BUYER’S GUIDE
Good data transmission speeds boil
down to one thing – good signal quality.
It doesn’t matter how fast the device
you’re connecting to is if your link to
the source is too weak to take
advantage of it.
Put simply, for the best data speeds
your antenna is more important than
anything else and the higher it is
mounted the better, particularly in
areas with a big tidal range.
When families are cruising it is
common for more than one user to
want to connect to the Internet at the
same time, which is where a router is
needed. A wireless router is clearly the
easiest method and most will allow at
least 10 devices to connect
simultaneously (although data speedswill inevitably reduce in proportion to
numbers logged on).
If multi-user Wi-Fi hotspot access is
all you need, then something like
Digital Yacht’s iNAVConnect does the
job admirably. Or if you’d prefer to stickwith the cellular
networks, then the
Wi-Fi On Board
cellular router is
hard to beat.
If you’re off on a
world trip, however,
and want a fit-and-
forget system that
offers the best data
speeds and all
connection options,
then I’d recommend
looking over the page and fitting one of
the fully-marinised combination
devices that can use both Wi-Fi
hotspots ashore and the cellular
networks. See also the complete
comparison table over the page.If you don’t object to paying for your
data then you can simply use a
data-enabled mobile device to keep
connected. But there’s a good chance
you won’t be in a good reception area
on the water, so some form of booster
could be a good investment.
Also, if all you really want to do is stay
in touch via email, there’s no point yet
in spending more on a 4G-compatible
device, when the slower 3G is more
than adequate.
However, things move quickly in the
world of technology and the
changeover from 3G to 4G is happening
fast. Besides, a 4G device will always
work with the slower 2G and 3G
networks if that’s all that’s available in
the area and it should automaticallyHubba X4Go/X4Duo
Price: £795
Contact: http://www.buzzconnect.co.uk
There are two Hubba X4 models – the
X4Go and the X4Duo. The X4Go takes a
single SIM and has one LAN only for
connection to a PC, while the Duo has two
of each, enabling it to use a second
cellular network and a landline or
satcomm input. Both support a Wi-Fi WAN
for up to 32 devices to use Internet via the
4G network. It has two MIMO antennae
with short cables, but two 8m extensions
are provided. In trials the X4Go powered
up right away and
instantly connected to
our laptop. A quick test
using the 4G network
proved it to be lightning
fast both downloading
and uploading.Wi-Fi On Board
Price: £345
Contact: http://www.wifionboard.co.uk
A cellular only version of Wi-Fi On Board’s
Wi-Fi router featuring a GSM (3G)/LTE
(4G) antenna that offers the ability to
connect to the 3G or 4G mobile data
networks at up to 150Mbps download and
50Mbps upload speeds. It takes a full-size
3G/4G SIM card and features a WPS
button. Like most domestic routers it is
configured using a browser page –
straightforward once logged in.
The device creates its own Wi-Fi hotspot
for users to
connect their
Wi-Fi enabled
devices to, or you
can connect a PC
directly through
an Ethernet port.TP Link M7350 4G
Price: £69.99
Contact: uk.tp-link.com
The TP Link M7350 dual-band
(2.4/5.0GHz) 3/4G Mi-Fi can be bought
online for around £69, including mains/
USB charger and cable. The 2550mAh
battery lasts between 6-9 hours from a full
charge, depending on usage.
The unit has a small display and an
easy-to-use, two-button menu system. It
also supports the use of up to 15 wireless
devices simultaneously and can take a
32Gb micro-SD storage card.
Even with just one or two bars out of four
on the signal strength indicator, we
attained download
speeds of close to
50Mbps on the 4G
network and
12.5Mbps on 3G.
Get a good reception
select the strongest signal/platform it
can detect anyway.
The simplest and probably most
versatile form of booster is a mobile
Wi-Fi mini-router, usually abbreviated to
‘Mi-Fi’. This is a small, portable and
rechargeable cellular receiver/router
that finds the strongest mobile data
reception within range and locks onto
it. Once the Mi-Fi has the signal it turns
itself into a hotspot for a number of
mobile devices using the regular
802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi band. It is more
powerful than a phone or dongle, often
a good deal faster and it’s a multi-user
device – ie the Internet connection
received can be shared over a number
of users with Wi-Fi-enabled devices. A
Mi-Fi can also be moved about easily tofind the best signal reception, provided
it remains within Wi-Fi range of the
users (usually 10m or so). The
downside is they’re not waterproof
(yet), so if you want to put it outside for
the best reception you’ll need to put it
inside a waterproof case.
Even using the older 3G networks, a
Mi-Fi can offer downloads speeds of up
to 20Mb, but the rapid spread of 4G is
bringing mobile broadband at possible
speeds of 50Mb or more.Cellular devices