Whilst reading the motor-homing blogs of fellow travelers in Europe access to wifi and broadband is often discussed with many suggestions and solutions. Of course you can use free wifi in shops, cafes,shopping malls, etc as you can here but we wanted; a use anytime, anywhere solution, particularly if we were wild camping and we didn’t want to move off to find wifi.

We liked the look of the 4G mobile broadband – pack 2 from motorhome wifi, looked easy to use, very good reviews and good service. The owners, Adam and Sophie are young motorhomers, they started the business after traveling through Europe and struggling to find wifi and maintaining a suitable signal & connection on the road.

Although we decided on what which companies system to buy we weren’t in a rush to buy one yet.

At the Motorhome Show in February 2017 we saw Adam & Sophie at their stand, got chatting and we bought 4G mobile broadband (mifi) pack 2, I think we got a show discount of about £10, an extra £ SIM card and we saved on postage costs.The normal retail price is £299.99

Once home it was put away until Pogo came back from the repairers and we were ready to drill a hole in the roof!

When I was installing the 12 volt USB and running the 12 volt cables from the junction box a few weeks ago I also completed the 12 volt wiring for the mifi- wifi system, including an in-line 5 amp fuse. It was easy enough to do.

The day to drill a hole in the roof came a few months later, I was concerned about drilling a 25mm hole through the roof though! I had considered removing the roof mounted Sat TV dish and using that roof hole instead, but upon reflection it might cause other problems. There is only one way, I will have to drill a hole!

I must have measured the spot at least 10 times both inside and outside on the roof for a couple of days beforehand, I stood in the bedroom looking down on the roof, I was up the ladders as well. You only get one chance to do this properly so I have to get it right first time.

The mifi (motor-home-wifi) fitting instructions said to ensure there was a 20cm radius from the hole for the roof mount antennae to receive the strongest signal, I thought it might be too close to Sat TV dish and the bathroom skylight, after more time measuring I decided it would be okay.

A week later, here goes then, it is a dry warm day and will be for a day or two, picked up the aluminium base plate, held it up in position in the wardrobe, marked it, got the drill and drilled a 5mm pilot hole (not the hole saw pilot) upwards from inside the wardrobe, stopped once through. I go outside and up the ladders, heart beating fast, hoping all is ok on the roof and I haven’t cocked it up! Ahhh it looks okay and has come out in the right place where I had hoped it would come through! Down the ladders grabbed the drill, put the hole saw in the drill, up the ladders and drilled downwards slowly but on a very high speed, stopping about half way through, it’s advisable to stop and check the hole ensuring there are no wires running through the roof cavity near by, now inside the wardrobe and drill upwards with the hole saw, pop! I am through and I can see the blue sky! (forgot to take photos!)

Clean the roof around the hole in preparation of sticking the antennae in place, wires through the hole in to the wardrobe, through the hole in the aluminium plate. Peel the backing tape off the roof antennae and stick it down on the roof, back inside, screw the plate on the threaded shaft, tighten up. Check the roof and seal, looks okay, now connect everything up, sim in and test……. bingo, it’s working perfectly.

Jason from Our Tour has a video of his installation on you tube here.

It’s a great piece of kit, can’t wait to use it in Europe, we have used it in the UK and it works brilliantly.

Dave