Long-Distance WiFi Device

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by Islander

I agree, and I don't think there will be open wifi around forever to justify spending any more on a booster than is necessary.

Cheers

Open or not, decent WIFI reception is going to matter more and more in the future. A great deal of marinas are now seeing WIFI as important as power and water but with all those boats around, with wire standing rigging, huge alloy masts, etc, etc. reception can still be troublesome.

On my last boat, I was on the same pier as the marina's WIFI transmitter and I couldn't get a signal! That's why I got myself a booster in the first place. In these situations, a directional unit would be ideal.

However, for my present boat, i'm sticking with the omni directional for use at anchor.

A final point to add is that in this day and age, having your boat already wired up with a decent WIFI booster is going to be a BIG selling point. Remember, even dedicated sailors spend more time tied up than at sea and being able to simply plug in and have internet radio, tv, email, skype, etc. is a big plus.

[CarlF]

+1 on Nick's Nanostation. 90 degree horizontal beam width is conservative. Beyond that you get signal fall off but it's still better signal strength than a Bullet with an omni antenna until I get beyond 120 degree "swing" (e.g. 60 degrees off target).

It's also considerably more compact than a Bullet with an antenna. Mine isn't even permanently installed. I shock cord it to whichever side of the mizzen mast is facing land.

Carl

[Islander]

Originally Posted by simonmd

Open or not, decent WIFI reception is going to matter more and more in the future. A great deal of marinas are now seeing WIFI as important as power and water but with all those boats around, with wire standing rigging, huge alloy masts, etc, etc. reception can still be troublesome.

On my last boat, I was on the same pier as the marina's WIFI transmitter and I couldn't get a signal! That's why I got myself a booster in the first place. In these situations, a directional unit would be ideal.

However, for my present boat, i'm sticking with the omni directional for use at anchor.

A final point to add is that in this day and age, having your boat already wired up with a decent WIFI booster is going to be a BIG selling point. Remember, even dedicated sailors spend more time tied up than at sea and being able to simply plug in and have internet radio, tv, email, skype, etc. is a big plus.

I never said getting a booster was a waste, I said spending more than $40-$50 was. I've never had a problem getting "local" wifi with the gear in my PC, and I don't usually have any problem with my Alfa from a reasonable distance. I don't have a need to pull in wifi from 5 miles.

Cheers.

[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Islander

I never said getting a booster was a waste, I said spending more than $40-$50 was. I've never had a problem getting "local" wifi with the gear in my PC, and I don't usually have any problem with my Alfa from a reasonable distance. I don't have a need to pull in wifi from 5 miles.
Cheers.

Quite true about the need for "5 miles". The longest distance I have been successful at was off Hog Island in Grenada with the server being 0.8 nm away on Lance Aux Epines. Both the WaveRV/Capwifi and my Alpa both had no problem reaching out and getting a good connection.

[trimming out]

Hello, can any of these wi-fi boost ideas be used on the ipad2, wi-fi? Or anyone know of an offshore boost idea for the ipad wi-fi only?

Thanks

[thatboatguy]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Quite true about the need for "5 miles". The longest distance I have been successful at was off Hog Island in Grenada with the server being 0.8 nm away on Lance Aux Epines. Both the WaveRV/Capwifi and my Alpa both had no problem reaching out and getting a good connection.

I've had times when the only viable option was 5 miles away. The masthead bullet turned the trick. But most of the time our connections have been within 2 miles.

George

[osirissail]

5 miles is an awful long way. Even my measured on a chart 0.8nm looks like miles away. Considering that the visible horizon at sea level from the cockpit of sailing boat is 3.25 nm away, for 5 nm the server antenna would have to be rather high up off the ground. But anyway whatever works is what you need regardless of the advertised range.

- - As to an external antenna for an Ipad see: https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0

[s/v Jedi]

For the iPad or any other Wifi enabled device, you use the long range radio plus a local Wifi AP like described in this thread a couple of times. There's both a solution using Ubiquity and Alfa gear.

ciao!
Nick.

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by trimming out

Hello, can any of these wi-fi boost ideas be used on the ipad2, wi-fi? Or anyone know of an offshore boost idea for the ipad wi-fi only?

Thanks

I use the whole set-up from IslandtimePC for my iPad. Antenna and transmitter sit on the first spreader, router is behind my electric panel. iPad works anywhere on the boat.

[thatboatguy]

Originally Posted by osirissail

5 miles is an awful long way. Even my measured on a chart 0.8nm looks like miles away. Considering that the visible horizon at sea level from the cockpit of sailing boat is 3.25 nm away, for 5 nm the server antenna would have to be rather high up off the ground. But anyway whatever works is what you need regardless of the advertised range.

- - As to an external antenna for an Ipad see: https://discussions.apple.com/thread...art=0&tstart=0

Indeed 5 miles is a long way. Like from Capt Hirams to Sebastian Inlet Marina. And they must have their router on top of their dry stack building. That one we could get from cockpit level with the cantana from time to time but most times we have had the long reach have been with the mast head antenna. There were also several places in the Bahamas that must have had powerful gear that was intended for braud coverage and when the SSID is the name of the Cay it pretty much lets you know where it's coming from! There's one part of the bay between here and Norfolk that we get coverage for 15 miles or so with the nearest land nearly 3 miles. In places where there is a lot of noise (like Marsh Harbor) your chances of getting the long shot go way down. But just outside of Marsh Harbor we could sometimes use a signal coming from Scotland Cay, right around 5-6 miles.

George

[capngeo]

Routinely get signal in the Marquessas off Key West... about 10 miles over water from a comm’l WiFi company with an antenna on top of a hotel

[trimming out]

Thanks for the lead on the ipad use.

[Bazzas Boat]

I installed the Island Time booster in May and picked up about 24 signals. It boosts the local marina signal from 1 bar strength to max 4 bar strength. I have it currently sitting on a spreader and plugged into an Apple Airport which sends max strength wireless signal through the boat and to surrounding boats, the surrounding boats comment that my boat signal is strong. I run up to 3 computers at once.
Very good product and excellent after sales service from the supplier.

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by thatboatguy

And one with a 12dbi built in directional antenna.



George

Well, after reading (partially) this thread, I think I'm going with this Alfa UDBo-nt8 unit (this seller says 2w power, but it's 1w, just because of that I'll probably buy it somewhere else) It's not the same one you posted, but an b/g/n model with 1w power and 12dbi built in directional antenna.

I'd rather have the option to change out the antenna, but for a weather resistant 1w all-in-one unit, you can't beat the $40 price That and I've been happy with my alfa usb stick so far, just not powerful enough...

[thatboatguy]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Well, after reading (partially) this thread, I think I'm going with this Alfa UDBo-nt8 unit (this seller says 2w power, but it's 1w, just because of that I'll probably buy it somewhere else) It's not the same one you posted, but an b/g/n model with 1w power and 12dbi built in directional antenna.

I'd rather have the option to change out the antenna, but for a weather resistant 1w all-in-one unit, you can't beat the $40 price That and I've been happy with my alfa usb stick so far, just not powerful enough...

Cool beans, I'll be interested to know how you like it. BTW I have had one very bad experience with that seller myself. I finally got a full refund but I should not have had to fight for it.

George