WIFI offshore part two

[capn_billl]

Let me be more specific.

I want to buy a WIFI extender, with a router that accepts USB WAN.

I've tried several "extenders", and they use internal antenna only, and use the USB port just for a plug in thumb drive, or even just for power.

An external antenna is a must for more than 1/4 mile. an external transponder even more of a must if further.

AT&T WIFI, and Xfinity have roaming plans with plenty of public WIFI on beaches, and marinas where I boat, (Keys), that burning through cash on a satellite, or cell plan is usually not necessary. (If I can watch Youtube on a tablet in the marina lobby, I should be able to at the mooring field with a little more power).

The extender needs to be able to login at a captive portal, my smart TV cannot, also I can't control, or cast to TV from phone through a public network.

Yes I know first world problems, but after spending hundreds of boat bucks for a boat, I should be able to handle a few hundred dollars for a good internet connection to see where the latest Covid shutdowns are, and what's up on this board.

So equipment needed.

WIFI repeater with external antenna.

Compatible router for all wireless items on boat including radar, and chartplotter.

I just needed to update MFD plotter, took a day, and a half to download with frequent dropouts, using cell phone as tether on Raymarine network.

Should have been an easy task with a proper WIFI, instead of going to shore, downloading to a tablet, writing to a SD card, back to boat, upload from SD card to chartplotter.

There are compact, even battery operated Hotel WIFI extenders that handle captive portal, and VPN, but without an external antenna, it's going to be duct taped to a halyard, and hauled aloft.

[wholybee]

Redport Halo
Wave wifi
ubiquiti
There are others. What do you mean by USB WAN? Any wired networking would be done with Ethernet if you need it.

The "extender" can either be a bridge, where your devices are logging directly into the remote access point as if they were closer, or a router, where the extender logs into the remote access point, and then your devices log into the router.

The router type would allow your devices to connect to each other so you can cast from your PC to TV etc., regardless of if the remote access point allows it, or even if not connected.

If by "captive portal" you mean those access points where you have to log into it, and sometimes pay a fee or enter a code before it works, then the bridge type would work better, but would still be a problem for your TV. That is by design. The owners/operators of those networks don't want them to be used for streaming movies to a TV. You could probably work around it by setting up your computer for internet sharing and have your TV connect to your computer.

[capn_billl]

I've looked for modems, both cell, and wifi, and a surprising number are USB to plug into laptop.

I would rather use a dedicated router/extendet and use for IOT, and use my laptop as a laptop, not a wifi repeater.

[Hydro]

maybe this might fit the bill

https://campprokit.com/

you could super nerd something together but KISS so....
looks like there is RJ45 port from device so if your TV/computer has a port your set.
depending how smart the end point adapter is, you might be able to use a hub/switch and broadcast local wifi.

Just note, if it is re-broadcasting the signal, others in your area can tap into the "free" public hotspot. If you dont want this, then you will need more equipment and create a local network and your "ISP" would be the wifi network in this case. Think firewalls, switch, wifi router.

YT search/reviews camppro kit

[shimari]

The good news: What you want is doable within reason.
The bad news: It's going to take a little work/skill to put it together.

Here's a description of one way to do it:

https://seabits.com/mikrotik-groove-...p-setup-guide/
n.b. I don't agree with Steve's characterization that the Mikrotik Groove is a booster.

Several companies make devices like the Groove. Wholybee names a few of them. I've only used the Groove.

Depending on how far the anchorage is from the wifi AP, you may have to use a directional antenna.

Good luck!

[capn_billl]

This sounds like what I want to do in a kit.

Maybe better than reinventing the wheel.

I notice it States USB from external adapter. So I'm on the right track.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Hydro

maybe this might fit the bill

https://campprokit.com/

you could super nerd something together but KISS so....
looks like there is RJ45 port from device so if your TV/computer has a port your set.
depending how smart the end point adapter is, you might be able to use a hub/switch and broadcast local wifi.

Just note, if it is re-broadcasting the signal, others in your area can tap into the "free" public hotspot. If you dont want this, then you will need more equipment and create a local network and your "ISP" would be the wifi network in this case. Think firewalls, switch, wifi router.

YT search/reviews camppro kit

To the OP, I mentioned this device before. I think it meets your needs simply and cheaply.

It is a DIRECTIONAL wifi extender by BEAR. The Bear Outdoor Extender.

It plugs into the USB port on a laptop. It allows you to enter in login information to an access point (I assume that is what you mean by captive portal) . I have used it to connect to AP's over 1/2 mile away, but it depends on the strength of the signal from the Access Point. The Bear's signal is strong enough and the reception is excellent but a local bar sometimes doesn't get out to me, even with the directional antenna.

Once you are logged on you have Internet on your vessel. To share it with other computers, phones, tablets, etc, you'll need an application such as Connectify. Since the Bear Extender is adding another WiFi antenna to your system Connectify can use your computer's native WiFi antenna to create a hotspot which you or others can connect to with additional devices. You control who gets on by setting up a password.

All of this is inexpensive and effective.

The downside is that while anchored you have to frequently re-orient the Bear's antenna as your boat swings at anchor. Some times I have had to move it three or four times a day (but it is easy, it sits on a small tripod on deck just outside my hatch). Do not be misled by claims for omnidirectional antennas. They pick up multipath propagated signals and don't work as well around other vessels such as a marina or packed anchorage.

[Caleb_Grey]

Originally Posted by wingssail

To the OP, I mentioned this device before. I think it meets your needs simply and cheaply.

It is a DIRECTIONAL wifi extender by BEAR. The Bear Outdoor Extender.

It plugs into the USB port on a laptop. It allows you to enter in login information to an access point (I assume that is what you mean by captive portal) . I have used it to connect to AP's over 1/2 mile away, but it depends on the strength of the signal from the Access Point. The Bear's signal is strong enough and the reception is excellent but a local bar sometimes doesn't get out to me, even with the directional antenna.

Once you are logged on you have Internet on your vessel. To share it with other computers, phones, tablets, etc, you'll need an application such as Connectify. Since the Bear Extender is adding another WiFi antenna to your system Connectify can use your computer's native WiFi antenna to create a hotspot which you or others can connect to with additional devices. You control who gets on by setting up a password.

All of this is inexpensive and effective.

The downside is that while anchored you have to frequently re-orient the Bear's antenna as your boat swings at anchor. Some times I have had to move it three or four times a day (but it is easy, it sits on a small tripod on deck just outside my hatch). Do not be misled by claims for omnidirectional antennas. They pick up multipath propagated signals and don't work as well around other vessels such as a marina or packed anchorage.

This solution, and the others posted in the first thread are good, but dont offer a way for the op who thinks he knows what hes talking about, to do it his reinventing the wheel way. Problem is wifi on boats dont use wheels, it doesnt really use anything anymore because its not 1998 when everybody had real free wifi and it was easy. Hence why there are very few real solutions for a problem that was solved by high speed cell service.
Nowadays unless you have a very specific way to get reliable wifi thats not overused, its a futile battle.
Wifi is a short garden hose that supplies many with water.
Cell is a superlong garden hose and everybody has their own hose.
The really ironic part is most free wifi is cell based.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by Caleb_Grey

...
Nowadays unless you have a very specific way to get reliable wifi thats not overused, its a futile battle.
Wifi is a short garden hose that supplies many with water.
Cell is a superlong garden hose and everybody has their own hose.
The really ironic part is most free wifi is cell based.

The problem for me is that cell service, which we've used extensively and still use when free wifi is not available, costs money. The amount of streaming news and entertainment we do soon runs past the data limits (even unlimited) and then becomes expensive for us.

The WiFi we get is fast and free, with the right equipment. Latency is usually about 80-100ms. Our "speed test" results are about 10-20mb/sec download and .80-.90 upload. The key to good WiFi is to cut out the noise from the signal you are getting.

This spring, on our three month cruise, we had free WiFi about 80% of the time.

[Caleb_Grey]

Originally Posted by wingssail

The problem for me is that cell service, which we've used extensively and still use when free wifi is not available, costs money. The amount of streaming news and entertainment we do soon runs past the data limits (even unlimited) and then becomes expensive for us.

The WiFi we get is fast and free, with the right equipment. Latency is usually about 80-100ms. Our "speed test" results are about 10-20mb/sec download and .80-.90 upload. The key to good WiFi is to cut out the noise from the signal you are getting.

This spring, on our three month cruise, we had free WiFi about 80% of the time.

Thats great and i applaud you for jumping through the hoops it takes to achieve that, certainly using a directional antenna is really the only way to go in this circumstance, i know i used to build and sell cantennas back in the day!
But it doesnt seem the op wants to jump through hoops he just wants to throw money at a problem he doesnt understand and for it to just work. But the solution isnt free wifi for him its a more expensive cell plan with a wifi hotspot to connect his devices to.

[Caleb_Grey]

https://youtu.be/YvLi4fcI6aE

[boatpoker]

This seems to be what you are asking, It works for us and is by far the least expensive option we found (twice the price on Amazon).
https://store.rokland.com/products/a...409-tf-antenna

[capn_billl]

Originally Posted by Caleb_Grey

Thats great and i applaud you for jumping through the hoops it takes to achieve that, certainly using a directional antenna is really the only way to go in this circumstance, i know i used to build and sell cantennas back in the day!
But it doesnt seem the op wants to jump through hoops he just wants to throw money at a problem he doesnt understand and for it to just work. But the solution isnt free wifi for him its a more expensive cell plan with a wifi hotspot to connect his devices to.

Holdup I just want to buy something that works without hacking the firmware.

The RV kit may work for me.

I want to throw a finite amount of money, not open a can on a satellite phone.

[Wallaby]

Value for money and ease of use, it is hard to go past the Alfa products at the rokland store, address already provided above. It is possible to get an already integrated package. eg. the camp Pro set with antenna and repeater/extender. Some packages may even include a separate router. You can also a better antenna and the repeater/extender separately, with 5G available on some models. I am running at my Alfa 5G at the moment, 390 MBps.
https://store.rokland.com/collection...-antenna-kit-1


What I don't understand is why you don't use the hotspot on your cellphone to connect a laptop, download the updates to your hard drive, and depending on the mfd etc, do the updates that way. I can do all the updates on my Raymarine system in an hour or two using the card reader in the mfd. If your phone connects to your system, as many do nowadays, it should be even easier.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

This seems to be what you are asking, It works for us and is by far the least expensive option we found (twice the price on Amazon).
https://store.rokland.com/products/a...409-tf-antenna

1. Omni-directional, not best for marinas or packed anchorages
2. Requires separate power at the antenna
3. Costs $149
   
   Advantage:
   You don't need a laptop (but you need a router)