Long-Distance WiFi Device

[W32PAMELA]

TrevC, Definitely test them. I have no information on the extent of the problem. Yours may be fine.

I found a few Bullets with unsealed tape over the LED's early in their production. Applying pressure to the tape sealed the unit. I continue to run my finger over the tape on every Bullet I get. None of my customers have reported water damage to their Bullets, some of which have been in service for almost a year now. I modify the end cap of my bullets by adding an IP68 cable gland in place of the rubber sealing plug that comes with the unit.

The main difference between the BM2HP and the B2HP is that the BM2HP uses the newer "n" mode specification which when paired with another "n" mode device can provide significantly higher data flow than the "g" mode or "b" mode used by the B2HP.

The M series did not initially support "b only" or WEP meaning they would be useless to a cruiser at times. The latest beta firmware has corrected this. Other differences include a slightly lower maximum power output. The receive sensitivity is not been published for "b" mode. The B2HP has very high sensitivity in "b" mode.

In casual tests around my office I cannot see a difference between using a BM2HP and a B2HP but given the option of one or the other I would choose a B2HP for my boat. The BM2HP was designed to operate in the "n" and "b" and "g" mode operation is an after thought. Price is the same.

As TrevC mentioned, Ubiquitis support is excellent but they are not aimed at the consumer market. Much of the WiKi information has been provided by users.

I have to write my own manuals for my customers.

[YOGAO]

...with the Bullet 2.

I have been set up and working reasonably well for well over 1.5 months, but have an issue that I can't figure out.

Once I get to a new area and select a network to connect to, I intermittently cannot get back to the Bullet config page http://192.168.1.20/index.cgi.

Anyone with a solution to that one?

Note: I have tried cycling OFF and ON the router, the Bullet, the laptop in any and all combinations without much success other than leaving everything off overnight (even then, not consistent).

Fair Winds,
Mike

[Jack C]

Mike,

This is just a guess based on experience with other systems. Check you computer IP settings and make sure that you are on the 192.168.1.x subnet.

Use ipconfig in windows and ifconfig in Linux to check.

My guess is that when you are connected to a hot spot you are acquiring an IP via the hot spot (Access Point) DHCP so you are not on the 192.168.1.x subnet.

If you do not have an acquired IP then your computer may default to the 192.168.1.x.

So, as you connect and disconnect you have intermittent access to the bullet being when the bullet is not connected to a hot spot.

Do you have a router between the bullet and your computer. If so, this could also be the problem.

If my first guess is wrong then my second guess is a flaky bullet. If its intermittent it may be water getting in and drying up.

Let me know if this helps or does not!

Jack

[YOGAO]

JackC,

Thanks for the quick reply.

No water because the Bullet has found a permanent home on the mast yet, so we are moving it around the cockpit or outside in clear weather only.

Yes, we have a router (Apple Time Capsule) in between the bullet and our two laptops (one Windows, one MacBook Pro).

Not sure I follow the rest, but forwarded your reply to my better half to see what she makes of it.

Fair Winds,
Mike

[YOGAO]

oops! Sorry, it's been too long since I have had a Windows PC in front of me.

How do I get to ipconfig?

Mike

[Jack C]

Mike,

Test by elimination. Connect your windows machine directly to the bullet and make sure that you have a fixed IP that is 192.168.1.x. I am pretty sure that it is a DHCP problem.

If you can connect consistently to the bullet in this way, then you know its not the bullet. Then you can explore the Mac world for the problem.

Sorry about not being clear.

Good luck.

Jack

[Jack C]

Open a command window (DOS Window) via Start->run->type cmd
Then ipconfig <cr>

Or go into your network settings

Jack

[W32PAMELA]

Mike, follow this Ubiquiti Wiki guide to set your Bullet up as a NAT/Router. If you do this you shouldn't have the problem again. It sounds to me that you are using your Bullet with the configuration that came from the factory.

Be sure and set the Bullet IP address to something like 192.168.xxx.20 where xxx is any number between 50 & 254. This will avoid most conflicts with the AP's you are connecting to.

[futureoptions]

I have also been looking for a similar product. Have a look at this, it's an active usb cable, supposed to eliminate losses. Could be just the thing!
Faculty-X Homeplug WiFi & Wireless Antenna Systems

[Jack C]

Not sure what losses you are looking to eliminate. Hopefully not antenna losses. The product you pointed to extends the standard USB cable length by about 15 feet. The connections are not waterproof so you are still limited to 12-15 feet above deck but is useful below deck. As it is an active cable, it gets power from the computer. Make sure that power requirements of the device you are driving plus the active cable are within the capacity of your computers USB port.

Not sure whether this product is an extension for data only where both devices are self powered such as a computer and printer or for power over USB for a WiFi unit.

Worth checking. Ain't it fun working these things out when vendors give you no real specs?

Jack

[Islander]

I tape two active usb cables together and haul my alfa up 30 feet on my spinnaker halyard. Works great (in dry weather), and is cheap.

Cheers

[thatboatguy]

Originally Posted by Islander

I tape two active usb cables together and haul my alfa up 30 feet on my spinnaker halyard. Works great (in dry weather), and is cheap.

Cheers

I've done that too except with one active one normal. Worked OK.

George

[bstreep]

Not to hijack a thread, but we could not be more happy with our Island Time WIFI from Bob Stewart (W32PAMELA). The customer service is outstanding, and most importantly, THE PRODUCT WORKS AS ADVERTISED. We were sitting in an anchorage at least a mile from anyone, and had our choice of wifi networks to jump on. We sat anchored out watching the Admiral's Gators beat the heck out of my Seminoles.

Bob, I'm guessing I've sold a handful of these for you...

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by thatboatguy

Jack, and others.

There is a great little down and dirty PDF that was intended for the Ubiquity Nano Here It's either the same firmware or similar enough to get you through. I think the big hurdle for the neophite (including me a few short months ago and I wouldn't go beyond calling myself a "novice" today) is setting up your computer for a static IP address to initially communicate with the device. Why they don't send it out DHCP ready is a mystery to me. I have *not* found a "quick start" type document like the one I linked to for the newer Bullet "M". Also the firmware that comes with the "M" doesn't support legacy (b/g) operation although there is a beta version that is supposed to fix that. I've downloaded the beta firmware but have not uploaded it to my Bullet M yet and will probably not mess with it until I'm in Florida.
@Jack, Amen to testing on the ground before going aloft with it. It's upstairs right now with a big yagi hooked to it picking an open wifi on the next block over from us. That's being redistributed on our home wifi network via a WRT54G.
@Everyone interested in this gear. If you don't understand all of what I typed above, you are better off purchasing a unit from someone like Bob at Islandtime because you will get the value added of the excellent tech support. I have no skin in this game, just a happy customer.

George

I don't need a system like this bit think it may be a possibility in the future.
I have followed this thread and can say that I know it is full of very good, useful information.
I just do not understand most of it.
I know I will not be able to figure out the software/firmware/db -70 stuff no matter how many times you tell me.
I just know.
So when I need it I will ask the same questions again and hopefully get one that I can use.
Oh I know it will cost because I can't "fix" it myself - unlike the diesel!!
But hey, one can't know it all eh?

[thatboatguy]

Originally Posted by Therapy

But hey, one can't know it all eh?

That's the *one* thing I do know for sure! heh heh But I'll bet that if you had a little help (as I had) you could get to where you could use this stuff. And some of the USB ones like the Alpha are as plug and play as you get. Also, if you can fix your own diesel you are miles out front of most of the people I've met "out there". I know that Bob has taken folks who until recently had trouble programing their VCR right through the step by step of operating the Bullet. You don't need to understand all that jargon when you have someone showing you the way.

George