card and that unbranded antenna from one of your earlier vlogs I watched few years back, looks like might be time to upgrade !
Interesting- I found the same with the fixed router (5G) thought it would be a game changer but I ended up with one without external ports as they had upgraded it (CPE one). Used a 4G Huawei one for a while and that was great and just got a 5G which seems to behave all be it not as fast as the iPhone (but the router I paid £150 second hand and the phone was nearly a grand and a half!) - happy for now though - pleased I didn’t get an M6 as looked at them. All the best, David 👍
Hi John, i have been researching routers lately for our camper, new to campers since last year, loved your above video, been looking at the Netgear range and you have chosen which one for me lol, now, my questions is, since your video was Dec 2023, do still recommend the same set up a year later? ie: M2 and same antenna? many thanks
@@GadgetJohn Thanks, we don't use much and not full timers, surfing internet mainly, or TV needs internet, currently hotspot through my phone, unlimited for £13 we also have been a long time EE customer
Thanks John, best informed video yet, (I do like all your videos) I have the M1 router and pointing antenna work well for me, Take care and stay safe..
Hi John, I have a question that maybe only you cam answer. I'm at the start of my van build, after a year of engine work! Anyway, I'll be living permanently in mine with my dog, spending 4 years going round the world. I was planning in getting this WiFi setup, but another option has arisen and maybe it won't work, maybe it will? I'm about to replace my Sprinter head unit with a Teyes CC3 2K, plus 360 cameras, front and rear dash cams, DAB radio, TPMS and various other bits. Well, this unit is 5G ready and as long as I place a Sim Card in it, it can be used as a 5G router/hotspot. I'm wondering if these android head units have an ignition and a constant positive live? With my Victron set up, my rear lithium will be able to trickle charge my vehicle battery. So, if I switch on the head unit, without the ignition key, will the head unit stay on and able to be used as my WiFi? It would save me £500 on a separate WiFi set up, plus the 360 cameras, plus dash cams could be used as a CCTV system, also saving money and bulk. What problems do you see with this idea? When the travels start, I'll probably get a Starlink for the remote places, but use the 5G head unit where I can get a 4G or 5G signal. TIA, Vince teyes.uk/
Thanks for your superb video. I have been looking into wifi for my van this video has really answered lots of questions that I had. Thank you so much John 👍😁
Hi John cracking video, just one question regarding the antenna. I have found a Bingfu antenna on line that looks the same as the one you show but it seems too cheap. Can you clarify what make / model your antenna is . Regards Mark
Hi John, Gone down the route of the Netgear MR2100 and the aerial as suggested. The problem I have is that I need an adaptor from the MR2 to the female connection on the Aerial lead. Could you possibly tell me what I am asking for when I order one. I have tried what I thought it was but this is very sloppy and falls out. Any help appreciated on getting the correct one. Thanks in advance.
Hi John, have you ever done a firmware update on the M2? The one I had would not update, just got the spinning disc. Netgear have just replaced it but I’ve been using a different router. I’m about to set the M2 up in my new van. Ive not tried updating the firmware on the new one yet?
Hello , what an informative video - thank you. Can I ask , how would you fit this antenna to a caravan that has no rails? Must admit Im a tad worried about hole drilling in my roof (warranty etc) but equally following an insect infestation after a trip to italy having windows open allowing for cables to come in. Gosh in a quandry! Thanks in advance Jo
Hi John great video! Do you have any names or links for the antennas? I will be mounting mine stationary at my garage and might consider the first one you mentioned. Many thansks!
Really found the video interesting. I understand that RWG will soon be offering a data only 'Flexi SIM' that is set up to roam across the four UK networks and use the best one for your location. No costs yet. Would you expect that to be a good choice for motorhomers? Thanks Stephen
Hi, thanks for this very helpful video, I bought the Bingfu antenna you recommended using your Amazon link, to replace my Teltonica puck antenna identical to the one you show in the video. I carried out speed tests using Ookla of both antennae, averaged out over five tests and alternating between the two antennae. I used a cat six 4G router and also repeated the speed tests with a cat four, 4g router. I have to report that the Bingfu antennae, actually did not perform as well as the puck antennae, it gave consistently significantly slower download speeds, and extremely poor upload speeds. Of - course it could be that the Bingfu antennae I bought was a dud, I'm not able to test multiple examples, equally your puck antennae might have been a poor example. But based on my findings I will be returning the Bingfu and sticking with the Teltonika for now. I hope that this is useful information for you and your subscribers.
Thanks for this video! I thought our signal dropped when we put the blinds down in our motorhome but the wife didn’t believe me! We’ve got a small antenna on our roof but the PO kept the router so need to find one. For the odd few weekends/week away I don’t know if I want to spend £400 on a router though.
@@GadgetJohn I’ve got a new iPhone 15 Pro Max and usually put it under the skylight inside but want to see if this outside aerial does anything. Don’t think I’d put that outside 😂
Hi Brilliant video, my question is, we do a lot of camping , would the M2 router work on it's own without the antenna, I didn't want to make a hole in the tent 😉. I am with EE also. Cheers
Do you have a video of how to set these up? After investing in all of these items via your links only managing to get one bar of signal on the netgear and the battery drains despite whilst being plugged into USB socket?
I live in a vehicle and I've been looking at 5g setups as our 4g signal is crap, even living in a city. I'm going to invest in your antenna recommendation but using a TP link AC1200, Archer MR600, MIMO 4G sim router costing around 100 pounds as it's what I can afford. I can't really afford a 5g setup as I'd be looking at spending around 500 or more pounds, plus the extra in a new data sim . So thanks for this video, you've potentially saved me hundreds of pounds and hours of frustration! 😅
Hi John, thanks for the advice but most people will not have a roof rack to fit the aerial as high as your installation. Is it still the best solution for an installation on the roof? (with no rack). Also, do you know anything about the Avtex AMR985 which as been recommended to me?
Hi John, regards Star-link, can you connect internal cameras to Star link to watch on your phone? Eg, I have the cameras connected to a router, but don’t always get a signal. Thanks in anticipation. Love your u tube information. Brendan
Hi John enjoy your vids immensely!, Could I ask what you think of using a M2 with a Poynting mimo3 as that’s what kit I have ready to go on my van shortly the antenna is the Mimo 3 V2 15 Cheers and stay safe
We were with EE and very happy with them, then they introduced "fair usage" in Europe. We had paid for 120GB (via a contract) for a couple of years so we were a bit miffed. So we moved to RWG where you get 100 GB (on a 200GB per month allowance) its OK but I am finding the Vodafone network a bit slow ?
@@GadgetJohn I am afraid they do, and not only that .. they charged me £2.39 a day for Roaming. I removed the sim from my Huawei router and cancelled with them on my return to Britain . I understood that you paid the £15 per month roaming charge ? I suppose I could have done that too.. but as they had already put the price up from £20 when I signed up to £25 just 2 years later.. I felt it was just too expensive. We enjoy your very helpful and informative videos. 👍
Hi John. We just changed our motorhome and in the old one I had the avtec WiFi 4g router with the dome antenna bolted through the roof. I kept the router but left the antenna glued on the roof to save leveling a hole. What is my best option to have it fitted up again as I don't want to start drilling holes in the roof of the new motorhome. Rob
I have a d-link g416 4 g router which i think works well, got EE unlimited sim with tnt sport, apple music , eu roaming for £27.50 a month, ceased my broadband, voice and tnt sport costing over £75 a month, run 4g router with external antenna in house and take router away when im with motorhome, works well , will try the external antenna u recommend when they are back in stock
Just checking as this video is not new. Is there an update or would you still recommend the same gear today. I am arriving from Australia in September and have no knowledge of this English, so I intend to follow your recommendations to the letter.
I was experimenting with a remote extender and I found on line and through experience that 4G has the much longer range but if you have a really strong nearby signal you can use 5G which has more band width but in practice, I stick to 4G
I am interested in the connectors you use to The M2. I have an M2 the little brass slide in connectors on the M2 were not compatible with the connectors on my antenna, so I got some adaptors, small things that screw into the antenna cable solid terminals and slide into the flimsy brass cylinders of the m2. Trouble is they fall out easily and have to be pushed in again. You seem to have tails of something similar at the antenna cable end but a square block at the M2 connections. How does yours stay in? What connection is it?
The adaptors are linked in the video description. Mount the router & cables so the cables aren’t taught and the router doesn’t move, then just regularly check the connections are tight. As I drive on rough roads a lot I do need to adjust the adaptors every couple of months, I gently squeeze the ts9 end with pliers to ensure they’re tight as they fit onto the routers antenna connectors.
Hi John hope you’re keeping well been watching you for a few years now can you please in lighten me with your router you use can you program to have a VPN on it so my thinking is can I program the VPN to what country
I'm planning to replace my old antenna with the same as yours but would like to use existing cables as they run in awkward place and sikaflex through the roof. Did you chop and solder yours John? Thanks for informative video
Great information as always thanks. I am about to fit a puck antenna that I have bought , can you please advise why it didn’t work out for Mandy. Do you think it may have been better to have mounted it higher as per the new one you are both now using. Cheers Richie.
John, do you have experience with Wifi extenders to pick-up external wifi on camp-sites in combination with 4g. I as looking to use wifi extension where possible and 4g when needed. What’s your opinion?
Great video 😁 used your link to buy the antenna seeing as I need a new one after catching a tree 😂 will update my router one day but I am experiencing the issues of it not being up to date for the latest signal more so as they are getting rid of 3G even though I primarily use 4g for working.
Bloody hell!! We have never thought about signal after closing the blinds. Just changed to a Roam X 5g with an EE unlimited SIM and we are so happy in the UK and Europe. You are so right about the signal being worse in the UK. Another great video.
Thank you for explaining what can be confusing to some of us, it also saves us money with your reviews, thank you. Look forward to the starling one😊
Thanks a lot, just what I was looking for. It’s all about practical effectiveness, not about theoretical high specs👍👍.
Totally agree about the need for a reliable, workable signal rather than a HUGE speed in urban locations that you just can’t use. I often get pushback when people say that their phone is faster than my set up but I always come back with that I need a signal to work and I can work on 10mbps. I can’t actually utilise 100 mbps you get in 5g areas. A solid 4g signal everywhere is what most people need.
I used to use a Netgear Nighthawk M1 with a Poynting V3-12 (MIMO 2x2] and it worked fairly well.
I’ve recently changed my van and took the opportunity to upgrade my router.
I’ve now got a Teltonika RUTX14 connected to a Poynting V3-17 (MIMO 4x4) and it’s much better than the Nighthawk.
Not cheap but I get a strong reliable signal virtually everywhere.
Take care.
Great video. Always a mine field deciding what to buy for mobile viewing. Nice to know what works. I am also with 3 and have used my card abroad at no extra cost for around 3 years, and it still works. I do not kick the arse out of it and always stay within 80gb a month, never had an issue yet... However signal strenght in Scotland can be a joke with 3..
Thank you John for this excellent & informative video, it doesn't matter how much consumer research you do, finding someone with the knowledge you've built up is a godsend.
John, you must be No1 in this because internet companies, router companies and reviewers for magazines, will never review so many and for so long.
Thank you for this video. Just stumbled across this. Need a set up for my rural home. Looks like I could do the same as you and with the bigger antenna mounted outside or even one of the directional ones at my home over here in the states! You have given me hope.
Another brilliant informative video! Thankyou John. We currently have a cheapy Mifi and will be updating it at some point. This has helped a lot. ❤
Thanks so much for the video John. So informative and such useful information. I was researching Antenna myself but immediately ordered the last antenna you covered and recommended.
Your channel really is Public Service Broadcasting and Consumer Information all in one. Thank you.
What brand was the antenna please? Or is there a link? Thanks
@@alea9444 can you tell me what thee antenna was please
Thanks for this, I have been looking into WiFi for the van so this has come just at the right time.
Another great informative vid John. The ever growing pace of technology will see you dealing with this subject again in a yr or two . Your needs for up load pace and Mandy’s work requirements perhaps would not need the quality items you have demonstrated here , for a majority of vanners, but great to learn what’s about. Thank you.
I'm only 7.5 minutes, and I like your intentions and motives for posting this.
I shall now watch the rest of the video, cheers fella
👍 👍 👍
Another great tech vid John.
Surprised how cheap the Bingfu antenna is @£13.99 compared to the Poynting puck that I paid £50 for and is now £79 on Amazon!!!
That said, the puck works fine for me, but there's loads of negative reviews of the Bingfu antenna!
I'm also using a ZTE MF971 router which cost £40 from eBay, with a 3 data only SIM, albeit only used for Netflix etc but the set up works just fine.
Brilliant video John, thank you i have been waiting to review your new aerial since Mandy put that on her van.
Great review I bought that aerial the day Mandy put it on her channel but I have not put it on my new van that I am building. Thank you so much for all the other information, I bought the Engwe Engine x last week after your review, thank you so much for all you videos you are a 🌟
Hi John really enjoyed your video very informative on what works and doesn’t work for internet in your van looking forward to seeing your next video and now back on the John and Mandy channel as well keep safe 😊👍🏻
WOW! Thanks John for your amazing info. Absolutely brilliant. Greatly appreciated. 👍😀☘️
Thanks John- very useful! I wish I'd have bought the Bingfu 4G LTE now! I will see how my poynting puck 2 is soon- when I get a router! Like many, I just want enough signal wherever- so 3mb/s should work I would think. I don't suppose anyone knows of a phone that will accept aerial inputs?
Great comparison video John, really helpful info. Have you ever reviewed the "Teltonika" range of routers? e.g. the RUTX50 or RUTX14 etc? they offer dual sim ability for wan failover (Ideal if you lose signal whilst travelling) also provide multiple gigabit RJ45 ports. Not cheap by any strech but excellent build quality. A particularly geeky model (which I'm sure you will appreciate!) is the RUT956. It has multiple i/o that permits it to do all manner of weird & wonderful things. Also, can be powered directly from a 9-30vdc supply so ideal for vanlife.
I'm about to pull the trigger on buying one myself as a upgrade to my woeful BT Broadband FTTC connection (28 dn/5 up). Was gonna pair it up with one of the fixed term EE sims on Amazon you were talking about in this video. Just a thought.
Hi John,
Thanks for sharing your set-up. Still have to purchase my Netgear Nighthawk M2 but already fixed the antenne. 2 different size Pvc pipes that fit eachother exactly, extractable to 90 cm if needed and mounted on a heavy duty vacuum foot for temporary installation through one of the three skylights on the roof of our Bürstner campervan. Can’t wait to see the results. Thanks again, can mail you a picture incase you are interested.
Nicely presented. I used to work on the cellular systems in the UK so it was interesting to hear your user experience. The speed of the data connections is always dependent on the relationship between signal strength received and the radio noise it arrives with. If you can improve that ratio by have more signal but minimising the noise, you will have better speed and reliability. Directional antennas are best for this, but the ones you see advertised are not particularly directional, they may have modest gain in one direction but not much elsewhere. The signal loss in your connecting cables and connections will most often cancel out some gain these cheap aerials claim to have, but an external aerial will give a better signal to start with than an inside aerial.
Wow! I always thought you couldn't use a normal phone SIM in a mobile router. Game changer. Thanks for poynting this out. 😉🙏
You are insanely smart! I was tracking the whole time and agreed with everything!
ive followed your choices of network and router over the years and always super helpful mate, i had the netgear 820 something for years and it was good, i now have the M1 nighthawk and keep the 820 as a spare, for my use which is far less than your needs it is still great. i took out an EE contract a couple of years ago as its always give me signal but they kept putting the price up, ended up at £45 a month so cancelled it and bought a prepay unlimited sim from EE on Amazons black friday deal, £203 for unlimited data from november 2023 to june 2025, what a bargain :) i am still looking to try an external antenna as every one i research has a mix of good and rotten reviews and seems to be a real lucky dip, may take the plunge next spring when its warmer to work on the roof? keep up the good work gadget. 👍👍
Name of that last small black conical antenna and where to buy please ? 👍
I moved to mobile internet about 5 years ago and I got a ZTE NR5103e and I would say ZTE routers are the best I have come across, but this was a very good insight on getting a good antenna. 👍
What’s your view on best 12v router to run with starlink? I have done a 12v conversion on my starlink but using the router from my old router from the infamous mohowifi it works well but want to get make sure I get a good reliable 12v router with WAN input to run from my starlink poe. Seen a multitude used I would prefer one around the size of the m2 if possible so I don’t have a bulky set up but it would be connected to power constantly
Really helpful video. Thank you. I'm going to see how I can get on with an old EE router (close to £400 is a bit rich for my blood when I have a 12 v router) but I have just bought the aerial you recommend via your link. EE works well, as I understand it, because of the wavelength of its signal. It's long and like the old analogue LW radio, it travels well. I'm no expert but this is something I've picked up.
I also have the M2 and it’s been the best hotspot I have ever had, mainly used in the Westcountry. Steered (quad sims) if the price ever becomes viable for high data usage solves the network connectivity issue. We used EE as the steer, but there were a couple locations we had events at where there was no EE but Vodafone or three were available and pre-purchase 30 day sims from different networks and later steered sims were ideal for those
Great video John, I’ve found that with phones, I had an old iPhone SE from 2016 and it worked great on 4g and 3g if ever 4g wasn’t working you could go into settings to lock it to 3g and it’d be quicker, but my iPhone 12 you can only lock it onto 4g a 3g so when there is 4g but it’s slow you can’t put it on 3g! But I do need to upgrade my router as it’s very old 😅 I need to upgrade my antenna after watching this too 😂 I didn’t realise the 4g poyting was so lots dbi! 😅
John, you are a diamond. That was so useful as I've been mulling over an upgrade for a while now and although the gear I've got from the company you referred to works well, it does seem to be having a few issues and if I'm ever going to convince my better half that working from a van on a few days away is as good as working from home, I need a solid connection. But your advice about sim cards is even more useful as the deals from EE are clearly the best, while the support for data sims on a p.a.y.go is dismall. I've now got a much better idea what to look for. Cheers John, take care. P.S. no worries about the channels, these things always work out over time. 👋😊
Thanks for doing this John, very insightful and useful.
Hay John I have the m2(ee) with the poynting puck for normal driving around and when we park up I have the poynting 5g antenna and if we say for more then 4 days I have a 4m pole with a directional kaser 4g with no issues on any of them we use it for streaming to and some work when we are way in wales and streaming the cameras in camp when we leave for the day best system tbh for people on the go. Great vid
Great video. Its now Dec 2024. Does the video still hold true or have you changed kit since?
Thanks for another really helpful and informative video👍
Great to see you kindly testing out the latest 5G gear (as I can't currently afford to) - and then confirm that most of us will probably be better off sticking with 4G for most scenarios for the time being. Thanks again.
Yep, I use a 4g router in my home as home broadband prices are just silly. I tested the 4g option using my phone for a few weeks, and had no problem at all even with Microsoft teams meetings for work. And streaming is fine too. So I went ahead and got the 4g router plus some antenna I can shove outside on bad signal days. It has been great, just as reliable as home broadband, and also has the advantage I can take it away in the van with me so I can work on the road too! The antenna are magnetic so I can just stick them to the roof when I need to. 😃
Hi John. I used a Nighthawk M1, which started to fail, but have now gone over to a Teltonika router. This router has duel sim & automatic switch over (to select which ever network has the strongest signal, EE/Vodaphone), this seems to work well with my Maview 5G compatible external aerial. Had I seen this video sooner, then I would have possibly tried the M2 ?
CheersJohn, a handy and informative video, thanks for passing on your experience
Great video John and thanks for making it available.
The first 3 touters you mentioned I have used but always in a house for our Telecoms clients.
In our old MoHo we used a TP-Link MR600 + Poynting X1 antenna but in the new one we will be changing this I think.
Can I ask... Which antenna you currently use?
seen you loads of times but 1st time subscribing propa great vid john many thanks answered a lot of questions thanks pal keep them coming looking forward to watching you more ,i used to see you with darren urban van life cheers pal 10/10
Great video John. I've been looking for a static home set up because we're rural Devon with awful broadband speed. Trying TP-Link M600 router and getting about 60 to 100 MPPs with EE. SIM ( day 1) without connecting the Poynting antenna yet. Much better than the 6 to 10 Mbps on the broadband connection so overjoyed so far. Useful info too on you experience with SIM cards. I've seen those preloaded EE sims on Amazon and did wonder about them. Found your video very useful and explained in nice simple terms. It's certainly not my area of expertise so great to have someone like you giving this information on the kit you've tried. Any updates would be most welcome too.
cracking! very timely video. bought the antenna using your link to replace our bigger amni ant as mentioned. Nice! :) carry on
can confirm that this is giving me better results that the Poynting one I currently have and its much smaller too.. Nice recommendations John.
Many thanx for your research. I may invest in one for home & C.van, as we live in middle of nowhere - in N.Wales very rural & bad WiFi speeds. Infact our vodaphone portable WiFi, that is used in Camper was much faster than home WiFi.
EE makes sense for best coverage across the widest of UK as they have been contracted to provide UK emergency services a replacement service for the Airwave network. This means they have been adding over last 3 yrs or so, lots more sites than perhaps other MNOs to provide the coverage... There might be a compromise in terms of speeds vs coverage ...
Thank you John I'm looking for a router to install on some boats. This video has made my life much easier. 2 thumbs up for you.
Hari OM
Ta, John. (I was thrilled to see the J&M channel alive again!) All useful info... though my view has been coloured by being in this E-Transit. I had the interesting experience whilst in the wilds of Northumbria on that first trip out, that when sitting with a friend for pub lunch, my phone showed no signal. When I got back to The Grey, I had signal... and that is when I learned that the little black thing on the roof was probably an inbuilt booster!
The van itself has connectivity if I choose to use it thus. I had been going to look into all this you spoke about, but found that even in the remotest spots (admittedly I've yet to get to the Highlands proper!) I always had at least three bars. That's inside a full panel van structure as I am not putting in windows. I was quite surprised but not complaining! It will be interesting to see what happens when I get myself norther and wester than I am at the mo. I also am using EE, but in the guise of Penny Mobile and pay just ten quid a month for 25GB data and all calls and texts included - which is proving quite sufficient for my needs at this stage. The unlimited data is twenty quid, so comparable with your deal. I have definitely had signal where others have struggled.
Hope you are both staying warm and dry as the Scottish winter huddles down!!! YAM xx
The new “door stop” antenna you’re using. Can it be fit at a 90degree angle?
To explain, I’d like to fit it to the side of my solar panels. These panels can tilt, from flat, obviously, to almost 90 degrees to the van roof. If you recon using it that way would interfere with its performance, please let me know.Look forward to seeing you both at Willow Fields again soon. Would be nice to know when,lol
Invaluable info - thanks John!
I still have the netgear air card and that unbranded antenna from one of your earlier vlogs I watched few years back, looks like might be time to upgrade !
Thank you for making this video. As a new motor home owner I found this very interesting and useful.x
Interesting- I found the same with the fixed router (5G) thought it would be a game changer but I ended up with one without external ports as they had upgraded it (CPE one). Used a 4G Huawei one for a while and that was great and just got a 5G which seems to behave all be it not as fast as the iPhone (but the router I paid £150 second hand and the phone was nearly a grand and a half!) - happy for now though - pleased I didn’t get an M6 as looked at them.
All the best, David 👍
I watched your video and followed up with the atena you suggested. From 2mb too 23 mb wow was really pleased
Hi John, i have been researching routers lately for our camper, new to campers since last year, loved your above video, been looking at the Netgear range and you have chosen which one for me lol, now, my questions is, since your video was Dec 2023, do still recommend the same set up a year later? ie: M2 and same antenna? many thanks
This is my current setup
th-cam.com/video/Nt2JMU2kGWM/w-d-xo.html but the M2 does a great job if you don’t use the internet as much as I do.
@@GadgetJohn Thanks, we don't use much and not full timers, surfing internet mainly, or TV needs internet, currently hotspot through my phone, unlimited for £13 we also have been a long time EE customer
When using these antennas, do I need to worry about local RF laws?
Am I boosting something?
My M1 suffered the same, powering off randomly.... found if I took the battery out and just powered it by 12v it seems to have cured the problem...
Thanks John, best informed video yet, (I do like all your videos) I have the M1 router and pointing antenna work well for me,
Take care and stay safe..
Hi John, I have a question that maybe only you cam answer.
I'm at the start of my van build, after a year of engine work! Anyway, I'll be living permanently in mine with my dog, spending 4 years going round the world. I was planning in getting this WiFi setup, but another option has arisen and maybe it won't work, maybe it will? I'm about to replace my Sprinter head unit with a Teyes CC3 2K, plus 360 cameras, front and rear dash cams, DAB radio, TPMS and various other bits. Well, this unit is 5G ready and as long as I place a Sim Card in it, it can be used as a 5G router/hotspot. I'm wondering if these android head units have an ignition and a constant positive live? With my Victron set up, my rear lithium will be able to trickle charge my vehicle battery. So, if I switch on the head unit, without the ignition key, will the head unit stay on and able to be used as my WiFi? It would save me £500 on a separate WiFi set up, plus the 360 cameras, plus dash cams could be used as a CCTV system, also saving money and bulk. What problems do you see with this idea? When the travels start, I'll probably get a Starlink for the remote places, but use the 5G head unit where I can get a 4G or 5G signal. TIA, Vince
teyes.uk/
Thanks for your superb video. I have been looking into wifi for my van this video has really answered lots of questions that I had. Thank you so much John 👍😁
Hi John cracking video, just one question regarding the antenna. I have found a Bingfu antenna on line that looks the same as the one you show but it seems too cheap. Can you clarify what make / model your antenna is . Regards Mark
Hi John, Gone down the route of the Netgear MR2100 and the aerial as suggested. The problem I have is that I need an adaptor from the MR2 to the female connection on the Aerial lead. Could you possibly tell me what I am asking for when I order one. I have tried what I thought it was but this is very sloppy and falls out. Any help appreciated on getting the correct one. Thanks in advance.
Hi John, have you ever done a firmware update on the M2? The one I had would not update, just got the spinning disc. Netgear have just replaced it but I’ve been using a different router. I’m about to set the M2 up in my new van. Ive not tried updating the firmware on the new one yet?
Yes, the firmware updates run fine through the netgear app.
Hello , what an informative video - thank you. Can I ask , how would you fit this antenna to a caravan that has no rails?
Must admit Im a tad worried about hole drilling in my roof (warranty etc) but equally following an insect infestation after a trip to italy having windows open allowing for cables to come in. Gosh in a quandry!
Thanks in advance
Jo
Hi John great video! Do you have any names or links for the antennas? I will be mounting mine stationary at my garage and might consider the first one you mentioned. Many thansks!
Really found the video interesting. I understand that RWG will soon be offering a data only 'Flexi SIM' that is set up to roam across the four UK networks and use the best one for your location. No costs yet. Would you expect that to be a good choice for motorhomers?
Thanks
Stephen
Hi, thanks for this very helpful video, I bought the Bingfu antenna you recommended using your Amazon link, to replace my Teltonica puck antenna identical to the one you show in the video. I carried out speed tests using Ookla of both antennae, averaged out over five tests and alternating between the two antennae. I used a cat six 4G router and also repeated the speed tests with a cat four, 4g router. I have to report that the Bingfu antennae, actually did not perform as well as the puck antennae, it gave consistently significantly slower download speeds, and extremely poor upload speeds. Of - course it could be that the Bingfu antennae I bought was a dud, I'm not able to test multiple examples, equally your puck antennae might have been a poor example. But based on my findings I will be returning the Bingfu and sticking with the Teltonika for now. I hope that this is useful information for you and your subscribers.
Thanks for this video! I thought our signal dropped when we put the blinds down in our motorhome but the wife didn’t believe me! We’ve got a small antenna on our roof but the PO kept the router so need to find one. For the odd few weekends/week away I don’t know if I want to spend £400 on a router though.
Use an old phone as a hotspot and pop it in a zip lock bag and place it out of your skylight, should be ok if you have good signal around you.
@@GadgetJohn I’ve got a new iPhone 15 Pro Max and usually put it under the skylight inside but want to see if this outside aerial does anything. Don’t think I’d put that outside 😂
Great video, thanks John.
Hi what was the small antenna called. Thanks great video 😊😊
Great and informative video John. I'm looking to ditch my landline broadband soon and this has been extremely helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi
Brilliant video, my question is, we do a lot of camping , would the M2 router work on it's own without the antenna, I didn't want to make a hole in the tent 😉. I am with EE also.
Cheers
I’ve just bought netgear m5. Actually it’s not as good as the mifi that EE provide. Thanks for a great vlog John.
Do you have a video of how to set these up? After investing in all of these items via your links only managing to get one bar of signal on the netgear and the battery drains despite whilst being plugged into USB socket?
I live in a vehicle and I've been looking at 5g setups as our 4g signal is crap, even living in a city. I'm going to invest in your antenna recommendation but using a TP link AC1200, Archer MR600, MIMO 4G sim router costing around 100 pounds as it's what I can afford. I can't really afford a 5g setup as I'd be looking at spending around 500 or more pounds, plus the extra in a new data sim . So thanks for this video, you've potentially saved me hundreds of pounds and hours of frustration! 😅
Hi John, thanks for the advice but most people will not have a roof rack to fit the aerial as high as your installation. Is it still the best solution for an installation on the roof? (with no rack). Also, do you know anything about the Avtex AMR985 which as been recommended to me?
Hi Jhon what’s the last antenna called please
John not a technical we have Motorhome so drilling hole in the roof is not a good idea so what would be an option.
Pop the antenna cables out through a roof vent, that’s what it did on my Moho.
Wish your deal with EE was still available that price was fab Xx
Hi John, regards Star-link, can you connect internal cameras to Star link to watch on your phone? Eg, I have the cameras connected to a router, but don’t always get a signal. Thanks in anticipation. Love your u tube information. Brendan
Yes you can, it’s a regular WiFi router so you can connect any device to it
Well presented with such detail as usual.Honest and accurate
Thanks 👍🏻😎
Hi John enjoy your vids immensely!, Could I ask what you think of using a M2 with a Poynting mimo3 as that’s what kit I have ready to go on my van shortly the antenna is the Mimo 3 V2 15
Cheers and stay safe
Another great informative video John, we have a similar set-up glad with all the research we did we came to the same conclusion as you.
I use a personal hotspot most of the time, but I’m definitely thinking about getting a decent 5G sim router
I have the nighthawk and have used a couple of sims and find EE are the best for reception
We were with EE and very happy with them, then they introduced "fair usage" in Europe. We had paid for 120GB (via a contract) for a couple of years so we were a bit miffed. So we moved to RWG where you get 100 GB (on a 200GB per month allowance) its OK but I am finding the Vodafone network a bit slow ?
As I said in the video, EE do not limit in Europe.
@@GadgetJohn I am afraid they do, and not only that .. they charged me £2.39 a day for Roaming. I removed the sim from my Huawei router and cancelled with them on my return to Britain . I understood that you paid the £15 per month roaming charge ? I suppose I could have done that too.. but as they had already put the price up from £20 when I signed up to £25 just 2 years later.. I felt it was just too expensive. We enjoy your very helpful and informative videos. 👍
Hi John. We just changed our motorhome and in the old one I had the avtec WiFi 4g router with the dome antenna bolted through the roof. I kept the router but left the antenna glued on the roof to save leveling a hole. What is my best option to have it fitted up again as I don't want to start drilling holes in the roof of the new motorhome. Rob
The antenna I show in this video as the one I now use can be fitted into a hole in your roof, so it might go in place of the old antenna you have.
Great informative vlog John.
I have a d-link g416 4 g router which i think works well, got EE unlimited sim with tnt sport, apple music , eu roaming for £27.50 a month, ceased my broadband, voice and tnt sport costing over £75 a month, run 4g router with external antenna in house and take router away when im with motorhome, works well , will try the external antenna u recommend when they are back in stock
Hi John what is the make of the antenna
Just checking as this video is not new. Is there an update or would you still recommend the same gear today. I am arriving from Australia in September and have no knowledge of this English, so I intend to follow your recommendations to the letter.
I do have a new setup I’m testing, that will be covered in a video in a couple of weeks.
Reat video,as usual even though alot went over my head,any tips on a set up for just watching a bit of tele in the evening on our travels.?
I was experimenting with a remote extender and I found on line and through experience that 4G has the much longer range but if you have a really strong nearby signal you can use 5G which has more band width but in practice, I stick to 4G
I am interested in the connectors you use to The M2. I have an M2 the little brass slide in connectors on the M2 were not compatible with the connectors on my antenna, so I got some adaptors, small things that screw into the antenna cable solid terminals and slide into the flimsy brass cylinders of the m2. Trouble is they fall out easily and have to be pushed in again. You seem to have tails of something similar at the antenna cable end but a square block at the M2 connections. How does yours stay in? What connection is it?
The adaptors are linked in the video description. Mount the router & cables so the cables aren’t taught and the router doesn’t move, then just regularly check the connections are tight. As I drive on rough roads a lot I do need to adjust the adaptors every couple of months, I gently squeeze the ts9 end with pliers to ensure they’re tight as they fit onto the routers antenna connectors.
Hear a lot of good things about teltonika routers. Ever used those? Or has anything put you off them?
Thanks John. So what was the name of the antenna ?.
As I said in the video, all items are linked in the video description. 👍🏻
Hi John hope you’re keeping well been watching you for a few years now can you please in lighten me with your router you use can you program to have a VPN on it so my thinking is can I program the VPN to what country
Thanks John on the updated saga of off grid Internet. Can i ask if cable antenna length affects performance?
I've tried up to 2m and even tried expensive vs cheap cable and it doesn't matter at all.
Thanks for the reply@@GadgetJohn
I'm planning to replace my old antenna with the same as yours but would like to use existing cables as they run in awkward place and sikaflex through the roof. Did you chop and solder yours John? Thanks for informative video
Great information as always thanks. I am about to fit a puck antenna that I have bought , can you please advise why it didn’t work out for Mandy. Do you think it may have been better to have mounted it higher as per the new one you are both now using. Cheers Richie.
Puk antennas aren't good because they are generally not made to pull in weaker signals, but mounting them higher would work but look a bit odd.
@@GadgetJohn thank you. Looks like I am buying a new one 😂
John, do you have experience with Wifi extenders to pick-up external wifi on camp-sites in combination with 4g. I as looking to use wifi extension where possible and 4g when needed. What’s your opinion?
How do i get a sim card for a LTE MIFI if my was missing
That antenna has 1 cable but my router has 2 ports. Would it still work ok with just 1 cable please?
Great video 😁 used your link to buy the antenna seeing as I need a new one after catching a tree 😂 will update my router one day but I am experiencing the issues of it not being up to date for the latest signal more so as they are getting rid of 3G even though I primarily use 4g for working.