WiFi Bat - seeking feedback please

Thanks - took your advice.

timchapman said:
Just read up what the redbox advertises it can do and you'll see the difference.
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See its all about integrating numerous systems so in an ever changing electronic world not surprised with the problems of continuously playing catch-up - never cheap.

Having battled with integration over a number if years, I now tend towards keeping it simple with stand alone system, which provide good redundancy in the event of a partial system failure.

This is why I like the Alfa solution to wifi but appreciate I am now veering off thread.
 
From post #7 - http://www.crucialwifi.co.uk/product/marina wireless network complete kit (unfortunately the link didnt work just now due to a bereavement)

Its 3 components that can have a dongle added to give coverage for both long range wifi and 3G/4G coverage, cant remember the box numbers (think its an Alfa R36 + an Alfa Tube + an 8dbi aerial), all for about 80 quid

EDIT: the alternative to the Alfa Tube is the Alfa AWUS036 (which is the Wifi extender nortada said he used).
 
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See My Post 35 On This Thread.

bjl said:
I like the sound of nortada's Alfa solution but what exactly is the Alfa solution?
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See my post 35 on this thread, which hopefully gives all of the details.

Additionally, Google Alfa Systems.

Should add, to provide maximum range & reduce noise we have a plug in directional aerial (bout £15) but because of the excellent performance of the omni ae we rarely recourse to the directional one.
 
+1 on the Alfa kit. I bought one many years ago and a second one early 2012 (from Crucialwifi.co.uk) and have always been pleased with performance. I also have a directional antenna but have only had to use it twice as the Omni-directional one is almost as good (and obviously much better at anchor).

I've also avoided a more complex system as the Alfa kit is cheap, gives redundancy (wife currently browsing on her laptop using spare Alfa) and can easily be carried around (hotels etc.).

You could try this link until CrucialWifi is back up http://www.alfanetwork.co.uk/awus036h.html

PS I've pointed out several times that you are probably better with 1000mW AWUS036H instead of 2000mW NH model (unless you have a Mac). So don't just think that 2000mW must be better than 1000mW (do some checking first). No doubt someone will point out that legal limit is only 100mW in most of Europe.

Obviously nothing like the other kit mentioned. But as Nortada says, simple and cheap ($15 in US or £25 in UK) and I hope that this helps BJL.
 
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Mistroma said:
I've pointed out several times that you are probably better with 1000mW AWUS036H instead of 2000mW NH model (unless you have a Mac). So don't just think that 2000mW must be better than 1000mW (do some checking first). No doubt someone will point out that legal limit is only 100mW in most of Europe.

Obviously nothing like the other kit mentioned. But as Nortada says, simple and cheap ($15 in US or £25 in UK) and I hope that this helps BJL.
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Agree all above - well I would wouldn't I:rolleyes:

More interestingly I too have both the 1000mW AWUS036H & 2000mW NH. I have found that the H is best for driving the Alfa R36 mobile hotspot router (which also runs well with a 3G dongle) but the NH is best for the direct contact to the laptop. Same directional aerial works with both H & NH.

Mistroma, it would appear that we use the Alfa System in exactly the same way.

Have you ever tried a foreign SIM card in a UK dongle connected to the R36.

For those security minded the R36 makes for a far more secure link through a public hot spot.
 
nortada said:
...Have you ever tried a foreign SIM card in a UK dongle connected to the R36...
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Provided the dongle is unlocked and the driver is generic, you should be able to put any SIM card in (you may need to know the APN for the provider). The generic driver may be a stumbling block, many new generation dongles (the 4G/LTE ones) come with a CDROM as part of a USB flash drive on the stick. They then try to install the drivers and management software each time its plugged in (to a laptop). I have a Huawei E367 branded for 3UK, the dongle is unlocked but I still had to find Huawei's generic Mobile Partner application and install that to get the dongle to work with non-3 SIMs. Its currently working with an Italian WIND SIM.

Whilst my set up is different, I use a regular router with USB ports that has its own drivers, my understanding is that the R36 requires the dongle drivers to be available on one of the attached devices (laptops etc). So I guess you'd need to be sure that all the devices you may connect have either no drivers or the generic ones installed. It may also be that all drivers are generic, its just the management software that gets branded - didnt really try out that combination.
 
Many Thanks

RobbieW said:
Provided the dongle is unlocked and the driver is generic, you should be able to put any SIM card in (you may need to know the APN for the provider). The generic driver may be a stumbling block, many new generation dongles (the 4G/LTE ones) come with a CDROM as part of a USB flash drive on the stick. They then try to install the drivers and management software each time its plugged in (to a laptop). I have a Huawei E367 branded for 3UK, the dongle is unlocked but I still had to find Huawei's generic Mobile Partner application and install that to get the dongle to work with non-3 SIMs. Its currently working with an Italian WIND SIM.

Whilst my set up is different, I use a regular router with USB ports that has its own drivers, my understanding is that the R36 requires the dongle drivers to be available on one of the attached devices (laptops etc). So I guess you'd need to be sure that all the devices you may connect have either no drivers or the generic ones installed. It may also be that all drivers are generic, its just the management software that gets branded - didnt really try out that combination.
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Thanks, as far as I know the R36 is just plug & play so no requirement to load drivers. For example power it up with either Huawei E160GG dongle or Alfa connected AWUS036H & the mobile hot spot is available for the iPad, which is wifi only & has never had any dongle drivers loaded.

Off to experiment.;)
 
I'm afraid that I'm still only a little wiser. I'm not yet sold on the WiFi Bat: I've heard good thing (and some not so good) about it. I'm not in UK so I'd need excellent support from a distance if I were to buy it. I've no idea what a Red Box is. There seems to be an alternative: the Alfa 'solution'. So far I'm not clear what it is.

Currently when I'm at anchor I switch on both my newly bought MiFi (into which a few weeks ago I put a data only SIM card which costs me €3 per week) and my iPad and I'm up and running. If I go to a cafe or bar I switch on my iPad, input the password and I'm away. That's the sort of thing I'm seeing in my mind's eye for wifi at anchor. You buy something, you switch it on, you switch on your iPad/iPhone etc, you input the password when you're prompted and you're away. The Alfanet link given in one of the posts appears to assume at the very least that you've got a laptop into which you slot a disc and do some sort of configuration work. There's also some knowledgeable talk in the posts about different antennas, SIM cards, 3G dongles, the need to install drivers etc. But it's a simple solution that works out of the box that I'm really after, not something that's complicated or assumes technical knowledge on my part, like the expensive WiFi Bat or the not so expensive Alfa 'solution'.

I'd love somebody to suggest to me to buy this Alfa product, switch it on, switch my iPad on and, as if I were in a cafe, input the cafe's password and then surf the internet. Or have I missed something?
 
Alfa System Has Been Fully Explained In Previous Posts On ThisThread

bjl said:
I'd love somebody to suggest to me to buy this Alfa product, switch it on, switch my iPad on and, as if I were in a cafe, input the cafe's password and then surf the internet. Or have I missed something?
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Think you will find the Alfa System has been explained in full from post 35 onward on this thread.

Picking up on your last paragraph.

Depending on type of source (3/4G or wifi), connect a compatible dongle (for 3G contact) or an Alfa AWUS036H (for wifi contact) to the R36 mobile wifi (hot-spot) router. Power up the R36 (12v DC or mains AC) & you should be able to access the internet with your iPad.

As with all routers the first time it is used the R36 will require setting up with access site details, password (in & out) etc. For subsequent use in the same environment you just power up the R36 & your in. To be honest, as per the house based wifi router we leave the R36 continuously powered-up

Must admit, because I am Microsoft rather than Apple/iPad literate, I used my laptop for this initial set up but subsequently SHMBO (who has a very short fuse where IT is concerned) has had no problem accessing her accounts on her iPad at the same time I am using the same system to access the internet on my lap top.

All very stress free - Thank Gawd.
 
nortada said:
Thanks, as far as I know the R36 is just plug & play so no requirement to load drivers. For example power it up with either Huawei E160GG dongle or Alfa connected AWUS036H & the mobile hot spot is available for the iPad, which is wifi only & has never had any dongle drivers loaded.

Off to experiment.;)
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Apologies, the reference I remembered reading last night was this one - https://www.thewifishop.net/wifi-wi...laptop-tablet-pc-ipad-or-iphone/prod_202.html. That now reads that a driver for the 036H needs to found somewhere, perhaps only on the initial set up? I guess the modem support is built into the R36 firmware which makes it worth flashing the latest (Feb 2013 iirc) to get widest support.

bjl,
I'm sure someone earlier in this thread said that David at The Wifi Shop, see link above, gave them good advice. Why not try calling him? (and he ships from France if thats any good for you)
 
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