topic Advice on router/antenna for a boat for weak signal areas - we move around. in Mobile Broadband

Advice on router/antenna for a boat for weak signal areas - we move around.

Entando — Sat, 24 May 2025 16:52:51 GMT

We currently have a QTAD52E mobile broadband dongle. Lived onboard nearly 20 years. I haven’t had any need for an external antenna since the days of PCMCIA cards, as the dongles we’ve had all worked just fine. We travel around. Noticed coverage/signal strength has got worse recently, especially in the sticks.

I’m now struggling, with a weak signal strength in many places. I have a phone on a different network just incase and it’s even worse, family often can’t ring me, they have to Facetime.

I do my work Zoom calls sitting in the car. No chance in the boat. Set up for a Zoom Friday and signal on both phone and dongle dropped out completely. Can pick up 4g/5g many places, but slow speeds. Weirdly I’m typing this from an ipad pro which is 5g and has an EE sim, on my couch (where my phone won’t even pick up a signal) and sometimes it’s the only way I can get a connection.

So. Google tells me I can’t connect an external antenna to this current dongle. Is that correct? Can anyone tell me which EE dongle/hub I need to upgrade to so I can plug in an external antenna and which one I should get, the intention being to boost 4g/5g signals strength.

Would that be something such as a Poynting Puck?
Thanks so much!

Re: Advice on router/antenna for a boat for weak signal areas - we move around.

Northerner — Sun, 25 May 2025 10:16:03 GMT

Hi @Entando

I don't believe there is an antenna port on that device. Can you post a picture of the rear of the device or it's external connections.

Thanks

Re: Advice on router/antenna for a boat for weak signal areas - we move around.

Entando — Sun, 25 May 2025 11:00:57 GMT

Hi theres only USB C and LAN - I don’t mind if I have to upgrade, I think I’m due an upgrade.

Re: Advice on router/antenna for a boat for weak signal areas - we move around.

Northerner — Sun, 25 May 2025 14:24:25 GMT

Hi @Entando

Yes there is no antenna port.

An upgraded router might give you a better signal quality but I cannot guarantee that to be the case. If you do upgrade consider AA router with an antenna option but again no guarantees that will improve network coverage if you're in the stick or on the outskirts of the network.

Thanks

Re: Advice on router/antenna for a boat for weak signal areas - we move around.

Entando — Sun, 25 May 2025 16:57:26 GMT

Thanks, as you say there is no antenna port.

There's a lot of information online on broadband for boats/improved connectivity (because after all I'm sitting inside a metal tube in a ditch so it's not ideal), but most of it involves buying a package which includes third party router, antenna etc costing several hundred pounds.

If I can avoid this by upgrading to an EE mobile broadband model which does support an antenna, that's preferable, but I'm stuck on which EE mobile broadband router is suitable (if any) and then which antenna to go for.