Wifi Extender - advice please - Can I use the VHF aeriel

[Ravi]

Hi. My little boat is tucked up at the far end of Kalamata marina for the winter and I am looking for something to improve the wifi reception. (This will also be handy for town quays, etc.) The idea is to have a gizmo which will boost weak wifi signals and connect, via USB, to a laptop.

I have had a recommendation to look at products from FaCULTY-x. (http://www.faculty-x.net/motorhomewifi) A few of their products, including their omni directional Mobile Internet Solution (http://www.faculty-x.net/motorhome omni directional kit.htm) seem to be just the job.

The first question is whether anyone has any experienced opinion of these products or may have alternative recommendations.

My main technical question is about the possibility of using the boat's VHF aerial as the aerial part of the wifi solution.
The Faculty-x products seem to be made up of (a) an aerial and (b) a Network adapter. They sell a separate adapter-only 'USBcatcher' product (http://www.faculty-x.net/NET-WL-usbcatcher.htm) which does not have an aerial. I am wondering if it is technically possible to connect this to the boat's VHF aerial. If so, I would have a Y-switch at the end of the VHF aerial cable in the boat and it could be switched between either VHF or Wifi.

So, my question is whether a VHF aerial will work as a wifi aerial. It may be a dumb question but that is the level of my ignorance.
The 'USBcather' device has an 'N' connector for the aerial attachment. Google tells me that this 'N' connector is a type of co-ax connector. I believe that my VHF aerial cable also terminates in a co-ax connector. However, I am not sure of the significance of 'Type N' and wondered if there is any sort of difference in the low level technical workings of VHF and WiFi that would make a nonsense of what I am trying to do.

I would be grateful if anyone can help me out with some advice before I start wafting my credit card around the Internet.

(I also look forward to the inevitable sermon shaming me for frittering my life away on social media, when I should be singing sea shanties, mending nets and chipping the deck.

 

[prv]

VHF works at around 156 MHz. Wifi works at either 2,400MHz or 5,000MHz. The aerials are not at all interchangeable.

Pete

 

[Ravi]

VHF works at around 156 MHz. Wifi works at either 2,400MHz or 5,000MHz. The aerials are not at all interchangeable.

Pete

Thanks for that. You've saved me the expense and hassle of fruitless experimentation. So, it looks like a third aerial will be required. (I also plan to fit a USB aerial.) At least this WiFi one will be a removable one that will be out of sight, in a box, when I am not in port.

Thanks.

 

[ZigZaging]

ALFA Tube-U(N) 2.4 GHz 802.11b/n/g Outdoor Long Range Antenna Wireless Wifi USB

We've had quite good results using the Alfa tube type. We hoist it up the mast as far we can for the best signal.

Bought it and an antenna on ebay.

 

[nigelmercier]

ALFA Tube-U(N) 2.4 GHz 802.11b/n/g Outdoor Long Range Antenna Wireless Wifi USB...

Alfa gear is great, I've written about it a lot on this forum.
Tube-U(N): http://amzn.to/1E6BSNv
Alfa Antenna: http://amzn.to/1x4Ypvf or TurboTenna: http://amzn.to/1ki79DC

Another (indoor) model to consider ...
Alfa AWUS036NHR - High-Gain 2000mw 802.11 B/G/N Wireless USB Network Adaptor: http://amzn.to/1E6CYbT
Antenna (directional): http://amzn.to/1x51o6N

I've just bought this latest model, very impressed.

Initial testing at home is promising:
The AWUS036NHR will connect to a distant network that the AWUS036NH says is too weak.
The TurboTenna has about the same gain as the Alfa directional one, but being omnidirectional is more convenient if you are looking for a network to connect to. Overall length including the Alfa is about 50cm.

However, I hate the Broadcomm Wi-Fi Utility, so I installed by unzipping the file, plugging in the Alfa, browsing to the unzipped folder when asked for a driver.

#alfawifi

 

[stu9000]

I have had some success with a parabolic dish but that was on land. Shed-to-shore
The dish focuses the signal to a central point which is where you place the usb external wifi dongle. The best one I made involved re purposing an old satellite dish. It was very effective at boosting signal to almost maximum even though I was 30 yards and several walls away from the base station.
Perhaps this is too cumbersome or fiddly for a boat but as you are in a marina and not swinging about it could be made to work..?

 

[maxi77]

I use a cheap ebay directional aerial, works well for me, but watch out many of the low cost devices do not support windows 8 so check before you buy

 

[Ravi]

Thanks for all the advice. I've bought the Alfa Tube U(N), which you recommended, since I needed an outdoor model.
Thanks all.