Tempus
Well-Known Member
+1 for the Bullet
I have this running into a standard consumer netgear router, both run on rectified 12v direct from the boat's supply. The benefit here is that I then have a wifi signal to broadcast around the boat so all (ie the kids) can get access on their gadgets, and yet it only requires one log-on. The alpha system can be configured to run a boat network, but I haven't seen it done so can't comment. The above system works really well, was cheap (under £150 for everything, including a 2nd router) and is robust.
The bullet can be tricky to set up. There is a good guide here
http://www.boatinghowto.com/content...o-ubiquiti-bullet-2hp-installation-setup-202/
And in other places if you google it. Key is that you need the bullet to go into a LAN port, be on the same subnet and provide DHCP to the network. If you understand that sentence you'll be fine!!
Having researched this extensively, I'd go this route if you want to share wifi around the boat, if all you want to do is extend the wifi range of a PC then the USB based Alpha systems are simpler.
With regards to Aerials, just be aware that the higher the DB rating, then the narrower the beam width (for a standard omni), so putting a massive aerial on may actually hinder your coverage. If you are mostly in marina, then a 6DB aerial may actually be better as the horizontal beamwidth will be good. If you tend to anchor in very remote bays and need range, then a higher DB aerial may be needed, but don't naturally assume that higher is better.
If you want to share NMEA data around the boat, then I'd look at Digital Yacht's kit, it's expensive, but seems to work. We have the new Raymarine e series on board and have not interfaced this as the dire warnings of doom from Raymarine have put us off, hence you need to log an ipad off one network and onto a 2nd to get the wizzy features - painful, but better than crashing the system!
I too would be very interested to hear from anybody who's got Raymarine to interface across a standard network.
I have this running into a standard consumer netgear router, both run on rectified 12v direct from the boat's supply. The benefit here is that I then have a wifi signal to broadcast around the boat so all (ie the kids) can get access on their gadgets, and yet it only requires one log-on. The alpha system can be configured to run a boat network, but I haven't seen it done so can't comment. The above system works really well, was cheap (under £150 for everything, including a 2nd router) and is robust.
The bullet can be tricky to set up. There is a good guide here
http://www.boatinghowto.com/content...o-ubiquiti-bullet-2hp-installation-setup-202/
And in other places if you google it. Key is that you need the bullet to go into a LAN port, be on the same subnet and provide DHCP to the network. If you understand that sentence you'll be fine!!
Having researched this extensively, I'd go this route if you want to share wifi around the boat, if all you want to do is extend the wifi range of a PC then the USB based Alpha systems are simpler.
With regards to Aerials, just be aware that the higher the DB rating, then the narrower the beam width (for a standard omni), so putting a massive aerial on may actually hinder your coverage. If you are mostly in marina, then a 6DB aerial may actually be better as the horizontal beamwidth will be good. If you tend to anchor in very remote bays and need range, then a higher DB aerial may be needed, but don't naturally assume that higher is better.
If you want to share NMEA data around the boat, then I'd look at Digital Yacht's kit, it's expensive, but seems to work. We have the new Raymarine e series on board and have not interfaced this as the dire warnings of doom from Raymarine have put us off, hence you need to log an ipad off one network and onto a 2nd to get the wizzy features - painful, but better than crashing the system!
I too would be very interested to hear from anybody who's got Raymarine to interface across a standard network.
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