In Boat Wireless (WiFi) Repeater

[maboat]

Tele-working trailblazers with @Detonate at the first YJB gathering

 

[Detonate]

True Story!

 

[Bruce]

@ArmyChief, the radios arrived today. The BaseBox is smaller and better constructed than I expected. I removed the RouterBoard and installed the 2.4 Ghz radio to compliment the onboard 5 Ghz. You can see how they fit together in the second picture. A T8 bit may be required to disassemble the BaseBox.

The antennas and pig tails are in the mail. Hopefully they show up this weekend.

Most likely I will use a din rail to mount it inside the helm.

 

[ArmyChief]

@Bruce ,

I take it that's the SIM slot under the 2.4 radio board. Looks like a nice system. Have you checked all the FW's for any updates?
You don't have any antenna's to test it with?

How about the SW, pretty straight forward like the demo?

 

[Bruce]

That is a sim slot under the 2.4 radio. As we discovered on the call it has a sim slot but would need a 3G / 4G or LTE radio card or USB adapter to use those networks.

I can not power it up until antennas are attached and they are still in the mail. Will test as soon as they come in.

The software is the same as the demo http://demo.mt.lv . The demo is a RB433 with level 5 licensing. I believe the BaseBox is a level 4 license which is more than sufficient for our usage. Software / Firmware upgrades are performed via the web interface.

 

[txav8r]

I was lost on the first post...but I know who to call if I want to do any of this. I had a directional antenna I would hang out of the hotel room window around the world when I flew international...getting a wifi signal for my laptop for free was fairly easy before encrypting. But I would be lost today I am sure!

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

Wow, I am following this thread... cant say I understand all your lingo but as I have mentioned to @Bruce I am very interested in what he comes up with and how it works out. If it is solid enough to support VOIP at the room I will be a happy camper come next year. I mentioned to my dad about me going to Bimini next year and that the new 212X has a galv trailer. Without saying he wants to go he started asking lots of questions and I told him about what you are doing so then I asked my folks if they would like to go and they are in. I can count on them and he is very excited since he used to take a lot of charters there but never did anything on his time, he is looking at this like I am, the adventure and some serious R&R. I only wish we could make it this year but there are too many things to plan ahead for. He was already talking of certain fishing gear he wants to take, rod holders for the new boat etc so we will have a solid year to prepare. One thing I am def. doing is I will remove the wakeboard racks for the trip and replace them with flat aluminum plate so I can mount a tall VHF antenna on one side and will have the other side available for a wifi setup if need be. Again, I am not as concerned working on the water as I am working from the room, my folks work with me and we can usually get what we need done in a few hours every morning. I am looking forward to what you discover Bruce.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Interesting read.... Check the last section.
https://activecaptain.com/articles/mobilePhones/bahamas.php

 

[Bruce]

I tested 4 radios today. From left to right is a $36 NetGear N300 Wi-Fi range extender, a $49 Ubiquiti NanoStation Loco with a 8 dBi 60 degree sector antenna, a $80 Mikrotik BaseBox 5 with a $40 2.4 Ghz card added (original plan) and finally a $90 Ubiquiti Rocket M2 that was pulled from my tower after three years of service. The BaseBox and Rocket were tested using the short and long omni antennas which are claimed to by 9 and 12 dBi.



The test was performed to the condos across the lake which are a half mile away.

The N300 was unreliable and dropped packets. It was more stable on the middle floor of my home. I will be taking it to Bimini and believe that it will be sufficient to provide useable service in my condo.

The NanoStation was able establish a solid link with a signal strength of -87 db.

The BaseBox proved that I am not smart enough to configure it. I am sure that I would have figured it out if I had performed this testing. The BaseBox saw the wireless AP across the lake at -87 db with the larger 12 dBm omni. This matched the NanoStation without the need for a directional antenna.

The Rocket M2 which was retired after three years of service linked reliably with a signal level of -83 using the 12 dBm omni and -85 with the smaller 9 dBm omni. Speedtest.com rated the connection at 6.19 Mbps / 1.80 Mbps using the larger omni and the 4.06 Mbps / 1.84 Mbps using the smaller. The Rocket was quoting a capacity of over 24 Mbps on the link. So I believe the speedtest was limited by the bandwidth available at the other end.






Based on this I have decided to use the Rocket M2 to receive WiFi service for my boat. I had hoped to use the BaseBox but the 3 to 4 dB difference is too much. A 3 dB increase is twice the signal strength which could equate to twice the distance.

I liked the idea of including everything in the single BaseBox unit. But now I need to have a second device to act as an access point for the boat. I also want to have DLNA audio. I have decided to take it a step further and use a Raspberry Pi running Rune Audio as a combination access point and media server.

 

[ArmyChief]

Ok, you're going to need to label all of them

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

I sure hope all that fancy stuff works and you have it figured out so you can help a not so tech savvy guy do the same...

 

[Bruce]

I sure hope all that fancy stuff works and you have it figured out so you can help a not so tech savvy guy do the same...

The Rocket is easier to configure. But if you do not need internet on the boat the little N300 will likely be sufficient to give you reliable access in your condo.

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

@Bruce it all depends on your results. It would be nice to be trolling for some dolphin and dealing with wotk at the same time if need be... LOL

 

[Big Shasta]

Damn, you guys are some serious geeks (and I say that with the utmost of respect)....I thought I was a technogeek but I bow in this place as I'm not worthy.

Sadly, I guess I'm truly just a nerd...

 

[Irvs]

We are planning to stay longer in Bimini this year so it is likely that I will have to work. This thread may be interesting to others who want to work from their boats.

I have ordered

Mikrotik BaseBox 5
R11e-2HPnD
2 x MMCX to RPSMA pigtails
2 x 2.4 Ghz Omni Antennas
2 x 5 Ghz Omni Antennas
Wall mount power injector

For a total cost of under $150.

The BaseBox provides a waterproof housing, a 5 Ghz Wifi radio and a reasonably powerful router. The R11e is a 2.4 Ghz radio that will install into the BaseBox. This solution is larger and less attractive than I would like but should work well. I have use Mikrotik's routers for years but this is my first attempt at using their WiFi gears.

I will use the 2.4 Ghz radio to connect to WiFi networks at distant marinas, hotels, condos, etc. The router will either route traffic or bridge to clients connected on the 5 Ghz radio. I will connect to the router through its web interface to select the network that the 2.4 Ghz radio connects to.

The BaseBox will be powered via an ethernet cable that will connect to the wall mount power injector on the boat. It is rated to run on voltages from 8 to 30 volts DC so the boats 12 to 14 volt battery range should work well. I will be able to use it on land as well using the 120 volt power injector that comes with it.

In the US I will have to stick to FCC limits for EIRP (broadcast power). I need to check what the limits are in the Bahamas but I expect their limits to be more lenient.

My expectation is that this solution will allow me to work within a mile of any of the Bimini WiFi providers while the family is snorkeling.

I will post test results when the components arrive next week and from Bimini while we are there. There is a condo complex a half mile away by water that will provide a suitable testing environment at my home.

I seriously doubt that you will be able to maintain a solid point to point link in the 2.4ghz band while a mile away in the ocean....much less at 5ghz where other environment factors come into play.

The concept is a good one tho.

Perhaps it'll work at .25 miles...

It would just be easier to tether with your phone if you are within range of cell sites.

 

[ArmyChief]

@Irvs ,

I disagree with your statement. I have helped boaters with Wifi access from the water since 2010. Look near the bottom of this page for tested results:

http://www.thewirie.com/faq.html

"
What is the WiFi range of The WirieAP+ and The Wiriepro?
The Wirie Marine WiFi systems have achieved connections of over 7.5 nautical miles to on-shore WiFi access points. There are many variables that determine and influence the range of any WiFi signal. Though the quality of equipment being used on shore is undetermined when cruising, The Wirie products, in conjunction with quality equipment on shore, has been able to connect from great distances, as long as there is line of sight with the access point. Less info...

The range question is a very hard one to answer as you are dependent on the equipment you have on your boat or RV, and the equipment on shore that you are trying to connect to. Just like you are looking for better equipment for your boat or RV, the store/bar/marina/RV park owner can spend varying amounts of money for better equipment also. When both sides are utilizing good equipment, you can actually realize claims of 5 miles, or maybe even more. However, to do this, the shore side would have to be using very good/powerful equipment. What we tell people about range is that if you’re not able to connect with The Wirie in your anchorage or RV campground, we are fairly certain none of your neighbors are connected either. What we can provide is very good equipment for the boat and RV that is also very simple to install and use, but you will forever still be dependent on what’s on shore and what’s available to connect to. With WiFi, you are relying on a third party, often whom you may not know. With an average onshore signal, a mile or two will be fairly easy for The Wirie to deal with. The better the equipment "on the other end", the further the range of The Wirie."

The above product uses a Ubiquiti Bullet M2 Titanium.

 

[Irvs]

Oops, my assessment was based on a consumer based indoor access point link to a vessel a mile away.

 

[Bruce]

Oops, my assessment was based on a consumer based indoor access point link to a vessel a mile away.

The 6 Mbps test result above was a 1/2 mile link t0 a consumer indoor router over water with at least two walls between. At -83 dB I had 14 dB to loose before the connection would drop.

1 mile may be optimistic. There are several snorkeling areas within 6/10ths of a mile of resorts with WiFi around North Bimini. In the unfortunate situation where I have to work I should be able to sit there and use WiFi while my family snorkels.

 

[ArmyChief]

The 6 Mbps test result above was a 1/2 mile link t0 a consumer indoor router over water with at least two walls between. At -83 dB I had 14 dB to loose before the connection would drop.

1 mile may be optimistic.

Using an omni-directional and staying below the LEGAL Federal EIRP limits..maybe

 

[Bruce]

Working on revision two of this project. I am posting this through the Raspberry Pi that will be acting as our boats 5Ghz access point, router and digital music player. I had quite a struggle to get the USB dongle working at 5Ghz under Arch Linux but this post is going across it and through three walls. It should provide plenty of range as an onboard AP and will not interfere with 2.4 signals from shore.