Jon-Bxl

Hi

I have a TMN 3G USB dongle banda larga and think its fantastic. I would like to connect to a wireless router so I have a local wifi set up at home which I have learned is also called mi-fi. Right now I am limited to connecting it directly to the PC USB slot and no-one else can use it, for wifi.

I am looking for a router that will do certain things:

• Accept my 3G TMN dongle Huawei E156G. I think this is quite common in Portugal with TMN. I bought it over the counter at a TMN shop.
  
• Be 'future proof' if I upgrade to TMN's 4G service, so will accept the new 4G dongles.

My friend has recommended a router from Zoom that he uses for 3G. Which if I cant find a cheaper alternative, I will buy. As I don't want IT hassles and if it works out of the box - great! Zoom 3G/4G Wireless-N Travel Router

However one has to be really careful about choosing the right router for 4G in order to 'future proof' the setup. Ive found that not all 4G routers accept 4G!! Take for example TP link TL-MR3420/MR3220. Great price!! You HAVE to get a Version 2 one for proper 4G.. Version 1 cannot be upgraded.. but try finding one on the net..... difficult!! Finally I have been on to their tech support and they have told me that they don't support the E156 dongle.

So it looks like this is out. Shame, great price - great reviews.

So its back to Zoom..... and I need to go through tech support to check if they will support the new 4g as well from TMN.

However I was wondering if anyone has done this successfully and have a mifi at home with their dongle and know that it works with both TMN's 3G Huawei E156G (specifically) ......AND 4G dongles.

Any advice please? Might be handy for lots of folks to know as well.

Thanks in advance

Jon

Ps on the zoom site they support the E156G - but none of the 3 'free' 4G modems listed on TMN's 4G page http://www.tmn.pt/4g/

So you can see for a non techie this is difficult....

Mike

Continue to use your dongle and use your PC as a gateway connected to a wireless router.
If you find a wireless modem/router and shove the dongle into that you could have problems, some of which you have already mentioned.

Jon-Bxl

Hi Mike

I am hoping that there is a router that does this already, I am sure that TMN - will also want this. This isn't a unique requirement I would guess.

However please can you explain your idea, further, just in case there isn't a TMN solution.

How could I use my PC as a gateway to it and set it up please? And do I need a special router? Can you recommend a product please?

As a non-techie I apologise for asking basic questions...

Thanks
Jon

Mike

In essence you continue what you are doing now but add a wireless router to your PC to share your internet connection wirelessly with other devices.
Only downside, your PC has to be on.
That said you don't have to have a specific router to accept USB modem/dongle/stick thing so you have much more choice.
You can also run a VPN on your PC which provides UK IP address so you could watch UK TV on telly, laptop, tablet, etc.

Jon-Bxl

Thanks Mike. I got the bit about having to have my PC on.

1. However say I buy a wifi router... Will any one do?
2. How do I connect my PC to it .... via what cable please?
3. Then what software would I need please to make my PC the 'feed' for the router to access the dongle (connected to the PC)?

After that connection is made between the PC and the router, I can see the router then accessing the dongle and then doing its job as a wifi router for any other device around the house.

I just don't know how to set it up... remember I am a non-techie, so some basic help required, if you could, please.

Thanks in advance
Jon

Jon-Bxl

Hi I contacted TP Link about this idea. It looks its 'its easier said than done' here is the response from their tech support desk:

I am not sure how set the computer to be a gateway to work with the router…so I am not able to provide you an answer. Sorry!

There is a way to use the TP link routers above with 4G (a workaround VERSION 2 routers ONLY) but no support for the 3G modem. They have recommended a non-easy way to try and make that work. So its certainly not a simple solution.

Sadly the TP link modem may be out for me - its a great price and has great reviews as well.

The Zoom product that my friend recommended supports TMN 3G - but not 4G.

So I return to my original post (number 1), has anybody actually done this and know of a product or a way (they can explain) to have BOTH 3G and 4G for TMN covered. please? I will contact Zoom to see if the TMN 4G modems will work in the future (currently unsupported).

I have ways of doing either one - but not both 3G and full 4G. - in one product. Any 'clever techies' out there??

Thanks

Jon

Original post number 1 http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...70&postcount=1

Mike

Windows 7?
Start -> Network.
Click Help, then View Help.
Search for ICS (Internet Connection Sharing)
Using ICS has lots of nice diagrams and explains things.

It should not matter whether you are using a ADSL or dongle.

Happy days

Jon-Bxl

Hi Mike

Aaaah the glories of technology.... who coined the phrase 'plug and play'.

Thanks for your inputs. But as I haven't bought the dam router yet - I cant do your thing above. ....and I have a differing opinion from you and the 'horses mouth' (TP's tech expert), so I'm a bit concerned it will actually work. I'll do the following:

1. Wait to see if anyone has a router that does this directly. So I am not required to have my PC on all the time. So will await responses to this thread. I suspect that there may not be one now as this has been on going for a bit. You are the only responder. Funny I would've thought this was interesting to many expats

2. Follow up with Zoom as my friend recommended. They already a specific TMN setup process for 3G - I will contact them with the TMN 4G modem model numbers and if they tell me they will be supported, then I'll buy+pay the extra 20 quid to be sure. (Of an 'easy life' that is)

Thanks for your input. If I get a solution Ill post it. Till then any other ideas??

Jon

fergus

Hi,

What Mike has suggested is quite simple and you can do it now with no extra costs or hassle. What Mike has suggested is very similar (but not the same) as using your mobile phone to allow your PC/Laptop to connect to the internet. All proven and quite simple stuff.

All you do is have the dongle in your PC/Laptop as you do now. Then set your PC/Laptop up so that the internet connection can be shared with others (your other PCs). They then link to your first PC/Laptop via peer to peer wireless networking.

You need to set all your PCs to operate with peer to peer. If you do this you do not need a wireless router.

Jon-Bxl

Thanks Fergus but if you see from the earlier posts, I am looking to set up a mifi network using the dongle.

As discussed, I prefer not to have my PC on every time I want to use it (for eg friends coming over, kindle Ipad etc etc).

I really think a router should work, the dongles are pretty 'industry standard' and the requirement isn't that strange, after all the routers advertise 3G and 4G capability. I hope I can find a simple solution that doesn't need this sort of complexity. I was hoping to get a quick resolution here. Although surprisingly it doesnt seem that easy. I have high hopes with the Zoom products and will contact them directly. If not I will re-look at other options.

Thanks
Jon

MrBife

You could try one of these ...

https://loja.vodafone.pt/tv-net-voz/.../equipamentos/

Thats the Vodafone one but I guess TMN offer one also, if not they are cheap enough on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VODAFONE-R...item3a7da3932b

Probably not going to be 4G proof but I got mine from Vodafone for 13.50 Euro (Club Viva user points) so will bin it and get another in a couple of years when I go 4G and there is a bit more choice

If you want generic kit that will do what you want now, be future proof and won't mind which 3G service you use then take a look at Solwise - they make several with USB Dongle support but you are going to struggle to get 4G fully supported now as the old router technology requires quite a radical rethink to cope with the extra speeds possible.

http://www.solwise.com/

Jon-Bxl

Thanks MrBife.

One gets so excited about technology these days, one would've thought that a product does what it says on the box! i.e 3G/4G routers.

Ive learned that 4G support is limited, as you say, but I would also have thought that a dongle that sits in a USB port would also be easily transferred to a router.

But as I say I am not a techie.... so my thoughts are confused.

I'll contact zoom this week... if not I'll look at a cheap 3G router with plans to trash later or the PC-on always options.

Thanks
Jon

MikeJ

Hi Jon
If you google "4G Routers" you will find a whole host of 4G routers which will take a USB dongle - including the Zoom and Netgear etc. The issue is whether the TMN dongle correctly conforms to the G4 standards (can't see why it wouldn't as the G3 one does, you could contact TMN support to check). All the clever bits about the peer-to-peer connection between the router and the dongle should be taken care of in the dongle itself. It should then be plug and go - with perhaps a little parameter setting in the router. As you know I use the Zoom for 3G - I stick it on a pole on the terrace for a better signal - it works a treat. The Zoom also has an ethernet connector so if we ever get a landline I could connect it to that.

Jon-Bxl

Hi Mike

One has to look at each router in their tech support (TS) pages to see if the dongle is supported, and if not contact TS.

I think zoom is the best hope, as I mentioned somewhere above, but the latest 4G from TMN arent included: I plan to contact them - havent gotten around to it yet. I had high hopes for the Tp link one as it has great reviews and half the price, but their TS told me the 3G dongle was not supported, but gave me a big file to help me configure it (with no g'tee that it would work... couldnt buy it with that issue/hassle). There is a workaround for one of the TMN 4G dongles that make it work but you MUST get a NEW V2 model (Only) - not upgradeable from an older one - which is not 'real 4G' but something called 3.75G!!.

Instead of trying to be 'clever' I should have just gone for the zoom from day 1!! As you advised.

So TPLink is TMN 4G OK (w/workaround) but not 3G out of the box: Zoom is TMN 3G Ok but not supporting the TMN 4G!! (Currently)

BTW You can also buy an antenna from eg Amazon for the dongle itself, there is a dedicated plug in the dongle that takes the antenna for a few DB gain.. just google the dongle model name and 'antenna'

Will let all know once I have contacted zoom.. to see if they will support TMN's 4G dongles

Thanks
Jon

MikeJ

Hi Jon
Zoom have a new firmware download - specifically for 4G - for the 4506 Mifi router which adds the following devices (among a load of others). If you can establish that the TMN 4G dongle is one of these then you should be OK:

Huawei E353
Huawei E367
Huawei E376
Huawei E1691