Free Software

[charles_reed]

Interesting reading this thread, I long since gave up on trying to access wi-fi, either in marinas or anchored.
For the past 10 years I've used cellular mobile data and seen prices drop continuously, in fact I had a season's free data connection, about 24Gb in total in 2010.
Usually I'm the only person accessing the internet - if multiple users I'd put the SIM in either of two smartphones and use Bluetooth for the last leg.
So there are far more than a couple of ways of killing that cat.
The problem is, as has been mentioned, bandwidth - the best one can expect on 3G is 3.8-4.0KBps and 20% of that for upload. On the infrequent occasions on GPRS (or marina wi-fi) it's like watching paint dry. I really don't know how people would cope with the speeds of a rustled internet access via a powered antenna.
In the UK there have been about 5 successful prosecutions for freeloading on other peoples' wlan - though I'm sure all the law-abiding contributors to this forum only use public networks.

 

[demonboy]

Interesting reading this thread, I long since gave up on trying to access wi-fi, either in marinas or anchored.
For the past 10 years I've used cellular mobile data and seen prices drop continuously, in fact I had a season's free data connection, about 24Gb in total in 2010.
Usually I'm the only person accessing the internet - if multiple users I'd put the SIM in either of two smartphones and use Bluetooth for the last leg.
So there are far more than a couple of ways of killing that cat.
The problem is, as has been mentioned, bandwidth - the best one can expect on 3G is 3.8-4.0KBps and 20% of that for upload. On the infrequent occasions on GPRS (or marina wi-fi) it's like watching paint dry. I really don't know how people would cope with the speeds of a rustled internet access via a powered antenna.
In the UK there have been about 5 successful prosecutions for freeloading on other peoples' wlan - though I'm sure all the law-abiding contributors to this forum only use public networks.

Here in Thailand that sort of thing is positively encouraged, Charles, not penalised

Mobile data is not always cost effective, and I am more bothered by a consistent connection rather than speed, though the latter is always nice. For example, we like to stream radio, but this is not a realistic option on a mobile connection. Trying to stream radio on a marina network using just a normal connection (I.e. built-in wifi laptop antenna) is painful as the connection often drops. Even if a busy network is offering slower speeds, an external antenna is more likely to provide a consistent connection, hence the desire to use something like the Pi as a hotspot.

 

[pessimist]

Interesting reading this thread, I long since gave up on trying to access wi-fi, either in marinas or anchored.
For the past 10 years I've used cellular mobile data and seen prices drop continuously, in fact I had a season's free data connection, about 24Gb in total in 2010.
Usually I'm the only person accessing the internet - if multiple users I'd put the SIM in either of two smartphones and use Bluetooth for the last leg.
So there are far more than a couple of ways of killing that cat.
The problem is, as has been mentioned, bandwidth - the best one can expect on 3G is 3.8-4.0KBps and 20% of that for upload. On the infrequent occasions on GPRS (or marina wi-fi) it's like watching paint dry. I really don't know how people would cope with the speeds of a rustled internet access via a powered antenna.
In the UK there have been about 5 successful prosecutions for freeloading on other peoples' wlan - though I'm sure all the law-abiding contributors to this forum only use public networks.

Agree with most of your points. The idea of the system is to ease the connection problems when in a marina or anchored. As others have pointed out attaching a high gain antenna sometimes improves throughput. The system facilitates this and allow3s sharing ofthe connection. Obviously, if the original signal has slow backhaul there is not much to be done.

There is no reason why backhaul to the system has to be wifi - it can just as easily be a 3g/4g dongle. This will give considerably better throughput than tethering to a mobile 'phone - always assuming that your 'phone contract allows this

Not attemptintg to encourage people to freeload on other peoples wlan - having just spent some time removing freeloaders from the village wifi system that's a bit of a sore point!

Cheers,

Colin

 

[charles_reed]

Here in Thailand that sort of thing is positively encouraged, Charles, not penalised

Mobile data is not always cost effective, and I am more bothered by a consistent connection rather than speed, though the latter is always nice. For example, we like to stream radio, but this is not a realistic option on a mobile connection. Trying to stream radio on a marina network using just a normal connection (I.e. built-in wifi laptop antenna) is painful as the connection often drops. Even if a busy network is offering slower speeds, an external antenna is more likely to provide a consistent connection, hence the desire to use something like the Pi as a hotspot.

I'd agree with some of your points - going back 10 years - mobile cellular data was definitely not cost-effective and, with the charges in the UK it's still not cost effective. However the cost has been coming down - TIM in Italy €20 for 1Gb in 2004, down to €2 for 250Mb 2 years later. Even with EDGE I could download music and occasionally graphics - GPRS speeds were ridiculously slow in some parts of Calabria. Now, in Greece I pay €30 for 5Gb/month, I did have a period @ half price, and I have no problem in streaming music or low definition graphics and never use my full allowance. As to consistency - well it's not noticeably different to my guaranteed 8mbs copper @ home on download, but definitely stutters on upload.
From your remarks I'd guess you're not experiencing 3G performance, but I expect that Thailand will catch up with Greece on cellular shortly, and I've only had GPRS reception once in my descent of the Aegean. 4G is for birds and those with more money than sense (or an expense account).

 

[charles_reed]

Agree with most of your points. The idea of the system is to ease the connection problems when in a marina or anchored. As others have pointed out attaching a high gain antenna sometimes improves throughput. The system facilitates this and allow3s sharing ofthe connection. Obviously, if the original signal has slow backhaul there is not much to be done.

There is no reason why backhaul to the system has to be wifi - it can just as easily be a 3g/4g dongle. This will give considerably better throughput than tethering to a mobile 'phone - always assuming that your 'phone contract allows this

Not attemptintg to encourage people to freeload on other peoples wlan - having just spent some time removing freeloaders from the village wifi system that's a bit of a sore point!

Cheers,

Colin

I think 4G is only marginally available in UK and not rolled out at all in Greece.

To explain - I put a data-only SIM into the smartphone (it works in Symbian and Android) and use that as my "wireless router" the final leg Bluetooth to the other units - I've only done it the once and, of course the wlan on Bluetooth is very short range.
Even better I can use a mobile as modem and use Linux.
All the rest of the time I use a conventional Huawei K570 usb cellular modem, with the same data-only SIM in it.
Multiple users are not something I'm usually bothered with - I sail single-handed.

PS your puzzlement might be that UK providers offer limited voice/data contracts to private customers on one SIM. This is a business contract that I have with Vodafone Greece and I believe a similar service is available in UK. No voice calls over this SIM and additional charge for SMS or MMS.

 

[Boreades]

In support of Penny's kind offer, the same Raspberry Pi could also be used as an NMEA multiplexer.

See this article with plenty of detail:
http://www.stripydog.com/kplex/examples/nmeaserver.html

 

[pragmatist]

In support of Penny's kind offer, the same Raspberry Pi could also be used as an NMEA multiplexer.

See this article with plenty of detail:
http://www.stripydog.com/kplex/examples/nmeaserver.html

+1 This looks really interesting and very well documented. You can also use the Raspberry Pi for security cameras, motion detection (cameras), boat movement (if someone has half-inched her or she's floated off) and such like.

 

[Boreades]

This reminds me of Angus' very excellent YAPP GPS mouse device. Which IIRC only draws 30-40mA. (Declaration of interest: using one to feed an AIS VHF radio)

If a Rasp-Pi running headless (that means without monitor, keyboard,mouse, etc) only draws something like 500mA(?) (please correct me), then we have something that could be powered 24x7 by onboard solar/wind power.

I'm not sure how much current the USB wireless adaptor draws though.

 

[Boreades]

A couple of points of information:

There is a new version of the Rasp-Pi that supports four USB ports. It wouldn't matter for this topic's device alone, but if you ever want to plug in a keyboard and mouse, it helps!

As Penny is not supplying the Rasp-Pi, may I point out CPC-Farnell online as a good source of Rasp-Pi hardware?

 

[liftkeel]

Hi Penny,

We hope to be in Dartmouth early next week, just in time to miss regatta. Will you be around? If you are going to be there what do I need to bring to get a copy of the software? Better still can you sell me a complete kit? I'll not forget to bring the wine

Are you still on the same pontoon?

Regards,

Tim

 

[pragmatist]

Hi Penny,

We hope to be in Dartmouth early next week, just in time to miss regatta. Will you be around? If you are going to be there what do I need to bring to get a copy of the software? Better still can you sell me a complete kit? I'll not forget to bring the wine

Are you still on the same pontoon?

Regards,

Tim

Hi Tim

Hoping to be around. Would be good to see you. If you just want the software then you'll need to bring an 8Gig card (either micro SD or SD, depending on which Raspberry Pi you're using). But if you bring your Pi too then we can get it all set up for you - over the wine !

We are planning to sell a complete kit but haven't got around to it yet. But we might have enough bits and pieces to construct the whole thing if that's what you want.

We have moved from the pontoon - just give us a ring when you're about to check we're there and we'll tell you how to find us.

Penny

 

[pragmatist]

Apologies to those who have downloaded the free wi-fi hotspot software - or got the card/AP package. We omitted to mention that when you attach to the Skipper's Mate wireless access point it will ask you for an initial password to allow you to connect (can, and should, be changed to one of your choice !). The initial password is "anythingyouchoose" - literally - all lowercase, no spaces. Will get the pdf instructions updated and up on the web site.

And many thanks to AdetheFridge for pointing out our error !

Penny

 

[Adethefridge]

Makes a change from me missing something really simple in a instruction booklet !
Have you had chance to bench test the long range directional wifi antenna yet ? (The one on ebay for about £15.00)

 

[pragmatist]

Makes a change from me missing something really simple in a instruction booklet !
Have you had chance to bench test the long range directional wifi antenna yet ? (The one on ebay for about £15.00)

Ade - we should be off to the boat this week and it should be waiting for us, we hope. HWMBO is itching to try it out and I will bully him into posting the results.