Internet access to more than one PC on board

[paulwat]

Hi,

I am trying to specify a setup for internet access to two or more PC's from the boat using Wifi Hotspots.

I am looking for recommendations as to an Ethernet connectivity Access Point or Bridge.

The AP/Bridge would then feed into a router that would allow the sharing of the connection over wired ethernet around the boat.

I cannot use USB or PCMCIA as one of the PC's being connected is locked down by the Company that own it and they won't entertain adding this kind of software.

I have looked at a number of solutions in the US for ruggedised outdoor units that could be mounted in the engine room and can be connected to an external aerial up on the radar arch but don't seem to be able to find any similar UK products.

My alternative plan currently is to use a Wireless Game adaptor (the sort of thing used to connect a PS2 or XBOX to a wifi network) perched up on the Radar Arch when needed and POE but I am worried that the internal aerial on one of these is still going to be lacking.

Would appreciate thoughts / comments

Regards

Paul

 

[rickp]

So I'm in the process of doing something similar. I'm fitting an external aerial wired to a basestation that will act as a client. That will be connected by a crossover ethernet cable to a NATing base-station, which will provide WiFi coverage on the boat for my machine & guests.

Fortunately on my boat the cable run from the radar arch isn't very complicated so its easier for me to just put the aerial outside and use a low loss cable run to the client.

Rick

 

[ShaunG]

Paul,

If understand you correctly, you already have your boat wired for ethernet using a Router as a means of providing NAT. Are you after a WIFI access point (ruggedised) that can connect to the WAN side of the Router and provide the WWW feed. If so how you planning to over come the need to logon to the WIFI ISP via a proxy server, are you planning to do this from each PC seperatly.

If you want to discuss this in depth then please PM me for a phone number

ShaunG

 

[paulwat]

Hi rick,

so my next question is what have you selected as the client basestation??

Cheers

Paul

 

[Questor]

Hi Shaun

Just seeing this reminded me - any news on the W144 cable?

R

 

[rickp]

Hi Paul,

I'm going to try a Pheenet WAP-654G - which is reasonably high power, runs off 12Vdc and will take an aerial cable. This can be configured as a 'client' on a hotspot network (by doing a 'site survey' and selecting that network). It then bridges that to the ethernet port.

Not sure yet what I'm going to plug that into. I have access to a number of spare base stations that will NAT so am going to play once the Pheenet kit and aerial arrive.

Will PM you once I've had a chance to play, if you're interested in knowing how I get on.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[paulwat]

Hi ShaunG,

you are correct that is my intention, I am not sure where the proxy server portion comes in though, Or are you saying that the NAT gateway is effictively operating as a proxy server and will therefore cause an issue with log in?

I used this type of setup in the past to share network connections when using the likes of Telia and Tmobile wifi connections in more normal environments

The ISP that would be used for most of the time doesn't use session based authorisation, I am told that they use SSID (with security) and MAC filtering.

I will have a play with the standard setup I have and if I run into problems will let you know

Regards

Paul

 

[ShaunG]

Questor, I am just waiting on a delivery time from the supplier, although it looks like the deal you found from the states is going to be similar and that the delivery times will be about the same, there are none of them in stock in the UK

Paul,
With regards to the Proxy, a number of WIFI providers require that you logon to their service via a web page, in effect they are running a proxy server that you access the web through, therefore if you want your router to have direct access to the web without a user requirement to logon then the Router would have to be able to be reassigned a proxy address and store the username and password.

The setup you are considering should work fine so long as the ISP is using SSID and Mac filtering, should you move to an ISP that uses sesssion based authentication then you should be able to use the webpage to autheticate on to the network.

a simpler solution may be to use one of the PC's as the gatway/Access point and run the 2nd PC as a client of the first, you could use a software based router for this on the primary PC. Whislt most session Authentication based ISP's will allow multiple logons under the same username, those with a bit more savvy block it, by using the Primary PC as a router/Gateway/Access point you could get around this situation.

You are welcome to contact me to discuss if you hit a probelm.

ShaunG

 

[st599]

[ QUOTE ]

The AP/Bridge would then feed into a router that would allow the sharing of the connection over wired ethernet around the boat.


[/ QUOTE ]

A router is used to join two networks together (E.g. your network and your ISPs) not for joining multiple machines on the same network. That requires a switch.

 

[hightech]

Is it something like this you are looking for?

web page

 

[aviator]

3G+ is now a viable option. This sort of product will give you a complete 1.8M system on the boat with no other PC required (it says on the box!) http://www.scancom.co.uk/product.php/2333/option_globesurfer_ii_wifi__hsdpa_1_8mbps__new____

I was using 3G+ on the boat last week and the coverage is now so much better. It was only at Bucklers Hard that I only found GPRS ;-)

Richard

 

[paulwat]

Hi Richard,

thanks for the link, I personally have a Tmobile branded Option 3G card and it is superb, Tmobile are a different story however.....

The main down side is the cost, £350 for the Option Global Surfer box plus about the same again per year for the subscription to 3G services.

When I took out my subscription with Tmobile no one would let you use a 3G pay as you go SIM for computer data.

It also looked like the Option box was Wifi to the PC's which would be a problem as neither of them are Wifi enabled, although did see what looked like an Ethernet connector on the side.

Vodafone also offer a similar box from Linksys but I am told it is firmware locked to allow only Vodafone branded PC cards which is restrictive, but may be intersting for other people

Paul

 

[paulwat]

Hi Simon,

Strictly speaking that is true, however most SoHo Ethernet Routers from the likes of linksys, Dlink, Netgear etc include a 4 or 5 port hub and the necessary DHCP server etc to use them to connect the copper LAN together doing away with the necessity to have any additional boxes.

Cheers

Paul

 

[aviator]

Hi Simon

Please note the difference between 3G and 3G+ which offers up to 1.8M speeds download. Actually for most uses you would be hard pressed to notice the difference between 3G+ and land based ADSL or wi-fi.

AFAIK the Linksys does not support 3G+ and I could not find it on the Vodafone website anymore.

I am told by Vodafone that they will be offering me a £25 per month 'all I can eat account' which will make a massive difference. No doubt there will be some maximum useage but for what I want I am sure it will be just fine.

To make this thing viable though you need to know what the coverage is like and I know nothing about T-mobile, but commented before about the Vodafone coverage iprovements over the past year.

I would have thought that hard wired ethernet connections would be available but wi-fi is the best way forward IMHO or at least combinations of the two.

Have fun. For sure this year is the first year I have been really happy with using internet on the boat.

Richard