Wireless on s/v Imagine

[Sinclair]

This is absolutely first rate (submitted via SSB email from Mike on "Imagine"). Mike's now in FL heading for the West Coast for a month before returning home to Ontario. He tells me he's missing his broadband connections he had on Abaco. - Sinc

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Wireless on Imagine

On board High Speed Wireless Internet is a reality in the Abacos. Who would have thought that just a few years ago. While we were getting the boat ready to go to the Abacos this year, friends told us about all the hot spots in the area. We have spent many years in the Bahamas and didn't think we would ever able to anchor in places like Hopetown, Fishers Bay or Green Turtle Cay & get WIFI right there at the nav station. As a novice to wireless I had no idea what I needed or how it worked, so I had to pick the brains of people who had a working system as well as online research to find the best products for the application. So many laptops today come with a wireless card built in. This is great if you are sitting in a marina where the Access Point (AP) is close by. However, if you want to be in the fringe areas you need to have a WIFI card with an external antenna jack. There are several to choose from so that's where you have to do the research. I can tell you about the two PCMCIA cards that I am familiar with as well the all antenna & cables to make it all work. There are four components that put it all together & they are:

1. PCMCIA Wireless Card

The PCMCIA Wireless Cards that I am familiar with are the Senoa NL2511CD-EXT2 and the Proxim/Orinoco Gold Card. Both these cards have proved to be very reliable for mobile applications. The Orinoco card has one external antenna jack while the Senao has two. I don't know what the advantage of two antenna jacks would be. The biggest difference between the cards is the transmit power output. The Orinoco transmits at 30mw while the Senao card has 200mw power output. Both these cards can be purchased online. I've checked at the big electronic stores such as Best Buy or Circuit City but they don't carry the more specialized cards. The Senoa can be purchased from www.wirelesszones.net & the Orinoco can be purchased from www.cdw.com.

2. Antenna

The antenna that we use aboard Imagine is a HyperGain ® HG2409U. I have found that it is best not to permanently mount the antenna, at least aboard a sailboat, so that it can be moved around depending on where the AP antenna is. If I have a problem with a poor signal while the antenna is clamped on a starboard shroud, I would move it to a port shroud and get a great signal. Sometimes you just have to find the best antenna location for the best signal strength. I just use a couple of the plastic spring clamps to hold it on the shroud. Once attached I push it up the shroud to get as high as the coax will allow. Tie a string on the antenna to pull it back down so you don't damage the coax by pulling on it. The antenna can be purchased on line from www.sharperconcepts.net

3. Coax Cable

I bought 20 ft of WBC 400 coax cable that connects to the antenna and also the radio pigtail. The length is what ever will work for your situation. The boats I know with a working system do not have more than 25 or 30 feet of cable. Usually these can be purchased online as cable assemblies in different lengths. You have to make sure that the cable ends are compatible with the antenna base & the radio pigtail. Most antennas have "N" type connectors. The cable I purchases has Male "N" connectors on both ends and is available from www.sharperconcepts.net

4. Radio Pigtail

The radio pigtail is the least expensive but most confusing part of the whole system. However, it is the keystone. If this isn't correct you can't connect it all together. The pigtail is basically a short piece of very small wire (wbc100) with connectors, that attach the large antenna cable to the PCMCIA Card. Make sure you know what kind of connector your card needs. There are several different types of these connectors. The one on the Senao card is an MMCX. Usually the web sites for WIFI equipment are pretty good about telling you which connector your need for which card. They can also be purchased from www.sharperconcepts.net.

I hope this helps anyone trying to get an on board system set up. Cheers, Mike

[big fish]

Sounds like excellent advice from Mike!

I am NOT an expert in these matters for sure, but I have a couple of additions from my research on this subject. I was told that there would be a considerable loss of signal from using an antenna lead over 10 feet in length. If you are on the water, I don't think the height you would gain with extra length, would overcome the loss of signal strength. I'm not familiar with Mike's antenna choice, but I was able to purchase both an omni directional magnetic mount antenna, and a compact Yagi directional antenna that would fit my Orinoco gold PCMCIA card. One or the other worked better in different locations. Both worked well. I was able to buy the card and both antennas on Ebay. There are several good suppliers on Ebay, that have everything you need. You can actually buy a package of everything you need; PCMCIA card, antenna lead, and antennas.

Bruce

[Cloverleaf]

I run a half dozen wireless systems in cold storage warehouses. One of our facilities has 22 access points (in a -20F environment) to allow the fork lifts to travel all over the facility and not lose connectivity.

For those of you looking for the NL2511CD-EXT2 card it can be purchased on-line at http://www.wlanparts.com/product/NL2511CDPLUSEXT2 Cards with two connections for antennas allow for diversity receive. Since only one of the antenna connectors has transmit power it is very important that you connect to the correct jack. I have not used this particular card but usually the jacks are labeled I and II. Connect to the jack labeled I.

The Senoa card uses a MMCX connector. You can see the connector at http://www.wlanparts.com/product/MMCXNM24 The MMCX looks very simular to the MC connector. http://www.wlanparts.com/product/MCMNM24
If you push hard enough a MC connector will go into a MMCX connector but you will have broken the internals of both the card and the antenna. Please don't ask how I know this

As for coax cable, I have found that I can run 55' of LMR-400 cable with minimal adverse effect. If you need to run further you should look at LMR-600 but I will warn you it is heavy stuff. If you do install your own ends on your cable do not go cheap. Use only Type "N" since they do not induce an impedence "lump".

Keep your cables as short as possible. Every 3db is a roughly a 50% loss of signal so 6db of loss in coax and connectors yields you only 25% of your starting power. LMR-400 has a loss of over 5db per 100' while LMR-600 has a loss of around 3db per 100' Even though it does not sound like it there is a huge difference between 3db and 5db of loss.

Dave

[PELLUCID]

I use an SMC2532W-B card in my laptop. It has 200mw of transmit power. I have a 9db omni antenna mounted 51 feet about the waterline on my sailboat. It is connected through a 50-foot LMR-400 cable to the main salon, with an additional 25-foot LMR-400 cable to the main cabin. Signal loss is not a problem, even with 75' of cable total.

I am quite pleased with reception overall. I can get 1 or 2 megabit connections up to 5 miles from hotspots. Reliability issues are certainly a problem, but they have more to do with hurricane damaged equipment, overloaded hotspots in Marsh Harbor, power outages, and problems with the fiber connection provided by the cable company.

[Odyssey]

if we plan to spend all of our time at marinas (instead of anchoring out), will the built in wireless card work by itself?

Randy

How do you decide what provider to use in the Abacos for WiFi internet connection?

[johnsails]

Yes - but you can't do it on your boat - you have to walk to the hot spot - this month I was easily able to access the internet with my "built in WiFi "at the Jib Room, Nippers Bar, Orchid bay, You have to be Paying Dockage to get the service free at the Jib room and Orchid bay. Nippers is still free, but it will cost you a bunch of great drinks ;-) and a good time. I heard the Java Joint is a hot spot in Marsh, I haven't tried it. There are a bunch of other "Subscribed" hot spots - and a bunch of other options as you can buy "service" from the local Wireless providers. If you need wireless it's worth buying Access while you are in the Abacos. The Free Access points provide no Support, so you have to know what you are doing.

[big fish]

Originally Posted by RWGrooms

How do you decide what provider to use in the Abacos for WiFi internet connection?

Service in Abaco has been variable. I think you should wait and see who has availability where you happen to be. There are two providers. I personally found Cocotels to be much easier to deal with. I would just sign up for a short term (with either) at first until you find out what to expect.

Bruce

Where is Cocotels in the Abacos?

Mike

Thank you very much. Mucos Gracias!

[Jim]

If your head is spinning from the alphabet soup of the various types of connectors and have no idea as to what they are (I didn't either), you can go to this site for a close up picture of the various types and simple explaination of the common uses for each. http://wireless.gumph.org/content/3/...onnectors.html

[boat6]

Great posting. We are going to the Abacos in March, 2006, and I have been driving myself crazy trying to find out about having wireless internet while we are on our boat. Your posting gave me all the answers and I am going to follow your directions to the "T".

Thanks
Frank Smith
Charleston, SC
boat6@bellsouth.net