Wifi booster relay - NOT ANTENNA

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Ric

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It seems to me that the best location for a Wifi antenna would be at the top of the mast. But this solution has the inconvenience of having to thread a USB cable through the mast and cabin to the chart table (or wherever), and my laptop would have to be used only in that location.

Is there therefore a wireless antenna that is a relay and amplifier, that can pick up weak signals, and amplify them, and retransmit by wifi to the boat below? I could wire it up to the anchor light circuit for power, thus avoiding completely the hassle of cables.
 
Sounds like your requirment needs two things - a sensitive wifi antenna and a wireless wifi network. Not a cheap option... We use a US product called 5 mile wifi. A very sensitive powered aerial that we hoist on the flag halyard and then either plug in below or in the cockpit. In the Med and Carib last year worked brilliantly. Laptop aerial would see 2 wifi sites, 5MW would find 10!!

Not exactly want you want but works...
 
Porthandbuoy said:
Could be one of these would do the trick.
Click to expand...

Better still, about halfway down the right side of the page - "HOW2R1
Hi-Gain Outdoor Wireless-300N Dual Radio Smart Repeater"

Seems to do pretty much exacly what the OP wants. Looks like it uses ethernet/RJ45 cable with adaptor for power, doesn't look like it needs wired connection to PC.

Suspect that signal boosters/relays are not legal/licenced in the UK.
 
mikefleetwood said:
Better still, about halfway down the right side of the page - "HOW2R1 Hi-Gain Outdoor Wireless-300N Dual Radio Smart Repeater"

Seems to do pretty much exacly what the OP wants. Looks like it uses ethernet/RJ45 cable with adaptor for power, doesn't look like it needs wired connection to PC.
Click to expand...

The OP wanted to avoid running a cable down the mast. The HOW2R1 requires an ethernet cable connection, so I can't see that it would do what the OP wants. Additionally, the "power over ethernet" adaptor appears to need a 48V feed.
 
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3G Dongle

I know it is counter intuitive but I found the best solution was to get a seperate 3G Dongle, which works in more places than in WiFi spots, costs less, better bandwidth, what else to say ...
 
Ric said:
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Is there therefore a wireless antenna that is a relay and amplifier, that can pick up weak signals, and amplify them, and retransmit by wifi to the boat below? I could wire it up to the anchor light circuit for power, thus avoiding completely the hassle of cables.
Click to expand...

Yup, It's called a wifi repeater. Friends have just installed an Edimax one to get a signal to an otherwise unreachable upstairs room in their house. Works fine. Cost fifty-ish quid. Here's one on eBay.
 
Genoa said:
I know it is counter intuitive but I found the best solution was to get a seperate 3G Dongle, which works in more places than in WiFi spots, costs less, better bandwidth, what else to say ...
Click to expand...

In the UK I would agree but overseas any UK dongle is extortionate, and even paid for wifi coverage can be poor so for many a decent antenna is a good thing.
 
Ubergeekian said:
Yup, It's called a wifi repeater. Friends have just installed an Edimax one to get a signal to an otherwise unreachable upstairs room in their house. Works fine. Cost fifty-ish quid. Here's one on eBay.
Click to expand...

Apart from the fact that it isn't waterproof, I don't think that will do what the OP asked for.
 
Juniperskip said:
Sounds like your requirment needs two things - a sensitive wifi antenna and a wireless wifi network. Not a cheap option... We use a US product called 5 mile wifi. A very sensitive powered aerial that we hoist on the flag halyard and then either plug in below or in the cockpit. In the Med and Carib last year worked brilliantly. Laptop aerial would see 2 wifi sites, 5MW would find 10!!

Not exactly want you want but works...
Click to expand...

That looks a good idea/system, but it's a bit expensive at $399, plus postage and import duty, VAT etc.
 
Ric said:
It seems to me that the best location for a Wifi antenna would be at the top of the mast. But this solution has the inconvenience of having to thread a USB cable through the mast and cabin to the chart table (or wherever), and my laptop would have to be used only in that location.

Is there therefore a wireless antenna that is a relay and amplifier, that can pick up weak signals, and amplify them, and retransmit by wifi to the boat below? I could wire it up to the anchor light circuit for power, thus avoiding completely the hassle of cables.
Click to expand...

Not sure that the top of the mast would necessarily offer a huge advantage. You need clear line of sight ideally but as you're usually talking 2 or 3 miles or less, perhaps 5 or 6 if absolutely everything is on your side, you can probably get enough height from other places and, provided you can get at it to align it, that means you can consider directional antennae as well.

A WiFi repeater will do exactly what you want with two problems, one is getting a genuinely weather and waterproof one and the other is that they don't have particularly sensitive antennae for receiving as they're designed to sit at a fixed point near the max range of a specific WAP; the sort of set up you'd find when Joe Bloggs is trying to make his WiFi router in his living room reach all the way to the shed at the bottom of the garden.

In your shoes I'd get a WiFi repeater unit that can take an external antenna and then try a decent directional antenna on the coach roof or maybe securely clamped up the mast at a height were you can reach it easily. Depending on your boat and preference you could either run the antenna cable down into the cabin and keep the repeater warm and dry down there or weatherproof the repeater (a Tupperware box or something perhaps) and put that near the antenna - that would keep the antenna feed short which is usually a good thing.

This would do exactly what you want I think http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B001DMEYCY?tag=betteraddons-20 but it's a big lump to have at the top of your mast and it's not going to be especially sensitive to weak signals so you would have to be fairly close to the Marina WAP or whatever source you're trying to access,

Strictly a suggestion and happy to be dis-agreed with by anyone who knows better and can explain why..
 
Porthandbuoy said:
Could be one of these would do the trick.
Click to expand...

How does boosting the signal to higher power on one end of the link work? The range you can transmit to the AP is increased, but on the reciprocal link, there is no gain in distance.

Plus it's illegal. As are the various directional antennas being discussed.
 
OP has said he is not looking for an antenna so ignore my suggestion. All OP needs is a repeatit antenna; plug and play via USB.

Sees and connects to wifi hotspots 2+ miles away; just over £100.

Sit it on the coachroof and away you go.

Whilst it is directional it does have a wide reception arc
 
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