cinnabar
New Member
I am looking for advice for improving wifi signal on board. Thinking of a Ubiquiti Bullet ac with PoE. Any one using this? Advice re dual band antenna to go with it? How easy is it to configure if you are a wifi ignoramus?
wifi on board
- Thread starter cinnabar
- Start date
pvb
Well-Known Member
Is this for marina wifi? I find I get much better connectivity by tethering my laptop to my phone.
cinnabar
New Member
Yes to pick up marina wifi and hotspots.
pvb
Well-Known Member
In my experience, almost all marina wifi is dire.
dgadee
Well-Known Member
I had a bullet. Didn't work for long - reset button very poor design and breaks (seems a common problem). Now just use mobile and everything links into it. Yet to find a decent marina WiFi.
Pete7
Well-Known Member
The Bullet isn't cheap or easy to set up. However, if its just to improve the marina wifi reception rather than pull signals in long distance then one of these are very good and easy to set up:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AWUSO36NH-...id=1528052762&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=afla+wifi
https://www.amazon.co.uk/AWUSO36NH-...id=1528052762&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=afla+wifi
simonfraser
Well-Known Member
Have you checked the wifi supplies an adequate internet speed when you are near the base station ?
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
You're being kind Peter. Like you, i use my phone for onboard wifi, even get 4G in most marinas around here.
Mikedefieslife
Well-Known Member
You could look at the Mikrotik Groove AC. Costs a fraction of the price of the Bullet. Is weather proof, and does the same job.
maby
Well-Known Member
MDL WiFi is pretty good most of the time. We have recently moved to a Premier Marina and, while the signal is good and speed very reasonable, the service is useless for us because it is restricted to a web proxy service - no other ports passed through like SMTP, IMAP, FTP, Telnet etc. etc.
We use a 4G data sim in a Netgear 4G router.
We use a 4G data sim in a Netgear 4G router.
Yngmar
Well-Known Member
You don't need the dual band Bullet. 5 GHz is very rarely (if at all) used in public Wifi access points, because of the limited range and penetration compared to 2.4 GHz. Stick with 2.4 GHz. We're very happy with the Bullet performance, although you will end up having to run an ancient firmware, because a lot of networks still use WEP and WPA(1), which Ubiquiti pronounced (rightly) outdated and (wrongly) removed all support for from firmware some time ago.
For an antenna, a fibreglass omni around 8-12dB should do.
Marina Wifi is indeed regularly broken (although with the bullet you can select the one working access point out of the bunch), the uplink saturated to the point of being useless and sometimes even charged extra despite all this. However, with the Bullet we can pick up restaurant and hotel wifi from further out, and some of our best connections were at anchor, picking up free beach/hotel/bar wifi, or buying a round of drinks to get the password.
Configuration for a Wifi ignoramus is not trivial, but you can stop being one and learn some things - much like sailing!
For an antenna, a fibreglass omni around 8-12dB should do.
Marina Wifi is indeed regularly broken (although with the bullet you can select the one working access point out of the bunch), the uplink saturated to the point of being useless and sometimes even charged extra despite all this. However, with the Bullet we can pick up restaurant and hotel wifi from further out, and some of our best connections were at anchor, picking up free beach/hotel/bar wifi, or buying a round of drinks to get the password.
Configuration for a Wifi ignoramus is not trivial, but you can stop being one and learn some things - much like sailing!
Hoolie
Well-Known Member
I think your comment re 2.4/5 GHz may generally be OK, but when we were based at Cap d'Agde they introduced a 5 GHz system because there were so many apartments with 2.4 GHz surrounding the marina. Of course, following a well-established tradition it didn't really work ... ...
colind3782
Well-Known Member
As per previous posts, I've tried to improve the marina signal by various methods but now use my phone tethered to my laptop. The only problem is that Windows 10 updates regularly try to rape my data allowance if I'm not paying attention.
DuncanHall
Well-Known Member
I have had one for about 7 years. It works well. I have been able to pick up wifi from about 3 miles away. Mine is interfaced to a netgear router to provide wifi on board. Use the bullet as a DHPC server.
I am aware that some have problems with the cable gland and have solved them using self amalgamating tape.
cinnabar
New Member
Thanks for the reply. My consideration of the 5GHZ was more for future proofing although it sounds as if that is not realistic, and because less crowded if you can get a signal. Use would be more for picking up local hotspots at anchor, I think than anything else. Always happy to learn if materials available!
cinnabar
New Member
Thank you - Was your's dual band? Will definitely think about a router if can get wifi aboard.
GHA
Well-Known Member
Another option is a Raspberry pi and alfa high power usb dongle /antenna.
cinnabar
New Member
This is more for when away from base. Home base definitely has little chance of a signal.
cinnabar
New Member
Thank you, will investigate.
