Pocket wifi on the CF

[SantiagoCruzB]

Hi all,
Does anybody have any recent experience with using a pocket wifi on the CF?
For context, I have to stay connected 24/7 to parties in Asia while walking the CF.
1: Can I get a pocket wifi at the Madrid airport when I land and return it when I depart?
2: How much does it cost?
3: How good is the reception especially in the smaller towns?
I'm walking from Oct to Nov.
All inputs will be appreciated. Thanks and God bless!
B

 

[trecile]

Why not just get a Spanish sim card (or e-sim) for your phone?

 

[ivar]

If you have a small sim router, you can get a SIM card and use the data from the SIM card once in Spain.

I have something similar to this:

https://www.mediamarkt.es/es/product/_router-m%C3%B3vil-d-link-dwr-932-wi-fi-4g-lte-150-mbps-color-negro-1258993.html

...that I use and it works well. Weighs less than 100g.

As for what pay-as-you-go SIM card is best in Spain for data (no calls), I am not sure...

 

[JCLima]

Why not just get a Spanish sim card (or e-sim) for your phone?

When I'm traveling, I like to have a different device providing WiFi because it allows me to have my phone on airplane mode and save battery

Also, some people might have their phones locked (?) to a specific cellphone provider and can't use other sim cards (I used to have that problem)

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Hi all,
Does anybody have any recent experience with using a pocket wifi on the CF?
For context, I have to stay connected 24/7 to parties in Asia while walking the CF.
1: Can I get a pocket wifi at the Madrid airport when I land and return it when I depart?
2: How much does it cost?
3: How good is the reception especially in the smaller towns?
I'm walking from Oct to Nov.
All inputs will be appreciated. Thanks and God bless!
B

Yes, it is called a Smartphone with a Spanish SIM.

 

[Robo]

When I'm traveling, I like to have a different device providing WiFi because it allows me to have my phone on airplane mode and save battery

Also, some people might have their phones locked (?) to a specific cellphone provider and can't use other sim cards (I used to have that problem)

This is probably a really dumb question...

But if your phone in on airplane mode, surely it doesn't connect to to the wifi hub you carry?

Or are you also connecting other devices?

 

[Bradypus]

But if your phone in on airplane mode, surely it doesn't connect to to the wifi hub you carry?

With my Android phone switching to airplane mode cuts off all transmission and reception. But I can then turn WiFi back on while in airplane mode without the mobile network connection.

 

[TravellingMan22]

With my Android phone switching to airplane mode cuts off all transmission and reception. But I can then turn WiFi back on while in airplane mode without the mobile network connection.

Absolutely the same for me too in terms of a Wi-Fi at say a bar or hotel. No idea re the devices being talked about here!

 

[Robo]

With my Android phone switching to airplane mode cuts off all transmission and reception. But I can then turn WiFi back on while in airplane mode without the mobile network connection.

Isn't that the same as just turning off mobile data?

 

[Bradypus]

Isn't that the same as just turning off mobile data?

No. Because it also cuts off voice and text calls. Everything that passes through a mobile phone network.

 

[Anamya]

Hi all,
Does anybody have any recent experience with using a pocket wifi on the CF?
For context, I have to stay connected 24/7 to parties in Asia while walking the CF.
1: Can I get a pocket wifi at the Madrid airport when I land and return it when I depart?
2: How much does it cost?
3: How good is the reception especially in the smaller towns?
I'm walking from Oct to Nov.
All inputs will be appreciated. Thanks and God bless!
B

Hi there

I do the same as you when travelling in Asia: put my phone in airplane more and use a pocket Wi-Fi rented from the airport (Tokyo is specially easy on that regard).

However, I have not seen anything similar to the Picket Wi-Fi rental being offered in Madrid Barajas (my last visit was April last year) or Barcelona (2019). I have relied on Wi-Fi from my accommodations.

If you need 24/7 connection, I'd suggest getting the mini router in your country and the Sim in Spain as ivar suggested above.

Isn't that the same as just turning off mobile data?

Putting in airplane mode and turning wifi on will also avoid your phone of reaching any towers, so it doesn't call/receive and doesn't activate roaming charges.

 

[Robo]

No. Because it also cuts off voice and text calls. Everything that passes through a mobile phone network.

Ahhh. Learn something new every day

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

With my Android phone switching to airplane mode cuts off all transmission and reception. But I can then turn WiFi back on while in airplane mode without the mobile network connection.

That is what I had to do previously. I recently noticed that my Pixel phone, an Android, keeps wifi on if it was on when I turn on airplane mode. This might not be stock Android though as Google provides monthly upgrades to its Pixel line.

Also be careful with the SIM card or eSIM that you get as some have limits on the amount of data you can hotspot with wifi.

 

[ivar]

This is probably a really dumb question...

But if your phone in on airplane mode, surely it doesn't connect to to the wifi hub you carry?

Or are you also connecting other devices?

You can have it in airplane mode and still connect to wifi.. that's how you connect to the wifi inside the plane when you fly (if you do that).

 

[Sue127]

If you have a small sim router, you can get a SIM card and use the data from the SIM card once in Spain.

I have something similar to this:
View attachment 155665

https://www.mediamarkt.es/es/product/_router-m%C3%B3vil-d-link-dwr-932-wi-fi-4g-lte-150-mbps-color-negro-1258993.html

...that I use and it works well. Weighs less than 100g.

As for what pay-as-you-go SIM card is best in Spain for data (no calls), I am not sure...

Hi Ivar
I have a Sim router that I use at home, especially when there are others streaming and I need to work. My only concern is that if you have your Android in Airplane mode and have a Sim router, you are paying for two sims, however, I think the safety aspect overrides that.

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

If you have a small sim router, you can get a SIM card and use the data from the SIM card once in Spain.

I have something similar to this:
View attachment 155665

https://www.mediamarkt.es/es/product/_router-m%C3%B3vil-d-link-dwr-932-wi-fi-4g-lte-150-mbps-color-negro-1258993.html

...that I use and it works well. Weighs less than 100g.

As for what pay-as-you-go SIM card is best in Spain for data (no calls), I am not sure...

Thanks Ivar. This info is useful.

 

[SantiagoCruzB]

Hi there

I do the same as you when travelling in Asia: put my phone in airplane more and use a pocket Wi-Fi rented from the airport (Tokyo is specially easy on that regard).

However, I have not seen anything similar to the Picket Wi-Fi rental being offered in Madrid Barajas (my last visit was April last year) or Barcelona (2019). I have relied on Wi-Fi from my accommodations.

If you need 24/7 connection, I'd suggest getting the mini router in your country and the Sim in Spain as ivar suggested above.


Putting in airplane mode and turning wifi on will also avoid your phone of reaching any towers, so it doesn't call/receive and doesn't activate roaming charges.

Thanks Anamya. This info is most useful.

 

[WGroleau]

For context, I have to stay connected 24/7 to parties in Asia while walking the CF.

There are places on Camino Francés without cell service, but not many. There was a cell tower in tiny little Villamayor de Monjardín.

But if you can’t tolerate even fifteen minutes disconnected, consider a device using satellites. I had a deLorme/Garmin “Explorer” which allowed me to do text messages, e-mail, or an emergency “help” with latitude/longitude from anywhere via Iridium. That was only twelve US dollars a month. For a higher price, I could have bought and used a satellite voice phone. (MUCH higher).

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

With my Android phone switching to airplane mode cuts off all transmission and reception. But I can then turn WiFi back on while in airplane mode without the mobile network connection.

I replied with the following back in post #13 saying that getting into airplane mode kept wifi active if it already was. Recently I noticed that this changed again and airplane mode once again deactivates wifi.

That is what I had to do previously. I recently noticed that my Pixel phone, an Android, keeps wifi on if it was on when I turn on airplane mode. This might not be stock Android though as Google provides monthly upgrades to its Pixel line.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

When I was in Spain this year I took my own pocket WiFi and put an ordinary Vodafone mobile phone SIM in it. It was very good and mobile data is cheap.