WIFI in villa

[Paraiso]

Hi,

what is the best solution to provide free WIFI for a villa rented out for tourists? Who is the best provider?

Any recommendations appreciated.
Thanks"

[njc0607]

I use IPTV. generally very good. about 25mbs download speed and about 40mbs upload
hardly ever crashes.

However,
we had the cheaper, restricted amount of download package at first and the guests simply "burnt through it in no time" resulted in complaints... in order to re-set it you had to pay €50 or wait till the end of the month. which is a total nightmare if the first guests of the month have used it all.. then you end up in an argument who should pay for it.
certainly the next guests will and should not.
problem is, if you do not switch off the IPTV box, but only the TV, it carries on downloading in the background.

having a load of problems, I decided to upgrade to the unlimited download package for another €15 per month and we simply added this on to the rental price.. problem solved..

[DVBRO]

Can you please advise me who your provider is that gives you 20 mgb unlimited download. Does this speed decrease when all the Tourists are out here? Finally, what area is your Villa, as this makes a huge difference.
I.e Sesmarias can get 20 on a small Dongle, whilst Carvoeiro only gets and average of 4-6, using 4 g!

[Bruce Wallis]

We use Cabo Visao and we are on an all inclusive wifi/phone/tv tarif
We are in Centiannes which isn't the best wifi X location in the area (12-20 download speed)

[maccasa]

I get 8-12 using a vodafone mifi and I'm in the valley behind sesmarias, so very shielded

[carolyn]

We use a Meo 'router' for our rental villa (current selection https://loja.meo.pt/Equipamentos/routers-pens/). Not sure of speeds but it uses 3G Meo mobile signal - but see they now do a 4G version of what we have,
We advise guests its is not suitable for streaming/ watching video etc which is not unusual for a rental, but it works fine for email, whatsapp etc
Cost us €12.50 a month for 50GB (reduced cost as we were existing Meo customers - they reward loyalty here unlike in the UK!)

[mug]

Have a look at the NOWO.pt website. Enter your postcode and see if you can get their excellent cabled service in your area at their new prices. We have just changed from MEO who when we insisted on leaving offered us their inferior service for no charge!!

[Aldo]

I've looked but cant see where you input to check - please help

[alf1956]

Benn on their site but it did not recognise our address so could not do any price checking etc.

[DVBRO]

Benn on their site but it did not recognise our address so could not do any price checking etc.

Likewise, could not find our Villa. So I phoned them and they advised me that when an Engineer was in my Area, he would call me to check what Internet is available. So we will wait and see.

[maccasa]

Went to see NOWO at Continente complex in portimao - most helpful - that was on 11th and they offered to do the installation on the sat morning - as I was coming back to uk that day I have booked for my next visit! Basically its a 100Mps signal from a cable (200 is also9 available) - so you must have the cable already in the road! They will check for you but with the portuguese postal and camarra system this is not always easy. It costs 19.99/mth which includes a set top box with 33 free analogue channels - (all PT!) and no set up fee or contract if you sign for 12 mths. I'm looking forward to getting it particularly as its cheaper and a 10X better signal than my existing vodafone system. - Any body want to buy a mifi unit?

[Colana]

Could someone explain to me please how mifi works exactly?

I have only BBC1 & 2, ITV1 & C4 since the satellite moved a couple of years ago and although it would be nice to have more choice again, I can live with what I have. I also got one of those Vodafone dongle deals years & years ago which, if I top it up at least once every 6 months, I get 1 hour for 1 euro and superb service.

I have looked into mifi as I am not sure I want to have wifi connected to my apartment just yet, but I am not sure how it works.

[alf1956]

Went to see NOWO at Continente complex in portimao - most helpful - that was on 11th and they offered to do the installation on the sat morning - as I was coming back to uk that day I have booked for my next visit! Basically its a 100Mps signal from a cable (200 is also9 available) - so you must have the cable already in the road! They will check for you but with the portuguese postal and camarra system this is not always easy. It costs 19.99/mth which includes a set top box with 33 free analogue channels - (all PT!) and no set up fee or contract if you sign for 12 mths. I'm looking forward to getting it particularly as its cheaper and a 10X better signal than my existing vodafone system. - Any body want to buy a mifi unit?

Maccasa that sounds great 100 Mps! Where are you based> We are in Monte servo & pay for 12 Mps but rarely get more than 5/6 we are with Meo. Keep us updated on this please.

[steve]

Clearly a lot depends on where you live. I am quite close to DVBRO, between ADM and VDM in a small urbanisation which was cabled by PT in 2006 and with MEO I get a consistent 10 Mbs. Last week I was offered a new MEO package which guaranteed 18 to 20 Mbs and involved the installation of a TV box with 100 free channels. The package included 24 hour free calls on the landline to numbers in Portugal beginning with 2 and 1000 free minutes a month to 30 international destinations between 9 pm and 9 am. The cost was 29 50 a month including IVA with a sign up period of 2 years. On the assurance that the system would not disturb my dual router system which gives me good wifi coverage over the whole house I agreed to sign up because even without much increase in speed there would have still been a saving of over 13 euros a month on what I pay now and I can't see fibre being installed here in much under 2 years. However when I spoke to the installation technician it became clear that I had to have a new router so I cancelled the order.

Has anyone actually established whether nowo has any service in the Sitio dos Moinhos area? I enquired about a vodafone package which offered good value but they don't have lines in the area.

[DVBRO]

I have tried all the suppliers here over the past 10 years.
Firstly although I get numerous promises, because we don't get cable and frankly, never will and are on the fringe of a 4 g Area, no one could supply a decent service to suit my Business and personal requirements.
I have had promises of 20 mg download, can use my phone line etc. Rubbish! Free phone calls at night. Rubbish! Customer support. Rubbish. New Masts. Rubbish. I even offered to pay for cable install, not allowed. Rubbish!
After spending over 10 hours talking to Nos, over the years, at the moment, I think I have resolved it now. Do not go to their Shops. Rubbish, do not have a clue.
I now have two Routers, with wifi extenders running on SIM cards. They give me an average of 10 mgps download, which I can switch between 4 and 3 g connection. I have two mobile phones giving me free calls to Europe, excluding Uk, without much restriction. Plus the House Phone, on a SIM card which allows me to make free calls at any time to Uk land lines.
How the heck they expect you to talk to your office in the Uk between 9pm and 6.30 am ?
I have tried getting a quote from Vodafone and other companies, but they promise to call back and never do.
The nearest mast is .25 km away from me, but is only 3 g , but it does give a constant download.
However, be warned, when we get the estimated six million visitors this year, in the Summer, the speed will drop dramatically in the evenings!!
I have learnt from a very frustrating experience, that there is not much hope for residents in the Algarve, in certain areas, unless you move house. However if you want 64 mgps wireless connection, go to Hard Rock Cafe in Lisbon!!