Here’s some options for getting internet in an Australian Mobile Home and some takeaway thoughts for you before purchasing anything. Things are getting serious in the 5G world and that’s going to change some of my recommendations 6 months down the track, so subscribe to the newsletter for updates. If you just want to see my setup, scroll to the bottom of the page.
**Updates**
After getting stung with over data charges, due to some serious delays in their data usage monitor on the Circles Prepaid Plan, I moved over to Optus with their 500gig $80/month broadband data. I really wanted to continue using my nighthawk and in theory it should work, but in practice Optus were an absolute nightmare & to cut a long story short, after the ombudsman I’ve ended up with 2 months free internet credit (that’s yet to arrive) but I’m stuck using their B818 Huawei Modem, that has no battery pack and is huge compared to the M1. Not happy but can’t afford the equivalent Telstra plan right now. As long as you are happy lugging a brick and what is the most appalling customer technical support this would be a good option.
Nighthawk M1
The Nighthawk M1 is a mobile router. It can stream media, run 2.4 and 5ghz wifi simultaneously and run off battery. You can also purchase and install an antennae to boost signal. The M1 works with any Australian telco as long as you purchase an unlocked one, and will only set you back around $250 from eBay. It’s simple, robust and took me all of 5 mins to set up with an Optus sim card. It’s got some reported power issues and seems to do better with an upgraded power supply but otherwise has good reviews and is used extensively.
Why not the M2?
The M1 has already been superseded by the M2. The M2 is 5G capable, has a better screen that’s now touch, faster download speeds, better battery that also lets you charge other devices, amongst other spiffy features. So why not go straight to the M2?
- The cheapest you’ll buy it is $450 dollars
- It’s 5G, but if you read the fine print ONLY if you are with Telstra, getting it to play nice with any other sim’s is painful. See this whirlpool for details.
If money is not an issue, and you already know that you are going with Telstra then this is the better product and you should go for it. I’m happy to upgrade in a year or two when the price comes down.
Other options
Optus sells an equivalent product called the AC800S Modem. It’s less common then the Nighthawk and if you are going to automate things or have a tonne of devices, it only handles 15 connections to the M1 and M2’s 20. It’s also not 5G capable. There is also a Huawei which is the cheapest option if you don’t mind china having all your data and may be slower.
RV Wifi
If all this sounds too complicated, this Australian company RV WIFI looks like they have some pretty solid products. They are a little $$$ and optimised (but not limited) to work with the tesltra sim but it has these advantages.
- Its runs on 12v power
- It’s got an external antenna included, boosting coverage when your out of town
- It’s super easy to DIY setup with all connections and mounting brackets included and simple instructions
This would be a great option if you just wanted something to work out of the box in your tiny house on wheels without the mucking around.
Hotspotting
If you wanted to avoid all this modem nonsense entirely, just hotspot your phone. The reason I don’t is because;
- I needed more data then my phone plan provided
- With the home automation system I needed wifi to run appliances and lights
- Redundancy – my phone is now my backup internet device if something goes down with the M1
Providers
You’ll always need two parts to get internet in an Australian Mobile Home. The modem discussed above, and the internet plan. Which provider you ultimately go with is going to depend how much, how fast and where. It pays to shop around and lurk on places like whistleout for the best deals.
You can’t beat Telstra for coverage and they are usually the fastest network, the downside is they charge a premium. I personally think its outrageous for Telstra to charge almost 1.5x as much for a product that gives you half the data. If you are going to spend most of your time in a city/residential area I suggest jumping ship. If you need your internet to work rural or at top speeds then you’ll probably be stuck with them.
Don’t rule out the Optus or Vodafone networks in hard to get to places though, because their reach will surprise you. I got Vodafone coverage just fine passing through Newman and beyond in 2018. Check coverage maps closely.
Outside Telstra, If you want to stream Netflix every day, then I’d recommend OVO on the Optus network, as they are the only company that do large mobile broadband plans on a sim, that won’t cost your soul and has a good reputation. Optus is being incredibly competitive in this space though and offered new and better deals all the time.
My setup
For my bus setup, I needed something reasonably cheap, that would let me watch university lectures on a regular basis, that could cope with a whole bunch of wireless connections from automated devices and that was reliable. Even though the bus isn’t here yet, I’ve started to build the automation and needed the internet set up early. So here’s my setup and how I will be getting internet into an Australian Mobile Home;
- M1 Nighthawk Modem ($249)
- I started with a Optus 35GB Prepaid SIM with an extra 10GB streaming data but this deal is only good for 3 recharges ($30)
- Then ported that number to the 100GB Circles.life special offer for six moths ($28)
- Then went back to Optus on their 500GB mobile plan ($80/month) with a B818 that I don’t intend to keep
How to holds up
This setup streams from Netflix just fine. I did several speed tests throughout the day and this was actually one of the worst. It was not unusual for me to hit 120Mbps download.
Down the track I expect I’ll need to invest in a switch for the automation aspect of the build, but for now this is a decent setup for the I’ve money invested. That’s not to say it hasn’t been a compromise though! I’ve had adjust my Netflix viewing habits after being on unlimited NBN with fibre to the house. Free to air television is the worst. I check my data usage daily to see how I’m going cutting back.
Getting internet in your Australian Mobile Home
Before you purchase a setup, look at what you’re using at home. What’s your data usage like if your on NBN? What are your online essentials? What’s your budget like? Do you need a dedicated system or is a mobile phone more then enough? Mobile data plans are expensive and you’ll need to weight up the costs and benefits for your individual setup. Got more questions? Hit me up! I’ll update the blog with more information as things change.