4G dedicated WIFI router or Smartphone and tether? Pros and cons?

[impulse]

Occasionally, my home ADSL goes belly up for hours at a time, especially after it rains. I've been wanting to buy a 4G backup solution, since my 3G tethering smartphones seem pretty slow. My current smartphones are of the 3G variety because of their vintage, so I'd have to cough up the money for either 4G option:

I can buy a 4G WIFI router for around 4,500 baht. It's a dedicated device, and all it does is connect several (4-8?) clients to the interweb.

Or, I can buy a 4G smart phone for 3,000 baht up to the sky's the limit and then tether. The smartphone does all the things a smartphone does, including take photos, play games and videos, make voice calls, GPS, etc.

Is there any reason in the world to buy the 4500 baht dedicated router? Reasons like speed, number of possible clients connected at once, etc? I can't foresee using it to connect more than one laptop at a time, but you never know...

Speed would be the biggest driver, but I don't know if either option is faster than the other.

[Aachen]

You can buy a 4g Phone for 4.500 from AIS with Lollipop OS and and and ...

WiFi Tethering works wonderful...Also I tried Bluetooth tethering. Works ok with more than 1 client also.

i.e. http://store.ais.co.th/en/lava-4g-a1.html

[impulse]

I picked up a Jaymart flyer at Fortune Town today and they had a True Lenovo A2010 4G phone listed for 2,990. I have no clue if it's tied to a True contract since I don't read Thai.

But I have my eye on an Asus Zenfone 5.5 for 8,790. Way over the top on specs with Octa-Core processor, dual SIM, full HD screen and 13 meg cameras front and back. Ridiculous, really.

And half of what I paid for my dinosaur Galaxy S2 just 3 years ago. In fact, I think I can match the specs of my 17K baht S2 with Samsung's current 2,990 baht phone. Which is why I'm not in a hurry to replace it. Works fine for what I do, and if I can wait 2-3 more years, I can probably get one 3x as good as the Zenfone (or Samsung J7) I'm looking at.

[wump]

I got an LTE router and works great. It's called Yota Ruby and costs about 70$... Russian engineered, made in China.

Of course instead of spending 4,500 Baht on a router you are way better off investing this money in a phone. Especially since you don't seem to use the LTE connection all the time.

You could also just buy an LTE USB stick for some 700 Baht and plug it in your PC.

[kingstonkid]

I picked up a little wifi router at TRUE this week it is 4G and only cost me 1900 baht to buy. You can use either pay as you go or monthly plan. It is great I charge it at night throw it into my back pack and can use my phone or my notebook with full capability.

It is about the size of a wallet so it is not that big and would do the task you are looking for perfectly

It is registered as being able to handle 8 users at a time

Edited January 16, 2016 by kingstonkid

[csabo]

Done and done..

[jacko45k]

Is there not anyone else at home who may want to access the internet while you may be out with the phone in your pocket?

[impulse]

Is there not anyone else at home who may want to access the internet while you may be out with the phone in your pocket?

Possibly, but that WIFI thief in 306 can go pound sand.

Hey, wait a minute. You don't ride a beat up red 3 speed Schwinn with a wicker basket on the front, do you?

[chrisinth]

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 9.19.39 PM.png

Done and done..

As a backup solution, hard to beat. Pay- as - you go SIM with a couple of hundred baht credit on it and it will cover you well for emergencies.

I have one of these (different brand) setup with a SIM on a monthly 4.5GB package for access from a remote site (wi-fi not yet installed) for guest access at our new workshop. Works great for everyday access to the cloud server and emails. Not so much for P2P downloads though.....................

[Chicog]

I use the phone as a router when I'm travelling; if the 3G is good enough I can stream TV on it using Kodi/Fire Stick.

[impulse]

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 9.19.39 PM.png

Done and done..

As a backup solution, hard to beat. Pay- as - you go SIM with a couple of hundred baht credit on it and it will cover you well for emergencies.

I have one of these (different brand) setup with a SIM on a monthly 4.5GB package for access from a remote site (wi-fi not yet installed) for guest access at our new workshop. Works great for everyday access to the cloud server and emails. Not so much for P2P downloads though.....................

Great info. First hand experience (good and bad) is what I'm looking for. Thanks.

Still, the original OP question remains. What's the advantage of a dedicated 4G router over a tethered 4G smartphone for the same baht, or even cheaper?

Edited January 17, 2016 by impulse

[Shiver]

I used to use a 2nd SIM in my phone tethered as my failover modem device in case the home internet failed. I found that it was actually quicker (though limited in how many GB data per month I was allowed to use before dropping down to 384Kb/s bandwidth. I guess up north (Isaan), people don't spend money on internet packages for the phone so there is little multiplexing going on to share with other users in the area.

If I had your scenario the only things I would be thinking of is how much battering the battery would take (not just in flat battery all the time, but also how many recharge cycles it can take before it starts to hold very little charge anymore - usually you get about 300-400 recharges before it goes to pot, so I take care to flatten the battery as much as possible then get a full recharge to condition the battery the best I can within practical limits), and also what to do if you get a phone call while watching a movie or using internet - there seems to be a popular thing these days where they compete to make the shortest possible cable for the charger. I'm sure for 10 baht more they could make them adequate length without hanging the phone from the power outlet because it's not long enough to get it to a flat surface.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 9.19.39 PM.png

Done and done..

How much did you pay?

[Chicog]

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 9.19.39 PM.png

Done and done..

As a backup solution, hard to beat. Pay- as - you go SIM with a couple of hundred baht credit on it and it will cover you well for emergencies.

I have one of these (different brand) setup with a SIM on a monthly 4.5GB package for access from a remote site (wi-fi not yet installed) for guest access at our new workshop. Works great for everyday access to the cloud server and emails. Not so much for P2P downloads though.....................

Great info. First hand experience (good and bad) is what I'm looking for. Thanks.

Still, the original OP question remains. What's the advantage of a dedicated 4G router over a tethered 4G smartphone for the same baht, or even cheaper?

As an example, my mate filled one for his kids to use by the pool so he could go off to the bar for a beer with his phone.

I mean that's justification for a separate device right there.

[impulse]

Screen Shot 2016-01-16 at 9.19.39 PM.png

Done and done..

As a backup solution, hard to beat. Pay- as - you go SIM with a couple of hundred baht credit on it and it will cover you well for emergencies.

I have one of these (different brand) setup with a SIM on a monthly 4.5GB package for access from a remote site (wi-fi not yet installed) for guest access at our new workshop. Works great for everyday access to the cloud server and emails. Not so much for P2P downloads though.....................

Great info. First hand experience (good and bad) is what I'm looking for. Thanks.

Still, the original OP question remains. What's the advantage of a dedicated 4G router over a tethered 4G smartphone for the same baht, or even cheaper?

As an example, my mate filled one for his kids to use by the pool so he could go off to the bar for a beer with his phone.

I mean that's justification for a separate device right there.

Good example, but with no wife, no kids, no drinking, and needing 2 phones anyway (personal plus company), my options would be to upgrade my personal phone to 4G or buy a 4G router and keep my 3G personal phone. Minimum $$$ buy in on the 4G phone and router seems about the same, though I'd probably blow a little extra for a zoomier phone.

[Aquaman2016]

Sometimes phone companies limit the amount of 4G tethering on a phone to a couple of gbs. This might be worth researching