WiFi Aerial

Stand alone high gain wi-fi antenna

My vote: PheeNet WLU-805G. 11 dBi gain. Plug straight into a USB port. I've used one for two years now and it's great. Is directional but has an acceptance angle of about 30 degrees so never been an issue. You can buy from Amazon for about £35.

I have to add mine has just given up the ghost probably due to maltreatment, but I am so pleased with it I'm buying a direct replacement.

Also, I've used it with both XP and Vista.
 
We are using one of these
http://www.data-alliance.net/-strse-73/Alfa-500mW-AWUS036H-USB/Detail.bok
Plus the extended aerial with an extra 5m of active USB cable and a 6m aerial extension. The whole lot was under 80€ delivered to Greece.

Works well, what else can I say.

We also have a 3G Vodafone dongle 54€ per month for unlimited use in Greece, it was cheaper with TIM in Sardinia and Vodafone was cheaper in Portugal & Spain than here in Greece!
 
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Moodyjim said:
Charles, did you simply buy a data dongle from, say, O2 and then buy a data sim only in Greece to go in the dongle?
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I was forced into buying a Vodafone Huawei dongle, because the connection protocol (SLIP) and handshake software were incredibly complicated, and all the shop were waiting to go home, so I couldn't hack through it all to connect using my Nokia as a modem.

So data dongle, standard Vodafone issue, micro-SD inside has all the protocol and software (almost certainly Vodafone specific) to connect the data-only SIM. Both bought in Corfu.

If you have a "free" Huawei dongle you have to sign a 12-month contract (in Greece), provide your own and the tied contract period is 2-months and then you can cancel any time giving 1 month's clear notice.

Rather than jump through Vodafone Greece Credit Control Dept again (they require a permanent address etc), I've changed to the "sleeper" contract 1Mb for €3.50/month, instead of the volume contract of 5Gb for €30/month, for my 4-month period back in UK.

So, to answer your question, it's theoretically possible to use an import modem - but you'll need time and IT expertise to connect using the Vodafone Greece data SIM.

The service is patchy 3G+ very occasionally in heavy population area (that's a theoretical 7.2Mbps download speed); sometimes 3G (about 4.2Mbps), but usually GPRS (114Kbps).
On GPRS you'll never achieve 5Gb - the most I've ever racked up was 3.3Gb, and that was mainly in one place with 3G/G+.

In Italy TIM was far more straighforward - €20 for 100', top-up within the month €4/100' and all on a standard PAYG SIM. The time-metering should be avoided, because you get very little data for your cash on GPRS, prices in France in Aug-Oct 2008 from Bouygues were very similar.
IMHO, the Huawei is a dog, very insensitive and power-hungry compared to the Nokia - but it does have HDSPA protocol which allows that big-bandwidth on 3G+.
Nearly all new high-end phones offer HDSPA, a much better solution than using a dedicated dongle.
 
charles_reed said:
The service is patchy 3G+ very occasionally in heavy population area (that's a theoretical 7.2Mbps download speed); sometimes 3G (about 4.2Mbps), but usually GPRS (114Kbps).
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My Greek friend tells me that Cosmote has far better 3G coverage than Vodafone. Contracts seem similar for both companies, although I haven't studied either of them.
 
vyv_cox said:
My Greek friend tells me that Cosmote has far better 3G coverage than Vodafone. Contracts seem similar for both companies, although I haven't studied either of them.
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According to the GSM coverage map Cosmote don't claim any 2100 band coverage, Vodafone very little and Wind offers the most comprehensive coverage.

http://www.gsmworld.com/ROAMING/GSMINFO/cou_gr.shtml

Having had 3G in places Vodafone don't claim to have it available, I suspect (as with many things in Greece) work is in progress and the maps are probably out-of-date.
 
Wifi and Mobile data

Hi Guys,

Some interesting points of view. Would be pleased to hear from anyone via a private message if you have something to add, as I am trying to compile a database of service providers and equipment for the Cruising Association. Particularly want Baltic and northern europe mobile data experiences.

When this came up in the CA Mednet recently, I was borrowing a friend's USB wifi adapter with excellent results over 4/500 metres from the marina wifi. The manufacturer is Edimax and it is a USB adapter with a high gain 3dbi omnidirectional aerial. I had it working from the burgee halyard down a 5m USB cable. Price (Maplins, out of stock presently) £29.99. It can also be used without its cable directly into the notebook. Although not weatherproof, you can wrap it in a plastic bag!

The Edimax I had did not have a removable aerial, possibly this would be advantageous.

Another manufacturer that does good wifi stuff is EnGenius, in the USA.
 
Haven't read the entire post, apologies but the Alpha unit is USB, tiny and works very very well. Comes with own little antenna but can be adapted to a super duper external antenna as well.
 
vyv_cox said:
Can you quote the model number please? I looked at their website but without a higher degree in electronics I found it impossible to understand what I needed.
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Sorry for the delay in getting back, have only just looked at the thread again.

RepeatIT Long Range USB Outdoor Antenna - SU2410-USB
Cost something over £100 with delivery and is worth it given that I am outside the fancy fast mobile coverage areas.
 
Another vote for the Alpha Networks USB unit. I've got the 500mw unit and it beats the Hawkin directional unit hands down. When we got to Messolonghi I was the only boat to get the signal consistently from the town centre from our bit of the "marina" - antenna above the boom with a 5m usb extension cable. Quite a few other boats have bought the same unit since. The unit seems to have the right power out to make the longer distance connections. I think the Hawkin recieves quite well but it hasnt got the transmit power.

....but having said all that, there have been very few places to connect to this this year on our trip over from Lagos to the Ionian. Just not enough free access points. Get an alpha if you want a good usb antenna but also get a dongle if you want frequent access.

Dr Bob
 
Incorrect Information

rivonia said:
This VERY VERY expensive for a bit of kit that will only pick up upto 0.6 miles eh?

Peter
Click to expand...

Hi,

As a matter of full disclosure, I am the owner and creator of The Wirie. I do not typically post on message boards but this posting is not accurate and I feel I need to correct the mistake that was posted here.

The unit you are referring to that is advertised to only go 0.6 miles is NOT The Wirie that you have linked to in your post. It is another solution by a different company. If you review the previous posts, you will see the unit that is advertised to go .6 miles posted by another contributor and the link is to a different product.

The Wirie has worked at ranges of 4.75nm here in the Caribbean.

Thank you for letting me clear this up,

Mark Kilty
Island Consulting, Inc.
 
Stating the obvious you get what you pay for. I have been using this one http://www.netgate.com/index.php?cPath=27_103 for the past couple of years with the external aerial clipped onto my backstay. I have easily received signal from 2 miles away. The good thing about having a long distance antenna is that you might get a free connection from a bar or restaurant.
 
Throwing a spanner into the works and ignoring the under £50 rule I have the following recommendations. This set up was suggested to me by a fellow sailor (thanks David) and seems to tick an awful lot of boxes without costing the earth.

On his suggestion I bought a EnGenius EOC-2610 which is actually what's called a 'Client Bridge' in the trade (in fact it can be a router and client bridge too - but that's not relevant to us yachties). This device can be set up as a wi-fi aerial. It has an adjustable transmit power output up to 600mW. Remember that transmit power is like shouting loud which is great unless your ears (antenna) are rubbish so anything over 600mW is just rude -too much power just walks all over your neighbours and is illegal in most countries (for a reason). The EOC-2610 has a very good directional 10dBi aerial built in which is great when in your winter berth as you can just point it at the marina antenna (built in signal strength LED's make this really easy).

The real bonus of this unit is that it is completely waterproof and suffers none of the issues of extending USB cables as it operates on ethernet cables which can be up to 300 metres long! The final tick in the box is that you can also attach an external aerial - so you can fit a waterproof omni directional aerial for use when at anchor. If you want to, you can haul it up the mast with no worries about USB connectors every 5 metres which means it can stay up there all winter if need be.
The chap who recommended it has picked up wi-fi at 2.9 nautical miles with a 8.5dBi omni antenna.

The only down side is that you need to learn a new technique to lock it onto your desired wifi signal as it doesn't operate through the normal Windows Wireless Connection system. Once sussed it really is not too complicated - just a new thing to learn.

Power is supplied to the EOC-2610 by a 'power injector' which connect into the ethernet cables so you will need 240Vac from an inverter to get online whilst at anchor, but it is only 0.8amps.

The EOC-2610 can be found from many suppliers - mine cost £64 delivered. I also purchased an 8dBi omni antenna. Investigation showed that the quality of the pigtail (coax)to connect the EOC-2610 and omni antenna together was very important, to avoid signal losses. To ensure this connection was high quality I also purchased a 1 metre low loss (SMA-RP male to N-Male LL200) cable (very important to be short and low loss) from:

http://uk.wifi-link.com/product.php...25&class2_id=261&class3_id=272&product_id=582

I then purchased various ethernet cables from eBay, both external rated and normal to allow me to place the laptop anywhere within the boat. The whole set up cost me less than £100. Which seems like great value for a waterproof, any length of cable 600mW system with both a 10dBi directional antenna and an omni 8dBi antenna with high quality pigtail connecting it all together.

I am currently testing the set up at the mother-in-laws whilst in the UK for a short visit where it all appears to work wonderfully. Even just pointing it roughly up the street to a neighbours signal has given me very fast internet where it was very slow before.

Once I return to our boat (in Turkey) I shall set it all up on the solar panel gantry and give it a real test for the rest of the winter and through next summer. I look forward to just connecting the ethernet cable to the laptop and seeing what wifi's about without having to phaff with USB connectors and hauling non weatherproof £50 items up the mast!

At the moment it seems like the £50 extra might be money very well spent - sometimes you get what you pay for - sometimes you get less - sometimes you get more!
 
wifi

I am looking for the omni directional type, like a thick VHF antenna, which has usb plug and 5 meters of cable, to pout at my masthead, had one but its lost, anybody know the one I mean, seen it on here, once, but cant find it now, thanks,
 
Crikey, your boat must be a bit under-canvassed if a 5 metre USB cable gets to your masthead! Either that or it's a very high-tech dinghy?
 
charles_reed said:
IMHO a far better solution than hunting wi-fi signals

The cost have dropped dramatically all over mainland Europe, for cellular data, in the past 18 months - Bouygues, France and TIM Italy €20 for 100', TIM especially good as any top-up within the month was €4 for 100'.

In Greece I'm paying €30/month for 5Gb - for internet on my chart-table, wherever I am, with no hassle.

Having experienced the costs and aggro of WLAN internet in 8 years in the Med and 2 in the Atlantic, I'll leave it to the masochists to keep on with it.
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Why not both?
We also had our company 3G card which we kept for 'emergencies' (ie where absolutely no free wifi) but sourced a combo WIFI amp and antenna (with a 10 metre coax so it mounts full time on radar post) and enjoyed freebie access for 99% of our time oveer a coupl eof years in the Atlantic, Caribbean and now EU.
But be aware our quality antenna set up did cost US$250 - and sailing in company this past summer with pals using the lower cost plug in / hoist up type arrangments - they seemed to get sufficient (although not as many) freebie signals to use.
Either way - when ongoing 3G costs say EU per month - we think amp and external antenna will pay for themselves prettty quick.
Cheers
John
 
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