Help with WIFI mobile or permanent
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Category: Living in Albufeira / Viver em Albufeira
Forum Name: Algarve Foreign Residents / Residentes Estrangeiros
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URL: https://albufeira.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=12057
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Topic: Help with WIFI mobile or permanent
Posted By: BUCKIE JAG
Subject: Help with WIFI mobile or permanent
Date Posted: 05/March/2022 at 11:51
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Guidance needed in getting Wifi for the apartment, preferably data sim card mobile If I do need permanent wifi connection what do I need. Remember I qwas brought up we blackboard and chalk, Your help will be much appreciated,
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Replies:
Posted By: peteknopp
Date Posted: 05/March/2022 at 20:54
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1st thing is to find which network has best signal where you live. Voda, meo and nos are the 3 main ones - use your mobile with a speedtest and try friends or neighbours for other networks. Then you need to get a 4/5g router and sort out how much data allowance you want. If a permanent home then maybe fibre or adsl will be better value and you would still get wifi from a router ------------- 
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Posted By: cubsur
Date Posted: 06/March/2022 at 08:47
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Download Ookla Speedtest from http://www.speedtest.net/apps/android" rel="nofollow - https://www.speedtest.net/apps/android I use it and it seems reliable. But remember that speed is not everything. I am on MEO fixed fibre broadband with wifi router and on my desktop PC I have just clocked 157.70 Mbps download speed via a UK proxy. My laptop is even faster. If you plan to be here permanently or semi permanently I agree that a fixed connection could be better value than using mobile. You can also subscribe to the various TV packages. The availability of fixed connections will vary according to the location of the apartment but most residential areas in Albufeira now have high speed fibre broadband service. ------------- Albufeira Resident www.algarvebus.info public transport information for the Algarve |
Posted By: J2me-2
Date Posted: 06/March/2022 at 14:41
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Just to add a small bit extra to what Pete & Cubsur have already mentioned..... Regarding the cheaper 4G mobile deals, you might well be able to have large or indeed unlimited allowances, but the speed is capped too low for streaming. Perfect for your email, Teams/FB/WhatsApp etc. A more comprehensive bill-pay contract (perhaps one that that includes some streaming) might not have such limitations. 4G is technology is more than good enough for streaming (just as it was in the early days of 4G) but because the main suppliers control the infrastructure, it is in their interest to keep it limited. They want to charge you for two contracts every month instead of one. I hope the same does not happen with 5G - but I would not hold my breath.
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Posted By: dpx3001
Date Posted: 06/March/2022 at 15:41
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ADSL or fibre are at the same price as sim/mobile version, each at 30 euros without TV subscription. TV costs 8 euros more so it makes sense to take a package. As far as I know mobile is only available at 4g at 10Mbps speed, while fibre goes to 200-500-1000, meaning it is much more stable and faster internet for the same price. Only advantage of why to even consider sim/mobile is that any other solution goes with 'fidelização' and only makes sense with 24 month contract. Installing fibre + TV costs 175 euros to install and 48 euros/month at 12 month period or 0 euros to install + 38 euros/month for 24 month period. I was looking for the similar thing for the last month so I know all the latest prices, speeds and data, fell free to ask more.
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Posted By: dpx3001
Date Posted: 06/March/2022 at 15:45
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Other option that kind of makes sense it to take 40 euros/month mobile with unlimited data, if it is Android phone it can expose that data stream as normal wifi, so in practice it is the same as taking boxed sim/mobile solution from any provider, but with added flexibility of being able to take it with you, use uber/bolt/maps anywhere etc. https://www.meo.pt/servicos/movel/tarifarios-telemovel/pos-pago/m-movel-ilimitado" rel="nofollow - https://www.meo.pt/servicos/movel/tarifarios-telemovel/pos-pago/m-movel-ilimitado
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Posted By: BUCKIE JAG
Date Posted: 09/March/2022 at 10:29
| Thanks to everyone for your help much appreciated 👍👍👍 |
Posted By: BUCKIE JAG
Date Posted: 09/March/2022 at 10:40
| Before I get set up we WiFi I may need to use the Laptop, does the Hotspot on you mobile to the Laptop work in Albufeira? |
Posted By: Bunnyrunner
Date Posted: 09/March/2022 at 11:28
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Theoretically yes but the latest UK mobile contracts have started to offer different levels of service and one element that might not be allowed in economy contracts is Mobile hotspot. Check if you can do it in UK and if you can then you will still be able to do it in PT. In the earlier discussions about fibre, ISDN and mobile SIM, the mobile SIM is slower as was stated but it does have one advantage in that you can get it without a contract and so turn it off when you don't need it. Certainly a couple of years ago we had a SIM from Vodadone here in Portugal which we activated when we were here in Winter and then turned off when the tourist season came and we went home, next time you just had to reactivate it.
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Posted By: Orada-man
Date Posted: 09/March/2022 at 19:26
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Interesting, our first job on arriving is to buy a mobile data sim from Vodafone €30 for 30 days unlimited data, I stick it in the My-Fi when I get to the apartment Maybe I am missing a trick cost ways but it works well for all our needs including streaming. Last visit I upgraded to 4G My-Fi router also from the Vodafone shop and it was not that expensive. We are both on Lebara monthly contracts in UK and there has been no mention of removing roaming unlike some providers, Lebara runs on Vodafone network. ------------- 
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Posted By: cubsur
Date Posted: 10/March/2022 at 08:38
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People I know living just outside town and beyond the cabled area have a 5G wireless router from MEO. That might also be worth looking into. ------------- Albufeira Resident www.algarvebus.info public transport information for the Algarve |
Posted By: dpx3001
Date Posted: 10/March/2022 at 10:22
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5G will be a thing relatively soon and may offer decent speeds, so far everybody isl selling '5G ready' with 4g speeds (around 10Mbps). I think 5G launch date was moved few times already, last time to beginning of April (they say 'Após 01-04-2022, 40Mbps'), so it is not reliably set in stone yet. MEO even offers exactly the same prices for pre-paid and post-paid plans, https://www.meo.pt/servicos/movel/net-pc-router/pos-pagos" rel="nofollow - https://www.meo.pt/servicos/movel/net-pc-router/pos-pagos https://www.meo.pt/servicos/movel/net-pc-router/pre-pagos" rel="nofollow - https://www.meo.pt/servicos/movel/net-pc-router/pre-pagos which simplifies tactics, if you want to turn it off while you are not here just take pre-pago illimitado and pay when you need it.
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Posted By: peteknopp
Date Posted: 10/March/2022 at 11:49
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I get 5g along the coast - not everywhere but with Meo and have seen out and about speeds go from up to 150mbs with 4g to up to 450mbs with 5g -------------
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