Wireless INTERNET access while cruising

[npf1]

Bambola & A Frogley - I'll let you know how I get on. Expecting the kit to arrive next week. I bought in the US, $48 for the card, $10 for the small antenna and $68 for the large antenna. After postage etc it should end up being around £80. I bought new on eBay after doing a bit or research. Useful sites to look at are wardriving.com and radiolabs.com.

As you'll see from these sites, most laptop cards are 35mW and do not have a connection for an external antenna (although wardriving has links on how to modify several types of card). The smaller antenna is fits on to the laptop (it's about 5 inches high). I also went for the larger antenna to have a permanent fixed antenna on the boat - ideally I'd lke to put it on a mast but practicalities on runnign the cable rule this out for the time being. I'll see how good it is before deciding on a permanent home. I figured that for the price, it's worth experimenting. The Yagi antenna directional antenna that Lemain mentions appears to be the most popular thing to use according to wardriving.com. They can be easily homemade using an empty pringles tube apparently - again full instructions on the web. However, I prefer the idea of a proper marine antenna that's omnidirectional.

Hope that helps.

 

[Its_Only_Money]

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I think distance is your problem rather than the hardware at your end.....I wouldn't give any hope of wlan connections at that range.

[/ QUOTE ]For WiFi, I have an 18dB yagi pointed at the Hot Spot and communicate over half a mile or more. I should be able to manage several miles provided there are not any masts, etc, it the way. We have broadband 24/24 - we are liveaboards.

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I'm now not sure whether you think you have a problem or not, you say the "card is useless" but you "connect over 1/2 a mile or more" well which is it??? If your current h/w works elsewhere then range (of the router) is probably the issue, if your current h/w doesn't work elsewhere then......

AFAIK WiFi doesn't take into account whether you liveaboard or not so I'm not sure what you are saying there.

WiFi and technology can be frustrating generally, try not to take it out on everyone you come across..... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Anonymous]

Eh??? Crossed wires or too much jungle juice? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[npf1]

wentnwindy - have you tried the Onspeed service or Xgate? Sound like they could help your situation. The Onspeed is only GBP25 per year.

 

[VicMallows]

I'm not surprised with a decent antenna like that! But the idea seems to be to use a card stuck in a PC inside a boat at 3ft above sea-level in a crowded marina.
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Did you locate the Part P regs you were interested in?

Vic

 

[Anonymous]

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I'm not surprised with a decent antenna like that! But the idea seems to be to use a card stuck in a PC inside a boat at 3ft above sea-level in a crowded marina.

[/ QUOTE ]Doomed to failure. They can work on occasions but the overall experience is pure frustration. The small 'Air Bridge' units that Square Mile are offering can and do work under ideal conditions when you are within a short distance from the base station - indeed, I have plugged my yagi straight into that.

David