Three unlimited Data SIM and USB dongle

[timbo343]

I was wondering if this is at all possible. There are a few of us going away for the weekend and there is no Wifi where we are staying (possibly a good thing) but i was wondering - no doubt it will get asked, if it's possible to purchase a three unlimited data sim on a 30 day contract, purchase a USB 3g / 4g dongle and plug the dongle into my draytek router which i will take along with me.

 

Has anyone done this type of thing before? I dont want to go wasting money so i'd thought i'd ask before hand.

 

No doubt Three will try and sell one of their Mobile Boardband SIMS but i feel the amount of people wanting to use the connection, the device wont keep up to all the connections.

[Steve21]

Last time I used a dongle in that regards you had to manually run software that was installed on it to get it to connect (Now this was a few years back so maybe it's better now), but if that is still the case you'd need something to plug the dongle into in the middle in that regards.

 

Steve

[MatthewL]

DrayTek will work with them but only certain models so check your DrayTek works with the one they supply.

 

What is wrong with everyone using their own data or just enjoying a weekend away from it all?

 

The little MiFi devices are easiest option now I find, I've had a good few things connected to one with no issues.

[robk]

As long as the dongle is on the draytek compatability list it should work.

 

Might be worth looking at the 4g mifi devices though everything in one box with up to about 10 devices.

[elsiegee40]

I got a mifi from Amazon and buy a preloaded data sim for it when we need to use it. I stick it in a little net laundry tablet drawstring bag if the indoor signal is weak and can pretty much hang it out of the window with the best signal. Charge lasts about 6 hours when running before I have to plug it in. Edited August 21, 2019 by elsiegee40

[timbo343]

Thanks all.

 

Will see what the others say in the group and see what they want to do.

 

Thought i'd see if it was possible first.

 

As for the Draytek router and the dongle, i have a 2860n and have the list of dongles it supports. Found a dongle on ebay,

[ZeroHour]

A few months/years ago using a mobile sim in a hotspot/non voice device like an ipad could get blocked as all the networks had lists of IMEI numbers they would block use on forcing you to get a specific data sim but I think the EU banned that practice so it should be fine now. I think a three pay as you go sim with a £35 top up gets you a month of unlimited data to do what you want.

[timbo343]

They have the unlimited plan for a 30 day contract on SIM only Pay Monthly SIM Plans - Unlimited Data SIM | Three.

 

My worry is if the sim doesn't work as it should in the dongle due to the SIM being a phone SIM rather than a Data SIM. One of my colleagues has been using an old phone and tethering the data this way to his devices, fortunately there is only him that lives at home.

 

I wonder what 3 would say if i went in store, i wonder if they would try to flog me a data SIM which obviously costs more to use.

 

I would have thought a 3g/4g dongle would allow a normal SIM to work - maybe?

[ZeroHour]

They have the unlimited plan for a 30 day contract on SIM only Pay Monthly SIM Plans - Unlimited Data SIM | Three.

 

My worry is if the sim doesn't work as it should in the dongle due to the SIM being a phone SIM rather than a Data SIM. One of my colleagues has been using an old phone and tethering the data this way to his devices, fortunately there is only him that lives at home.

 

I wonder what 3 would say if i went in store, i wonder if they would try to flog me a data SIM which obviously costs more to use.

 

I would have thought a 3g/4g dongle would allow a normal SIM to work - maybe?

 

Yeah as long as its compatible it should work but the networks used to block internet access based on IMEI for non mobile devices when put in a hotspot but like I say I am pretty sure thats banned now.

If I were you I would get a normal three sim from tesco etc and stick a few pound on it and see if it works out in your dongle. Buying unlimited data for £35 for a month means you dont have to worry about canceling etc and going through all that guff.

The top up info is here: Top-up - Buy an Add-on | Three at the top it says £35 for unlimited for a month as an addon.

 

EDIT: although that deal for £26 isnt bad, its just the pain of dealing with it after the use and then rejoining if you wanted to use it again in the future.

 

EDIT 2: I see its different prices for data/tablet sims. I would test it for you but I dont actually have a hotspot dongle to test my unlimited sim with.

Edited August 21, 2019 by ZeroHour

[timbo343]

Yeah as long as its compatible it should work but the networks used to block internet access based on IMEI for non mobile devices when put in a hotspot but like I say I am pretty sure thats banned now.

If I were you I would get a normal three sim from tesco etc and stick a few pound on it and see if it works out in your dongle. Buying unlimited data for £35 for a month means you dont have to worry about canceling etc and going through all that guff.

The top up info is here: Top-up - Buy an Add-on | Three at the top it says £35 for unlimited for a month as an addon.

 

EDIT: although that deal for £26 isnt bad, its just the pain of dealing with it after the use and then rejoining if you wanted to use it again in the future.

 

EDIT 2: I see its different prices for data/tablet sims. I would test it for you but I dont actually have a hotspot dongle to test my unlimited sim with.

 

Aye, that's a good idea about buying a standard SIM. At least i dont have to commit if it doesn't work. Just need to buy the dongle from ebay.

 

Thank you for offering to try it out. I was going to purchase one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223623709647 to try the SIM in the router.

 

I have an email from SMARTY who use the Three network that also provide unlimited data SIMS and they say:

 

Our SIMs are compatible with most 3G/4G devices, so should work! If it doesn't though, we do offer a 14 Day Money Back Guarantee

 

Would just have see what happens with a box standard PAYG SIM then make my decision based on that.

[rich_tech]

I have a mifi for this, it works well too, they can only support up to 8 devices, you can also get larger dongles which serve as APs too, their referred to as Wingles I found from my dealings with O2

[MatthewL]

I would just get one of these: https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/36105-tp-link-tl-wr902ac/

[MYK-IT]

I've been using Three UK for years as my Home Broadband connection, initially just by tethering my mobile - now using a Huawei B525- 4G 300Mbps mobile WiFi Router in addition to a £20 a month (unlimited text/minutes/data) Three UK SIM.

[chazzy2501]

why not just use a portable hotspot? Like this example: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Huawei-E5330-3G-Unlocked-Configuration-Required/dp/B00INXBW3U/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=portable+hotspot&qid=1566469297&s=gateway&sr=8-3

[timbo343]

went for the Smarty deal with 25% off for life which is £18.75. The deal is only on until tonight, https://smarty.co.uk/plans/unlimited and the 4g dongle turned up today. Tested with my EE Sim and works as it should.

[ITGURU]

I go to a caravan site where 4g and mobile signal is pretty much non existent. I bought a Huawei B315 4g router and an external antenna which suckers to the window.

I can then get 4g signal of about 15-20 megs speed.

Virgin SIM 40GB data a month, £18.00 monthly contract, Monthly data rollover, so typically if not gone for a couple of months, i get 80GB.