Mobile 4g/5g booster required

Hi all

Im looking to get a 4/5g booster added to my recently purchased campervan. I would guess at a budget of up to £300 and would much prefer not having to drill into the van as part of fitting.

I am on o2 (if that makes a difference) and would like it to boost performance / connection in UK, Scottish highlands but also in mainland Europe.

Any suggestions please?

I too am interested in this. I watched some YouTube videos and it seemed to me that to get better reception required a large, expensive external antenna, and that needed a lot of intrusive wiring. In the trials I watched an iPhone was as good for reception as anything else affordable.

Will did a video on this (Campervan Time).

TLDR? Just use your phone. Any gains are marginal and the best trhing to do is have a good modern phone with a good wifi/network chip and place it high up in the van. We place ours on the poptop ledge. Never had an issue, even in the wilds of the NC500. Anywhere there was not a signal I doubt even a 10ft ariel would have helped. Beyond that we have a BlackVue unit on the windscreen that effectively does the same thing as the phone but it hardwired to the dashcam and also gives us a 5 device hotspot.

And also that 5G was a multiple more expensive than 4G. In the end I concluded that I’d have to put up with my phone.

I spent some time investigating a cheap and effective solution for reliable mobile working. Yes, you can go down the route of @CampervanTime, but their hardware alone will be much more expensive than what I chose including unlimited 5G data until June 2025! It would be interesting to see the real performance difference between the solutions though.

The solution I chose is a home router that can be run off 12v in the van. On 4G I have seen download speeds well over 200mbps and uploads of over 100mbps. I have also tested it twice when visiting friends in non-5G areas. I could not get a 5G reception on a new iPhone 15, however the router connected to 5G without issues, so the internal antennas are pretty effective.

For me, it works as a solution I can use whenever I need it. I just plug it in and about 30 seconds later I’m up and running. You can also mod this router to give 4x4 + 2x2 MIMO when using external antenna. However, this makes it a much more expensive solution and I doubt the performance benefits would be hugely significant.

Huawei 5G CPE 5 (£229.99)

KUMA 12v adapter with voltage stabiliser (£19.99)
You can also get a cheaper non-regulated version.

EE 5G Unlimited Data Sim Card (239.99)
I paid £215, so may be cheaper on Black Friday

I’m trailing the Gl.iNet Spritz AX3000
Getting some good results.

Californication69 said:

I’m trailing the Gl.iNet Spritz AX3000
Getting some good results.
View attachment 115965

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Is that a shelf you have fitted above the window?

We have a portable 4G router
And an unlimited data sim from iD mobile for £16 a month.
It works perfectly for what we need. It fits in the redundant cup holder by the sliding door.

RosscoPCole74 said:

We have a portable 4G router

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/8624969?clickSR=slp:term:portable%20wifi:6:1490:1

And an unlimited data sim from iD mobile for £16 a month.
It works perfectly for what we need. It fits in the redundant cup holder by the sliding door.

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That will be a Cat 4 wifi router. If you are in an area with a strong signal it’s a good way to share an internet connection. Being inside the van will likely affect its speed though.

As the OP is looking for something to work throughout the UK, Scottish Highlands and Europe, I would recommend a more powerful solution.
A more powerful solution means using a 4x4 MIMO enabled router, and potentially external antennas.

If you want something to keep in the van permanently with external antenna connected, speak to @Californication69 or @CampervanTime, as they have a good understanding. However, if you want something that you can use in the van, or at home (potentially as a broadband replacement), I can say that my solution works really well.

For those travelling to the Highlands, this may be of interest…

I have 5G broadband router from 3 with a monthly subscription. Router came free plus three months £0. Unlimited mobile broadband. It works in the house, in the garage, and van. Super flexible and replaced my land line broadband. Where there is no 5g it picks up 4g. There is a light in the front that tells you which it is connected to. I have not noticed any difference in speeds from my land line broadband. Saves on phone line charges. Overall cheaper than phone/broadband that I had.

The disadvantages are
(1) moving it back and forward between places
(2) I only use it when parked up.
(3) takes up the power outlet when in use.

Can’t complain here. Huawei 5G CPE 2 Pro with 12v cable customized by FTS Hennig to use a 6X6 MIMO external antenna. This is a pricey unit but gets the job done superbly. If you need reliable connectivity and work from van daily! I also have a backup connection via the WAN port to use Starlink if I’m using it in the middle of nowhere. Note this is on my Club Joker Highroof and not a Cali:










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Webbah_in_Switzerland said:

Can’t complain here. Huawei 5G CPE 2 Pro with 12v cable customized by FTS Hennig to use a 6X6 MIMO external antenna. This is a pricey unit but gets the job done superbly. If you need reliable connectivity and work from van daily! I also have a backup connection via the WAN port to use Starlink if I’m using it in the middle of nowhere. Note this is on my Club Joker Highroof and not a Cali:

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Impressive spec! I’ve never seen a 6x6 MIMO vehicle antenna before!

What is the antenna you have?

Kayleigh said:

Impressive spec! I’ve never seen a 6x6 MIMO vehicle antenna before!

What is the antenna you have?

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Router with custom external antenna sockets (4x5G and 2X4G): https://www.fts-hennig.de/netztechnik/router/mobilfunkrouter/huawei-5g-cpe-pro2.html

External antenna: https://www.fts-hennig.de/antennen/fahrzeugantennen/fts-complete-car-5g.html

Cheers!

Webbah_in_Switzerland said:

Router with custom external antenna sockets (4x5G and 2X4G): https://www.fts-hennig.de/netztechnik/router/mobilfunkrouter/huawei-5g-cpe-pro2.html

External antenna: https://www.fts-hennig.de/antennen/fahrzeugantennen/fts-complete-car-5g.html

Cheers!

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We have a company in the UK that provides a similar service: