Wifi Hot Spots

aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited May 2020 in General Boating Discussions
What are you guys using to pick up better signals from WiFi hot spots on the boat?
2008 330EC
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  • reneechris14reneechris14 Posts: 3,134 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I use my phone from time to time but wife says no TV in the bedroom. Lol
    2005 Rinker FV342  Pawcatuck river,Ct
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  • WillhoundWillhound Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Investigated this about a year ago when we installed the TV and Roku box but it seemed like a lot of hassle in searching out the right antenna and router. And the necessary power supply. There are some 12 volt models out there for RV's that would probably be ok on a boat. I have a pretty good cell plan with 10GB a month so in areas where Wifi is poor I just tether the phone and use my data.

    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    I’m going to try this out, has good reviews and is 110 / 12 volt .

    https://youtu.be/99HW-mZ33DY
    2008 330EC
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  • WillhoundWillhound Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    We get royally boned on cell/data rates in Canada. I've got one of the best plans around, unlimited calls in Canada, long distance to Canada/US (when on home network) unlimited texts and the 10 GB and I'm $50 a month.
    My buddy in Finland gets totally unlimited use for half of that. My 10 GB is plenty for me, I usually average 3 to 5 unless I start streaming movies.
    Back to @aero3113 's question, I did come across this:
    https://www.amazon.ca/KING-KF1000-Automatic-Directional-Extender-White/dp/B07D1F2MPR/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=marine+wifi+antenna&qid=1590332077&sr=8-3
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The one I posted is $150. I’m going to temporally tie wrap it to the anchor light and run the wire down to the cockpit and plug it in. If it works well I’ll figure out how to permanently mount it.

    ALFA Network WiFi CampPro 2 Universal WiFi / Internet Range Extender Kit for Caravan/Motorhome, Boat, RV https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZXTWC9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sTOYEbYK2RC2K
    2008 330EC
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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looking forward to your feedback aero. Our marina WiFi is not working well down below and the marina claims there is plenty of bandwidth at high speed so I hope that’s a game changer 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Liberty44140 said:
    Looking forward to your feedback aero. Our marina WiFi is not working well down below and the marina claims there is plenty of bandwidth at high speed so I hope that’s a game changer 
    Hopefully this will be a winner!
    2008 330EC
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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here’s a good breakdown of everything in the box. This is the company that I ordered from through Amazon.

    https://youtu.be/i5lgqOuxvYk
    2008 330EC
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  • WillhoundWillhound Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That's a better price. Not available in Canada though....
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You guys always want what we RVers have lol
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  • WillhoundWillhound Posts: 4,241 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah....except the annoying neighbour on the next lot. .....we can always pull anchor and move. 🙄
    "Knot Quite Shore" - 2000 FV270 (Sold)
    2018 Cherokee 39RL Land Yacht (Sorry...)
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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Willhound said:
    Yeah....except the annoying neighbour on the next lot. .....we can always pull anchor and move. 🙄
    I can move anytime 
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  • Aqua_AuraAqua_Aura Posts: 2,705 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah but when you move you have to find a new spot or a whole new RV park. We can just drift a bit and drop the anchor again. 
    1997 Bayliner 3988
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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Received the antenna today. Playing around with it now at the house, easy to set up and seems well made. I have it connected to my homes WiFi so it's working really well and fast right now. Hopefully in the next couple of days I’ll be able to install it on the boat and connect to a hot spot, rain for the next day or two.


    2008 330EC
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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looking forward to the results! How is the marina WiFi now? Pretty bad starting point?
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    @Liberty44140 , I’m in a town marina so we don’t have a dedicated WiFi. I’m trying to pickup better signals for hotspots from my wifi provider. Also an area that we anchor at often has a few restaurants nearby that have free WiFi. Also a few marinas are there that I’m wondering if they have free WiFi.
    2008 330EC
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  • IanIan Posts: 3,062 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Be aware that some wifi setups won’t allow “rogue” access points to connect and reroute. May work at home but if you can’t associate at the marina that may be why. Setup at our club rejects rogue AP’s by default.

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @icoultha , it’s a repeater so if there’s a signal it will hopefully make it better and if there’s no password required it shouldn’t matter. I got this to boost the signal from my provider that has hot spots all over the island.
    2008 330EC
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  • IanIan Posts: 3,062 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No problem then @aero3113

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Fingers crossed! Our marina WiFi requires no password or login and no landing page to accept terms. Just open. But even though there is a tower behind my boat the signal still stinks
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • IanIan Posts: 3,062 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2020
    Are there a number of antenna close to each other? One mistake is thinking more is better but unless tuned and separate channels used you can get a degraded service.

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

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  • Liberty44140Liberty44140 Posts: 4,414 ✭✭✭✭✭
    They are every 75 or so feet down the dock 
    07' Cruisers 390 (Previous Rinker's: 06' 342EC & 01' 310FV)

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  • IanIan Posts: 3,062 ✭✭✭✭✭
    May be part of the issue, channel getting swamped.

    Regards,

    Ian

    The Third “B”

    Ravena Coeymans Yacht Club

    https://www.rcyachtclub.com/

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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Aqua_Aura said:
    Yeah but when you move you have to find a new spot or a whole new RV park. We can just drift a bit and drop the anchor again. 
    Wrong again. I can drive to a Walmart, Cabelas or Basspro parking lot anytime. 
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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    aero3113 said:
    Received the antenna today. Playing around with it now at the house, easy to set up and seems well made. I have it connected to my homes WiFi so it's working really well and fast right now. Hopefully in the next couple of days I’ll be able to install it on the boat and connect to a hot spot, rain for the next day or two.


    That unit is nice but there is another one rated better. Seems it losses power thru the USB cables length. Too long
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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Handymans342 , yes there is another one but read that it is very frustrating to connect to and isn’t user friendly. It’s also a few hundred dollars more. With all the positive reviews and research I’ve done, I think it will be fine for my area. The one you mentioned is more for remote areas, were not out in the middle of the woods. We’re usually only a few hundred feet or yards from shore that has towers you can probably see.
    2008 330EC
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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes the same with us when we are in campgrounds 
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  • aero3113aero3113 Posts: 9,793 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Handymans342 , I was also thinking if it works well I can get a USB cable the length I need. I don’t think I’ll need 25’. This will cut down on the drop, if there is one.
    2008 330EC
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  • YYZRCYYZRC Posts: 5,434 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Handymans342 said:
    Aqua_Aura said:
    Yeah but when you move you have to find a new spot or a whole new RV park. We can just drift a bit and drop the anchor again. 
    Wrong again. I can drive to a Walmart, Cabelas or Basspro parking lot anytime. 
    Sorry, ignorant Canadian here. Why is it that Americans camp out at WalMart? And furthermore, why is that (seemingly) permitted to happen?
    2006 390 EC
    2008 350 EC
    Georgian Bay
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  • Handymans342Handymans342 Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It’s just for an overnight during a trip but people have taken advantage of it and a lot of Walmart’s or townships have prohibited it. 
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