Wifi antenna performance

[Mako]

What sort of range are you finding from the marine Wifi antennas? There are some 12db high performance sticks on th market.

 

[Bay Pelican]

Range depends on the access point signal on our set up. We routinely get signals from 2 kilometers, but then these are signals sent into the harbor intended to reach anchored boats.

Our setup is a Ubiquiti bullet and an eight foot omni direction antenna.

 

[Mako]

Our setup is a Ubiquiti bullet and an eight foot omni direction antenna.

Have you ever experimented with a directional antenna? With a typical beam width of 30 degrees you could sustain a lot of wind shift and still be on-target. Might double the range or more.

 

[Bay Pelican]

Have you ever experimented with a directional antenna? With a typical beam width of 30 degrees you could sustain a lot of wind shift and still be on-target. Might double the range or more.

Haven't tried that yet, may look into one.

 

[Bay Pelican]

30 degrees doesn't work for me at anchor, that is really 15 degrees off of a center line. Most days we shift more than that.

 

[FF]

The most powerful wi fi antennas require their own power supply , not tiny power from the computer.

 

[Bay Pelican]

Let's distinguish between an antenna and a receiver/transceiver hooked to an antenna. Almost all marine systems in the last 10 years are a combination of the two. The transceiver (radio in wifi parlance) is powered either 12 v or 110/220v. The most common name in the industry is the Ubiquiti bullet sold under a number of brand names.

 

[Larry M]

Have you ever experimented with a directional antenna? With a typical beam width of 30 degrees you could sustain a lot of wind shift and still be on-target. Might double the range or more.

We have and in calm directions it worked but was still a PIA. When you drift around and loose the signal it gets very frustrating. We sold the antenna in St. Martins and went back to the Bullet. We find with the combination of an unlocked USB modem for data, the Bullet and HF radio with a Pactor modem, we can stay in touch pretty much anywhere.

 

[Crusty Chief]

Ubique Titanium, 10db antenna, 120v POE, plug in modem. Works great, out 1-2 miles can still pick up as long as unobstructed. We like having a single source for all devices to communicate. It works and that's good enough for us.

 

[FlyWright]

Rogue Wave wifi...I think it's a version of the Ubiquiti Bullet. I can pick up usable signals from 2-3 miles away...once held a signal and used it enroute until I was 4 miles from the marina. Rogue advertises 7 mile range, but I think that's more hyperbole than fact.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Range depends on the access point signal on our set up. We routinely get signals from 2 kilometers, but then these are signals sent into the harbor intended to reach anchored boats.

Our setup is a Ubiquiti bullet and an eight foot omni direction antenna.

What kind of range are you looking for?

 

[Heron]

I'm getting several miles with the:

The Wirie AP+: Long Range Boat WiFi and RV WiFi

Using the Bullet M2 Titanium and an 8db antenna..

 

[goboatnow]

I'm getting several miles with the:



The Wirie AP+: Long Range Boat WiFi and RV WiFi



Using the Bullet M2 Titanium and an 8db antenna..




Heron,
Do you find that the Wirie improves the speed of Internet? In the marina we're in, the signal seems fine but it's really slow. Some people have reported faster speeds with a booster.

Thanks

 

[Mako]

We have and in calm directions it worked but was still a PIA. When you drift around and loose the signal it gets very frustrating. We sold the antenna in St. Martins and went back to the Bullet. We find with the combination of an unlocked USB modem for data, the Bullet and HF radio with a Pactor modem, we can stay in touch pretty much anywhere.

What sorta range did you find with the directional and was the signal significantly stronger than with the omni?

 

[Heron]

Heron,
Do you find that the Wirie improves the speed of Internet? In the marina we're in, the signal seems fine but it's really slow. Some people have reported faster speeds with a booster.

Thanks[/QUOTE]

Speed is pretty much limited by the source. The more people on-line and sucking bandwidth, the slower things will get as well..I don't think a booster will help you at all here, other than to maintain a better connection with the source signal..

 

[jleonard]

I have a wirie, and yes I get faster speed at my marina that others do using only their laptops. Probably because I am getting a better signal being above all the boats.

 

[Donsan]

I'm getting several miles with the:

The Wirie AP+: Long Range Boat WiFi and RV WiFi

Using the Bullet M2 Titanium and an 8db antenna..

Would it have been better if you had mounted the Wirie higher?

 

[Heron]

Would it have been better if you had mounted the Wirie higher?

Probably, but the gain in that position is excellent. I can pull signals for miles, but really only need a few hundred yards to hook to my Marina system..The few more feet I have available really won't make much difference.

 

[refugio]

Another happy Ubiquiti Bullet (2HP) user here. It's mounted on the aft edge of my pilothouse roof so I can see the lights from inside but the antenna (8db I think, maybe 18") sticks above the roof. PoE from the router in the pilothouse.

A directional antenna would be a real PITA. You don't always know in what direction you need to be looking for the signal, and you're going to need a rotating base. And a remote control for the rotating base.

Directional antennas (yagi, cantenna) are great for known point-to-point connectivity, but I just don't see how they would make much sense on a boat.

 

[HenryD]

Hello all,
I am looking for a wifi solution. I currently have a Wave Wifi Rogue Pro that has died. I have a 1" antenna mount on my mast that the Rogue Pro screwed onto. In that act of twisting it on the mount, the Ethernet cable twisted and damaged the RJ45 jack.
For a new solution, I am wondering if I could put the 8db Antenna on the mount in some fashion, route antenna cable into the pilot house, connect the cable to Rogue Pro.
Any other solutions recommended?
Thanks