What's everyone using for wifi?

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THATBOATGUY
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What's everyone using for wifi?

Post by THATBOATGUY »

I have several wifi adapters/antennas that work in various conditions. Recently I've purchased a EnGenious EOC-3610S-EXT but I have not been able to get it to associate with an access point yet... very frustrating.

George
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GeoffSchultz
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by GeoffSchultz »

I bought an Engenious 8610 and quickly determined that it wouldn't work for my application. Here's the description that I provided with my RMA as to why I was returning it.
I have a WRT54G router running DD-WRT. I replaced it with a Engenius 8610 that I purchased from you. This is used on a boat in bridge mode. With the WRT54G running DD-WRT I was able to select an AP and simply connect to it.

With the 8610 I have to set a static IP address on the PC, connect to the 8610 configuration web pages, view the
available access points, change the SSID of the 8610 to match the SSID of the AP that I want to connect to, reboot the
8610, make sure that it associated with the AP, change the static IP on the PC to DHCP, and finally connect to the Internet.

This might be fine if you only have to do this once, but I connect to many APs, so this isn't a viable solution as far
as I'm concerned. Do have any products that are high output (400mw or better) that can be simply bridged using the
standard firmware (or run DD-WRT) and utilize an external antenna? Alternately I could use a USB based solution.
They agreed with assessment of the product and accepted the return. After that I got an Alfa 500mw USB based WiFi adapter which has worked very well. (http://stores.ebay.com/SimpleWiFi) I've managed to connect from 3 miles off-shore, although a reasonable range is <1 mile. You PC just sees it as a network adapter and all of the normal wireless networking software acts just the same.

You need to have the LMR400 as short as possible. As a result I mounted the Alfa in the lazarett by the base of the radar mast and ran LMR400 up to a 10 db external WiFi antenna, part OD24-9 from http://www.wlanparts.com.

USB cables are limited to 16', and since this run was slightly longer than that, I used "active" USB cables which re-generate the signal at the far end. If you can get by with 16', I'd stay with passive cables.

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-- Geoff
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THATBOATGUY
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by THATBOATGUY »

Thanks Geoff,

I think I'm going to have to go that route myself, simply keeping the antenna coax run down to the minimum and using an active usb cable run. Earlier this evening I found a BlueProton GSKY Wireless G USB 2.0 500mW 27dBm High-Power 802.11g Adapter on Amazon for around 20 bucks. If I like it I'll simply put two on the boat so Kerri and I can be online at the same time. We do like our computifying.

Once again your council is spot on. I might be able to use the engenious to get our dock security cameras up on the web and salvage something from the experience.

George
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THATBOATGUY
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by THATBOATGUY »

BTW Where did you purchase the antenna and coax?

George
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Michel
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by Michel »

I have several USB wifi adapter sticks but I found them to be worthless in most marinas. There is just too little antenna in these little things. The antennae built into my newer laptops are much longer, they go all the way around the screen and thay work fine.I don't have and don't want an(other) external antenna. I recently switched to 3G and 3.5G now I have my new Nokia N78 phone. I pay $17.50/month for 150 Mb of data up and down at HSDPA (3.5G) or if that is not available at GPRS (3G) speed. The N78 connects to a PC via cable, bluetooth or wifi.
So I'm no longer dependant on wifi provision of marinas which is either expensive or low quality/low signal here in the NL's. HSDPA/GPRS covers most of my normal sailing area, so I can be connected all the time. And because you pay per Mb and not per time unit, you can leave the connection running which saves a lot of time logging on every time.
Michel Capel, Freedom 44 #4 1981 'Alabama Queen', NED8188, cat ketch with wishbones, home port Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, 52*42.238'N 005*18.154'E.

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THATBOATGUY
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by THATBOATGUY »

150 mb wouldn't get me through the next half hour! heh heh We are addicts here!

The usb device I use most of the time at home is highly directional with flat panel antenna. This works well in the R/V also but not so well on a boat at anchor (for the obvious reasons). Image


George
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GeoffSchultz
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by GeoffSchultz »

George, I updated my original post to include the links to the parts and expanded on the installation.

-- Geoff
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Robert
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by Robert »

I tried the wifi systems in our marina, I couldn't even log into the system to pay for the access and it remained like that for over a week, even after I called then and was given affirmation to a technical issue that prevented anyone logging on it was not fixed...

I decided to go the 3G route but opted for a USB connected unit rather then through a cell phone. Now wherever I can get a signal I can get broadband internet. If you have one of the later cellphones from any of the cellular telephone companies, you can use it as a modem to connect to you computer and access the internet as Michel mentioned in his earlier post to this thread. This way you could get internet on the hook or even several miles offshore using a cellular booster.
Robert

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THATBOATGUY
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by THATBOATGUY »

Those do work well but they have one draw back... a monthly bill! We are too cheap to pay it. When Kerri was doing editing work we had to have one so she could still work while we traveled but when she quit that job we paid the penalty and got out of the plan. I can't remember what cell company we had service with but it really worked poorly until I ditched the drivers that they provided and went directly to the website of the manufacture of the card and got their drivers and software. Huge difference in performance.

Also we are gearing up for world cruising. I still can't bring myself to say the "c" word although my wife has suggested it. :)

George
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fmolden
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Re: What's everyone useing for wifi?

Post by fmolden »

OK, you guys are killing me! All I am trying to do is exdtend the wireless range of my laptop while in my marina let alone 1-3 miles out! (but that would be really cool).

I tried a 10db antenna with a usb connecton (http://www.data-alliance.net/servlet/th ... iFi/Detail ) but got no improvement from this approach. In fact it looks like the signal strength is lower.

So all you techno wizzards what would you recommend for a simple fix to extend wireless range of an IBM laptop. I would prefer no permanent external antenna but one that is set up "as required" would be fine.

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