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WiFi and Cellular Internet on Boats

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Alan Spicer

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Jul 9, 2007, 1:10:00 AM7/9/07
to
* I do networks and Internet Access Sharing systems on yachts. I'm curious
what most people are getting to share WiFi Hotspot connections from marinas
and such, and for those Laptop Cellular Internet Cards? Verizon is pretty
fast these days, as is Sprint and Cingular (Cingular being GSM just brought
HSDPA broadband access online to most areas in the past year or so.)

--
---
Alan Spicer
PopularWireless.com Marine Forum Co-Moderator
http://www.popularwireless.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=30

DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting...
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)
* http://telecom.dyndns.biz/ (Main Site)
* http://www.marinetelecom.net/ (.net mirror site)
* http://alanspicermarinetelecom.com/ (.com mirror site)
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/ (Yacht WiFi Main Site)
* http://www.mymarinewifi.com/ (My Marine WiFi .com site)
* 954-683-3426 Business Mobile
* 866-977-5245 Toll Free 800#
* 954-977-5245 Office
* skype:alanspicertelecom


Capt. JG

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Jul 9, 2007, 1:23:06 AM7/9/07
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"Alan Spicer" <asp...@marinetelecom.net> wrote in message
news:aqjki.20491$p7....@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

>* I do networks and Internet Access Sharing systems on yachts. I'm curious
> what most people are getting to share WiFi Hotspot connections from
> marinas
> and such, and for those Laptop Cellular Internet Cards? Verizon is pretty
> fast these days, as is Sprint and Cingular (Cingular being GSM just
> brought
> HSDPA broadband access online to most areas in the past year or so.)


I use idockusa.com while on my boat in the marina. They have decent coverage
and speed. I believe they have some agreement with Broadband Xpress for
locations other than California.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com


Alan Spicer

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Jul 9, 2007, 1:44:50 AM7/9/07
to
"Capt. JG" <jg...@sailnow.invalid> wrote in message
news:1393hh9...@corp.supernews.com...

>
> I use idockusa.com while on my boat in the marina. They have decent
> coverage and speed. I believe they have some agreement with Broadband
> Xpress for locations other than California.
>
> --
> "j" ganz @@
> www.sailnow.com
>

* Interesting. I checked out that site idockusa.com. I also stopped by your
web site. I'm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida but one of my yacht customers is
over there somewhere. MY Maximus II.

Anyway I take it you're getting enough signal on a laptop not to have to put
an external antenna or amplifier?

---
Alan Spicer
PopularWireless.com Marine Forum Co-Moderator
http://www.popularwireless.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=30

DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting...
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)
* http://telecom.dyndns.biz/ (Main Site)
* http://www.marinetelecom.net/ (.net mirror site)
* http://alanspicermarinetelecom.com/ (.com mirror site)
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/ (Yacht WiFi Main Site)

* http://www.mymarinewifi.com/ (Marine WiFi .com mirror site)
* IPv6 http://[2001:5c0:8104::1]/
*

Cal Vanize

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Jul 9, 2007, 2:09:19 AM7/9/07
to
Alan Spicer wrote:
> * I do networks and Internet Access Sharing systems on yachts. I'm curious
> what most people are getting to share WiFi Hotspot connections from marinas
> and such, and for those Laptop Cellular Internet Cards? Verizon is pretty
> fast these days, as is Sprint and Cingular (Cingular being GSM just brought
> HSDPA broadband access online to most areas in the past year or so.)
>

Our marina on Carlyle Lake, IL (Boulder) doesn't seem to have wireless
access. Cell coverage is, at best, weak with Cingulator. But some
services have better covewrage there.

I don't think there is much demand as most are day sailors and not
liveaboard occupants.

It would be nice to have better cell phone coverage and wireless access
so that telecommunting would be easier. Would be a big benefit to be
able to access email while out sailing. ;)

Alan Spicer

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Jul 9, 2007, 2:32:59 AM7/9/07
to

"Cal Vanize" <dont.eve...@myspam.org> wrote in message
news:likki.53$tp1...@newsfe02.lga...

> Our marina on Carlyle Lake, IL (Boulder) doesn't seem to have wireless
> access. Cell coverage is, at best, weak with Cingulator. But some
> services have better covewrage there.
>
> I don't think there is much demand as most are day sailors and not
> liveaboard occupants.
>
> It would be nice to have better cell phone coverage and wireless access so
> that telecommunting would be easier. Would be a big benefit to be able to
> access email while out sailing. ;)
>

* Wow, that's a big lake. So do you think putting up an outside antenna and
an amplifier on the WiFi or Cellular would make any difference?

---
Alan Spicer


DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting...
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)
* http://telecom.dyndns.biz/ (Main Site)
* http://www.marinetelecom.net/ (.net mirror site)
* http://alanspicermarinetelecom.com/ (.com mirror site)
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/ (Yacht WiFi Main Site)

* http://www.mymarinewifi.com/ (Marine WiFi .com mirror site)

Wayne.B

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Jul 9, 2007, 11:16:51 AM7/9/07
to
On Mon, 9 Jul 2007 01:44:50 -0400, "Alan Spicer"
<asp...@marinetelecom.net> wrote:

>Anyway I take it you're getting enough signal on a laptop not to have to put
>an external antenna or amplifier?

I'm using an external antenna, 15 db vertical at 30 ft, coupled with
low loss coax to a 200 mw USB adapter. It works well and routinely
connects to hotspots over a mile away, sometimes as much as 4 or 5
miles to a good outdoor AP.

Senao/Engenius makes some of the best high powered adapters in my
experience, and WLAN Parts/Passadena Networks is a good supplier of
all things related to WiFi.

www.wlanparts.com

Capt. JG

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Jul 9, 2007, 2:04:09 PM7/9/07
to
"Alan Spicer" <asp...@marinetelecom.net> wrote in message
news:RWjki.20500$p7.1...@bignews3.bellsouth.net...

> "Capt. JG" <jg...@sailnow.invalid> wrote in message
> news:1393hh9...@corp.supernews.com...
>>
>> I use idockusa.com while on my boat in the marina. They have decent
>> coverage and speed. I believe they have some agreement with Broadband
>> Xpress for locations other than California.
>>
>> --
>> "j" ganz @@
>> www.sailnow.com
>>
>
> * Interesting. I checked out that site idockusa.com. I also stopped by
> your web site. I'm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida but one of my yacht
> customers is over there somewhere. MY Maximus II.
>
> Anyway I take it you're getting enough signal on a laptop not to have to
> put an external antenna or amplifier?
>
> ---
>

Definitely enough... I'd say it's near DSL speed, although I haven't run any
of the available tests. When I was in Richardson Bay Marina, the signal
strength was ok I guess, but I wasn't really happy with it, and I was
considering an external antenna or amp, but when I moved marinas, the change
for the better was dramatic. I have trouble with cell service at the new
place, but not for WiFi.

I'm not familiar with the boat... sorry.

aspicer

unread,
Jul 10, 2007, 2:42:23 AM7/10/07
to
On Jul 9, 2:04 pm, "Capt. JG" <j...@sailnow.invalid> wrote:
> "Alan Spicer" <aspi...@marinetelecom.net> wrote in message
>
> news:RWjki.20500$p7.1...@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Capt. JG" <j...@sailnow.invalid> wrote in message
> "j" ganz @@www.sailnow.com- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

(Bellsouth/AT&T Newsgroups Server having troubles tonight, posting via
Google...)

A lot of boaters seem to recommend Engenius. I haven't used them.

I design amplified + antenna + router/sharing systems. I use some
gear from a local company here in Southeast Florida. But I can work
with most of the stuff out there.

* Hey, check this out...
http://www.axcess2go.com/AntennaCalc.htm

See if you're legal... You might be over power. 15db that's a lot of
antenna
gain.

---
Alan Spicer


DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting...
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)
* http://telecom.dyndns.biz/ (Main Site)
* http://www.marinetelecom.net/ (.net mirror site)
* http://alanspicermarinetelecom.com/ (.com mirror site)
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/ (Yacht WiFi Main Site)
* http://www.mymarinewifi.com/ (Marine WiFi .com mirror site)

aspicer

unread,
Jul 10, 2007, 2:45:44 AM7/10/07
to
On Jul 9, 2:04 pm, "Capt. JG" <j...@sailnow.invalid> wrote:
> "Alan Spicer" <aspi...@marinetelecom.net> wrote in message
>
> news:RWjki.20500$p7.1...@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Capt. JG" <j...@sailnow.invalid> wrote in message

> >news:1393hh9...@corp.supernews.com...
>
> >> I use idockusa.com while on my boat in the marina. They have decent
> >> coverage and speed. I believe they have some agreement with Broadband
> >> Xpress for locations other than California.
>
> >> --
> >> "j" ganz @@
> >>www.sailnow.com
>
> > * Interesting. I checked out that site idockusa.com. I also stopped by
> > your web site. I'm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida but one of my yacht
> > customers is over there somewhere. MY Maximus II.
>
> > Anyway I take it you're getting enough signal on a laptop not to have to
> > put an external antenna or amplifier?
>
> > ---
>
> Definitely enough... I'd say it's near DSL speed, although I haven't run any
> of the available tests. When I was in Richardson Bay Marina, the signal
> strength was ok I guess, but I wasn't really happy with it, and I was
> considering an external antenna or amp, but when I moved marinas, the change
> for the better was dramatic. I have trouble with cell service at the new
> place, but not for WiFi.
>
> I'm not familiar with the boat... sorry.
>
> --
> "j" ganz @@www.sailnow.com- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

(Posting via Google tonight. Bellsouth/AT&T NNTP Server having
problems)

If you would like to do a speed test try http://performance.toast.net/
Try a
few different
Servers on there in case some of them are just slow themselves.

---
Alan Spicer

Alan Spicer

unread,
Jul 10, 2007, 1:48:02 AM7/10/07
to

"Capt. JG" <jg...@sailnow.invalid> wrote in message
news:1394u49...@corp.supernews.com...

> "Alan Spicer" <asp...@marinetelecom.net> wrote in message
>> * Interesting. I checked out that site idockusa.com. I also stopped by
>> your web site. I'm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida but one of my yacht
>> customers is over there somewhere. MY Maximus II.
>>
>> Anyway I take it you're getting enough signal on a laptop not to have to
>> put an external antenna or amplifier?
>>
>> ---
>>
>
> Definitely enough... I'd say it's near DSL speed, although I haven't run
> any of the available tests. When I was in Richardson Bay Marina, the
> signal strength was ok I guess, but I wasn't really happy with it, and I
> was considering an external antenna or amp, but when I moved marinas, the
> change for the better was dramatic. I have trouble with cell service at
> the new place, but not for WiFi.
>
> I'm not familiar with the boat... sorry.
>
> --
> "j" ganz @@
> www.sailnow.com
>

If you would like to do a speed test try http://performance.toast.net/ Try a

few different
Servers on there in case some of them are just slow themselves.

---
Alan Spicer


DBA Alan Spicer Telcom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
Computer Services, Wired/Wireless Networking,
Cell/Sat/Landline Communications, General Consulting...
Marine, Business, Small Office and Home Office (SOHO)
* http://telecom.dyndns.biz/ (Main Site)
* http://www.marinetelecom.net/ (.net mirror site)
* http://alanspicermarinetelecom.com/ (.com mirror site)
* http://www.wifiyacht.net/ (Yacht WiFi Main Site)
* http://www.mymarinewifi.com/ (Marine WiFi .com mirror site)

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