Exhumas / Eleuthera WiFi

[Zydeco]

Does anyone have current information on the availability of wifi in the Exhumas and/or Eleuthera? My wife and I both work part time from the boat and we need internet access for a couple hours 5 or 6 days a week. We are looking for anchorages where we can get internet access from the boat using a long range wifi device.

In the Abacos, there seems to be widespread access through Out Island Internet (and also maybe Bahamas WiMax?) in a dozen or so anchorages which is reasonably (compared to satellite anyway) priced by the month or year which will be perfect for us.

Is there anything similar in the Exhumas or on Eleuthera? Or is it hit and miss? I found something called Caribbean Satcom which appeared to operate Exhumas WiFi hotspots but I can't find out much more about them. Also, on various blogs and forums people mention paying $10/day for access in various anchorages, but we would go broke if we had to do that every day. We could a daily charge every now and then, but not all the time.

And before anyone starts: I know, I know, "leave the work at home". Sorry, no can do. It's either work part time from the boat or don't go at all. And that's not happening.

Dave

[witzgall]

Not sure about the wifi, but as I understand it, Governor's Harbour in Eleuthra has horrible holding, so I am not sure you would want to attempt to camp out there with the need to work during that time?

[Hudson Force]

Holding in Governor's Harbour is average, but you would need to adjust your position with different wind directions and fetch,- not a place to leave for a day or more unattended.

[doug86]

"Exumas WiFi" covers the Staniel Cay area extensively. Excellent signal all around the island, plus down to Black Point, and in spots around Sampson Cay and Compass Cay. Highborne Cay has a wifi that should be pretty good. Monthly access at Staniel Cay is $175 for 10GB, which is really hard to use up; they have a daily, weekly and 2 week rate also. Don't expect to watch YouTube as the service isn't that fast, but I find it very reliable for past 6 weeks. I am answering this right now on the Exumas WiFi service. Email and normal web surfing is easy.

Exumas Park at Waderick Wells Cay also has wifi, but its $10/day or $29/3days.

The guy that runs Exumas Wireless is trying to add more hotspots as fast as he can, which means in a few years there will be more...

I have heard that Georgetown has really spotty Wifi, and when you get it, it is very slow. I've not been down there.
Doug

[Hudson Force]

doug86, I looked back at the diversion and noticed that, allthough not initiating the hijack, I sure did respond in that direction. I certainly see the source of frustration, but I also see how well you recovered the oringnal track. Recovery is often as simple as you made it,- 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[Zydeco]

Originally Posted by doug86

"Exumas WiFi" covers the Staniel Cay area extensively. Excellent signal all around the island, plus down to Black Point, and in spots around Sampson Cay and Compass Cay. Highborne Cay has a wifi that should be pretty good. Monthly access at Staniel Cay is $175 for 10GB, which is really hard to use up; they have a daily, weekly and 2 week rate also. Don't expect to watch YouTube as the service isn't that fast, but I find it very reliable for past 6 weeks. I am answering this right now on the Exumas WiFi service. Email and normal web surfing is easy.

Exumas Park at Waderick Wells Cay also has wifi, but its $10/day or $29/3days.

The guy that runs Exumas Wireless is trying to add more hotspots as fast as he can, which means in a few years there will be more...

I have heard that Georgetown has really spotty Wifi, and when you get it, it is very slow. I've not been down there.
Doug

Thanks Doug! That's what we needed to know.

Are you near that Island with the swimming pigs? My wife says I have take her there.

[Zydeco]

Oops - Sorry Doug, just read your Rant. Didn't mean to hijack the thread from wifi to swimming pigs. But we still want to go to the cay with the swimming pigs.

And now, back to wifi.....

[Pacific Jewel]

LOL! Hilarious!

[Cormorant]

What are the chances of picking up free Wifi anywhere in the Exumas? Are there any known homes or businesses there that graciously leave their network open for cruisers? I would just like to send a few photos to the folks back home now and then. And yes, I am a terrible cheapskate, who would go out of his way to save $10. . . .

[S/V Antares]

Free WiFi...it can happen. Some boats or cottages pay but use an open (No password protection) LAN on their boat that you can access. if it works take them cookies or beer! Some bars will give you an acess code if you are eating or drinking.

i use "Metageek inSSlDer" to locate them.

[doug86]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

What are the chances of picking up free Wifi anywhere in the Exumas? . And yes, I am a terrible cheapskate, who would go out of his way to save $10. . . .

The chances are not great, but they exist. You will not find many free hotspots with your built-in WiFi antenna, but might get lucky with a boosted/amplified outdoor antenna.

side note: However, while many folks think that "borrowing" an unsecured internet signal is really harmless, out here most internet service has to go up/down through satellites, which means two things: a) if you are sharing someone else's link, your data usage is slowing down their usage, sometimes dramatically, and b) many of the island's internet plans have a monthly data cap, so what at first glance seemed like an innocent "borrowing" of a stranger's internet signal is in fact stealing something that they paid for and now can't use.

[doug86]

Originally Posted by Zydeco

Thanks Doug! That's what we needed to know.

Are you near that Island with the swimming pigs? My wife says I have take her there.

yeah, swimming pigs.

[doug86]

I said Exuam WiFi covered to Black Point. NOT! Exuam WiFi is based at Staniel, with a spot at Compass Cay. Sampson Cay has their own wifi. Up near the Pig Beach, you are behind Big Major and probably won't get a signal up there. I've been "Between the Majors" and did get a signal with my outdoor antenna. You can anchor between the majors and still have line of sight to Club Thunderball.

So, to re-summarize: Staniel Cay has excellent WiFi around the entire island. Many cays north of Staniel do have wifi (Compass, Sampson, Waderick Wells, Highborne). South of Staniel I've not been. Perhaps other members will chime in here with some info on Black Point, Farmers Cay and Georgetown.

As always down here, outages can happen for a number of reasons, the major issue being when the power on the island goes out. Also, link speeds tend to get very slow during peak usage times, like after breakfast and before cocktail hour, when many folks go ashore to check email.

[Cormorant]

Originally Posted by doug86

The chances are not great, but they exist. You will not find many free hotspots with your built-in WiFi antenna, but might get lucky with a boosted/amplified outdoor antenna.

side note: However, while many folks think that "borrowing" an unsecured internet signal is really harmless, out here most internet service has to go up/down through satellites, which means two things: a) if you are sharing someone else's link, your data usage is slowing down their usage, sometimes dramatically, and b) many of the island's internet plans have a monthly data cap, so what at first glance seemed like an innocent "borrowing" of a stranger's internet signal is in fact stealing something that they paid for and now can't use.

Thanks -- I'm sensitive to this, as here at home we have a satellite internet connection that shuts us down for 24 hours if we inadvertently go over our daily data limit. So . . . though I know you can never be sure just which of your straws will break the camel's back, I try to poach WiFi (with our Yagi) in a reasonable way. Say, sending a 50K JPG, but not watching a 15-minute YouTube video, or downloading the latest Windows Service Pack . Call me a thief with a conscience. . . .