Wi-Fi

[Cruisingdad]

Hey guys/gals,

I need to buy a Wi-Fi extender for the boat. I can mount it on my solar arch.

I don't really want to run it up th mast if I can help it. I also considered putting it on the end of a pole, much lik a SSB antenae or VHF Antenae that can be raised and lowered.

I have had the Bullet 2hp reccomended to me by a knowledgeable sailor with it. It is on the short list. Has anyone used 5 mile Wifi or one of the others mentiond in this PS article:

http://www.bitstorm.com/downloads/PS...Fi_Article.pdf

Thoughts? Need to get one quick or I will not be able to get on easily and we will have to make Smackdaddy a moderator. Place will go down hill quickly. Can you say Mayday??

J/K, but serious about getting one very soon. Thanks for the ideas.

Brian

[SVAuspicious]

Any of the Ubiquiti Bullet solutions are excellent. You can do your own or buy a kit from islandtimepc.com or wififorboats.com or any number of other vendors.

My experience with the Alfa based solutions is not nearly so good, although I do carry an Alfa in my go bag on trips.

[Cruisingdad]

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious

Any of the Ubiquiti Bullet solutions are excellent. You can do your own or buy a kit from islandtimepc.com or wififorboats.com or any number of other vendors.

My experience with the Alfa based solutions is not nearly so good, although I do carry an Alfa in my go bag on trips.

What is an alfa based? What does that mean?

Brian

[SVAuspicious]

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

What is an alfa based? What does that mean?

Alfa:

Amazon.com: Alfa 1000mW 1W 802.11b/g USB Wireless WiFi Network Adapter With Original Alfa Screw-On Swivel 9dBi Rubber Antenna: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Alfa 1000mW 1W 802.11b/g USB Wireless WiFi Network Adapter With Original Alfa Screw-On Swivel 9dBi Rubber Antenna: Computers & Accessories

[sea_hunter]

Originally Posted by SVAuspicious:900637

Any of the Ubiquiti Bullet solutions are excellent. You can do your own or buy a kit from islandtimepc.com or wififorboats.com or any number of other vendors.

My experience with the Alfa based solutions is not nearly so good, although I do carry an Alfa in my go bag on trips.

+1 Simple solution.

[capttb]

I just installed a Wirie AP last week, mounted on the stern pulpit, this one has a hotspot built in so you just need a 12 volt connection, not USB, then you have your own wireless network on the boat.
I've only tried it in the marina but before I could only see 5 networks and none were strong enough to connect. Now there's hundreds but I just connected to the nearby Marina Inn.
Install was comparatively easy, just run the power cable thru transom and up to the panel with a 2 amp fuse.
You could put one together yourself no doubt, but when I started pricing out components it didn't seem too bad.

[hellosailor]

Brian, depending on how technologically impaired you feel and how fat the budget is...

That Alfa sells for $35 on Amazon then all you need is a longer USB cord to get it out of the cabin. Yes, the USB cord length limits position but for $35 versus 250+, I'd try it first.

Which also means you'll need to use the Wifi tools that come with your computer, to choose and connect to a network. Which isn't such a big deal these days.

The many folks who repackage it...OK, they're entitled to a profit if they make life easier but really, how badly can you lose by trying the $35 solution first? And at that price, you can carry a spare and sell it to the next hapless cruiser. :-)

[TQA]

Wirie $250

Alfa $25 + extension high gain aerial $10 stick the aerial out the hatch and bobs your wifi.

[capttb]

So $35 for parts, a 15 foot USB cable and a roll of duct tape and you got WiFi for 1 laptop, tape it to your forehead and you can have WiFi all over the boat.
Just thought of a new product, mount the whole shebang in a straw hat with a solar panel and you are a mobile extended range hotspot.

[remetau]

Brian,

I was using a Bullet on a omni antenna that I would haul up the backstay using a halyard. This uses power over ethernet so only one cat5 cable to run which I connected to a router for distribution in the boat.