This semi technical video is amazingly well put together. Easy to watch and listen to. There a are more than a few companies who should take heed from this.
Highly amusing blog. I’m watching all these from the start so up to 29 so a few to go as there are over 100 now. Absolutely fascinating stuff. Thoroughly enjoyable and informative. Brilliant
I was trying to explain this whole Faraday cage concept to an elderly boater and I could see in her look, as I got to the sitting in a wire cage bit, her brain went ' ooh, chickens. I like eggs.' Great explanation :)
Another great vlog David, all these things in life we tend to take for granted are often different on a boat and you do an amazing job of explaining them, thank you.
So another way is to use your phone as a connection to the internet as it has data and is connected to internet already. just goto settings on most mobile phones and select mobile hotspot or tethering and turn on . follow instructions to connect tablet or computer,, remember phone data is being used so upgrade plan for extra data... I use this option in Australia to connect to our telco. works every time ... and saves having to buy another bit of equipment.. Love the Vlog's love England ...Keep up the good work!!
True but this doesn’t always work in a narrowboat, made entirely of steel, which acts as a very effective cage to block out the mobile signal unless you place the phone by a window and even then it can be patchy. A mifi with external aerial proves to work much more effectively.
Thanks for this Vlog, immense help. I am returning to UK after 48 years in Australia to while away my remaining time on the waterways. I want to send newsletters to all my Oz mates and this clip tells me the way to go. I'll buy you a pint when I track you down!
A very helpful and entertaining channel! Although we don't own a narrow boat, but a cruiser based in Cambridge instead, there's something very interesting and entertaining about watching your fantastic videos. A simple Mi-Fi device is definitely the way forward when boating. Will defiantly be purchasing a similar unit to have on board. :)
I've never heard of narrow boats before your vlog (not being from the UK). I was introduced to your vlog from Mads at Sail Life and I've really enjoyed learning about your way of life on the water. Thanks :)
Just found your site on You tube, watched all of them. The one where you had a small gas leak and the one where you purchased the P.T.F.E. tape. When you use the tape, remember to wrap it round the way the thread goes. For your left hand threaded bottles, wind the tape on anti clockwise, if it was for normal right hand threads wind on clockwise.Else, when screwing on the nut, it will unwind the tape. I hope you can understand what I'm trying to tell you.Paul Frost
+Paul Frost Thanks and yes, understood. In fact, I was doing it two days ago after I removed the gas cylinders and put them back again (to be featured in a future video). For the life of me, despite knowing what I should do with the tape, I *kept* wrapping it the wrong way. Drove myself nuts!
Great information -- it's like watching The Cut TV every week. Thanks. I had the first generation 3G EE MIFi back in 2012 (still got it in fact) and, coincidentally, it worked on the top of a hill in North Wales, though only slowly (no streaming "Netflix" for me). It did drop out a lot during really bad weather, so that was a lot of the time during the winter in North Wales ;-)
In case you haven't already found out more since making this vlog, 2.4GHz has greater range in the UK than 5 (actually 5.8Ghz, not to be confused with the '5G' [5th generation] network that's currently being rolled out, and limited in the UK/EU to a ridiculously low power output of 30dBm that severely limits its range), but 5.8GHz is faster. 2.4 is more susceptible to interference in built up areas, because most WiFi networks are currently on 2.4, while 5.8 is more susceptible to shielding from trees, brick walls and (unfortunately for yourself) steel. Range won't be an issue if you're only re-transmitting the length of your boat, we're talking hundreds of meters maximum against thousands for 2.4GHz, and neither will interference from other WiFi when you're out on the cut - although it may well be in a Marina or heavily populated mooring. The bigger issue will probably be the steel between the well deck and the cabin, making 2.4 the better option unless you're actually sitting on the well deck, but the only way to settle it would be to test your speeds for both at various points around the boat. Basically, if your not happy try the other option - but without physically testing it I would imagine 2.4 would be the default setting. For what it's worth, in my house 5.8 is better in the room with the router (with direct line of sight), there's no difference between the two in the room above (with just plaster, floorboards and carpet in the way) and 2.4 is better everywhere else. The differences are fairly marginal though, and not worth the effort of switching as I move around the house unless I'm watching 4K por... as you were... UA-cam videos. I hope this helps - other boaters if you've already got a handle on it yourself - and would appreciate any feedback in case my plans to take to the water myself one day actually materialise.
I've found the 5GHz to be limited even within the boat and stick to 2.4 which travels the length from the router at the front to the gadgets at the back OK.
@@CruisingTheCut - Thanks for the reply David, and for these excellent vlogs. I've been watching 'suggested' videos from a few NB channels recently, since the wistful dreaming morphed into active planning, and I've chosen yours as the first that I'd take the plunge (hopefully not a prophesy) and work through from the beginning. Very informative, very professional (as would be expected I suppose, given your background), and the perfect blend of humour, drama and obvious enjoyment of the life you're now living. Don't feel that you have to slow down with the uploads to help me catch up though, I'll get there :-)
Thank you, did find this a good answer, I am tested by my work and have to have 40 speed both ways to pass in order to be able to work globally. I am trying to find a solution to get me out of paying massive monthly rent & great internet to enable me to work, boat was/is on consideration.
Great vid, I started off using a mifi system, now tend to tether things to my phone. Most modern phones have to capability to be used as "portable hotspot" which eliminates the use for a mifi device. Works excellent also, but mostly for somewhat lower data plans :)
Wow - A nice clear explanation of how Mifi works in a real mobile thing.....I've often wondered how this would work and what it would cost (esp the 4G) if i wanted to do this - in my case it would be in a camper van rather than a boat. (your 4G seems very cheap/Gb, as you say you got a good deal) (also - 22Mb/s on a par with domestic speeds ? ha ! my rural landline broadband recently went up from 3.8 to 5 Mb/s and I was thrilled...up in north Wales it's often MUCH worse than this )
Hi David You have got me all 'motivated' my UA-cam channel is coming on nicely. And I have now just set-up my blog site. But once again my question is not about narrow boats.. but I did go to ABNB last week and start looking :) I have noticed that your web site is with TSO, mine is with Godaddy, and they want to charge me for SSL... I see that TSO has free SSL, by supporting the free Let’s Encrypt Certificate Authority. I guess my question is: how do you get on with TSO as a host. do you have any problems with them? what package are you on... and do you know if the 'Personal' pack would do for a simple blog site? or do I need a better, more expensive one. thanks in advance. Cheers
I find TSO fine, good support. My package is no longer offered and I don't know anything about their current ones. A blog site doesn't need to be high powered or anything special though. Beware - the Let's Encrypt certs expire every 90 days and if you use Wordpress it seems you have to renew manually
Thanks David... It's been one of thoughs days where I learnt more than I set out too. I have just spent 5 hours working on it. Found a video on how to set-up Let's Encrypt on a Godaddy site... and yes he said the same thing about 90 days.. I'll just have to set my alarm, as the cheapest paid certificate on Godaddy was £60 per year. and now that I know how to do it, it does not take long, so I'll save my money. :) And the main reason why it took so long was, that I set my blog domain as a subdomain... and could not get the SSL Cert to work with a redirected domain name... Witch ment that to get it all to work I had to, in the end, set the blog site as the main. So then I had to move and reset everything up... fun and games. It seems to work.. looks good on my Lap Top anyway. has a nice little padlock next to my address, just hope it works for everyone else. Back to your post topic, I was with BT, and now with Sky. when I was with BT, I could 'just about' always find a hotspot to log on to. It's not as easy to find Sky hotspots. And they both have Apps to show you the closest spot to you. I don't know how many of them would be close to a Canal. But worth a look. but with Sky I get to watch 'TV' on the Table without using any data. Cheers
Maybe I misunderstood: I was waiting for a second section of the VLOG on how to get internet connection when NOT on a marina, ie cruising or stationary at a mooring. Or was that what you were covering as well? Thanks
I have the device pictured at the beginning of the video on my boathouse, it's a "radio" wifi transmitter called Loco M2 Nano Station. It picks up the marina signal and sends it into my boathouse via cable and to a router, I then set up my own mini network inside the boathouse, some that aren't inside a boathouse have them on their boats. You can program them to any access point, so they are good for any marina or public network. It runs on 120v power. Marinas use them to broadcast the network access points 150 Mbps.
I'm sure everyone has asked already but I'll do it too. Thinking of trying Starlink? Right now it's for stationary use but people do seem to travel a bit with them and SpaceX definitely intends for them to be able to travel with on boats and caravans, the limitation at least in the US seems to be regulatory.
@@CruisingTheCut It's still in beta-testing, the one I know who has tried it for a while and likes it is in Canada. Where he lives he doesn't get cell phone reception (coverage seems to be way worse than in many European countries). I think he had gotten 150 Mbit/s but maybe that is because of relatively few users so far. I think it was 500 USD for the receiver and then 100 USD a month, that might be cheap or expensive depending on the available alternatives.
Good blog, I've just bought one of these MiFi things and have to say they are superb, sadly mine didn't come in a girly blue box. I've yet to look up the external antenna.
Missed this video earlier ... Thanks for the info. 2.4GHz and 5GHz are merely different transmission models .... 2.4GHz is very very common and becoming too busy, 5GHz is now a growing spectrum usage area to allow provision of more 'space' for the ever increasing user base. For someone depending on the Internet for work for example, this generally seems to offer a decent solution when compared to other rural house based internet services. That ping number is excellent where you were during the making of the video too .... excellent for Video over IP communications. Go Handy
I've bought the external aerial but it turns out Yelvertoft and Crick are just awful places. Everywhere else it's worked extremely well! It's even in a cupboard as I type this and I get good 4G!
Loving this series. About to watch episode 30, and I only started this morning! I am a sailor, usually, and find myself suddenly attracted to canal life as opposed to the salty version. I have been looking for my next boat for a while - a sailboat or so I thought - though rather strangely I now find myself looking at narrowboat adverts on Apollo Duck! So two questions, if I may: 1. Can you suggest some alternatives to Apollo Duck and Boatshed where better deals may be found? 2. In relation to this particular video - why not just tether straight from your mobile phone, using it as a hotspot? My current contract (Vodafone) at £30/month also gives me 50GB of data? Oh, while I'm at it, and sorry if this is covered in a later episode, but can you give a rundown of the realistic costs of the narrowboating life. I understand these will vary enormously given the vast amount of possibilities, but the basics will do: marina fees, license fees, maintenance costs, winter fuel for stove, gas (how often are you getting through a bottle), diesel and any other unknowns to us non-canal types. Keep up the good work...
The phone does not always get good reception inside the boat due to the steel hull hence using it as my main device is not always feasible. A standalone device with an external antenna is much more reliable. For costs, see vlogs 66-68 (I think) The alternatives to Apollo Duck are just the individual brokers' sites. Have fun!
Me again, sorry! Enjoyable video, as always. Just a quick thought on the external 4g aerial, have a look on amazon for them, they are around 14 quid (they look like a square on its side). We have a similar 4g EE dongle, which is inside the boat with one of those aerials. The dongle is plugged into a usb charger 24/7, so no need for a charging bank. We get upto 40mbps down / 40 mbps up, in 'good locations. Our worst is generally 20/20. BT-Wifi hotspots / pub wifi are also options if you are out cruising, and have the right kit. Right off to watch the next video (sent from an internet connection about a mile away from the nearest bt-wifi hotspot ;-) )
I'll take a look. Your way is exactly what I had in mind - dongle inside on permanent charge from 12V socket, aerial out. Trouble is I need to drill a hole for the aerial wire and I don't like drilling holes in the boat :-( What make / model is that aerial, if you don't mind me asking?
Generic chinese jobby, but they work fine. Ours goes out via a pidgeon box for now, pending a permanent installation. That link was just the first on amazon, you can get them anywhere, and probably cheaper. :)
take the plunge! I used to be terrified of drilling holes in what seemed to be unrepairable objects, but everything can be fixed! A hole in steel is easily fixable with silicon caulking, a rubber gasket, or a sticker, if need be! Eventually, you'll get a welder out to fill it properly, but you can just gather up welding jobs until it's worth the call and do them all at once.
Enjoyed this segment about internet access. Am curious about the equipment and program(s) you used to shoot and edit your excellent videos. Are you willing to share that info or is there another segment or FAQ that addresses this? These are great videos and very well narrated. Dick Robinson, San Francisco CA
How do you manage locks alone? You need one person at the gates, and one on the boat, and very often we were the only ones at the lock. If you show up alone at a lock, how would you handle it?
You don't need two, it just makes things easier. I made a specific video about how I handle locks solo, look through my channel videos to find it. Cheers.
Always wanted to know how this was done, interesting. You are getting FAR better speeds that I am via expensive fibre-optic - on top of a hill in North Wales. 3 minute youtube upload takes me about an hour here. Take care with the Netflix.... hear it makes some go blind ;)
Interesting as ever. I expect you'll have more issues though once you embark on your travels. Finding 4G or even 3G out in the sticks is sometimes a challenge as I'm sure you know.
Hi, love your Vlog, it's great to get some hints and tips as I'm just about to set off on a four month canal trip. As I'm having to learn about all the wifi on the move stuff , would my O2 provider work in the same way as your EE provider?
had half an idea of how it all worked, but very good info :) you'll have to do another one once your cruising to let us know how the allowance goes and how much you use it
+CruisingTheCut Your probably right there :D I know You Tube takes quite a bit, so would be good to know how you get on with it.. From what i gather normal surfing should be ok, which is what i would want it for as i run an online plumbing shop
I would recommend you to have a separate 2.4ghz and 5ghz network. Whilst the 5ghz network will give you a lot more speed, it looses signal very quickly, even more so when walls are in play. So the steal shell of your boat is helping in that department. The 2.4ghz network can be slower, however with the download speeds in your video it would hardly if at all be noticeable, so I would recommend you use that. But keeping the 5ghz around when setting for example outside or very close to the wifi device is not a bad idea.
Yeah the 5GHz really doesn't work well down the boat, it can only just about cope with the saloon, galley and dinette. And it kept losing the connection everytime so I had to re-login repeatedly. I've reverted to 2.4 which is very reliable and no need for any greater speed than it can provide really, it's easily enough to upload and download videos.
Most places seem to get a reasonable 4G signal (which can then be used for WiFi throughout the boat, via the router). There are a few places on the canals that don't get a signal, for example Crick in Northamptonshire is very poor.
@@CruisingTheCut Thank you very much for replying. I'm so sad that you are not cruising anymore. I just found your channel a few weeks ago. I live in Australia and now I just really want to go live on a narrowboat away from it all. How do you tackle the boredom?
Since then I've mounted the external aerial on the outside, and fed the cable back in to the cupboard under the telly, where the MiFi unit sits permanently plugged into power. This means the unit gets a great signal, the boat is flooded with WiFi and I don't have to keep recharging it.
Hi. Been thinking about this issue for a while... Did you consider using your mobile phone (or upgrading it) as a data point I think they call it? I've been considering upgrading my phone to an iPhone 6s with 20GB data per month which I would then use to supply my laptop and kindle. I realise the problem with this would be reception, but I believe you can get a booster aerial that sits on the roof and a hole drilled through allows a cable to connect to your phone. I've looked at the MiFi option as well but in terms of cost, I would be paying x-amount per month for the MiFi as well as another y-amount for my phone. Just wondering whether you considered the phone upgrade option and if so why you dismissed it in favour of the MiFi - might help me decide!
+argrundy My phone is ancient, running Android 2.2 and has only an £8/month talk and text plan. The trouble with tethering is that some mobile operators don't allow it, or restrict it. Also, I don't want to keep plugging in an aerial or leave the phone in the well deck to get a signal. For me, it made more sense to have dedicated devices but I know some do use just their phones.
+CruisingTheCut Thanks. I wish I had an £8/mth tariff! I'm warming to the MiFi solution. Maybe I could dump my phone (or give it to one of my daughters who dropped hers yesterday and smashed the screen!) and get a simple pay-as-you go device. Then the £30/mth or so for the MiFi would become less painful. Incidentally, my boat that I bought back in October arrives at Milton Keynes Marina tomorrow - hoorah! I have been paring down my belongings and reduced them by about 75%, to the benefit of 3 or 4 charity shops, in preparation for moving aboard. I found this book very useful in, first of all de-cluttering and secondly in how to store things tidily. I appreciate that you're already living aboard but it may help in using the available space to best advantage... www.amazon.co.uk/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-effective/dp/0091955106?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
With apologies, I'm unsure what your question is. We can get pay-as-you-go mobile service with data here but it's more costly than on a monthly contract.
Hello! As someone just starting to look into narrowboats myself, I have begun checking out moorings based in Bristol and have become a little overwhelmed by the various types and how they work. Is there any chance you could explain or do a video covering this? For now i know that you can get a short stay one, an annual one, a residential one... and some others...? Maybe it's a dumb question but i'm a little lost.
Residential moorings are fully registered with the council as a dwelling and you'll pay council tax. They are rare. Typical marina / wharf moorings are notionally "leisure use" but rarely does anyone check or enforce whether you're living aboard but you wouldn't be able to use it as a home address. Some marinas have more restrictions on this than others. They tend to be annual contracts. Short term moorings are just what the name suggests. Other than that you can moor anywhere on the canal system for 14 days unless signed otherwise or in a spot where you shouldn't moor such as lock landings, water points etc.
None broken as long as that mooring he's using is actually a permanent mooring and not simply his favourite chosen spot; otherwise he's certainly in breach of the continuous cruising rules even if apparently getting away with it.
Hm...that's the one bad thing about having a mobile home of any kind: The "patchy" internet (especially with data-plans that aren't flat-rates, so you are slowed down or forced to pay for more data if you exceed the volume they allow you to use!)...that would kind of suck :(
+Matt .L There are lots of boaters with cats. I love cats but would be too terrified of them falling into a lock or wandering off in a new area and getting hurt / fighting but all the people I've spoken to say it's not a problem and the cats happily returnn to the boat even when you change location each day. They do falll in occasionally so you have to be ready to fish them out (and put some kind of material they can claw their way out on, on the side of the boat). If you're on Twitter, drop a note to @WobblyBoater
Quick q. about this Huawei Mifi thingy sir - you said in a comment that you configure it to look for wifi or 3G/4G, but is there a config that looks for a wifi signal first, if none, then look for 3G/4G instead ? Personally I wouldn't want it connecting via 3G/4G if there was wifi available, in order to conserve data usage, etc. Is the config settable without the app - I think you said it can be done via a webpage ? Just considering how I might get web access in a campervan in the wilder parts of the UK. Ta, and sorry if you've answered this elsewhere and I missed it. :o)
Hi. The Huawei doesn't (to my knowledge) have a way of trying the WiFi first and then dropping back to 3/4G; you have to specify the WiFi extension in the Huawei app or via the device's internal webpage. It's not hard, though you have to wait for the device to reconfigure itself.
On the 3 mobile network for £30 you get unlimited call, texts, data in fact everything including tethering. I can even use it connected to my car as a wifi hotspot. The 4g speeds are amazing and 3g is as good as most home broadband. I'm sure you considered this so I was just wondering why a dongle is better as they both need a mobile signal.
+CruisingTheCut Fair enough. I think the top plan £30 or £33 is uncapped but all the others are about 12gb. I'm not promoting 3 lol just I think their the only one that do this.
I haven't run all the way through your videos, but it occurred to me that you might benefit from a dashcam perched on the bow and stern of your boat. These are surprisingly cheap, $50 in the US of A, and can be running at all times to capture everything they're pointed at... in HD. They overwrite their data as the card runs out, so you never have to worry about maintaining them and they produce the most unexpected video. They would double as security for your application and you would find that the footage would be great for the vlog from time to time, especially when on the go. An idea...
CruisingTheCut They're wired for 12v and come with extraordinarily long cables to route all the way around your car. GoPros are fine, I suppose, but they are not great for continuous use as they are prone to overheating. Just an idea.
CruisingTheCut Great! Sounds like you've done the groundwork, now let's see some dashcam footage! Drunkards tripping over moorings, meteorites splashing into marinas, late night scandalous liasons betwixt neighbouring skippers, I can hardly contain myself!
@@CruisingTheCut Aha, that's what I figured! Here in the US, the newest data plans available have made things much more limited. They will tell you it's an unlimited plan, but then throttle you down after 20GB. I'm looking forward to your updated video on that subject as internet is the key element to us being able to cruise the cut. Thank you!
If you have a 50Gb download limit whats your upload limit? As one thing Ive noticed with these mobile internet devices is they always say what your download cap is but never the upload. As if your uploading a lot of videos you could end up at your upload limit even tho you may have 30GB of down left and by definition you need both to use the internet.
Hi David, just wandering are you still connecting to the web in the same way as in this video? Do you find the need for an external aerial on the MiFi box at all?
Hey David. I’m a very long time viewer first time posting. You’re mobile WiFi dongle really needs to be in an open place away from metal for best signal to noise ratio. Tucked away under the roof is probably not the best place, buying those antennas is probably going to be a good investment long term. Excellent is an understatement. I started from vlog 1, very engaging channel.
Ah yes, there is nothing more annoying than having to sit through numerous interruptions during our consumption of our preferred flavour of entertainment :P Although a landlubber, I rely exclusively on mobile broadband over 3G/4G for my online fix and have some experience with the various access devices. My overall experience with MiFi type devices are just average, the biggest problem being signal reception strength (or rather, weakness) due to its built-in antenna, and secondly, battery durability. In my experience, adding external antenna to the MiFi didn't really help much, perhaps it was because I was using cheaper alternatives. Perhaps the super-expensive official ones may give better mileage. Whatever the case, make sure you can test the performance of the external antenna, or at least get a money-back guarantee in the event that the antenna turns out to be a dud. If you use and charge the device very often, you will soon discover that heat build up within the small confines of the casing will cause the battery to eventually swell and become potentially hazardous (it can go kaboom). Replacement batteries are rather expensive. Also, the more often you charge the battery, the faster its performance will degrade and you will soon suffer shorter operation times as a result :( As an alternative, you can get a "battery-less MiFi" which has the same features bar one - it doesn't have a battery. You simply plug it into the USB port on your laptop or into a powerbank, and it will work like a MiFi. For some strange reason, these are sometimes called "wingles" - an example here -> tinyurl.com/jhzwrtv This is unlocked so you can put in a SIM from any operator. As for WiFi extenders/repeaters/boosters, there are models with external antenna which will perform better than built-in antenna. The most convenient ones plug into a 240v AC socket, so you can drag an extension socket to the front of the boat while moored to suck (and re-distribute) the marina's WiFi signal better. Of course, we need to remember to cover the electrical socket from the elements, otherwise the fire service won't be best pleased :P The 2 device (one for mobile broadband, one for WiFi extender/repeater) solution won't be for everyone, for sure. It all depends on the budget and how desperately one needs to get online. I'm surprised you're surviving on a 50GB monthly plan and commend you for your patience when uploading your full HD videos to UA-cam on 4G/LTE; I probably would have committed seppuku if I had to put up with those speeds! If those are the speeds you get with 4G, I dread to know what you can achieve with puny 3G networks :-)
The benefit of the antenna is that it can sit outside and connect to a device inside instead of me having to put it out each morning. I believe the proper batteries have overheat fail safe circuitry so they shouldn't explode. I've not heard of wingles but will look them up, cheers. I wouldn't want a 240V model though because I'd have to run the inverter to power it which is inefficient. If I get a decent 4G, it doesn't take that long to upload and I go and make a cup of tea while it does its thing :-)
Huawei has been declared to be a security risk, being Chinese, here in the US. Are they the internet and phone for you? We have no network here from that company. As far as that dongle, I'll be looking into it, and if I can get internet only service from 4g, or the upcoming 5g. I'd really like to eliminate the need for cable.
@@CruisingTheCut Must be nice to have unlimited plans. Here in Canada we get royally screwed. Oh, you can get "unlimited" on phones but all that means is your first 20, 40...what ever Gb are unlimited but once that is used in a month you get throttled back to just enough data to email and text but not enough to stream anything. Another reason why I want to move to the UK and buy a narrow boat. lol
Interesting speeds, you'll have to see what you get via 4G when CC'ing. And how often you dont get any connection. But otherwise that's a perfectly useable speed.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Just love your sense of dry humour...
Your por....Netflix 🤣 made me giggle 😁
Me - What sort of boring canal boat videos are these?
4 hours later, still watching!
:-)
Im addicted!!
I find you're very informative without waffling. You're one of the very few sites I subscribe to that I watch from start to finish.. All the best
Thank you!
The time/effort you put into these amazing videos is much appreciated. Thank you for sharing these. Brian/USA
Thanks Brian! Comments like that make it worthwhile :-)
This semi technical video is amazingly well put together. Easy to watch and listen to. There a are more than a few companies who should take heed from this.
Thank you!
Highly amusing blog. I’m watching all these from the start so up to 29 so a few to go as there are over 100 now. Absolutely fascinating stuff. Thoroughly enjoyable and informative. Brilliant
Thank you!
OMG i fully bellylaughed at 1:12
I completely didnt expect this from you :D
;-)
I was trying to explain this whole Faraday cage concept to an elderly boater and I could see in her look, as I got to the sitting in a wire cage bit, her brain went ' ooh, chickens. I like eggs.'
Great explanation :)
My brain goes like that sometimes too :-)
Ha ha ha :)
Another great vlog David, all these things in life we tend to take for granted are often different on a boat and you do an amazing job of explaining them, thank you.
So another way is to use your phone as a connection to the internet as it has data and is connected to internet already. just goto settings on most mobile phones and select mobile hotspot or tethering and turn on . follow instructions to connect tablet or computer,, remember phone data is being used so upgrade plan for extra data... I use this option in Australia to connect to our telco. works every time ... and saves having to buy another bit of equipment.. Love the Vlog's love England ...Keep up the good work!!
True but this doesn’t always work in a narrowboat, made entirely of steel, which acts as a very effective cage to block out the mobile signal unless you place the phone by a window and even then it can be patchy. A mifi with external aerial proves to work much more effectively.
And I can tell that you are enjoying the new comforter and table set up. And yes I like the blue color.
Well presented and produced VLOG as usual, and informative! Keep up the good work!!
Thanks!
Yes really enjoyable intro to Mifi! Thank you
Great! Cheers.
I love your channel. I want to follow your life style when I can
Good luck!
CruisingTheCut Thank You
Me too!
Thanks for this Vlog, immense help. I am returning to UK after 48 years in Australia to while away my remaining time on the waterways. I want to send newsletters to all my Oz mates and this clip tells me the way to go. I'll buy you a pint when I track you down!
Haha, it's still working well for me (with external antenna plugged in in remote spots). Cheers
A very helpful and entertaining channel! Although we don't own a narrow boat, but a cruiser based in Cambridge instead, there's something very interesting and entertaining about watching your fantastic videos. A simple Mi-Fi device is definitely the way forward when boating. Will defiantly be purchasing a similar unit to have on board. :)
Thank you. The mifi is very useful and better reception than a phone.
You did a great job explaining and presenting it all. I found it very interesting and enjoyable.
Thanks, and Happy Cruising!
I've never heard of narrow boats before your vlog (not being from the UK). I was introduced to your vlog from Mads at Sail Life and I've really enjoyed learning about your way of life on the water. Thanks :)
He's working hard, isn't he eh? So much sanding!!
Glorious sanding, yes. He's all but put me off buying an older boat. lol
I'm so glad I was introduced to your channel! ❤️
Just found your site on You tube, watched all of them. The one where you had a small gas leak and the one where you purchased the P.T.F.E. tape. When you use the tape, remember to wrap it round the way the thread goes. For your left hand threaded bottles, wind the tape on anti clockwise, if it was for normal right hand threads wind on clockwise.Else, when screwing on the nut, it will unwind the tape. I hope you can understand what I'm trying to tell you.Paul Frost
+Paul Frost Thanks and yes, understood. In fact, I was doing it two days ago after I removed the gas cylinders and put them back again (to be featured in a future video). For the life of me, despite knowing what I should do with the tape, I *kept* wrapping it the wrong way. Drove myself nuts!
Great information -- it's like watching The Cut TV every week. Thanks. I had the first generation 3G EE MIFi back in 2012 (still got it in fact) and, coincidentally, it worked on the top of a hill in North Wales, though only slowly (no streaming "Netflix" for me). It did drop out a lot during really bad weather, so that was a lot of the time during the winter in North Wales ;-)
I had a 3G one for work and it was excellent except for Vodafone's coverage being so shockingly awful.
I must say this video certainly gave rise to oodles of questions and a multitude of suggestions. Thanks!
In case you haven't already found out more since making this vlog, 2.4GHz has greater range in the UK than 5 (actually 5.8Ghz, not to be confused with the '5G' [5th generation] network that's currently being rolled out, and limited in the UK/EU to a ridiculously low power output of 30dBm that severely limits its range), but 5.8GHz is faster. 2.4 is more susceptible to interference in built up areas, because most WiFi networks are currently on 2.4, while 5.8 is more susceptible to shielding from trees, brick walls and (unfortunately for yourself) steel.
Range won't be an issue if you're only re-transmitting the length of your boat, we're talking hundreds of meters maximum against thousands for 2.4GHz, and neither will interference from other WiFi when you're out on the cut - although it may well be in a Marina or heavily populated mooring. The bigger issue will probably be the steel between the well deck and the cabin, making 2.4 the better option unless you're actually sitting on the well deck, but the only way to settle it would be to test your speeds for both at various points around the boat. Basically, if your not happy try the other option - but without physically testing it I would imagine 2.4 would be the default setting.
For what it's worth, in my house 5.8 is better in the room with the router (with direct line of sight), there's no difference between the two in the room above (with just plaster, floorboards and carpet in the way) and 2.4 is better everywhere else. The differences are fairly marginal though, and not worth the effort of switching as I move around the house unless I'm watching 4K por... as you were... UA-cam videos.
I hope this helps - other boaters if you've already got a handle on it yourself - and would appreciate any feedback in case my plans to take to the water myself one day actually materialise.
I've found the 5GHz to be limited even within the boat and stick to 2.4 which travels the length from the router at the front to the gadgets at the back OK.
@@CruisingTheCut - Thanks for the reply David, and for these excellent vlogs. I've been watching 'suggested' videos from a few NB channels recently, since the wistful dreaming morphed into active planning, and I've chosen yours as the first that I'd take the plunge (hopefully not a prophesy) and work through from the beginning.
Very informative, very professional (as would be expected I suppose, given your background), and the perfect blend of humour, drama and obvious enjoyment of the life you're now living.
Don't feel that you have to slow down with the uploads to help me catch up though, I'll get there :-)
1:10 you don't have to lie you are among friends
Ahoy there! Still very much Tuned and am now trying stem ginger biscuits. Love your cheesy titles for each film.
Cheesy?!! How dare you!! ;-)
The porn line just cost me a mouthful of coffee! 😂
Hahaha
@@CruisingTheCut i almost dropped my lunch
Thank you, did find this a good answer, I am tested by my work and have to have 40 speed both ways to pass in order to be able to work globally. I am trying to find a solution to get me out of paying massive monthly rent & great internet to enable me to work, boat was/is on consideration.
It was "nerdy" that's why i liked it, lol....
Thanks as always
You weren't nerdy enough to refer to your metal-bodied boat as a "Faraday cage".
As always, you describe things well.
Ahahahah funniest comment so far... what’s stuttery? Oh, your Netflix, ok 😆
How dare you insinuate I use the wifi for something so shameful as playing Fortnite... PORN, I MEANT I USE IT FOR PORN
Great vid, I started off using a mifi system, now tend to tether things to my phone. Most modern phones have to capability to be used as "portable hotspot" which eliminates the use for a mifi device. Works excellent also, but mostly for somewhat lower data plans :)
I find the dongles get better reception than phones
Wow - A nice clear explanation of how Mifi works in a real mobile thing.....I've often wondered how this would work and what it would cost (esp the 4G) if i wanted to do this - in my case it would be in a camper van rather than a boat. (your 4G seems very cheap/Gb, as you say you got a good deal) (also - 22Mb/s on a par with domestic speeds ? ha ! my rural landline broadband recently went up from 3.8 to 5 Mb/s and I was thrilled...up in north Wales it's often MUCH worse than this )
Haha, I'm spoiled because I used to have Virgin Media fibre at around 50Mbps as I recall. I'm now paying £27 for 64GB on the EE MiFi :-)
always look forward to watching your new videos.....like the Netflix joke :-D
Thanks :-)
Love your channel
Hi David
You have got me all 'motivated' my UA-cam channel is coming on nicely. And I have now just set-up my blog site.
But once again my question is not about narrow boats.. but I did go to ABNB last week and start looking :)
I have noticed that your web site is with TSO, mine is with Godaddy, and they want to charge me for SSL...
I see that TSO has free SSL, by supporting the free Let’s Encrypt Certificate Authority.
I guess my question is: how do you get on with TSO as a host. do you have any problems with them?
what package are you on... and do you know if the 'Personal' pack would do for a simple blog site? or do I need a better, more expensive one.
thanks in advance.
Cheers
I find TSO fine, good support. My package is no longer offered and I don't know anything about their current ones. A blog site doesn't need to be high powered or anything special though. Beware - the Let's Encrypt certs expire every 90 days and if you use Wordpress it seems you have to renew manually
Thanks David... It's been one of thoughs days where I learnt more than I set out too. I have just spent 5 hours working on it. Found a video on how to set-up Let's Encrypt on a Godaddy site... and yes he said the
same thing about 90 days.. I'll just have to set my alarm, as the cheapest paid certificate on Godaddy was £60 per year. and now that I know how to do it, it does not take long, so I'll save my money. :) And the main reason why it took so long was, that I set my blog domain as a subdomain... and could not get the SSL Cert to work with a redirected domain name... Witch ment that to get it all to work I had to, in the end, set the blog site as the main. So then I had to move and reset everything up... fun and games.
It seems to work.. looks good on my Lap Top anyway. has a nice little padlock next to my address, just hope it works for everyone else.
Back to your post topic, I was with BT, and now with Sky. when I was with BT, I could 'just about' always find a hotspot to log on to. It's not as easy to find Sky hotspots. And they both have Apps to show you the closest spot to you. I don't know how many of them would be close to a Canal. But worth a look.
but with Sky I get to watch 'TV' on the Table without using any data.
Cheers
Maybe I misunderstood: I was waiting for a second section of the VLOG on how to get internet connection when NOT on a marina, ie cruising or stationary at a mooring. Or was that what you were covering as well? Thanks
The MiFi devices pick up a 4G signal from the nearest mobile phone mast so it's irrelevant to the functionality whether you're in a marina or not.
I'm an actual adult and the word dongle still absolutely wrecks me
Can you get any faster internet speeds by going faster on the canal network David ?? Asking for a friend !!
I have the device pictured at the beginning of the video on my boathouse, it's a "radio" wifi transmitter called Loco M2 Nano Station. It picks up the marina signal and sends it into my boathouse via cable and to a router, I then set up my own mini network inside the boathouse, some that aren't inside a boathouse have them on their boats. You can program them to any access point, so they are good for any marina or public network. It runs on 120v power. Marinas use them to broadcast the network access points 150 Mbps.
I'm sure everyone has asked already but I'll do it too. Thinking of trying Starlink? Right now it's for stationary use but people do seem to travel a bit with them and SpaceX definitely intends for them to be able to travel with on boats and caravans, the limitation at least in the US seems to be regulatory.
Hi. It’s not available in the UK, I’m told, it’s very expensive and draws a substantial (for a boat, van or other mobile home) amount of power.
@@CruisingTheCut It's still in beta-testing, the one I know who has tried it for a while and likes it is in Canada. Where he lives he doesn't get cell phone reception (coverage seems to be way worse than in many European countries). I think he had gotten 150 Mbit/s but maybe that is because of relatively few users so far. I think it was 500 USD for the receiver and then 100 USD a month, that might be cheap or expensive depending on the available alternatives.
brilliant channel
Cheers Richard, much appreciated :-)
Good blog, I've just bought one of these MiFi things and have to say they are superb, sadly mine didn't come in a girly blue box. I've yet to look up the external antenna.
I'd send you my girly blue box but I binned it.
+CruisingTheCut On looking, mine is the same model, but came with 1m lead and with a wall socket adaptor. Odd yours didn't have the adaptor.
Now I feel cheated.
Sorry fella! Mine came from Three, I get 15GB per month which is enough for travling about.
Missed this video earlier ... Thanks for the info.
2.4GHz and 5GHz are merely different transmission models .... 2.4GHz is very very common and becoming too busy, 5GHz is now a growing spectrum usage area to allow provision of more 'space' for the ever increasing user base.
For someone depending on the Internet for work for example, this generally seems to offer a decent solution when compared to other rural house based internet services.
That ping number is excellent where you were during the making of the video too .... excellent for Video over IP communications.
Go Handy
Cheers
5ghz is great for speed but it does not go though objects as good as 2.4ghz. That's the main differences between the two.
Interesting video, thanks for sharing. It maybe worth installing an external Wi-Fi antenna and mobile phone booster.
I've bought the external aerial but it turns out Yelvertoft and Crick are just awful places. Everywhere else it's worked extremely well! It's even in a cupboard as I type this and I get good 4G!
Thanks. Always wanted to know how that worked- except for grabbing shore wifi, which as you say can be choppy at times. Happy Easter (Hamilton, ont)
+Ethan Hunter Happy Easter to you too!
Your Porn, I mean netflix haha took me off guard
I think you should a update on this to include types of antenna, perfect place to put your antenna etc
Please can you make an updated boat tour, I am really interested to what you have done since the last one you did. Thank you, Sam
+Sam Armstrong Yes, there will be an updated boat tour at some point. Not saying when.
Loving this series. About to watch episode 30, and I only started this morning! I am a sailor, usually, and find myself suddenly attracted to canal life as opposed to the salty version. I have been looking for my next boat for a while - a sailboat or so I thought - though rather strangely I now find myself looking at narrowboat adverts on Apollo Duck! So two questions, if I may:
1. Can you suggest some alternatives to Apollo Duck and Boatshed where better deals may be found?
2. In relation to this particular video - why not just tether straight from your mobile phone, using it as a hotspot? My current contract (Vodafone) at £30/month also gives me 50GB of data?
Oh, while I'm at it, and sorry if this is covered in a later episode, but can you give a rundown of the realistic costs of the narrowboating life. I understand these will vary enormously given the vast amount of possibilities, but the basics will do: marina fees, license fees, maintenance costs, winter fuel for stove, gas (how often are you getting through a bottle), diesel and any other unknowns to us non-canal types.
Keep up the good work...
The phone does not always get good reception inside the boat due to the steel hull hence using it as my main device is not always feasible. A standalone device with an external antenna is much more reliable.
For costs, see vlogs 66-68 (I think)
The alternatives to Apollo Duck are just the individual brokers' sites. Have fun!
Great Vlog as always
Ta
Powder blue does seem somewhat of a strange color choice for the package of the wifi extender.
Me again, sorry! Enjoyable video, as always. Just a quick thought on the external 4g aerial, have a look on amazon for them, they are around 14 quid (they look like a square on its side). We have a similar 4g EE dongle, which is inside the boat with one of those aerials. The dongle is plugged into a usb charger 24/7, so no need for a charging bank. We get upto 40mbps down / 40 mbps up, in 'good locations. Our worst is generally 20/20. BT-Wifi hotspots / pub wifi are also options if you are out cruising, and have the right kit. Right off to watch the next video (sent from an internet connection about a mile away from the nearest bt-wifi hotspot ;-) )
I'll take a look. Your way is exactly what I had in mind - dongle inside on permanent charge from 12V socket, aerial out. Trouble is I need to drill a hole for the aerial wire and I don't like drilling holes in the boat :-(
What make / model is that aerial, if you don't mind me asking?
www.amazon.co.uk/Broadband-Antenna-Aerial-Booster-Amplifier/dp/B016MJ5ZXY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459204370&sr=8-1&keywords=4g+aerial
Generic chinese jobby, but they work fine. Ours goes out via a pidgeon box for now, pending a permanent installation. That link was just the first on amazon, you can get them anywhere, and probably cheaper. :)
Excellent, thank you.
take the plunge! I used to be terrified of drilling holes in what seemed to be unrepairable objects, but everything can be fixed! A hole in steel is easily fixable with silicon caulking, a rubber gasket, or a sticker, if need be! Eventually, you'll get a welder out to fill it properly, but you can just gather up welding jobs until it's worth the call and do them all at once.
I'm in the Shetland Islands and get up to 93Mbs download and 40Mbs upload via EE 4G. I've not seen anything near that elsewhere in the UK so far.
Wow!
That's because there's only three people using it.
such a shame we have no canals in the south west of england, namely cornwall! I'd love a crack at this and keep my job aswell! keep the vids up mate!
Ah, ditch the job!!
The wife..kids...dog...cat...house and run away!
Enjoyed this segment about internet access. Am curious about the equipment and program(s) you used to shoot and edit your excellent videos. Are you willing to share that info or is there another segment or FAQ that addresses this? These are great videos and very well narrated. Dick Robinson, San Francisco CA
Hi. Thanks. My latest videos have a list of the kit I use in the video description. Editing is Sony Vegas Pro 13. Hope this helps!
How do you manage locks alone? You need one person at the gates, and one on the boat, and very often we were the only ones at the lock. If you show up alone at a lock, how would you handle it?
You don't need two, it just makes things easier. I made a specific video about how I handle locks solo, look through my channel videos to find it. Cheers.
Always wanted to know how this was done, interesting. You are getting FAR better speeds that I am via expensive fibre-optic - on top of a hill in North Wales. 3 minute youtube upload takes me about an hour here.
Take care with the Netflix.... hear it makes some go blind ;)
I'd have thought you might get decent 3/4G on top of a hill rather than fibre?
+CruisingTheCut ..not a chance .. 3g on a good day with a following wind. BT assured me 20mbs minimum on fibreoptic.. doing well to get 5 mbs.
Didn't they tell you - it's 20Mbps for the whole of North Wales.
CruisingTheCut 😄 ...darned technicalities
Interesting as ever. I expect you'll have more issues though once you embark on your travels. Finding 4G or even 3G out in the sticks is sometimes a challenge as I'm sure you know.
I shall take a rubber dinghy and paddle up & down until I find a signal ;-)
Excellent info as always...
Why do I picture instead just running a LAN cable to shore when your docked?
Hi, love your Vlog, it's great to get some hints and tips as I'm just about to set off on a four month canal trip. As I'm having to learn about all the wifi on the move stuff , would my O2 provider work in the same way as your EE provider?
Yes, should do.
had half an idea of how it all worked, but very good info :) you'll have to do another one once your cruising to let us know how the allowance goes and how much you use it
It will all be eaten up by UA-cam and NowTV I suspect!
+CruisingTheCut Your probably right there :D I know You Tube takes quite a bit, so would be good to know how you get on with it.. From what i gather normal surfing should be ok, which is what i would want it for as i run an online plumbing shop
+Mike Woolstencroft Oh yes, normal web browsing and emails etc doesn't really take anything much at all unless you're downloading huge attachments,
I would recommend you to have a separate 2.4ghz and 5ghz network. Whilst the 5ghz network will give you a lot more speed, it looses signal very quickly, even more so when walls are in play. So the steal shell of your boat is helping in that department. The 2.4ghz network can be slower, however with the download speeds in your video it would hardly if at all be noticeable, so I would recommend you use that. But keeping the 5ghz around when setting for example outside or very close to the wifi device is not a bad idea.
Yeah the 5GHz really doesn't work well down the boat, it can only just about cope with the saloon, galley and dinette. And it kept losing the connection everytime so I had to re-login repeatedly. I've reverted to 2.4 which is very reliable and no need for any greater speed than it can provide really, it's easily enough to upload and download videos.
How have you gone with wifi signal as you travel? Do you have to be close to a town to get a signal?
Most places seem to get a reasonable 4G signal (which can then be used for WiFi throughout the boat, via the router). There are a few places on the canals that don't get a signal, for example Crick in Northamptonshire is very poor.
@@CruisingTheCut Thank you very much for replying. I'm so sad that you are not cruising anymore. I just found your channel a few weeks ago. I live in Australia and now I just really want to go live on a narrowboat away from it all.
How do you tackle the boredom?
Hi Dave It looks like in the video you put the unit on the roof in your well deck. So how does the WIFI
get through all the steel?
It's sufficiently close to the saloon (which is immediately inside the door) that the wifi signal just goes in. The metal doesn't block it entirely.
Sounds like you got the best of both worlds. A good possition for the mobile network and the WIFI is man enough to bounce back into the saloon then:-)
Since then I've mounted the external aerial on the outside, and fed the cable back in to the cupboard under the telly, where the MiFi unit sits permanently plugged into power. This means the unit gets a great signal, the boat is flooded with WiFi and I don't have to keep recharging it.
Thanks for this video :-) 👍 👍
brilliant thanks
How far north in England can you go on the canals I know you can go east to west ?
See canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network
interesting video thanx for sharing
:-)
Hi. Been thinking about this issue for a while... Did you consider using your mobile phone (or upgrading it) as a data point I think they call it? I've been considering upgrading my phone to an iPhone 6s with 20GB data per month which I would then use to supply my laptop and kindle. I realise the problem with this would be reception, but I believe you can get a booster aerial that sits on the roof and a hole drilled through allows a cable to connect to your phone. I've looked at the MiFi option as well but in terms of cost, I would be paying x-amount per month for the MiFi as well as another y-amount for my phone.
Just wondering whether you considered the phone upgrade option and if so why you dismissed it in favour of the MiFi - might help me decide!
+argrundy My phone is ancient, running Android 2.2 and has only an £8/month talk and text plan. The trouble with tethering is that some mobile operators don't allow it, or restrict it. Also, I don't want to keep plugging in an aerial or leave the phone in the well deck to get a signal. For me, it made more sense to have dedicated devices but I know some do use just their phones.
+CruisingTheCut Thanks. I wish I had an £8/mth tariff! I'm warming to the MiFi solution. Maybe I could dump my phone (or give it to one of my daughters who dropped hers yesterday and smashed the screen!) and get a simple pay-as-you go device. Then the £30/mth or so for the MiFi would become less painful.
Incidentally, my boat that I bought back in October arrives at Milton Keynes Marina tomorrow - hoorah! I have been paring down my belongings and reduced them by about 75%, to the benefit of 3 or 4 charity shops, in preparation for moving aboard. I found this book very useful in, first of all de-cluttering and secondly in how to store things tidily. I appreciate that you're already living aboard but it may help in using the available space to best advantage...
www.amazon.co.uk/The-Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-effective/dp/0091955106?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
+argrundy Virgin offer the £8/month tariff, it's a month-by-month contract. Good luck with your boat!
Interesting, what about Prepaid internet? I get mine from T-mobile or I can get a prepaid card (cellular linkup) at the local retail store.
With apologies, I'm unsure what your question is. We can get pay-as-you-go mobile service with data here but it's more costly than on a monthly contract.
Hello! As someone just starting to look into narrowboats myself, I have begun checking out moorings based in Bristol and have become a little overwhelmed by the various types and how they work. Is there any chance you could explain or do a video covering this? For now i know that you can get a short stay one, an annual one, a residential one... and some others...? Maybe it's a dumb question but i'm a little lost.
Residential moorings are fully registered with the council as a dwelling and you'll pay council tax. They are rare. Typical marina / wharf moorings are notionally "leisure use" but rarely does anyone check or enforce whether you're living aboard but you wouldn't be able to use it as a home address. Some marinas have more restrictions on this than others. They tend to be annual contracts. Short term moorings are just what the name suggests. Other than that you can moor anywhere on the canal system for 14 days unless signed otherwise or in a spot where you shouldn't moor such as lock landings, water points etc.
None broken as long as that mooring he's using is actually a permanent mooring and not simply his favourite chosen spot; otherwise he's certainly in breach of the continuous cruising rules even if apparently getting away with it.
Hm...that's the one bad thing about having a mobile home of any kind: The "patchy" internet (especially with data-plans that aren't flat-rates, so you are slowed down or forced to pay for more data if you exceed the volume they allow you to use!)...that would kind of suck :(
Hey, love the videos! Have you seems any boaters with cats? My girlfriend and I have a cat and we were thinking about getting a narrow boat. Any tips?
+Matt .L There are lots of boaters with cats. I love cats but would be too terrified of them falling into a lock or wandering off in a new area and getting hurt / fighting but all the people I've spoken to say it's not a problem and the cats happily returnn to the boat even when you change location each day. They do falll in occasionally so you have to be ready to fish them out (and put some kind of material they can claw their way out on, on the side of the boat). If you're on Twitter, drop a note to @WobblyBoater
+CruisingTheCut Amazing! Thank you 😁
great vids how do you get your post
See www.cruisingthecut.co.uk/f-a-q/
thank you for getting back to me loads of help
Quick q. about this Huawei Mifi thingy sir - you said in a comment that you configure it to look for wifi or 3G/4G, but is there a config that looks for a wifi signal first, if none, then look for 3G/4G instead ? Personally I wouldn't want it connecting via 3G/4G if there was wifi available, in order to conserve data usage, etc. Is the config settable without the app - I think you said it can be done via a webpage ? Just considering how I might get web access in a campervan in the wilder parts of the UK. Ta, and sorry if you've answered this elsewhere and I missed it. :o)
Hi. The Huawei doesn't (to my knowledge) have a way of trying the WiFi first and then dropping back to 3/4G; you have to specify the WiFi extension in the Huawei app or via the device's internal webpage. It's not hard, though you have to wait for the device to reconfigure itself.
Thanks for this info David - so the device is either looking for local wifi, or it's looking for 3G/4G as you tell it to on the day... cheers, Dave.
So could you use this device without a sim card, just to connect to a local wifi signal (if one was available) and use it as a local wifi hotspots.
Good question. I'll try it at the marina and let you know!
On the 3 mobile network for £30 you get unlimited call, texts, data in fact everything including tethering.
I can even use it connected to my car as a wifi hotspot. The 4g speeds are amazing and 3g is as good as most home broadband.
I'm sure you considered this so I was just wondering why a dongle is better as they both need a mobile signal.
I've always found dongles have much better reception. And I thought 3 had capped tethering?
+CruisingTheCut
Fair enough.
I think the top plan £30 or £33 is uncapped but all the others are about 12gb. I'm not promoting 3 lol just I think their the only one that do this.
h, OK. I thought they'd capped them all.
How do you receive a TV signal? HD? Cost?
See my other video which I did around that time all about TV on the boat.
I haven't run all the way through your videos, but it occurred to me that you might benefit from a dashcam perched on the bow and stern of your boat. These are surprisingly cheap, $50 in the US of A, and can be running at all times to capture everything they're pointed at... in HD. They overwrite their data as the card runs out, so you never have to worry about maintaining them and they produce the most unexpected video. They would double as security for your application and you would find that the footage would be great for the vlog from time to time, especially when on the go. An idea...
I've considered it but it'd mean new wiring to power it. Might get a GoPro or similar.
CruisingTheCut They're wired for 12v and come with extraordinarily long cables to route all the way around your car.
GoPros are fine, I suppose, but they are not great for continuous use as they are prone to overheating.
Just an idea.
Long for a car yes but not the 17m of a narrowboat where there would be considerable voltage drop. You'd have to use thicker cable.
CruisingTheCut Great! Sounds like you've done the groundwork, now let's see some dashcam footage! Drunkards tripping over moorings, meteorites splashing into marinas, late night scandalous liasons betwixt neighbouring skippers, I can hardly contain myself!
You could splice into the headlamp feed
Are you still using this device or have you updated yet?
I've updated twice, in fact I have a new video about it coming fairly soon.
@@CruisingTheCut Aha, that's what I figured! Here in the US, the newest data plans available have made things much more limited. They will tell you it's an unlimited plan, but then throttle you down after 20GB.
I'm looking forward to your updated video on that subject as internet is the key element to us being able to cruise the cut.
Thank you!
Do you have an endless access to finances, or sponsors for this project? I have thoroughly enjoyed the videos I've watched?
Good heavens, very much not. I am making do on my savings plus freelance work.
“The SIM card can only go in one way”. Challenge accepted 😂
If you have a 50Gb download limit whats your upload limit? As one thing Ive noticed with these mobile internet devices is they always say what your download cap is but never the upload. As if your uploading a lot of videos you could end up at your upload limit even tho you may have 30GB of down left and by definition you need both to use the internet.
They don't specify because they don't split it like that. It's 50GB data either way, up or down. 50GB total data sent or received.
So do you pay Huawei each month for your data, or is it through another carrier?
They just make the mifi device, my service provider is EE
Very interesting.
Does your Huawei relay your connection to the marina wifi, or does it purely generate a 3G/4G internet connection?
It can do either, you just configure it with an app or through a web interface.
Hi David, just wandering are you still connecting to the web in the same way as in this video? Do you find the need for an external aerial on the MiFi box at all?
I use an external aerial, yes. Have done for months. It does make a difference.
@@CruisingTheCut Is the external aerial that great huge hex. looking one near the bow of the boat?
No that's TV. The MiFi aerial is small and hidden under the cratch cover.
David, I don't have a smart phone or tablet, am turning off BT prior to moving on to my NB, what do I do now!
Read a book? :-)
Hey David.
I’m a very long time viewer first time posting.
You’re mobile WiFi dongle really needs to be in an open place away from metal for best signal to noise ratio.
Tucked away under the roof is probably not the best place, buying those antennas is probably going to be a good investment long term.
Excellent is an understatement. I started from vlog 1, very engaging channel.
Cheers, yes this was very early on. A long time ago I brought the dongle inside and added an external aerial. I think I showed it in a later video. Ta
Ouch. Uploading must take forever. I hope it has improved now 4 years later.
It's not too bad!
Ah yes, there is nothing more annoying than having to sit through numerous interruptions during our consumption of our preferred flavour of entertainment :P
Although a landlubber, I rely exclusively on mobile broadband over 3G/4G for my online fix and have some experience with the various access devices. My overall experience with MiFi type devices are just average, the biggest problem being signal reception strength (or rather, weakness) due to its built-in antenna, and secondly, battery durability. In my experience, adding external antenna to the MiFi didn't really help much, perhaps it was because I was using cheaper alternatives. Perhaps the super-expensive official ones may give better mileage. Whatever the case, make sure you can test the performance of the external antenna, or at least get a money-back guarantee in the event that the antenna turns out to be a dud.
If you use and charge the device very often, you will soon discover that heat build up within the small confines of the casing will cause the battery to eventually swell and become potentially hazardous (it can go kaboom). Replacement batteries are rather expensive. Also, the more often you charge the battery, the faster its performance will degrade and you will soon suffer shorter operation times as a result :(
As an alternative, you can get a "battery-less MiFi" which has the same features bar one - it doesn't have a battery. You simply plug it into the USB port on your laptop or into a powerbank, and it will work like a MiFi. For some strange reason, these are sometimes called "wingles" - an example here -> tinyurl.com/jhzwrtv This is unlocked so you can put in a SIM from any operator.
As for WiFi extenders/repeaters/boosters, there are models with external antenna which will perform better than built-in antenna. The most convenient ones plug into a 240v AC socket, so you can drag an extension socket to the front of the boat while moored to suck (and re-distribute) the marina's WiFi signal better. Of course, we need to remember to cover the electrical socket from the elements, otherwise the fire service won't be best pleased :P
The 2 device (one for mobile broadband, one for WiFi extender/repeater) solution won't be for everyone, for sure. It all depends on the budget and how desperately one needs to get online.
I'm surprised you're surviving on a 50GB monthly plan and commend you for your patience when uploading your full HD videos to UA-cam on 4G/LTE; I probably would have committed seppuku if I had to put up with those speeds! If those are the speeds you get with 4G, I dread to know what you can achieve with puny 3G networks :-)
The benefit of the antenna is that it can sit outside and connect to a device inside instead of me having to put it out each morning. I believe the proper batteries have overheat fail safe circuitry so they shouldn't explode.
I've not heard of wingles but will look them up, cheers. I wouldn't want a 240V model though because I'd have to run the inverter to power it which is inefficient.
If I get a decent 4G, it doesn't take that long to upload and I go and make a cup of tea while it does its thing :-)
Can you leave the thing plugged into the charging cable while you are using it?
Yes
Huawei has been declared to be a security risk, being Chinese, here in the US. Are they the internet and phone for you? We have no network here from that company. As far as that dongle, I'll be looking into it, and if I can get internet only service from 4g, or the upcoming 5g. I'd really like to eliminate the need for cable.
I now use a Netgear MiFi router as the Hauwei died one day. It's all 4G cellphone access
Have you mastered the uke yet?
No. In fact I gave it away.
50gb doesn't seem like alot of data wonder if you've upgraded since then? Or I could just keep watching...... Think I'll keep watching
I later upgraded to 120GB and now have unlimited.
@@CruisingTheCut Must be nice to have unlimited plans. Here in Canada we get royally screwed. Oh, you can get "unlimited" on phones but all that means is your first 20, 40...what ever Gb are unlimited but once that is used in a month you get throttled back to just enough data to email and text but not enough to stream anything. Another reason why I want to move to the UK and buy a narrow boat. lol
It doesn't say, but does the dongle support WPA2, or just WEP and WPA?
Don't know, sorry.
CruisingTheCut hey there i like your canal.boat because it is so.nice from the inside and outside as well
still use go with Huawei products?
I now use a Netgear mifi device
Interesting speeds, you'll have to see what you get via 4G when CC'ing. And how often you dont get any connection. But otherwise that's a perfectly useable speed.
Indeed. I got the same moored up at Welford a couple of days ago so I'm hopeful!