Anyone mounting Bullet wifi antenna at masthead?

[jibstay]

I just haul mine up the burgee halyard. The top of the antenna sits just below the spreader.

I bring it down and stow it while we're underway.


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[Mikado]

Critter,

I'm in the process of installing a wifi booster so this thread is very helpful for me as well.

I have run the CAT5 cable to the top of the mast where I will mount the antenna and amplifier. Not sure exactly how I will mount it yet.

Here is my system:

• Ubiquiti BulletM2 Titanium 2.4GHz 802.11n/g Outdoor
• Alfa Hi-Gain Omni-Directional Outdoor 12dBi Antenna - 2.4/2.5GHz 3.7-Feet long
• Ubiquiti AirRouter 802.11g/n Featuring Ubiquiti AirOS

I find this whole technology confusing so I really hope in the end I made the correct choices.

Jeff

[alctel]

Originally Posted by skipgundlach

Note to the OP title: Bullet is an amplified WiFi adapter with an n connector in/out, powered by 10-24VDC over POE (the non-data wires in a Cat5 cable), and not an antenna.

You need an antenna to make it work. My original pix (in the NEMA box) used a 6" pigtail because it was a board to begin with, but doesn't need one for direct connection to a regular stick antenna with n connector built in.

If you used a direct connection, the antenna should have withstood a hurricane, even at the cheap level. Most will have that spec (wind force endured) if you look. 8dbi gain is about the best you can do (due to pitching) on a mono; you might get away with a 12 on a cat. I have one but have not tried it as I'm still in the land of bridges and would not make it under fixed bridges with the 12. It's also longer, so requires a different mounting scheme to not be stressed to more than the connector could withstand...

Yeah I had a 5 foot antenna on my bullet, mounted to the pulpit (I didn't realise it was so long when I bought it!). I got it off ebay for around 50 bucks and it sucked immensely, so I'm not surprised that it disintegrated. The bullet was fine.

[alctel]

Originally Posted by jibstay

I just haul mine up the burgee halyard. The top of the antenna sits just below the spreader.

I bring it down and stow it while we're underway.


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Can you provide more detail or pics of the attachment? I'm thinking about doing this.

[BWSJWS]

Originally Posted by critter

Bought a Bullet M2 Titanium last year and while in the marina and fairly close it was mounted on the bow pulpit rail. We are wanting to reduce packet loss this year, so it needs to go higher.

Anyone out there have the antenna mounted at the masthead? If so, did you just put the antenna up there and the Bullet lower? Or is the antenna screwed directly into the Bullet and all is mounted at the masthead?

Any special equipment or installation tricks you can suggest to get good reception as well as lightning protection. My antenna is about 15 inches tall or so (omni) and would end up being the highest thing up there if I mounted the Bullet next to the mast with the bottom of the antenna starting at the top of the mast. Though I think I may need to figure out a way for it to not block the masthead anchor light.

Thanks for any insight you can give!

Hi there. We are about to purchase a boat in San Carlos and we need great internet connection. Will this Bullet Titanium do the trick? Do we need to have a berth at a marina to connect to their WiFi?

Thanks for the reply to a newbe

[jibstay]

Originally Posted by alctel

Can you provide more detail or pics of the attachment? I'm thinking about doing this.

I used mountable-head cable ties (zip-ties with an eyelet) around the antenna and the Bullet. Then used the same spring release flag clips that I use on my courtesy flags.


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[critter]

Originally Posted by jibstay

I just haul mine up the burgee halyard. The top of the antenna sits just below the spreader.

This would be a nightmare for packet loss. Fine if you are doing simple web browsing or downloading a file (not streaming). We tried it just for kicks when we first got it and after 2 minutes we realized it was a bad idea.

We use RDP a lot for work, so packet loss needs to be kept to a minimum.

[jibstay]

Doesn't seem to be a nightmare for us. We stream Netflix and others all the time.


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[senormechanico]

FWIW, my antenna is 12 db but with a trimaran if the boat is heeling 10 degrees, it's time to reef so the antenna works well for my boat.
There might be some interaction with the VHF antenna because I sometimes notice some dropout of signal when swinging at anchor. Not sure if it's antenna or location.

Before installing, I checked operation of Bullet in our house with a variable DC supply.
It worked all the way down to 7.5 volts, although current consumption was inversely proportional to voltage input. I.E, constant power consumption via internal circuitry.

Regarding encrypted signals, we find a usable signal around 50% of the time.
Lots of B&B's and restaurants have open WiFi to encourage people to stay around and buy more food etc.
When we are anchored and find a signal like that, we usually buy a meal there if we can.

[Symphony]

I have found a lot of Xfinity Comcast hotspots in the past year, and now i think the wifi broadband route with ubiquity bullet could work, at least in parts of the US served by Comcast. If i can hit the hotspot i get great service, even with just my iphone6