Comparing Netgear and DLInk for a travel mifi

Forums › LAN (ethernet/Wifi/routers/Bluetooth) › Comparing Netgear and DLInk for a travel mifi

lissie

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

#293992 26-Feb-2022 16:51

I want to retain my NZ phone number when travelling overseas for about 4 months this year. I don't want to pay roaming for that length of time. I'm looking for a travel router to use with a global or local SIM. Obviously it needs to be unlocked. I need something that will work in both the USA and Europe and a number of places in between

I'm tossing up between

Netgear Aircard 797 Buy the NETGEAR Aircard 797 Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot with SIM card slot, 4G LTE... ( AC797-100AUS ) online - PBTech.co.nz

and

DLInk DWR 933 Buy the D-Link DWR-933 4G/LTE CAT6 Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot with SIM card slot,... ( DWR-933 ) online - PBTech.co.nz

Apart from the price I'm struggling to interpret the technical specs. I'm looking for the one that will be most sensitive to picking up a poor cellular signal. Part of the trip is on a cruise ship - and I know that this won't work out at sea - but my experience in Australia was that on deck with line of sight to the coast gave a reasonable signal. I assumed initially that the Netgear would be more sensitive as its twice the price. But looking at the tech specs

Netgear: 4G with 2 band CA
4G LTE FDD 700/800/900/1800/2100/2600MHz
4G LTE TDD 2300/2600MHz
3G 850/900/1900/2100MHz

DLInk (see image)

LTE Mode: Cat 6 Band 1/3/7/8/20/28/38 CA, WCDMA/HSPA GSM/GPRS/EDge

Any insight into differences? Every other spec seems very similar

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lissie

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2888343 18-Mar-2022 15:56

Just trying one more time - PBTech is telling me that I "need to buy a new 4G modem" for each country I travel too - *sigh*

I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz

nztim

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TEAMnetwork

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#2888349 18-Mar-2022 16:40

I would get it in the US with a burner sim, then just use wifi calling from your NZ mobile

Franklin T10 Mobile Hotspot | 1 color in 256 MB | T-Mobile

$90

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lissie

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2888355 18-Mar-2022 16:45

The whole point of getting a travel wifi device is that we are going to MANY countries some for only 1 day (cruising) so I don't want to swap multiple devices as well as sims! That device seems to say that it will work on a 4G LTE network - so the NZ devices also cover that - so I should be good to go? What am I missing? Its been a decade since I was in the USA last

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MaxineN

Max
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#2888360 18-Mar-2022 16:59

It will work for most EU and OCE/SEA countries but not NA. We use like 1 or 2 bands and they have devices tailored to their networks that covers way more and you'll have a much better experience.

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

Rickles

2933 posts

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#2888693 19-Mar-2022 11:23

@lissie ... when I travelled about Australia I simply got a mifi device & SIM pack from Optus ($40 ?). Data only top-ups really cheap.

I used same device in USA after grabbing a T-Mobile SIM card ... again very cheap data top-ups, but really every motel, hotel etc had free wifi or ethernet ports.

As for cruising, land-to-sea wifi will be virtually impossible!! Besides, the cruise lines offer satellite internet at reasonable cost, and in many instances free if in the business centre or library areas .... basic emails when on holiday, eh? 😁

lissie

495 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2888752 19-Mar-2022 17:43

Rickles:

@lissie ... when I travelled about Australia I simply got a mifi device & SIM pack from Optus ($40 ?). Data only top-ups really cheap.

I used same device in USA after grabbing a T-Mobile SIM card ... again very cheap data top-ups, but really every motel, hotel etc had free wifi or ethernet ports.

As for cruising, land-to-sea wifi will be virtually impossible!! Besides, the cruise lines offer satellite internet at reasonable cost, and in many instances free if in the business centre or library areas .... basic emails when on holiday, eh? 😁

Well I don't count US$20 / day as reasonable on a cruise ship - never heard of free internet at sea - except for loyalty levels - I'll get a little on our 2nd cruise.

Yeah I can probably live without the US coverage - its more the remote island one day in port thing plus one day in Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama etc etc . What I find is that I can sit on a top deck checking stuff online over breakfast -dont' want to waste time in port sitting in cafe doing work!

I dont' get holidays - I own my business - I get work/life balance LOL -away for 4 months this year so need a robust solution . At the momeht I'm think the DLINK device plus surfroam global SIM plus picking up a local SIM for the EU when we get there

I help authors publish their books - DIYPublishing.co.nz