Portable wifi/hotspot and VPN for Shanghai/Tokyo trip

[WDWJDS]

My son will be traveling to China and Japan for 6 weeks. I have read about the internet site limitations in China and would like to purchase something for him to use while he is there, in order to access FB, and Instagram, as well as WhatsApp or WeChat to communicate with us. He will be taking his iphone and Mac laptop with him. Any and all suggestions would be extremely helpful. Thank you.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

My son will be traveling to China and Japan for 6 weeks. I have read about the internet site limitations in China and would like to purchase something for him to use while he is there, in order to access FB, and Instagram, as well as WhatsApp or WeChat to communicate with us. He will be taking his iphone and Mac laptop with him. Any and all suggestions would be extremely helpful. Thank you.

We rented a mifi from Global Advanced Communications in Japan. It was delivered to and waiting for us at the first hotel we checked into. It came with a self-addressed stamped envelope and we dropped it into the mail for return at the end of our trip. Simple and reliable, although I’m sure all the Japanese companies are.

 

[Imzadi]

My son will be traveling to China and Japan for 6 weeks. I have read about the internet site limitations in China and would like to purchase something for him to use while he is there, in order to access FB, and Instagram, as well as WhatsApp or WeChat to communicate with us. He will be taking his iphone and Mac laptop with him. Any and all suggestions would be extremely helpful. Thank you.

Make sure these are even legal in China to use. If not, he could be in trouble over there for breaking their laws. Not something to mess with. In Japan, it might not be a problem. They aren't a communist country with the same restrictions.

 

[China Expat]

Install Express VPN on his laptop before leaving the US...it worked great for me in China for the five years I lived there.

 

[China Expat]

Install Express VPN on his laptop before leaving the US...it worked great for me in China for the five years I lived there.

 

[scrump]

We rented a mifi from Global Advanced Communications in Japan. It was delivered to and waiting for us at the first hotel we checked into. It came with a self-addressed stamped envelope and we dropped it into the mail for return at the end of our trip. Simple and reliable, although I’m sure all the Japanese companies are.

I second them. I use them for my trips to Japan. China is another deal, but sounds like the other posters have offered good options.

 

[bcla]

Using a VPN to access websites or services blocked in China like WhatsApp, Facebook, or Google is illegal. Enforcement is another matter, but it's still illegal.

WeChat is not blocked in China and there will be no issues, but that's because the Chinese government can request data at will. I've actually used it in my work before.

 

[bcla]

Make sure these are even legal in China to use. If not, he could be in trouble over there for breaking their laws. Not something to mess with. In Japan, it might not be a problem. They aren't a communist country with the same restrictions.

Many people use them in China without worrying about it, including Chinese citizens. However, the big worry is that every once in a while they choose to make an example of someone, just to send a message that it's illegal - even with tourists.

 

[Figarro]

I bought a China-Hong Kong (not just China) prepaid sim card for my trip to Shanghai last year, even though I had Express VPN on my phone long before my trip, just to be safe.
The China-Hong Kong prepaid sim card allowed me to connect to Google and Whatsapp.