The WiFi in the flat I'm staying is so poor that my MacBook is not able to connect to the internet.

Any good advice other than going to the nearest shopping center?

Do a Google search for 'wireless internet pattaya'

 

Several sites that may be able to take care of your problem will come up.

does your mobile phone have a hotspot option?

 

is your 4G reception in the apartment better than your wi-fi reception?

 

does your mobile phone plan include lots of cheap data and allow use of your phone as a hotspot?

 

if you answer yes to all questions your problem is solved at no extra cost and no need to get to a shopping center

 

if your phone and/or data plan does not support hotspot but your 4G reception is OK you could always buy a cheap "pocket wi-fi" device (to provide wi-fi to both your MacBook and phone) or just a 4G dongle for the MacBook, and you will need to get a separate SIM and data allowance for the new hardware - most of the local telcos and phone stores should have these available

 

bkkguy

I cannot connect using Hotspot, that's the problem. Maybe a 4G dongle is the answer. The dtac shop at Terminal 21 did not have them, so they said. Maybe I should try AIS?

I cannot connect using Hotspot, that's the problem. Maybe a 4G dongle is the answer. The dtac shop at Terminal 21 did not have them, so they said. Maybe I should try AIS?

Assuming the flat was advertised with WiFi, I trust you have asked the landlord to fix it?

And tried rebooting the router.

 

I know that's optimistic, so you could check what other WiFi is within range. Maybe True or AIS have a hotspot. Then go for a 4G package with WiFi access as well from one of those providers.

Has anyone else in the block of flats been able to connect to wifi?

 

Maybe you could check with them first.

I cannot connect using Hotspot, that's the problem. Maybe a 4G dongle is the answer. The dtac shop at Terminal 21 did not have them, so they said. Maybe I should try AIS?

 

in your original post the "hotspot" was the wi-fi provided by the apartment? still? the "hotspot" I am suggesting you try is your mobile phone or a "pocket wi-fi" device or is this a problem as well?

 

any iSomething store around town or the new Apple store at ICON Siam should have a "suitably priced" (suitably being a relative (higher) term) dongle, or AIS or true - or I would have assumed dtac - should have a "suitably priced" (suitably being a relative (lower) term) pocket wi-fi device, or maybe the telcos now assume everyone now does everything on their phone and your MacBook should be confined to an office or a museum?

 

admittedly it is 15 years or more since I last had a use a pocket wi-fi device in Thailand (but AIS still has then advertised for about 1,200 BHT + SIM), but less than a year since I added an additional one month only data package to my AIS package to use my phone as a hotspot for my notebook when I was in Pattaya for the weekend and the apartment wi-fi was down - most modern phones (even iPhones) and most data packages support the phone as a hotspot

 

bkkguy

Assuming the flat was advertised with WiFi

 

A Thailand flat advertised with WiFi and it either doesn't work well or doesn't work at all?  Why, what a shocking surprise!

A Thailand flat advertised with WiFi and it either doesn't work well or doesn't work at all? Why, what a shocking surprise!

No surprise for me either.

 

However in the age of trip advisor & other review sites, you would think they would make an effort.

Reminds me of one particular hotel. My room had slow internet, but a good wifi signal. Mainly because I drew a floor plan in my notebook the previous year & asked for the room opposite the router. My friend down the other end of the corridor had no signal. I even showed this with a Wi-Fi signal app on the phone.

 

Had this been my hotel with in room Wi-Fi advertised, I would have put another router in within 24 hours. They did not & list our business the next year.

 

Mind you, it's not just Thailand. I stayed in an Accor group Aparthotel in Nines & they had no in room Wi-Fi for 3 days. That's the same group which runs Ibis etc.

My MacBook is one year old and so is my iPhone 8. My Sony Xperia is brand new. 9 out of 10 times they're not able to connect, and when I do connect it falls out after one or two minutes.

 

I'm in an AirBnb condo, advertised with WiFi. There is WiFi, but it's useless. So a complaint will be filed.

 

The public WiFi at Terminal 21 works wonders, so that's where I spend a couple of hours every day doing my work. Not exactly what I had in mind.

 

Thanks for all your suggestions.