Internet connection in deepest darkest Issan.

**MeMock** · 26-10-2008, 10:00 AM

Hi All,

I realise I could possible find this info with a bit of searching but as you will soon read I don't have much time online to be able to do this.

Here is my situation summarised as best as possible.

Set up a 1 2 call connection using my laptop talking to my mobile phone via bluetooth when I was in Bangkok. Very happy with the connection and price.

Arrive in Ubon Ratchatani and no problems either. Arrive in the village and the fun and games begin.

I can get connected a few times a day if I am lucky and then only for a few minutes before it drops out. Basically unusable for what I need to do.

My brother in law has one of the aerials still connected to his house which was used before a normal 1 2 call connection came to the village a few years ago. In Det Udom I tried to buy a connection from the aerial to my phone. It didn't fit the phone but I still bought it thinking with a bit of force I could make it fit enough just to see if it would improve the connection at all. It didn't.

In another town we found a 1 size fits all connection from aerial to phone and so have ordered one in but that will be a few days away.

Since I was last here a games shop has opened in town (20 - 30 min bike ride away, depending on how many cows are on the road, if it has rained then forget it.) This is where I am at the moment trying to sort a few things out including this big headache as I need the internet every day for work.

I have a bad feeling that this part that I have ordered wont make much difference either so my two questions are:

How can I improve my connection?

If I can't improve my connection what options are available to me regarding using a satellite dish. Who does it, is the speed any good, how much etc etc?

Cheers.

PS - Bloody games shops

as I type there are two little kids seeing how hard they can slam their heads into the wal behind me. I kid you not.

**melvbot** · 26-10-2008, 10:15 AM

A friend of mine had this in Kanchanaburi

IPSTAR Broadband Satellite System for Asia-Pacific

A few thousand to set up and more expensive than normal for the same speed but it was his only choice.

**Norton** · 26-10-2008, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

If I can't improve my connection what options are available to me regarding using a satellite dish. Who does it, is the speed any good, how much etc etc?

I use CAT Telecom. It works through the mobile phone network. 630 baht per month. Low speed and occasional drop out will be experienced if the signal strength is low. When I first installed I had this problem. After hooking up to a better aerial which increased the signal strength I no longer have the problem. Still only get 256/512 speed but no more drop outs. Higher speed can be obtained if you are within range of GSM2000 system but I doubt you will be.

As mentioned above ipStar is an option. It can be purchased through your TOT. I believe it's 1600 baht per month for the 256/512 speed. Higher if you want more.

**Texpat** · 26-10-2008, 02:11 PM

There are no phone lines available where I live in Nong Khai.

Until two weeks ago I was using a shitty little Solomon GPRS modem -- advertised at 115K.

That was until the day I ripped it out of the USB port and smashed it against the wall. I have since bought a Nokia phone which allows me to connect at 460K (advertised).

It's much better. I can even visit my porn sites again.

**Norton** · 26-10-2008, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by Texpat

It's much better. I can even visit my porn sites again.

Mine OK for the pics but still too slow for the vids.

**lom** · 26-10-2008, 02:54 PM

^It's a bugger to wank over stills

**cimboc** · 26-10-2008, 04:10 PM

I said to MM today for the 30 sec he was on Skype there are routers available in Australia which I believe you put your SIM into.
Do they any such hardware in Thailand? if so I reckon it is going to be the only way he will boost his signal.

Vigor2910

**lom** · 26-10-2008, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by cimboc

Do they any such hardware in Thailand? if so I reckon it is going to be the only way he will boost his signal.

You can buy same or similar routers here but it won't help him, the sensitivity of the receiver is on par with the receiver in his mobile phone.
The only way to improve reception is to use an outdoor antenna (beam antenna)
pointing towards the cell tower.

**cimboc** · 26-10-2008, 04:26 PM

True but that why I thought one of these types of routers would be good as you can unscrew the pissy little internal one and upgrade to something a bit more kick arse outside like you suggest

yay? nay?

**Norton** · 26-10-2008, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by lom

The only way to improve reception is to use an outdoor antenna (beam antenna) pointing towards the cell tower.

Yep. The router modem shown is almost identical to the one I have and without the antennae doesn't work well in weak signal area. Just unscrew the pissy little antennae and screw in coaxial from outdoor beam antennae.

**lom** · 26-10-2008, 04:45 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

Just unscrew the pissy little antennae and screw in coaxial from outdoor beam antennae.

Yes but you will get the same result from your mobile phone if you have an adapter
from your mobile phone's antenna outlet and it is a much cheaper solution.

I would probably choose the router anyhow because of convenience.
With a second SIM, you can talk in your mobile while internet connected.
And you still have an internet connection at home should you forget your phone in a restaurant or someones car..

**cimboc** · 26-10-2008, 04:45 PM

Cheers Norton

would you mind posting the router details for MM - I think he was going to ride to the next village again tomorrow to check if I had made any progress on his situation.

**cimboc** · 26-10-2008, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by lom

Yes but you will get the same result from your mobile phone if you have an adapter
from your mobile phone's antenna outlet and it is a much cheaper solution.

I think he was saying he had already attempted this - all be it the adapter wasn't the 100% correct model for his phone. Not sure what he meant by that but he said some computer shop was ordering him in a universal one to see if it made any difference.

Like you say but, the router version frees up his phone etc...

**MeMock** · 28-10-2008, 02:51 PM

Hi everyone, thanks for your help and thanks Cimboc as well.

Sounds like I should still persevere with the antenna option for a little while longer. What I did buy was the cord which connects to the coaxial attached to the antenna on the roof. This then has a plastic little glove thingy that fits around the phone. However what I did buy doesn't fit my phone (I realised this at the time but was desperate to try anything) and I fitted that to my brother in law who has an antenna at his house but it made no difference. Of course it could well have been because the 'glove' didn't fit.
The shop I am sitting in at the moment should have for me tomorrow a 'glove' that fits all phones so will wait until then.

Regarding the antenna, should any antenna work? ie my brother in laws?

**MeMock** · 28-10-2008, 03:12 PM

of course I will need to get my connection re set up because the stupid bugger who rang me back from 1 2 call after two days of first contacting him made me change my settings in the hope of fixing my outgoing mail problem that I am having. Now I have no connection at all

**Norton** · 28-10-2008, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by lom

Yes but you will get the same result from your mobile phone if you have an adapter from your mobile phone's antenna outlet and it is a much cheaper solution.

Yes cheaper. I opted for the separate wireless modem/router for the reasons you state. In essence it gives me a "home" phone number. When you sign up with CAT telecom CDMA system they give you the sim card "free" and you have to buy the wireless modem. If I remember correctly, they have two modems available. One looks like a standard desk phone and the other a black box with a router capability. The phone modem is 1500 baht and the router version is 4000 baht as I recall.

A word of caution. About a year ago I saw a news articla saying GSM service may be dropped in favor of a 3G system. So far no further mention of this but if you buy a GSM modem now and they change, most likely you will need to buy a new modem.

If you have a CAT Telecom office near your village suggest you go have a look if you can't get the stuff you have now to work.

**lom** · 28-10-2008, 04:33 PM

Originally Posted by MeMock

This then has a plastic little glove thingy that fits around the phone.

This glove thing sounds very much like mumbo-jumbo to me

, most mobile phones has an external antenna connector somewhere and that's the one you should use.

Originally Posted by MeMock

Regarding the antenna, should any antenna work? ie my brother in laws?

Don't know what antenna your brother in law has so that is a bit diffucult to answer.
The best antenna is a directional antenna (beam type) made for the frequency band your mobile phone is operating on.
It will look like an ordinary TV antenna but with somewhat shorter elements (pins) and you have to point it in the cell tower direction in a similar way as you have to point a TV antenna in the TV tower direction.

**cimboc** · 28-10-2008, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

A word of caution. About a year ago I saw a news articla saying GSM service may be dropped in favor of a 3G system. So far no further mention of this but if you buy a GSM modem now and they change, most likely you will need to buy a new modem.

The same "rumors" are in Oz about GSM, both those routers I pictured are operate on among other things UTMS 850 which is the "new" CDMA here.

I agree with your advice but - get the local Thai version of this type of hardware and put an external antenna up.

**jandajoy** · 28-10-2008, 05:08 PM

Memock, shoot me down if this is completely stupid but have you investigated a fixed TOT phone line?

We're way out bush but got to know the techies. Once they're on side things can happen pretty quick with a bit of greasing. Could work out cheaper in the long run. Just a thought.

**Norton** · 28-10-2008, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Memock, shoot me down if this is completely stupid but have you investigated a fixed TOT phone line? We're way out bush but got to know the techies. Once they're on side things can happen pretty quick with a bit of greasing. Could work out cheaper in the long run. Just a thought.

Many of us have been there done that. Not an option. Chances are less than 0 of getting a phone line in a remote village unless someone already has one you can "purchase".

**jandajoy** · 28-10-2008, 07:17 PM

Fair enough, just asking.

**MeMock** · 29-10-2008, 02:33 PM

Jandajoy, decent suggestion in my book. Nearest landline seems to be about 8kms away and quotes of 100,000 baht have been talked about a few years ago. This may well have changed so I will ask again.

**MeMock** · 29-10-2008, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by lom

Originally Posted by MeMock

This then has a plastic little glove thingy that fits around the phone.

This glove thing sounds very much like mumbo-jumbo to me

, most mobile phones has an external antenna connector somewhere and that's the one you should use.

This is what i bought a few days ago which was the wrong size.

This is what I just got a few minutes ago but havent tested it yet.

**Marmite the Dog** · 29-10-2008, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by Norton

A word of caution. About a year ago I saw a news articla saying GSM service may be dropped in favour of a 3G system. So far no further mention of this but if you buy a GSM modem now and they change, most likely you will need to buy a new modem.

I think all of the Thai providers are starting to get cold feet about investing in 3G, especially outside of Bangkok.

**cimboc** · 30-10-2008, 06:16 AM

So 2G/CDMA is still in regional Thailand? Do you know what the frequencies are? and are they the same for all providers?

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