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**Dockhead** · 08-04-2016, 13:24

I'm about to retire my 6 year old Ubiquiti Bullet in anticipation of starting to use wifi more often. My appetite for data has started to outstrip mobile phone data packages, and marina wifi is getting better by leaps and bounds.

So what to use? There is no dual band Bullet, but I actually have a second mounting position and a second Ethernet cable pulled up my mast, so I could install two ofthem, one for each band. I have noticed dramatically better performance on 5ghz, and especially, on the AC protocol, but there isn't a bullet which can do AC. Probably because MIMO antennas are needed (or at least, desirable).

So any of you networking geeks have any tips?

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**a64pilot** · 08-04-2016, 15:02

I am not Guru, but Island time says on their website that 2 and 5 Ghz are selectable via software.
I don't have one,just what I read

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jcapo · 08-04-2016, 15:19

I believe the Mikrotik Groove is dual band. Mine is not on at the moment or I would double check that.

**Dockhead** · 08-04-2016, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcapo

I believe the Mikrotik Groove is dual band. Mine is not on at the moment or I would double check that.

It is indeed, but:

1. Much lower power than the Bullet

2. No 802.11AC

3. Not Ubiquiti (maybe not fatal, but all my experience is with this company)

W32PAMELA · 08-04-2016, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

It is indeed, but:

1. Much lower power than the Bullet

2. No 802.11AC

3. Not Ubiquiti (maybe not fatal, but all my experience is with this company)

A quick rebuttle on behalf off the Groove:
1. 27dbm for Groove vs. 28dbm for the Bullet or 500 mw vs 600 mw. I can't think of any time the raising the output 1 db made the difference in connecting and not connecting.

2. Keep in mind that the most important "ac" benefits; speed and beam forming require both an "ac" client and an "ac" AP. We are just beginning to see 5 ghz AP's at all let alone 5 ghz "ac".

3. Nothing to say here except I wish UBNT's stock performance was better.

**Dockhead** · 09-04-2016, 04:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by W32PAMELA

A quick rebuttle on behalf off the Groove:
1. 27dbm for Groove vs. 28dbm for the Bullet or 500 mw vs 600 mw. I can't think of any time the raising the output 1 db made the difference in connecting and not connecting.

2. Keep in mind that the most important "ac" benefits; speed and beam forming require both an "ac" client and an "ac" AP. We are just beginning to see 5 ghz AP's at all let alone 5 ghz "ac".

3. Nothing to say here except I wish UBNT's stock performance was better.

My Bullet is 2 watts. Maybe the new ones aren't.

We have 5ghz all over the place here, and AC is appearing more and more often -- what I'm seeing here is a very active updating of marina wifi infrastructure, which is part of why I have renewed interest in it.

For years I didn't bother much with it, but now it's becoming more and more interesting.

So it would be good future proofing if there were a reasonable outdoor dual band router which does AC.

If there isn't, then maybe I will try the Groove.

W32PAMELA · 09-04-2016, 07:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dockhead

My Bullet is 2 watts.

There has never been a 2 watt Bullet. The Bullet 2HP specification sheet showed max tx at 29dbm +/-1 db and the Bullet M2 shows 28dbm +/-2db. That puts the maximum output at 30 dbm or 1 watt. That is the actual output of the radio without antenna. Mikrotik does not publish the error specs .

Any higher claims would have to be talking about the EIRP (effective isotropic radiated power) which basically is the radio output plus the antenna gain.

Both the Bullet and the Groove have far more power output available than is needed for most connections. The most common error users make is using too high a power output for a given connection.

chris4911 · 09-04-2016, 07:49

I bought and installed the bullet and it has not improved my wifi reception at all. Can't get wifi in marina or connect to my house that is half a mile from marina

Redline452 · 09-04-2016, 11:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris4911

I bought and installed the bullet and it has not improved my wifi reception at all. Can't get wifi in marina or connect to my house that is half a mile from marina

I've been using a Bullet M2HP for a few years, very successfully. One thing I noticed is that the latest firmware versions no longer support WEP, only WPA variants. In their defense, this is apparently to comply with the latest standards, but there are still a lot of WEP access points out there, so I've kept an older version on my unit for the time being. Maybe you have a non-WEP unit?

Jamie46 · 09-04-2016, 11:44

Try this site it may help http://www.boatinghowto.com/content/...ion-setup-202/

W32PAMELA · 09-04-2016, 11:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris4911

I bought and installed the bullet and it has not improved my wifi reception at all. Can't get wifi in marina or connect to my house that is half a mile from marina

Can you see your house from the boat?
What signal strength do you see from the marina wifi?