WI-FI ON BOARD
Real broadband speeds
Although a long-range Wi-Fi antenna
will help get the best out of a poor
signal, they’re no use with devices that
don’t have a USB port, or when the
whole family want to use their phones
or tablets simultaneously. For this you’ll
need a wireless router that will lock
onto the Wi-Fi source and then create
its own local hotspot for users to join.
Often a high-gain antenna can be
plugged directly into a Wi-Fi router with a
USB or Ethernet WAN port, enabling the
improved Wi-Fi signal to be shared.
These range from a simple mini-router
with limited features, to marine-specific
routers with high-gain antenna. The best
of these utilise the MIMO system where
a single data stream is broken down into
multiple transmissions before being sent
out over a number of separate antennae.Most speeds quoted by
manufacturers will reference
download speeds, as these are
significantly faster than upload
speeds (usually 8-10 times faster).
So receiving large attachments via
email is significantly quicker than
sending them. Bandwidth speeds
are quoted in Megabits (not
megabytes) per second. The table
below will give you an idea of what
the bandwidth speed figures
actually relate to in file sizes:Mbps MB/s 10MB file
0.5 0.0625 160 sec
2 0.25 40 sec
10 1.25 8 sec
50 6.25 1.6 secWi-Fi On Board
Price: £395
Contact: http://www.wifionboard.co.uk
Wi-Fi On Board create systems using
reliable and well-proven components such
as Huawei’s B315 Wi-Fi router, bolting its
own +8dB high-gain antenna to it for
improved reception and speed. It has four
LAN ports for direct PC connections, and
the fourth doubles as a WAN port if
required. It also has a USB port for a flash
drive (possible cellular dongle), a socket
for a VOIP telephone and two small SMA
internal/external antenna sockets.
Ultra high-speed data download rates up
to 300Mbps are
claimed, while it offers
access to up to 32 Wi-Fi
devices as well as
desktop computers with
Ethernet connections.YachtSurfer SurfWiFi2
Price: £249
Contact: http://www.yachtsurfer.net
The SurfWiFi2 is a ruggedised Wi-Fi
booster that comes with a pair of 5dBi
omnidirectional external antennae. Usually
powered from the single Ethernet cable
linking it to a PC/laptop, it can also be
directly connected to either 12/24V using
the voltage regulator supplied.
Utilising standard
Ethernet, a direct
connection can be made
to any Ethernet-enabled
device, and there is no
software to install.
YachtSurfer claims
connectivity up
to seven miles offshore
from a quality hotspot.iNAVConnect
Price: £179.95
Contact: http://www.digitalyacht.co.uk
Offers Wi-Fi Internet for up to 30 users
when connected to a hotspot via the
WL510 boosted antenna, and also allows
data from an NMEA instrument network to
be transmitted over Wi-Fi as well.
The box is splashproof and comes with
two, screw-on 5dB stubby antennae. As
well as a power cable it has a WAN socket
for connection to the WL510 Internet Wi-Fi
booster, as well as a LAN port for
connection to NMEA. Signal strength and
transmission
speeds are
quick – although
just a tad slower
than a direct
LAN connection
to the WL510.Kuma Wi-Fi Hotspot
Price: £149.99
Contact: http://www.acdctv.co.uk
A neat little box with a short antenna
for Wi-Fi out, a LAN and WAN Ethernet
socket and a USB port for connection
either to the Kuma boosted antenna or
a 3G cellular dongle.
Installing and configuring it is easy
via a browser page and there are
LEDs on the front panel
indicating the current
status of the device.
Said to have a maximum
range of 1.5km, data transfer
seems slightly slower through
this router than it is directly
through the Kuma antenna
alone, but it does allow more than
one user to share the connection.AR-3000 USB WiFi
repeater
Price: £49.95
Contact: http://www.yachtingsoftware.com
This simple, bulkhead mountable Wi-Fi
repeater works with a USB-terminated
long-range antenna to provide your boat
with a simple local Wi-Fi hotspot for
unlimited users within range.
Bear in mind, though, the speed at
which it will work will still be
dependent on the bandwidth of the
signal from ashore and will reduce in
proportion to the number of users
connected at any one time.
The AR-3000 requires 12V DC power
from the boat, but is simple to
configure so you should be up
and running in minutes. As
well as USB, it also has two
Ethernet ports.Wi-Fi boosters and routers
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