Forum Discussion

JuanMat_1657689's avatar
JuanMat_1657689
SMARTY Pioneer
16-12-2022
Solved

Home portable router

Hi there I need a portable home router , always I'm tethering hotspot with my smartphone, any suggestions ?

 

 

 

  • Jomac's avatar
    Jomac
    20-12-2022

    Just look on eBay for an unlocked 4G Router, you should be able to pick one up for well below £30 THREE network who own Smarty and share the same network supply a free router,

  • MikeHorn_626296's avatar
    MikeHorn_626296
    14-01-2023

    I use a 4g ZTE router bought of Amazon for £35 works fine 

  • SimonGuru's avatar
    SimonGuru
    15-01-2023

    Hi my recommendation is a TP-Link TL-MR6400. This is a 300Mbps 4G mobile wi-fi router with SIM slot unlocked to all networks and no configuration required. It also has removable external wi-fi antennas.

    30.00 and a very good make and you can control it with the TP-LINK APP And TP-Link TetherApp 

    I Have this one and it has amazing reviews and a good price or if you have any routers or modems sitting around your house by any isp supplying organisation then use that in bridge mode and use it as a range extended or a modum on its own 

    Regards Simon 

22 Replies

  • SimonGuru's avatar
    SimonGuru
    SMARTY Maverick
    15-01-2023

    Hi my recommendation is a TP-Link TL-MR6400. This is a 300Mbps 4G mobile wi-fi router with SIM slot unlocked to all networks and no configuration required. It also has removable external wi-fi antennas.

    30.00 and a very good make and you can control it with the TP-LINK APP And TP-Link TetherApp 

    I Have this one and it has amazing reviews and a good price or if you have any routers or modems sitting around your house by any isp supplying organisation then use that in bridge mode and use it as a range extended or a modum on its own 

    Regards Simon 

    • Brookhouse's avatar
      Brookhouse
      SMARTY Commentator
      14-03-2023

      Struggling to find this at £30, Can you advise where you found it at that price?

      • Chalkychap's avatar
        Chalkychap
        SMARTY Trendsetter
        14-03-2023

        That's inflation for you... +10% per annum. 

        Perhaps SimonGuru acquired their's pre-owned.

  • MarkWeatherill's avatar
    MarkWeatherill
    SMARTY Commentator
    16-12-2022

    Hi, I have a couple of 4GEE 'mifi' routers, the bigger ones have good battery life, are fairly cheap second hand and if needed can be unlocked easily. I find they do freeze up occasionally but very useable and of course, portable.

    • Elizabe_2519983's avatar
      Elizabe_2519983
      SMARTY Rookie
      30-01-2024

      Hello, how did you unlock? I phoned EE and they wouldn’t allow me to unlock it, they wanted me to buy an EE data plan

      • MarkWeatherill's avatar
        MarkWeatherill
        SMARTY Commentator
        25-04-2024

        Unlock codes are available from third parties on eBay, for example.

        One of my 4GEE mobile routers has just failed, sadly. I replaced it with a BT mini hub.

  • the_owl_0v0's avatar
    the_owl_0v0
    SMARTY Maverick
    17-12-2022

    Assuming "portable home router" means a home router connecting via the mobile network, I can suggest the Huawei H112-370 for use in the UK.  

    In Leicestershie I'm currently getting ~600Mb/s down and 32 Mb/s up on both Ethernet to my laptop and and WiFi 6 to my phone (Ookla speed test at time of writing this response)

    Hope this helps.

  • Peto_Peter's avatar
    Peto_Peter
    SMARTY Commentator
    17-12-2022

    Yeah but are you willing to keep removing sim card btw phone and router ? I was thinking same but was asking my self why when u have phone as router already ..

    I was checking 5G WiFi 6 mobile routers a they cost like 200 or 300 or more so no point 

    • Jomac's avatar
      Jomac
      SMARTY Commentator
      15-01-2023

      For what it costs Peto, I have two Sim card contracts, one for the router which is unlimited everything and a basic Sim for the phone, so no swapping needed. Other than general surfing on the phone, the only thing that would use expensive data would be Google Maps and even they can be preloaded into your phone before a journey. Using a basic Sim with limited data, I have never come close to using anywhere near my limit and never had to swap Sim's

      • Peto_Peter's avatar
        Peto_Peter
        SMARTY Commentator
        19-04-2023

        Why would u pay twice?? person need just one sim and one payment ! 

        So u bought expensive acces point ? how much ?

  • Jomac's avatar
    Jomac
    SMARTY Commentator
    20-12-2022

    Just look on eBay for an unlocked 4G Router, you should be able to pick one up for well below £30 THREE network who own Smarty and share the same network supply a free router,

  • MikeHorn_626296's avatar
    MikeHorn_626296
    SMARTY Maverick
    14-01-2023

    I use a 4g ZTE router bought of Amazon for £35 works fine 

    • Jomac's avatar
      Jomac
      SMARTY Commentator
      15-01-2023

      Mine's a ZTE as well, very nice, cheap and simple to set up and customise.

      • JaneSta_2609973's avatar
        JaneSta_2609973
        SMARTY Enquirer
        18-04-2024

        Hi there, I have bought a ZTE router and put the Smarty sim in - but I am not finding the network with devices - please can you tell me how you did that? Thanks

         

  • SimonGuru's avatar
    SimonGuru
    SMARTY Maverick
    14-03-2023

    TP-Link 300 Mbps 3G/4G Single-Band Wi-Fi Router, 1x 2.0 USB Port, 5x Fast WAN/LAN Ports, Connect up to 32 devices, WPS Button, No Configuration Required, UK Plug (TL-MR3420)

    They changed the model number so this might be why you couldn't find it it's has over 30 k reviews 

  • DanielP_2058417's avatar
    DanielP_2058417
    SMARTY Maverick
    24-05-2023

    Be careful buying tp link. Lots of people either cant get them working at all with smarty or like me i can only get 3g. 4g seems to be blocked. In my phone it gets 500mbps but only 3mbps in the expensive router lol 

    • Brookhouse's avatar
      Brookhouse
      SMARTY Commentator
      06-06-2023

      Which router do you use then?