Old wifi question, new angle

[KandD]

I want to connect to the marina's hotspot, but we don't get a solid connection below deck. While I am sure this topic has been debated over and over, I also have a new angle to add - I am looking for a system where:

1) I can put the antenna on the mast - so power over IP would be nice, but I'm ok with running 2 cables.

2) I can connect the antenna to my old wireless router and broadcast the signal in the boat so both laptops can access it at the same time.

3) It must work with mac, although I can use a PC to setup.

Any words of advice would be beyond awsome.

Thanks
kevin

 

[sailingdog]

Ubiquiti NanoStation 2. See HERE.


About $80, and it is a Linux based router/bridge that has a decent amplified antenna. It connects to your router via an Ethernet cable and uses POE so only one cable to run up the mast. Has a horizontal coverage of about 60˚ and vertical of 30˚ or so. No device drivers needed or software installed, as it is configured using a web browser. I've used them with ranges up to .5 miles...but it is rated for significantly more in low interference areas.

 

[Steve Dion]

So here is your ticket and it is cheap $35. This device will boost your signal output by 4-6 times over your internal wireless connection.

http://www.keenansystems.com/engenius_senao_eub-362_ext_200mw_usb.htm

The cable (USB to Mini USB) that comes with it is a little short, so you may need to get a longer one if you want to put it on the outside of the boat, but it may work just in front of one of your ports.

I have one and it works great. We had the same issue. Too many masts & wires interferring with the signal. I did NOT want any more junk on my mast so this was worth trying and it worked.

 

[Chuckbear]

So here is your ticket and it is cheap $35. This device will boost your signal output by 4-6 times over your internal wireless connection.

http://www.keenansystems.com/engenius_senao_eub-362_ext_200mw_usb.htm

The cable (USB to Mini USB) that comes with it is a little short, so you may need to get a longer one if you want to put it on the outside of the boat, but it may work just in front of one of your ports.

I have one and it works great. We had the same issue. Too many masts & wires interferring with the signal. I did NOT want any more junk on my mast so this was worth trying and it worked.

I am not sure the Engenius works with a Mac. Chuck

 

[sailingdog]

USB WiFi drivers tend to be fairly buggy, and a USB-based WiFi device won't work with the router that the OP has and has requested a solution work with. Finally, USB devices have a limit of about 16' after which you need a USB signal amplifier.

So here is your ticket and it is cheap $35. This device will boost your signal output by 4-6 times over your internal wireless connection.

http://www.keenansystems.com/engenius_senao_eub-362_ext_200mw_usb.htm

The cable (USB to Mini USB) that comes with it is a little short, so you may need to get a longer one if you want to put it on the outside of the boat, but it may work just in front of one of your ports.

I have one and it works great. We had the same issue. Too many masts & wires interferring with the signal. I did NOT want any more junk on my mast so this was worth trying and it worked.

 

[Steve Dion]

No problem setting up the unit on a PC. I would speak with the folks at Keenan about the MAC.

"There aren't any bugs on me." Worked well with the CD that accompanied the antenna.

 

[sailingdog]

Still doesn't address point #2 in the OP:

2) I can connect the antenna to my old wireless router and broadcast the signal in the boat so both laptops can access it at the same time.

No problem setting up the unit on a PC. I would speak with the folks at Keenan about the MAC.

"There aren't any bugs on me." Worked well with the CD that accompanied the antenna.

 

[Cpt. Jon]

Still doesn't address point #2 in the OP:

I think that if you set up the usb antenna to bring the the signal into the windows box, that you should be able to configure the built in antenna (I am assuming the laptop has one) to act as a an access point where your Mac should be able to connect to. Should be able to bridge through the windows box. Another thing that can be done is to share the internet connection with the Mac via ethernet cable (assuming that you will use both within close proximity). So, in other words you set up a network connection to the internet through the USB device/antenna and you set up another network connection acting as a wireless access point using the other antenna. with DHCP enabled, the Mac should be able to affiliate with the windows box which would in turn "share" it's internet connection.

I am not sure about whether setting the router up to retransmit the signal would work or not, I think it will depend on the router and I haven't tried that. I have bridged and shared internet connection through a windows box easily though.

disclaimer: it's been a while since I've done networking so I could be wrong, but at least this information sharing shouldn't lead to sinking your boat

 

[sailingdog]

While you could do this, most laptops draw significantly more power than a small wifi router, are more vulnerable to failure.

Your method requires both computers to be on all the time if they need access on the second one... which uses up a lot more electricity—normally a relatively scarce resource on smaller cruising boats.

It also requires him to reconfigure the Windows laptop based on what network adapter it is using. Using a Nanostation2 to bridge the WAN port on his existing WiFi router means that both laptops are independent of each other and don't need to be re-configured for them to work.

I think that if you set up the usb antenna to bring the the signal into the windows box, that you should be able to configure the built in antenna (I am assuming the laptop has one) to act as a an access point where your Mac should be able to connect to. Should be able to bridge through the windows box. Another thing that can be done is to share the internet connection with the Mac via ethernet cable (assuming that you will use both within close proximity). So, in other words you set up a network connection to the internet through the USB device/antenna and you set up another network connection acting as a wireless access point using the other antenna. with DHCP enabled, the Mac should be able to affiliate with the windows box which would in turn "share" it's internet connection.

I am not sure about whether setting the router up to retransmit the signal would work or not, I think it will depend on the router and I haven't tried that. I have bridged and shared internet connection through a windows box easily though.

disclaimer: it's been a while since I've done networking so I could be wrong, but at least this information sharing shouldn't lead to sinking your boat

 

[alexco38]

WiFi bridge

It's different than a router. A router connects to the DSL service provider either cable modem or DSL modem. It then wirelessly route the packet to the end device.

A Bridge acts as a end device wirelessly connect to the router to provide a few RJ45 service for end device. You can daisy chain a router to a bridge to multiple the range. People use bridge to extend distance of wifi coverage without laying cables.

Cisco WET200 Wireless-G Business Ethernet Bridge is an example.

Alex

While you could do this, most laptops draw significantly more power than a small wifi router, are more vulnerable to failure.

Your method requires both computers to be on all the time if they need access on the second one... which uses up a lot more electricity—normally a relatively scarce resource on smaller cruising boats.

It also requires him to reconfigure the Windows laptop based on what network adapter it is using. Using a Nanostation2 to bridge the WAN port on his existing WiFi router means that both laptops are independent of each other and don't need to be re-configured for them to work.

 

[sailingdog]

Alex—

Ummm... what are you talking about?? Setting up a Windows-based PC with two network cards is by definition turning it into a ROUTER... since that is all a router technically is. It is two or more network interface cards connected in a single box to handle traffic from one network to one or more other networks.

Technically, what you're calling a DSL router is a router combined with a DSL modem. A SOHO router, like a LinkSys WRT54G has a Ethernet WAN port that can connect to any ethernet network, whether it comes over a Cable modem's coax connection, a DSL modem's DSL connection or a fiber optic network ONT, or a satellite phone ISDN card.

The NanoStation 2 can be configured either as a WiFi router or a WiFi-to-ethernet bridge. In the instance above, I am suggesting that it be used, in BRIDGE mode to connect the wired ETHERNET WAN port of the existing WiFi router on the boat to the remote WiFi network’s access point. Then both computers on the boat can connect to the local WiFi router's network.

It's different than a router. A router connects to the DSL service provider either cable modem or DSL modem. It then wirelessly route the packet to the end device.

A Bridge acts as a end device wirelessly connect to the router to provide a few RJ45 service for end device. You can daisy chain a router to a bridge to multiple the range. People use bridge to extend distance of wifi coverage without laying cables.

Cisco WET200 Wireless-G Business Ethernet Bridge is an example.

Alex