If you bought one of their products and wanted the most flexibility with reception in the future I would only go with the most expensive one they show, the extreme.
I'm running basically the same parts that they are right now and sending this post at least 2 -3 miles to a marina free hot spot and it might be 4-5 miles away as it is some place at Boca Grande and we are anchored by Cayo Costa to the south across the cut into Port Charlotte Harbor.
You can buy the parts from different sources for about $40 less than what they sell the kits for, but I wouldn't do it unless you know your way around a computer. Buying from them will take figuring how to configure the system out of the equation I would hope.
I'd also recommend these guys....
http://www.islandtimepc.com/marine_wifi.html
... They are sailboat cruisers and I've seen them help people on line that didn't even buy their product. They are a little more, but offer a slightly stronger antenna than the other place and I'm using what they are using.
On the antenna you don't want it to be much stronger or you will possibly loose the signal as the boat rolls on anchor in wind. The difference in the 6 and the 8 is not too much. I'm using a Bullet 2HP radio that is the strongest radio that Ubiquiti makes for this application. They make a couple that look the same (they are the round thing attached to the base of the antenna in the pictures). Bad Boy is buying from them and putting their name on it, so from the pictures I can't tell which Bullet they are using.
Most people feel that an ideal height for the antenna is about 12 feet and I agree. Higher and if you are in close you might be trying to receive over the wifi hotspot's antenna. 12 feet will see line of sight over the earth's curvature at 5 miles and you aren't going to pick up and send these weak signals further anyway, so going higher doesn't really gain anything for you like it would with a VHF antenna. Here is our....
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-navigation/WiFi-1.html
.....antenna that swings up and down in just a minute. I've been leaving it up all the time on the water. You can see the Bullet attached to the base of the antenna. Remember that wifi is a 2-way deal and they have to receive your signal, it isn't just about receiving theirs
.
I have more on my site..........
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor-navigation/Compter-Nav-index.html
.................. and also info on the low power 12 volt PC that I built that we are also using as a chart plotter. It has worked great down here with the NOAA charts and is very accurate and has gotten us up into some good anchorages that the other boats have not ventured into since you are going in on a very narrow track with shallows close by.
The computer, monitor, router and Bullet radio are using less than 3 amps and that is only when accessing the disc drive, so that is less than 40 watts total. Way less than Ruth's or my laptop use. I'm/we are very happy with it and the chart plotter has already been a great help with the 9 inch screen vs. the small screen on the handheld (lots of detail).
Good luck,
Sum
