Wifi Bat and Mailasail Red Box v Digital Yacht equipment

[MBullock]

I think you've hit the nail on the head Robih. For those that dont understand and done want to learn/research there are the packaged products. Pays your money and takes your chances. They will all work, and probably all do what you want. The Glomex price quoted was from the disti so I dare say a chandlers will do a discounted price on that. If on the other hand you want something a lot cheaper but still reply on someone else to put the bits together for you, there are a number of great examples in this thread. Finally, there is the DIY, mix and match, buy at your own risk option - not necessarily cheaper than option 2 but might do more 'things'. Maybe try that Crucial company and see if they can make sense to you... certainly very attractive prices and they may take the fog out of the setup.

 

[MBullock]

Mistroma you say you are sticking with b/g only but I was told you need b/g & n especially for use in the med...can you elaborate on this please.

Fill your boots here on the standards - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11. I think the comment is in the context of the 'transmitters' you are trying to connect to. B - G - N in that order get (in theory) faster, with greater range. Most domestic routers (in the UK anyhow) will still transmit on all three, some offer two SSID's (shows up as two networks) for b/g and N allowing better performance. The point is your 'receiver' (thing we're calling the WIFI antenna I think) needs to be able to talk the same standard as the transmitter (B/G/N). Therefore, if most people in the med are using 'G' you need to be able to pick up G, similarly if someone has chosen only to transmit on N and you can only pick up B/G you wont 'see' their signal. Does that make sense? I would think most modern kit will do all three, and no doubt there is another 'standard' on it's way. The Wikipedia link will tell you more than you want to know about the standards but I think I've given you the jist of it.

 

[RobbieW]

I'm feeling a bit out of my depth in this thread albeit that it is interesting and topical for me. I find myself understanding about 50% of the words and/or TLA's being used. What would be really helpful would be a nice understandable recommendation that a moderately savvy user could cope with..

I usually try to phrase things in half technical form but I do subscribe to the idea that you dont really understand a subject until you can express it in words of one syllable. So, as ever, it depends..

Do you want to use your device, whether thats a laptop or tablet or smartphone, on the boat only or both on and off. If off the boat, does the device have its own mobile connection or just wifi ?

If its just on the boat and you want to be able to share either a WiFi or mobile connection then the kit I described earlier will do that. The initial configuration is the tricky bit but if you wanted to go down that road I can probably point you in the right direction.

If you want to go offboat or only want to connect by mobile then getting a MiFi device is much the simplest solution. Look for one with a battery so that if you have a tablet with just wifi, eg Hudl, you can take both tablet and MiFi out with you.

As others have suggested earlier, using a mobile internet solution is becoming the defacto norm. Many reasons for that but I'd suggest the disappearance of open wifi, reduction of power in cafe type wifis and the much wider availability of mobile signal than wifi are the main drivers. In the med I've been paying 10-20 euros/month for 5-10Gb in variously Spain, Italy and Greece for PAYG mobile connections. Having that service means I rarely get the wifi extender out, partly because I'm idle, unless in a winter berth where the wifi works well. If it helps SWMBO & I are still laptop only but I'm looking at getting a smartphone as I can see they have some features I cant easily replicate with existing kit; pop in the boats data SIM and finding features ashore gets much easier and flight check in might no longer require a printer for boarding passes.

 

[Mistroma]

Mistroma you say you are sticking with b/g only but I was told you need b/g & n especially for use in the med...can you elaborate on this please.

Older kit is b/g only, newer includes n. However, most public APs still allow b/g devices to connect. Different at home where you can specify all new kit and not allow older stuff to connect.

I'll use AWUS036H as long as public APs still allow b/g because that specific piece of kit (with Realtek 8187L chipset) is known to be better than newer AWUS036NH "in certain areas". (i.e. Locking on and maintaining a conection with weak b/g AP signals). I have seen test results on web to confirm and have also used AWUS036H & AWUS036NH (borrowed from boat next door) to check a couple of times. Most extreme case was an anchorage with a weak marina signal approx. 5.1nm away. AWUS036H wouldn't connect at all but AWUS036H did (solid enough link but a bit slow).

So horses for courses. Some people use an AWUS036NH in less extreme conditions or just to boost their marina access and it's fine. However, I suppose that b/g will eventually get phased out and AWUS036NH will then be a better option (as AWUS036H won't work at all).

I'd be surprised if b/g has been completely phased out already in med. public APs and would be interested to find out if that is actually the case. Of course I'm only talking about Alfa kit and it is possible that other kit peforms better on n APs than b/g at great distance.

 

[[2574]]

I usually try to phrase things in half technical form but I do subscribe to the idea that you dont really understand a subject until you can express it in words of one syllable. So, as ever, it depends..

Do you want to use your device, whether thats a laptop or tablet or smartphone, on the boat only or both on and off. If off the boat, does the device have its own mobile connection or just wifi ?

If its just on the boat and you want to be able to share either a WiFi or mobile connection then the kit I described earlier will do that. The initial configuration is the tricky bit but if you wanted to go down that road I can probably point you in the right direction.

If you want to go offboat or only want to connect by mobile then getting a MiFi device is much the simplest solution. Look for one with a battery so that if you have a tablet with just wifi, eg Hudl, you can take both tablet and MiFi out with you.

Thank you, just that guidance is very helpful. I wasn't aware that there was a swing toward cellular technology superseding wifi so it seems to me that I'll keep our wifi extender aerial for use in the marina but otherwise go battery powered MIFI PAYG for more general use. Decision made!

 

[tri39]

That is helpful Robbie. It's unusual for a expert to also have command of clear plain english!!!
For what it's worth I find I can get all the weather I want on my old Blackberry at anchor at the cost of roaming charges.
In the marina I use an old iPad via the marina wifi.
But I also have a mifi onboard . Maybe this year I'll take it to a Portuguese mobile shop for a data card and ask them to configure it for me!!

 

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

After reading all the info in this thread I've just ordered an Alpha set up (b/g & n) with Marine antenna from crucialwifi for the sum of £103 so hopefully ! will get some opportunity when off down to the med this spring to use it...I also have a Huawei MIFI which looks like it will be getting more use that the Alpha...I have just one question, can you remind me how the PAYG sim system works...ie do you purchase a new card each month or can you renew/load it online or over the phone...I'm talking Portugal, Spain, Greece by the way. Many Thanks

 

[Carmel2]

After reading all the info in this thread I've just ordered an Alpha set up (b/g & n) with Marine antenna from crucialwifi for the sum of £103 so hopefully ! will get some opportunity when off down to the med this spring to use it...I also have a Huawei MIFI which looks like it will be getting more use that the Alpha...I have just one question, can you remind me how the PAYG sim system works...ie do you purchase a new card each month or can you renew/load it online or over the phone...I'm talking Portugal, Spain, Greece by the way. Many Thanks

You can do it online with the same card, or take the number into a shop and do it.

 

[Garry & June 'Friendship']

You can do it online with the same card, or take the number into a shop and do it.

Ah that's great Paul,

Many Thanks