Hot Spot onboard

I've just bought an ipad to try and get into the 21st century, does that make any difference to what would help me?

Grandchildren are about to visit, maybe that may help! :)

" A hotspot connected to a 3G modem, or a repeater of another Wi-Fi AP? " - sorry lost me on this.

Is there an explanation for dummies Nigel pl's?
 
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Scotty_Tradewind said:
I've just bought an ipad to try and get into the 21st century, does that make any difference to what would help me?

Grandchildren are about to visit, maybe that may help! :)

" A hotspot connected to a 3G modem, or a repeater of another Wi-Fi AP? " - sorry lost me on this.

Is there an explanation for dummies Nigel pl's?
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A "hotspot" is a wireless (radio) network that computers can use to connect to the internet. It uses a wireless network to talk to each other. It has shortish range less than 50m approx. These are also called Access Points (APs).

You can get WIFI repeaters that boost your signal so that you can use local APs (if they are in range). The range these can boost to varies.

A "3G" modem is used to connect to the internet using the mobile network. Usually they are USB devices.

A "mifi" or Android/iphone with the hotspot feature enabled, create a local hotspot by using their own wireless network and their 3G connections that allow your computer(s) to connect to the internet over a local wireless connection.

Hope that helps.
 
Scotty_Tradewind said:
Would that improve things on the w. coast of France or in the Med?

Do I need some form of contract then?

You can probably see I'm a real beginner at all this. Don't really have the need to understand, except for the basics, just the ability to use.

thanks

S.
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W. Coast of France & French Med - consider getting an Orange Domino

http://boutique.orange.fr/ESHOP_mx_orange/?tp=F&ref=54848&IDCible=1&type=11&donnee_appel=ORESH

Can be bought from an Orange shop in France & you can connect by WiFi up to 5 computers/phones/tablets at one time. Approx €45 up front but then PAYG. We use one on boat and at holiday house and it works out at about €20 per month (30 days) for email/web browsing using top-up vouchers bought from local phone shop/supermarket or you can top-up on line but you will probably need a French bank account card to do this.

At the end of the 30 days or when you have used up the €20 credit you will have to top-up again. If have not used all the credit from the previous 30 days it carries forward to the next time you top-up. I currently have about €20 to carry forward to the next time I top up so if I top-up with €20 it will actually show about €40 on my account.

PM me if you want more info
 
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Scotty_Tradewind said:
Liveaboards alongside in Greece last year had their boats own hot spot onboard.

What is this?

Will it allow me to improve communications?

How does it work?

If so, what does one (who's a bit of a luddite) find out what requirements are needed to buy, or avoid please?

thanks
S.
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We've tried almost everything, we can because it's our business.

Obviously it depends on how much you want to spend.

You can get a simple antenna that plugs into your laptop and can link you to an open access point, marina, bar, hotel or FON, for between £25.00 and about £65.00

You can also plug it into a little repeater instead of your laptop and this becomes a hotspot so that multiple users with ipad, iphones, (other tablets and smart phones too) and laptops etc can connect at the same time, wirelessly, cost for the add on about £49.00

You can go a bit more upmarket with a 'powered' antenna and a router for around £140.00 although at the moment I'm testing and configuring a new version for around £115.00.

All of the above rely on being somewhere near an available access point although on a good day they can connect between 1km to 1.5km away.

The alternative is using the 3g network that can give you a pretty good 21mbps download. 4g would be faster but unless you're in a city it's not likely to be available.

We've had good results with the Huawei E5332 mifi if you're in a 3g location, I think about 8 people can use this simultaneously, it also can have a 3g external booster antenna added.
Unlocked mifi about £43.00, antenna about £93,00

The WiBE is a really good 3g multi user router and definitely outperforms all of the 3g products we've tested but it costs £346.00 for the internal model and £590.00 for the external waterproof version.
We have had excellent results when an iphone or mifi couldn't find any 3g signal.

The thing with 3g is that you pay for your data, if you're moving around you need to research the best value payg provider, last year we found Movistar in Portugal, Vodafone in Greece and Vodafone in Spain too were reasonable.

Hope it helps, pleased to answer any queries
 
You can turn some phones into hotspots. I still use JoikuSpot with a Nokia N95 and a local SIM
http://www.joiku.com/products

(With some operators this seems to get round the prohibition on tethering.)

In Turkey I used it to connect an iPad that way. In the US I'll use it to connect two tablets to a phone running "3 like home".
 
nigelmercier said:
What he said.

Bottom line: do you want internet access all the time, or just when you can pick up a distant Wi-Fi?
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Ideally both, but most importantly to pick up a distant wifi whilst in or near a port etc..

Are there security issues? ..... presumably using a cafe' wifi wouldn't be advisable for doing internet banking etc...

I have just looked at this from Digital Yacht. Is this one way to go and is it good stuff?
http://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/57...rrer=FROOGLE&gclid=CKWRscnO4LwCFUoOwwodTEwACA

I think the mist has cleared a little thanks to simplistic replies..... pl's keep up the good work as I feel a little optimism coming on! :)

thanks
S.
 
Scotty_Tradewind said:
Are there security issues? ..... presumably using a cafe' wifi wouldn't be advisable for doing internet banking etc...
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be too concerned about using a café's wifi for internet banking. Communication with a bank website (or mobile app) will be encrypted ( https...) so using a public wifi is only slightly more risky than using your own wifi at home. (And that risk is that the wifi access point might be run by a crook who impersonates your bank - a so-called 'man-in-the-middle attack' - rather than that somebody is intercepting the radio communication.)

The main risk when using internet banking is from malware in your own computer. So using a Windows PC at home is probably more risky than using, say, an iPad in a Greek café.
 
Well Mrs S. seems to think we are beginning to get a bit more understanding of the subject.

Going back to basics - Is it a fact that .... for wifi internet connections when aboard, we are relying upon knowing the wifi password/security code for a cafe' or marina etc. but connection from across the harbour probably requires an aerial/booster piece of kit and cabling?

For a 3g type connection…. Is it a fact that......we have to have a 3g type contract and are reliant upon being in range of a mobile mast and using either a phone or computer to get onto the internet?

From what I understand from Nigels info'....... we can get the Digital Yacht performance of the WL510 by purchasing the Alpha 2000 as long as we can do a few 'gymnastics' with our computer control settings as well as adding an aerial.
Alpha say that the 2000 is a WiFi Network Adapter. Is this also a booster? As I understand it, we also need a router if we wish to use more than one device on the internet at the same time, as does the D.Y. WL510. Is this true?

Nick Heyes of Digital Yacht in his video…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs3htt8uX-o mentioned that their latest WL510 has an ether net connection to your computer and with a router can create a second network on the boat which allows other mobile devices to connect to the same ‘powerful’ wifi system which, he says, provides for multiple users on board the boat. He goes on to say that the ether net connection can do away with installing software, drivers and having to make changes to your computer.
See….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dohIJDQN2cA

We have at home a spare Netgear N150 wireless modem router DGN1000 which runs off mains and transforms to 12V and has four ether net sockets and one ADSL socket. Would this do the job if used with Alpha 2000 or Digital Yacht WL510? We understand that the Digital Yacht’s iNav HUB would be a more secure network connection.

If true, it's the area of the unknown for people like me, that makes spending the larger amounts on a readymade system look attractive, despite the cost, as when installed it's guaranteed to work or if not, you have a phone support line.

I suppose the Alpha system could all be set up at home and played with via a friendly neighbours wifi to test it out?

This season we will be spoilt and have all new …….laptop with Windows 8.1 , an ipad and iphone for use..... but as yet, not the knowledge on how best to use for the purposes mentioned, or what additional equipment to buy to improve connection. In salt air conditions is purpose-built marine equipment going to be more reliable than cheaper domestic equipment added together?

A great thank you so far to everyone for the time taken with your input..... it's amazing how easily our eyes glaze over with ‘computer speak’, but reading through postings several times and going back through the links provided, we believe we do have some light at the end of the tunnel.

S.
 
Scotty_Tradewind said:
For a 3g type connection…. Is it a fact that......we have to have a 3g type contract
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No. You must have a SIM but that can be PAYG. PAYG SIMs usually allow you to subscribe to a package or 'bundle' which gives you xMB of data to be used in (usually) a month. There are also 'throwaway' PAYG SIMs that include a volume of data (15GB say) after which you discard them. Not all contracts or PAYG SIMs allow you to use them in any device; for example cheaper data plans are for phones and do not allow their use in tablets or for 'tethering' (see below).
and are reliant upon being in range of a mobile mast
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Yes.
and using either a phone or computer to get onto the internet?
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Any '3g' data device (and also 2g and 4g) must contain a mobile SIM. These devices are all modems, but are almost never called modems. There are four main types of device:
  • mobile modem plus a wifi access point - often called 'mifi'. These allow you to connect more than one computer (laptops, tablets, smartphones) to the internet and are probably the device of choice these days. Some smartphones (and some dumb phones) can do this; in that case the phone is often said to be acting as a 'hotspot'.
  • USB mobile modem - usually (and misleadingly) called a dongle. Connects one computer, probably a laptop, to the internet. You often get these as a package with a local SIM. Easy to buy and use if you have a laptop; not for tablets.
  • A phone used as a modem - known as 'tethering'. Connects one computer (usually) by bluetooth to the internet. This technology has been used for a decade and is only of interest nowadays if you already have a phone that does it. A bit geeky.
  • Tablets and smartphones which have a built-in mobile connection. It's often more economical and flexible to buy a wifi-only tablet and a mifi device.

Can anybody think of any other types?

http://yachtvigdis.wordpress.com/greek-internet-weather/
 
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Scotty_Tradewind said:
We have at home a spare Netgear N150 wireless modem router DGN1000 which runs off mains and transforms to 12V and has four ether net sockets and one ADSL socket.
Click to expand...
'Remote wifi' is not something I've used. But whatever you're trying to do I wouldn't use this to do it. The modem in that device is an ADSL2 modem which is no use to you. It may not be impossible to use just the access point or the router part - it depends on how configurable it is - but it'd be a hassle IMO.
 
To try to simplify things
There are a number of devices on the market that will connect to a wifi hotspot - your computer is one, the Alfa mentioned above is another and so is the digital yacht thing, and the Ubiquiti bullet which I use. These devices are all small routers. You need to log into them via a web browser, scan for networks and then lock into a network. With more power comes more visibility. If you have a BT home hub at home you will get free wifi from any other BT home hub and we can almost always see one of these in a UK marina.

The debate then is on simplicity of set-up. how far away it is and whether you want to power it via a USB connection or Ethernet. If you want to use your Netgear router you'll need something that has an ethernet connection and will get its power via this. YOu need a small POE injectot for about £2 to do this.

TO get a network on the boat you then simply plug this device into a LAN port of a home router, configure the network and off you go. HOWEVER - This networking phase is tricky, best done at home and requires some knowledge of DHCP, Subnet masks and IP addresses. If that is all greek to you, then buy an off-the shelf system

A Mifi takes a 3G signal and lets lots of users hook up to it via Wifi - you'll need a SIM for each country as roaming rates from your UK contract will kill you. We have one of these and I simply log the main system onto it when we want to use 3G, so everyone still have the same wireless login.

BTW your netgear router will be perfect. I'd regulate the voltage though.

Lots of previous posts on this stuff, hence I've not put in all the links etc. I can pm you the set-up of a bullet and netgear router if interested
 
If I was the OP I would just buy a mi-fi device and be done with it. Yes you can repeat wireless hotspots from marinas, cafes etc, and yes, if you know what you are doing you can cobble together a cheap solution to do this. You also have to get off your a*** and go and get the username and password each time.

However, in this case the OP is not technical, and the fact that he is willing to spend a fairly hefty sum of money on a "marine" solution suggests that he is not on a tight budget.

I would therefore recommend buying a mi-fi for 40 quid or so and splashing out on a few pay as you go SIM cards with data for the relevant countries he intends to visit. It will be a long time before he reaches anywhere near the £570 which he is considering paying for the Digital Yacht product.
 
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