Ways to connect Wi-Fi to a car. Connecting Wi-Fi Internet in the car

Some motorists managed to calculate how long they have to stand in traffic jams with nothing to do. Perhaps you are familiar with the situation when passengers begin to get bored if the trip turns out to be long. All this can be avoided using the Internet via Wi-Fi. Let's consider how to carry out Internet via WiFi in the car with simple solutions.

With the active development of the mobile Internet, there is a need for convenient use of wireless technologies. Nowadays, it is not surprising that access to the Internet anywhere is commonplace. Special technologies have appeared on the world market that allow you to be online around the clock from any device that has a Wi-Fi module. Needless to say, the Internet is not available in all places, even public ones, and the connection is often locked with a password. Every owner of a smartphone, tablet or laptop will agree with this. However, it is possible to use a wireless network anywhere, but with the help of cellular operators. If you didn’t know, a similar solution can be organized via Wi-Fi in a car or any other type of transport (except air).

Internet via wifi in the car with your own hands using your phone

The simplest and most affordable solution to connect wifi to a car is to use a mobile phone as a modem. All modern smartphone models support this function - distribution via wifi of the Internet received from the mobile operator. I have already described this opportunity in detail, so I will not repeat it, but will give you links to these articles: on and on the iPhone.

The main disadvantage of this option is that when you turn on WiFi and 3G at the same time, the phone's battery runs out very quickly. But this nuance can be smoothed out by using an additional external battery.

WiFi to the car via 3G/4G router

In one of the articles, I already told you that there are devices that combine the functions of a high-speed modem and a Wi-Fi module. The dimensions of such devices can be identical to a “whistle”, the size of a flash drive, or look like a stationary box.

The range often does not exceed 150 meters. The main features of mobile routers for the Internet are the number of supported equipment, the presence of a battery for autonomous operation, the ability to connect to various operators (CDMA network, as well as GSM), file transfer (HSDPA, Rev A, Rev B). These devices are also equipped with an output for connecting an external car antenna. Getting Internet via Wi-Fi in your car is very easy. To do this, you just need to turn on the device and after 15-20 seconds you will be able to find your own network. The router is powered by a standard car charger. If the operating equipment is identical to Huawei EC 315, it will be possible to connect to the USB port. You will have to pay for such Internet at the telephone number rate. You can manage your funds using the self-service system. As you can see, there is nothing complicated!

Ready-made solution: CarFi - wifi router with 4g SIM card for a car

In 2015, Huawei demonstrated a new type of device, the so-called CarFi, to a wide range of users. This is a ready-made solution - a car wifi router with support for SIM cards and 4G LTE networks of mobile operators. CarFi connects to the car cigarette lighter and distributes the Internet via WiFi, received via a SIM card from a cellular connection.

A special feature is the presence of active cooling, which prevents the modem from overheating during operation. CarFi can be controlled from an Android or iOS phone through the proprietary Huawei Hilink program.

By the way, Ford itself has already taken care of the availability of wireless Internet in its cars by introducing the Sync system with Wi-Fi. Its work is that the user inserts a 3G/4G modem into the USB input on the central panel, and the machine itself distributes the Internet throughout the car. Let's hope that other manufacturers will pick up the idea.

WiFi in the car - a ready-made solution

If you have noticed, more and more often on different bus routes and even in some places in the metro, the ability for passengers to connect to Wi-Fi right in the cabin is being launched in test mode. Installed in route vehicles differs from a simple mobile router. This is already a whole complex communication system, which consists of several components and can simultaneously pick up 3G, 4G signals from operators and also Wi-Fi from access points available for connection, automatically switching between them and giving the end user the maximum stable speed.

This solution is very convenient for those people who often have to travel by car for work and at the same time constantly have high-quality wifi access to the Internet. The client equipment itself consists of a small modem box that is installed in the car, and an external antenna on the roof to improve the quality of reception. Anyone can install such a kit in their car by contacting one of the companies that installs such a kit. I will not advertise - you can easily find them on the Internet yourself.

The development of modern technologies has led to the fact that people are already accustomed to receiving all the information they need through the World Wide Web. The network has become an integral part of life, and the need for it is felt every minute, no matter where a person is - at home, visiting, at work or in the car. The lack of Internet or its unstable operation/slow speed is especially acutely felt by motorists who have to spend a huge amount of time in traffic jams.

In this case, the Internet becomes not only a source of necessary information, for example, about the weather or traffic situation, but also a means of entertainment. If you have a stable and high-speed Internet connection in your car, the longest wait in a traffic jam turns out to be much more pleasant than without it. There is an opportunity to watch a movie that you normally don’t have time for, listen to good music, work with documents, and gain access to them online.

Internet in the car - a necessity or a whim

Before making the Internet in the car, spending a certain amount, it is worth assessing the need for this step, and also deciding how the Internet will be distributed - using wired or wireless technology. As a rule, the second option is the most popular and convenient, since running additional wires throughout the entire car interior is not very convenient.

The first, least expensive and fastest way to make Internet in a car is to use your own smartphone. To do this, you just need to configure the access point in accordance with the instructions for the device itself and activate it. At the same time, the smartphone starts working in Wi-Fi router mode, allowing other devices to connect to the network. The option is convenient and easy to set up. The speed of the Internet connection will depend on the cellular operator and signal quality.

Advice! When setting up an access point on your phone, you should not neglect security - you must provide for the creation of a basic password, which will eliminate the possibility of unauthorized connection of other users.

This method, although the simplest, is not without certain disadvantages:

• very fast discharge of the smartphone, since turning on the router does not disable other functions of the phone, which can continue to be used to make or receive calls;
• the absence of a password may cause additional costs if a third-party connection occurs;
• If you use several gadgets at the same time, you will have to purchase a high-quality cigarette lighter splitter in order to be able to charge all devices simultaneously.

Special solutions for the car

In situations where setting up the Internet in a car is required for its constant use, the above option is not entirely convenient. To have a stable wireless Wi-Fi signal, you can use mobile routers. The principle of their operation is similar to a USB modem - working on the basis of a standard SIM card of the selected operator, the mobile router distributes a signal to several devices in the car at once.

The advantage of this method of organizing the Internet in a car is its high speed, depending on the operator, the ability for several Wi-Fi signal consumers to work simultaneously and a good coverage area within the city and beyond. Such routers do not require preliminary settings - just insert a SIM card for it to independently find the network and start working. How to work with such modems is shown in the video

The first time you connect the required consumer to it, you will need to enter a password, which is usually indicated under the battery of the router itself. By the way, this is another advantage - the ability to operate completely autonomously, the duration of which depends on the battery capacity. The higher it is, the less you will have to charge the device. It can be used not only in the car. But also, for example, at the dacha or when going out of town for a picnic.

CarFi and other solutions for organizing the Internet in cars

At the end of 2015, the well-known brand Huawei introduced the CarFi device. Essentially, this is the same mobile Wi-Fi router with support for the latest 4G LTE standard. Anyone can make Internet in a car based on such a solution - no highly specialized knowledge is required at all. After installing the SIM card, the device is connected to a standard cigarette lighter socket.

In addition to simple control via a smartphone with a proprietary program installed, such a module has a characteristic feature, namely an active cooling system, which allows you to use the Internet connection to its full potential without limiting the number of connected devices, data transfer speed or time of continuous use.

To set up the Internet in a car, you can use more complex communication systems, including support for networks of various generations, as well as automatically scanning the “space” for the presence of Wi-Fi networks free for use. As a result, such equipment will allow you to quickly set up the Internet in the car in automatic mode. The equipment does not take up much space and is installed quickly. In order to set up high speed and constant Internet in your car, the kit includes an external antenna.

The easiest way to connect Wi-Fi Internet to your car is to use your smartphone as a special wireless access point. But you can also connect a Wi-Fi mobile data connection and a wireless network to any car using a number of different types of Wi-Fi adapters that will act as a modem and router.

All of the methods described below for connecting Wi-Fi to a car differ in their high cost, ease of connection and use, as well as the aesthetics of their appearance inside the car’s interior. Let's look at all the different ways to get a Wi-Fi network in your car!

Internet in the car via phone

Price: From free to 20+ thousand rubles, depending on whether you have a smartphone or how much you are willing to spend on it.

The easiest and cheapest (if you have a phone) way to get Wi-Fi Internet in your car is to turn your phone into an access point. Most smartphones today have the ability to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi out of the box - the latest versions of iOS, Android and Windows Phone firmware have this ability. The access point is enabled in the settings and it looks different depending on the operating system. In general terms, look in the settings for words such as “access point”, “internet sharing”, etc.

The main idea of ​​this method to connect the Internet in a car is that the phone works both as a modem and as a router. The phone essentially allows other devices such as tablets, MP3 players or a Wi-Fi enabled car infotainment system to connect to the network provided by the phone.

The downside to using your phone to provide Wi-Fi Internet connectivity in your car is that any device that connects to it will inexorably eat up megabytes from your cell phone. And, since most people use tariffs that include a middle ground between cheap calls and inexpensive Internet, then, as a rule, this Internet will be severely limited in monthly traffic or speed. Moreover, some operators, without the client’s knowledge, will withdraw money from the balance when the traffic limit is reached, without warning about it.

So if you're using your phone as a hotspot in your car to watch a bunch of Youtube videos during a long road trip, you might find that your monthly data allowance has dried up within one day. In any case, before connecting to Wi-Fi Internet via your phone, carefully read the agreement you entered into with your mobile operator again, especially the fine print.

USB modems for cars with Wi-Fi function

Price: From 500 to 3,000 rubles.

Another simple way to get Wi-Fi Internet in a car is to use a dedicated modem with Wi-Fi function. These devices basically include the same type of cellular data connection as a phone, but are less bulky than a phone and give the smartphone owner freedom of movement - when the owner of the smartphone leaves the car, the Internet does not go with it.

Another advantage of this method before turning on the access point from the phone settings is that it will be a separate SIM card with its own tariff, designed primarily for the Internet, not calls, and therefore with a more favorable tariff for using the Internet.

By the way, when choosing a USB modem for a car, do not take modems that are technically tied only to a specific cellular network operator. Simply put, do not buy USB modems in the communication stores of certain operators, but buy universal modems. Firstly, the very possibility of changing the operator is in any case a plus. Secondly, we take a USB modem into the car, which means that when planning a long trip, we can buy a SIM card that will ensure the most uninterrupted operation of Wi-Fi Internet in the car.

By the way, about the mobility of USB modems - you need to choose a modem with the ability to operate autonomously from the car’s cigarette lighter. A classic modem that plugs into a laptop’s USB socket will not work. Although, the initial setup of the modem is still done through the computer interface. In any case, you need to clarify with the seller that you will be connecting the modem to the car, and not to a laptop.

Another advantage of a USB modem is that you can additionally buy an antenna-signal amplifier, and in many cases this is quite a useful thing, especially when it comes to using the Internet while traveling with different signal levels along the way.

Many (more expensive) USB modems for cars also have built-in batteries, allowing them to operate autonomously.

Wi-Fi Internet in the car via OBD-II device

Price: from 1,000 to 5,000 rubles

Wi-Fi enabled OBD-II devices are typically designed to communicate with a smartphone app in addition to providing a Wi-Fi network. These are devices that connect to the OBD-II port of your car - the port that is used by technicians to perform diagnostic work in the form of searching for errors. Due to its functionality, such a device distributes Wi-Fi, and in most of these devices Wi-Fi can be used not only for its intended purpose, but also simply for surfing the Internet.

But the main advantage of such devices is not the very first thing that car thieves notice about a car. And some manufacturers of such devices, such as Delphi Connect, for example, not only allow you to access diagnostic information through a smartphone application, but also provide vehicle tracking data. This allows you to track the location of your car in real time, as well as see data about where your car has been in the past.

Stationary Wi-Fi modems and routers

Price: from 3,500 to 10,000 rubles

The most expensive, most reliable and least portable way to connect Wi-Fi Internet in your car is to install a stationary wireless modem and router. These car wireless routers tend to be much more expensive than portable USB modems, and they also require little installation work. However, some car routers have some degree of portability - much like radar detectors and video recorders - you can move the router and modem to another car. Other devices are as mobile as your car is - they move only inside one car and are installed permanently there.

The main advantage of this type of device is that the cellular radio signal in them will often be stronger than what you can usually experience from smartphones and USB modems with Wi-Fi functionality, and the Wi-Fi signal itself can also be stronger.

Another advantage of fixed routers is that they often include USB ports for connecting locally. This provides the ability to connect, for example, a laptop or phone that simply does not have a Wi-Fi module.

Pay close attention to the current costs for Internet in the car

Yes, bandwidth and network power are important factors when buying a device for connecting Wi-Fi Internet in a car, but take the tariff and cellular operator seriously. Today the three leaders among operators are MTS, Beeline and Megafon; The newly-minted Tele2 is catching up with the top three. Everyone has different tariffs, but there is plenty to choose from.

First of all, when purchasing a device, pay attention to what types of communications they provide. So, 4G communication is already a fairly widespread format geographically, and if you travel frequently or drive within large cities, then this may be the best choice for you.

• Claimed to be supposedly unlimited internet, once a certain traffic threshold is reached, the speed is greatly reduced.
• The tariff is stated as unlimited Internet throughout Russia. In fact, when entering each region of the Russian Federation, you are charged a certain amount once for the Internet.
• The Internet is honestly described as having limited traffic. In fact, the operator will not notify you about reaching the traffic limit, but will be happy to automatically connect you to any additional traffic package for additional money.

This kit is indispensable for those who spend a lot of time in the car and at the same time need high-speed Internet access.

The set consists of:

4G LTE + 3G WiFi router Huawei E5573- the latest fourth generation WiFi modem (LTE 4G) with support for previous standards (3G, 2G). The WiFi signal distribution radius is up to 10m, the maximum number of WiFi users is 10.

2 (!) antennas 4G LTE + 3G 4/6 dB- these antennas have a small gain, so they are designed, first of all, not so much to amplify the signal as to stabilize it when the car is moving, and, secondly, to reduce the shielding of the metal body of the car. Antennas must be installed at a maximum distance from each other (0.5 meters or more) in order to amplify the signal using MIMO technology, but avoid crossing radiation patterns.

2 (!) antenna adapters TS-9-FME- used to connect the connector on the antenna cable to the connector of the modem or router.

Attention! The Huawei E8372 modem does not have a battery, so it starts working when the ignition is turned on and ends when it is turned off. If you need autonomous operation of the device, then you can purchase this kit by replacing the WiFi modem with the following mobile 4G LTE WiFi routers, which can work for several hours:

Autonomous operation up to 6-7 hours, maximum number of WiFi users - 10. Information is displayed on the display.

Price of the kit with router MAX (battery 3000 mAh) - 5800 rub.

- when ordering, indicate the router model or the price of the kit in the “Comments” field.

Attention! The price for the set is valid only on condition of self-pickup from a pick-up point on Nagatinskaya or ordered in an online store with delivery.

Top sales

Antenna adapters (pigtails) for connecting external amplified antennas to modems and mobile routers of the third (3G UMTS/HSPA) and fourth (4G LTE) generations, suitable for all USB modems and portable routers that have an antenna connector, may have connectors on the other side : FME-male, N-male, SMA-female.

Universal 4G LTE + 3G modem. It has antenna connectors and is small in size. Works with any SIM cards of all Russian and European telecom operators (YOTA, Megafon, MTS, Beeline, Rostelecom, Tele2, Altel, Motiv, Tattelecom / Letay, etc.). Supports speeds up to 100 Mbps. Ideal for use with laptops abroad.

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The most powerful LTE 4G + 3G kit for installation in a country house, private house, village, etc. There are no losses on the antenna cable, the cable length is 10 meters. Antenna gain - 18 dB or 20 dB. WiFi coverage is up to 40 meters in diameter. Works with any SIM card of 4G LTE and 3G operators. Number of WiFi users - up to 32 + LAN connectors.