Long-Distance WiFi Device

[bbhflts]

Hi Gashmore.

100% agree on the antenna connection as a stress point. I misinterpreted your comments above as the case being fragile.

I've asked for the following quotation:

• One Bullet 2HP
• LMR400 short antennae cable.
• each of your antennae options with manufacturer data, dBi gain etc..
• Any ruggedizing kit you have for increased durability in outdoor installation.
• Mounting kits.

Will feedback to the team.

Cheers.

Ben.

[thatboatguy]

Cheap omni on ebay

I'm envious of you guys playing with the bullets! I need to concentrate on other stuff for a while so I can actually go on a shake down cruise in mid June. I did want to share the above. I couldn't resist getting one at that price.

George

[motion30]

OK an update. Now that I have been on the Intercoastal for the better part of 2 weeks My set up ( alpha with hawkings omni ) has worked great. I have connected everywhere there has been an ap. even on the move . Ofcourse there have been locations that are remote with no wifi but every place there is I have connected I am happy

[bbhflts]

Gashmore.

Quick question. Have you found a decent standard spec for the ethernet cable. I'm living in Dubai and can't seem to find any that is supposed to be marine grade. Easy to find standard Cat5, but that won't survive long up the mast.

Cheers.

Ben.

[W32PAMELA]

I'm not aware of any "marine grade". Google "Direct burial, UV rated, gel filled or flooded CAT5e". This is the type of cable I use with my systems.

[bbhflts]

Hi Bob.

Seems like the ticket that I'm after. Cat5eCableGuy.com - 1000FT Cat5E Gel Filled (Flooded), UV Resistant Direct Burial Outdoor Bulk Cable

That being said, I don't want you to expose yourself as a biased vendor on the forum, but none the less, how do I get my hands on something like that here in Dubai? and... a bit less than 1000ft:-)

Cheers.

Ben.

[hellosailor]

Ben, I would guess a 50' long patch cord would cost you at least $50 from any retail vendor, so bite the bullet, order a thousand feet and then sell the other 950 to the next yachtie for the same $150 you paid for the whole thing. He'll still get a bargain.<G>

Or, troll eBay, there are all sorts of folks who sell "spool ends" of leftover wire of all types there, if you can wait for a couple of months to see what comes up. (Or post your excess 950 feet there, as 9x100' runs at $50 each!)

[W32PAMELA]

Ben,

THIS LINK is a list of potential suppliers of CAT5 in the UAE. I don't know if this will be of any help but it might.

If you have friends or family in North America I would find a seller there and have the cable you need sent to them then have them ship to Dubai. 50 feet of cable sent by US Priority International mail will cost US$30-$40 to Dubai.

Air802 sells by the foot and CableGuys sells 100' lengths. I've purchased supplies from both of these vendors in the past. You may also be able to find an Ebay dealer that could supply the cable. Some advertise worldwide shipping.

[sinbad7]

I'd be interested to hear from some of you with wi fi connection on board,using 'virtual AIS' by connecting to the FREE Web VTSLite network. http://ais3.siitech.com/VTSLite/AView.aspx The coverage is still pretty thin or non existent in places,but still, FREE AIS??

[Gashmore]

I just got back from the BVIs where I installed a couple of APs for friends. Used up about 250' of double insulated gel filled CAT5. Going again in late July to install a better system at Neptune's on Anegada and will need about 250' for that leaving about 500' available.

Anyone need 50' or 60' let me know. Not intended as a money making idea but I will need about $.20/foot to cover the cable and what it cost to get the spool to me. If somebody doesn't use it it will sit in the boat shed for ever.

BTW, if the Bullet 2HPs and sector antennas I am going to put in at Neptune's works as well as I expect it is going to be a killer. Should be able to see -50dbm on an Alpha anywhere in the anchorage. It will be WEPed but go in and buy a drink and Randy will give you the key. If Cable & Worthless can just keep their coconuts clean and the string tight it should give pretty good internet speeds.

[hellosailor]

"It will be WEPed but go in and buy a drink and Randy will give you the key."

Straight question: Why bother with WEP?? Since it can be cracked by a script kiddie in 3-5 minutes. Why not use WPA or WPA2, which offers useful security with the same effort?

[Gashmore]

Well, look at it this way. How many sailors computer savy enough to do it are going to anchor within range and of them how many are going to waste good drinking time trying to crack a key when all they have to do is dinghy in, buy a beer and maybe make reservations for diner?

The whole idea is to get people through the door.

[Anders]

I don't know the percentage of cruisers that does crack encryption keys but some does. It is after all quicker to crack a WEP key than to get into the dingy and go and buy a beer.

[TabbyCat]

I'd be interested to hear from some of you with wi fi connection on board,using 'virtual AIS' by connecting to the FREE Web VTSLite network. Login The coverage is still pretty thin or non existent in places,but still, FREE AIS??

Interesting. But my WIFI really only works at anchor. I've occasionally got it to work underway in really populated areas, but of course you have to keep switching to different networks. I would only use AIS for when I'm outside of WIFI range (underway, offshore, heading between islands, etc) so I can figure out where the tankers & commercial boats are and stay out of their way.

[hellosailor]

Gash-
" and of them how many are going to waste good drinking time trying to crack a key"
Reality bites. There are always "script kiddies" congregating ANY WHERE that there is public WiFi access, they aren't old enough to drink in many cases and when they are--they're not drinking while they are working. All they need to do is RUN A SCRIPT, no mental exercise needed, aqnd they will gain access to your packet stream and perhaps your computer as well.
These guys are across the street from every macD's and Starbucks and they spend days in airport lounges, just to see what they can see. They're like fleas: Not all dogs have them, but if you see a wandering dog, you need to do a flea check.
Could easily be an employee at the bar, too. A lot of minimum wage help have sold credit card numbers and gotten involved in other petty theft, it helps their minimum wage.

The point being, bad guys are out there, and they come to sniff around public WiFi points. If I were a bar owner and someone set me up with WEP--knowing it couldn't keep out anyone except granny--I'd be worried. Here in the litigious US, some boater comes in, "pays" for the 'secure' WEP access, finds out his online banking session got cracked, and now he sues the bar owner (who promised security) and the bar owner turns around and sues you--because you told him it was secure. Even worse, for the same price and effort you COULD have installed real security.
Uhuh, bad day for everyone except the lawyers. And the lucky hacker.

Sorry, but I know folks who have spent hundreds of hours over many years trying to repair identity theft. It is real, and the price is way higher than you'd want to pay.