Wifi Range Extenders 2017

[Rorzech]

Wouldn't the roaming charges be outrageous for data plans on your cell phone. My friend traveled across the pond for a week ,did some texting and got a $800.00 bill. There has to be a cheaper way. Please let us know.

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by Rorzech

Wouldn't the roaming charges be outrageous for data plans on your cell phone. My friend traveled across the pond for a week ,did some texting and got a $800.00 bill. There has to be a cheaper way. Please let us know.

Local SIMs.

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by Rorzech

Wouldn't the roaming charges be outrageous for data plans on your cell phone. My friend traveled across the pond for a week ,did some texting and got a $800.00 bill. There has to be a cheaper way. Please let us know.

If you are roaming without international roaming included, yes.

But the T-Mobile,and others of which I have no direct knowledge, unlimited plans ($70/mo, 76 with junk fees), you can make all the phone calls and texts you can do limited only by connectivity and battery charge. Data flows, but, as earlier discussed, very slowly, internationally; I didn't try the text and phone parts, but I'm guessing they'll work.

That said, I just got off a phone call over hangouts (Google Voice and Hangouts) to a US location from the Bahamas. My GV and Hangouts for some reason doesn't want to work from the phone (can't sign in) but works just fine from and to my computer. Free US to me and back...

[BWSJWS]

Hi there. I use Nepulink, a 3g,4g,5g and WfFi signal booster. When out at sea I can be 20nm out and still get a strong 3G,4G signal. It is expensive but is absolutely the best.

NeptuLink by MVG - New Version | 4G | MVG

John

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by BWSJWS

Hi there. I use Nepulink, a 3g,4g,5g and WfFi signal booster. When out at sea I can be 20nm out and still get a strong 3G,4G signal. It is expensive but is absolutely the best.

NeptuLink by MVG - New Version | 4G | MVG

John

The specs look good on this unit. How much is it, I don't see it listed anywhere.

[BWSJWS]

Hey Paul. It is over 1,000.00USD. We still work and live full time running our publishing company for the decks, cockpit and cabin of our 40ft cold molded Bruce Roberts 370. We are constantly on the internet and video conferencing so we need to be connected almost everyday of the week. It restricts our movements a bit but we plan consecutive days when there is no cell coverage. Anyway this will pick up the signal when you phone will not. It's paid for itself in less than a year.

John

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by BWSJWS

Hey Paul. It is over 1,000.00USD. We still work and live full time running our publishing company for the decks, cockpit and cabin of our 40ft cold molded Bruce Roberts 370. We are constantly on the internet and video conferencing so we need to be connected almost everyday of the week. It restricts our movements a bit but we plan consecutive days when there is no cell coverage. Anyway this will pick up the signal when you phone will not. It's paid for itself in less than a year.

John

John
Not cheap, but sounds like a good item for work. It lists a ton of bands supported, but I'm not clear how much of the world's cell installations that covers and how much of the higher bandwidth modes in those countries. I suspect a lot. I have phones that handle 4G outside the US but to 3G+ inside. Have you used it outside of Mexico?

[GTom]

Many suggested 4G - I'd do so as well. Much less trouble especially if you sail in a single country. A local SIM with 2-3GB data rarely costs more than 20$, you buy one in the first marina shop or max 2 streets behind...

If for some reason you want to build a powerful wifi setup, I recommend a strong directional antenna on the mast, use a thick low-loss coax and attach a dual-band extender with user-replaceable antennas (e.g.). Honestly, I can't justify the hurdle.

What could make more sense, is to set up a similar infrastructure for 4G, based on a 4G antenna and router (idea for bits and pieces here). With a decent antenna gain and tall mast I guess you could receive quite far offshore...

[Paramotorgreg]

I am travelling round Europe and wanted a good wi-fi connection so bought a Wi-Fi Bat extender and a Redbox router from MailaSail.com - and have had huge problems with them.

At first they didn't work at all but after several hour long telephone conversations with MailaSail I finally managed to get them working.

Before they were properly functional I was using my phone's 4G as a personal hotspot. Now the wifi extender works I still generally use my phone's 4G because the wifi speed in most marinas here is abysmally slow.

Given that the cost of the equipment plus fitting for the wifi extender came to well over £1000 I would strongly recommend that you buy local 4G data SIM cards wherever you are - you will get a lot of them for £1000 and your access and connection speed will be much quicker than wifi.

[bluewatervet]

OK folks, here's the lowdown on extending "wifi".....the 'stock' limit is roughly 2 NM, by design. Only when the "shore site" hosting a wifi "node" has intentionally extended the "reach" by altering handshake timing settings within the router software, could you get a connection beyond the two mile range. Note your own 'router' should also be altered to enhance this connectivity at longer distance also. Cell service extenders for offshore are what you really need for more reliable Internet data connectivity, when cruising beyond the ICW , IE. at any off coastal location. (No, I have no stock in cell service providers, just clearing the air here.) And just like your VHF radio connectivity, the higher the antenna the better (...NOT more power!!!). Note the USCG always tries to keep base station VHF antenna as high as locally possible, on a very high hill or tower when possible. That is why you can talk to them on 9 or 16 with a hand-held, yet your big high power built-in DSC rig cannot reliably talk to other sea level craft or beach sites. (There is a simple formula for line-of-site communications distance limitations, readily brought up with an Internet search.) The 'higher is better' rule applies to VHF, wifi or cell service..... "you don't get something for nothing rule." (BTW...HF SSB is worldwide on a simple wire antenna depending on time of day....) Summary: Yeah, cell service is expensive, but it is the best bet versus way more expensive two-way satellite Internet connectivity. Forget wifi beyond buoys 1 & 2....if that far.

[BruceS]

Be very careful with "signal boosters" anywhere in Australian waters or on land!
Illegal & is being enforced.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by pesarsten

I have read all the threads that I can find regarding improving reception for Internet access so please don't tell me to use the search function. BTDT.

All the threads that I found were several years old, I have to believe that the technology changes have been significant so here's a few questions .>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The start of this thread was in 2013, but the answers were more recent.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...a-95749-4.html

General consensus is that data has supplanted wifi and that free wifi is usually slow and everyone's house wifi is locked these days.

[BruceS]

Maybe you should migrate to Australia?
Many cafe's, fast food premises & motels have free WiFi.
One company setup free wifi for all to use including at football matches.
https://hotspot.internode.on.net/coverage/
OK, not out at sea but you did mention houses?

[skipgundlach]

Originally Posted by bluewatervet

OK folks, here's the lowdown on extending "wifi".....the 'stock' limit is roughly 2 NM, by design. ...clip most of it ... Forget wifi beyond buoys 1 & 2....if that far.

Sorry - like Mark Twain supposedly said, it ain't what you don't know that will get you in trouble - it's what you do know that simply ain't true.

I routinely cruised (back when WiFi was more readily available open) at 7 miles offshore, connected and actively communicating. The east coast was typical, and I was passing south of Staniel Cay, on line with Sampson Cay before it went private. Today, Xfinity abounds (the free and open - well, you have to know someone or have an account yourself to log in via website referral).

As to cell data, I've commented before in this thread so won't do it twice. But WiFi is NOT limited to 2 miles. It is line of sight, and power is a factor, but with an omni ~8dbi antenna (omni to handle the motion which will throw a directional off location - not to mention that under way it's a moving target) and a groove or bullet amplified POE adapter, at rest, 15 miles is entirely expected if you have an amplified source (my preferred station whilst in Marsh Harbour previously was 12 miles away).

This is, after all, about WiFi, not cellular...

L8R

Skip

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by bluewatervet

There is a simple formula for line-of-site communications distance limitations, readily brought up with an Internet search.

Easier than that.

s = 1.06 * SQRT(h) with h in feet (height above water) and the result s in nautical miles.