Standby for broadband failure

[Justin Passing]

I have fast Virginmedia Cable Broadband, but it fails sometimes. I want a backup for my desktop pc.

Community Fibre had an offer I wish I had taken up, which was only £20 a month. Apparently that can drop out too but I works most of the time.

With a laptop I can use my phone (4G) as a wifi hotspot, but havent managed that for the Desktop. I plugged in a general purpose bluetooth dongle thing, and a gp Wifi dongle thing, but couldn't see a connection to a phone, or a laptop while it was using 4G data.
What do I have to get right, for that to work?

I have 5G in my area - can I get a 5G device to use as a backup? I see such things advertised but I don't know how to use one.
How would I connect it and switch from the Virgin cable and back?

I have the "primary" pc wired to the router 1m away, and another pc connected via a mains modulator thing.
I could replace that with a long cable..

I think Logiteck bluetooth adaptors, which I'm using, stop other blueteeth working, but that may be wrong.

Sideways question - could I use Starlink?

 

[omega015]

Vodafone boadband usually comes with a 4g backup dongle, other providers probably offer the same.

 

[Mottie]

Vodafone boadband usually comes with a 4g backup dongle, other providers probably offer the same.

I dont have a backup dongle and I’m on Vodafone. Neither does my daughter who is also on Vodafone and she works for Vodafone!

 

[omega015]

oh, I assumed all their broadbands had this. maybe only their fiber ones or regional?

 

[Mottie]

oh, I assumed all their broadbands had this. maybe only their fiber ones or regional?

We are both full fibre. I have had my Vodafone broadband for 6 years. Never had any problems. Works well.

 

[flameport]

but havent managed that for the Desktop.

Connect desktop using wifi. If it doesn't have this built in already (plenty do and might just need to add the antenna), add it using something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-T4E-Wireless-Interface-Low-Profile/dp/B07NZ1ZJLR
Use phone as a hotspot for it.

 

[Justin Passing]

Connect desktop using wifi. If it doesn't have this built in already (plenty do and might just need to add the antenna), add it using something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Archer-T4E-Wireless-Interface-Low-Profile/dp/B07NZ1ZJLR
Use phone as a hotspot for it.

Thanks .Sorry, I don't have my head around it.... Wifi From a phone? must be - though I only ever used bluetooth ...


So the little WIFI USB thumbnail sized thing is different? It doesn't appear to see that.
Presumably if I got a 5G phone it would be faster?

How would the PC know whether to use the virgin cable GBps or the phone ?

Nothing helpful incorporated afaik -
System is getting a bit old - time to ditch it?

32gb.

I'm using the thing for day trading so I'm wondering where I could usefully have a backup or redundancy.
And, say, would it be good to have one pc which only had the trading software on it and didn't use the net for anything else?
No Office stuff, etc. I need screens to fill very quickly, etc.
Some of the stock scanners I use seem to have services running all the time, even after I've closed them, so I'm not sure which is causing the refresh signals on the screen (firefox).

 

[flameport]

Wifi From a phone? must be

Same process as connecting a laptop to the phone hotspot.
Phone takes 4G / 5G signal, phone creates WiFi signal, laptop or any other computer connects to that WiFi.

How would the PC know whether to use the virgin cable GBps or the phone ?

If they are both connected, it will use both. If one goes away it will use whatever is left.
If it's on the cable connection and that fails, switching to WiFi via the phone is just a case of opening the phone and turning the hotspot on. Computer / laptop will auto connect to it provided it has connected to it before.

That Z270-P motherboard does NOT have Wifi built in, but that card linked to earlier will add it.

A USB WiFi dongle plugged into the desktop should work, but note it's WiFi - nothing to do with Bluetooth at all.

 

[Justin Passing]

Also I've seen roaming wifi portable things which say they're free to use - how does that work? No sim card - Cost from £30 to hundreds.

A USB WiFi dongle plugged into the desktop should work, but note it's WiFi

I have one, how would I find it, I don't see it in control panel but I don't know what I'm looking for,

There must be different types, mine is tiny.