Internet in the middle of nowhere-suggestions please

We have a static caravan on a park in the depths of nowhere, and although the clubhouse has wi-fi access, what's the best way of us using a lappy in our van please?

I've googled, and it would seem I need a dongle perhaps? Is this something I can buy via my mobile phone provider? I'm with AOL on the desktop here at home, perhaps they can do something for me? It's not possible to get a landline installed up there. Somebody has mentioned an iPad in a month's time, but I don't even know what that is! I just want to be able to plug something into the usb on the lappy and away I go, or is that asking too much??? Any help much appreciated, thanks!

I don't know much about them - but yes a dongle sounds a good idea, they are fairly cheap from mobile phone providers, we've got one from three mobile & hub uses it whilst on the go travelling etc..

Mobile Broadband is what you are looking for, provided by most of the mobile phone providers o2, 3 T-mobile, Orange or Vodaphone, pay as you go would probably be your best bet, as you wouldn't want to use it when your not at the caravan. Local advice might be best as you would need to know which provider gives best signal in the area. You need a usb modem tied to which ever provider you choose, each pay as you go provider works different rules so check out which ones best for you.

Ok thanks, so I really need to get on to my mobile provider, which is Virgin and see what they come up with for my phone? I forgot to say, the lappy is wi fi so I'm ok there.

Is there a way that I can hone in on the one at the clubhouse? I thought with a wireless lappy, you can do something which is probably highly illegal but you can "search" around in the area, find one, and then what do you do when you find one? Put in your own home netgear password perhaps? Not that I want to do anything illegal of course, I just wondered.......

OK, so I've found out about dongles, and it would seem the Vodafone is the best, most highly rated, and it costs £15, plus I get a free £30 Amazon voucher, BUT, my mobile phone is on Virgin, but do I need a phone if I buy this stick which you just shove into the usb on the lappy? I thought you had to go through your actual phone to get it, but the way I see it, this stick is all you need once you've bought it? Heeeeeeelp please!

Really depends, but as most wifi is only good over 300 meters, unless your caravan is right next to the club house, probably not going to be possible, also depends on whether it's encrypted or not, and whether its just for the site management use or for use by guests when in the club house, or even a pay system like internet cafes. There is a mobile hub i think thats what tillymint is referring to, it's called MiFi from 3 mobile that uses the wifi on the laptop to connect instead of plugging into a usb, but depends on what 3 coverage is like in that area.

Thanks janitor. No the clubhouse is too far away, but it is for use of customers, their internet in there, but I wouldn't want to sit in there all day with the lappy anyways, so that one's out then!

I'm more than happy to fork out the £12 or £15 a month to get one of those sticks then and just plug it and go, and I'm seeing which is the best for broadband in that postcode area right now. I'm probably going to go with Vodafone though because hubby has a friend who is quite high up in their company and can get us a discount he said, but I can never get hold of him to ask him about all this coz he's too busy!

That MiFi you mention I will also look into that. Hubby has just asked whether you know if this NC10 netbook has already got something in it, that we can just "register" and pay for via the netbook, he seems to think it does?

There are a few laptops with wireless 3G built in , but am almost sure the NC10 isn't one of them, had a quick look at the specs on the samsung site and it doesn't mention it, so would say no. Depends on how long you spend there each year and what your internet use is, if your not going to be using a lot of Gb for things like iplayer, i had 3GB pay as you go on the MIFI and just about managed to use it before the 3 months ran out, and i think 3 charge £15 for 3GB or 3 months which ever comes first, but the mifi router is £50, as with most things it shopping around for the best deal.

Thanks for all that info there again janitor. I've just had a live chat with T Mobile coz their internet seems to be the best in that area, and I like the fact that you can not only pay as you go, but you can top up for just ONE day or one week, because quite honestly, what is the point of paying out all that money over a whole year, when I'm probably only going to be using it the odd week-end here and there? I think I'm going to go with this T Mobile, there's no contract either, and if I buy one month's then I can always top up from there on a daily or weekly basis, so I think that's my wtg!

I won't be using a lot of Gb either, just browsing, same as hubby, so maybe there's no point in us even going for the 3 G then, maybe the 2 or even 1? I would hate slooooow though, but then broadband can never be that slow can it??!!

Oh thanks janitor, you've really been of a great help to me tonight, and thanks Tilly, but that one's too expensive for me even though I'm now a trailer toff!