Improving Wifi on boat

[patturner]

Has anyone done any research on ways to improve WiFi reception on your boat. Typically the computer is down at the Nav station where reception might be poor in a Marina where the signals are weak anyway. Is there a way to "boost" the signal at your boat giving you a much stronger signal for internet connection?

I've found one solution, but it seems a bit pricey.
http://www.quickertek.com/

I've heard that these things can bring a signal in from up to five miles away.

Any experience out there?

Pat
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Chang'An Ford Specifications
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VENTURE ROYALE

[Russell]

Most boats with wifi boosters out cruising are using this kit or something very similar:

http://sharperconcepts.zoovy.com/produc ... -GXI500-20

5 mile range is wishful thinking though, a signal from 2 miles is possible in the right conditions, if the hotspot is using a directional antenna aimed into the anchorage.

Wifi boosters are not cheap, probably not worth it unless your living aboard cruising full time, or your a serious internet junkie.

[Didereaux]

If you are slightly skilled and have the tools and ingredients you can build a pretty good one. Do a search using "wifi antenna pringle".

The kiddies are building quite nice ones out of Pringles tubes and coax. They have sufficient gain to double and triple the useable signal distance.
(...and no the antennas are not illegal!)
;)
g'Luk

[Paul D.]

I have built one of these networks at our wilderness camp I work at. You can get a Cantenna (basically a pringles can hooked up for wireless) at Amazon and point it at your wireless source. The cantenna is a directional high gain antenna that plugs in to your router. We have it it hooked up to our satellite internet reciever and send it across the bay to our bouthouse to another one hooked up to a repeater. Complex and hippy but it works. You need to have it line of site and no trees and stuff in the way.

Trees or water block the signal. Good luck.

Paul

[jefff]

I bought a 9db antenna off ebay for 9.95 +5 or so S&H, gave me a much better signal for just a few bucks, the same group had a 14 dbi yagi from enterasys for 58 boat bucks, just a customer, I have not tested the yagi either, you would need to have a card with the right antenna plug.
http://stores.ebay.com/The-TechWireless-Group

[nikon4004]

If you google "Pringles can antenna" , it will give instructions for making a very good antenna that I have used from home that I can get 4-5 mile line of site. I can take the laptop to the park down the road, point the antenna, mounted on a 10' piece of PVC and poit it at my home and go at it.


Steve
Boatless in Ohio, but not for long.

[GeorgeV]

I have been told:

"The signal strength reading from your wireless modem is ONLY the strength of the signal coming to you from the Hot Spot? High Powered cards help you send information BACK to the Hot Spot."

I have been told that the following item will help:

200 mW High Powered PC Card for Laptops

Price $99.99

from Beacon Wi-Fi

http://www.getunpluggednow.com/wirelessadapterstab.html

Good Luck

[Russell]

Pingles Can antennas are directional, they are not going to work very well on a boat swinging at anchor, you need an omni directional antenna.