Reliable WiFi on the boat

Can someone recommend a good wifi system for a cruising boat? Will not be too far off shore. Can probably just use Marina wifi but usually too weak to be of much use and also not secure.

Try stevemitchell’s site SeaBits. He tests this stuff for fun.

We’re using an ancient Apple Airport and it works fine.

My opinion...


Buy a real router that can be a wifi hotspot on your boat and get its internet from a variety of sources, including marina wifi, or cellular.

I use and recommend www.cradlepoint.com

5 G hot spot if its in your area .


Do not take a long term contract , as more areas get 5G a price war should happen.

We seem to have pretty good luck using our iPhones as hotspots. Have tried various router setups, etc....and keep coming back to just the phones.


Am beginning to wonder whether the words "Reliable" "WiFi" and "Boat" can ever be used in the same sentence ;-)

MOST marinas have very weak wifi, just get used to it. I have contemplated a booster but it just isn't that important to me.

Hot spotting with your phone will work for short "spurts" of computer use but will kill your battery both short term (dead battery) and long term (need to buy a new battery).

pete

We use an "o2Air" router from Radio Labs. Marina WiFi as source, but at least we only have to log in that one single device; all of our stuff then connects to that.

Not horribly expensive. The printed set-up direction that came with it are crap. The "wizard" works easily enough, though... as long as you have a clue and also as long as you ignore the printed crap.

When we're moving, if we bother with WiFi we do that via cellphone... and then we can make that a temporary hotspot if necessary to feed other WiFi-only devices. (Rare, underway.)

-Chris

For some time, we contemplated a signal booster too, but ditched that idea because it seems that for the rare marina with strong signals, the bandwidth is insufficient to handle all the traffic (probably movie streaming). Or, the marina network is poorly configured and does not play nicely with VPN (sometimes even requiring a restart of the marina's wifi router)

Wifi

Thanks for all the comments about a wifi system for the boat. I sometimes trade options before the market opens and after it closes so often (not always) need a good reliable and secure signal.

Oh God! Don’t rely on marina wifi for that!

Marina wifi is so unsecure that you should never put anything there that you wouldn't want the whole world to know. No banking info, not even the name of your bank; no account info, not even where you have an account; no personal information such as your full legal name, your birthdate, your home address. Certainly no securities trading--ever. Use your phone hotspot for all that.

So what is marina wifi useful for? Surfing the internet, but be aware that some ISP's record the websites that you have visited.

We have a wifi amplifier that is useful where we are a long way from a marina's antenna. Otherwise it is turned off.

We have the T-Mobile 55+ plan with an additional tablet as our portable home WiFi hotspot. We stream Netflix (included with the plan) and amazon prime using a roku device. 115 GB used this month and still going. We use it in our NJ home,Florida home, and aboard Irish Lady when cruising. Our 37” tv is set to 720p. No freezing at all even while using laptops while watching tv. We use local over the air tv for news and major network stuff.

High Wire said:

We have the T-Mobile 55+ plan with an additional tablet as our portable home WiFi hotspot. We stream Netflix (included with the plan) and amazon prime using a roku device. 115 GB used this month and still going. We use it in our NJ home,Florida home, and aboard Irish Lady when cruising. Our 37” tv is set to 720p. No freezing at all even while using laptops while watching tv. We use local over the air tv for news and major network stuff.

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So is that the $45/line plan? After the 20gb of high speed data you have unlimited 3G data and everything works fine without slowing down or extra charges?

Rossland said:

Marina wifi is so unsecure that you should never put anything there that you wouldn't want the whole world to know. No banking info, not even the name of your bank; no account info, not even where you have an account; no personal information such as your full legal name, your birthdate, your home address. Certainly no securities trading--ever. Use your phone hotspot for all that.

So what is marina wifi useful for? Surfing the internet, but be aware that some ISP's record the websites that you have visited.

We have a wifi amplifier that is useful where we are a long way from a marina's antenna. Otherwise it is turned off.

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Yes, marina wifi is incredibly dangerous as any one else who is on the network can see your traffic. You can get around this with a VPN service. Many reputable services exist for about $30-$45 per year.

Best,

Jeremiah

I use Sprint/Tmobile and since the merger I have been seeing some CRAZY FAST speeds and definitely better coverage as well. I have a military plan through Sprint. I added an extra line of service to an old Galaxy S8 I wasn't using. I turn that into hotspot mode. I then use a regular home router with it in AP Mode (Access Point). This allows for multiple devices to be connected w/ no IP conflicts. Hotspots are finicky, they want to be right next to the device being connected. Also, most will only allow for a few and in some cases ONE connection at a time. The router fixes all those issues and gives the boat GREAT coverage!! I have multiple 4K TV, Sonos system, wireless devices, Polycom IP phone (for work) and we never have an issue!!!

Happy with T-Mobile here

I gave up on our marina WiFi several years ago. I have been with TMobile for several years. I use my iPhone 7 as a hotspot. Under my plan (original 55+ plan) I also pay an additional $25 month for unlimited LTE hotspot data (plus some other international travel voice/text/data enhancements). Easily supports all 4 of us surfing or watching video on iPads. My boys game using phone hotspot as a router/LAN. It works for us as we usually have 4G/LTE coverage. I’ve never been aware of any “throttling” though the fine print says they can under high load situations. My total bill for two phones and unlimited hotspot usage is $85/mo.

The TMobile plan sounds a heck of a lot better than we are getting with ATT. We have the "unlimited" plan under ATT, but after 30GB of hot spot data it chokes down to horse and buggy speed and is essentially useless. I have reviewed the ATT plan and called them to see if there was a way to get more hotspot data - not available. Any other ATT users out there with the same experience? Am I missing something in regards to getting more hot spot data?

Edit, after I posted this I did a quick check of Tmobile and it says 20GB of hot spot data for the UL 55 plan. I am reading posts here saying 100GB. What am I missing?

Fletcher500 said:

The TMobile plan sounds a heck of a lot better than we are getting with ATT. We have the "unlimited" plan under ATT, but after 30GB of hot spot data it chokes down to horse and buggy speed and is essentially useless. I have reviewed the ATT plan and called them to see if there was a way to get more hotspot data - not available. Any other ATT users out there with the same experience? Am I missing something in regards to getting more hot spot data?

Edit, after I posted this I did a quick check of Tmobile and it says 20GB of hot spot data for the UL 55 plan. I am reading posts here saying 100GB. What am I missing?

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Nothing. I think I’m a lucky early adopter of both plans. That said, I’d call T-Mobile and see if they have some options for additional hotspot data. My add-on is called the One Plus International, but is no longer offered. I have no affiliation, but have only had positive experiences with them.

i don't need the Internet much when I'm aboard so my iPhone 11 hot spot works just fine. If I want to download software updates, buy something on Amazon or watch a movie, the hot spot is all I need.

We have the T-Mobile Sr plan. Never had an issue with slowdowns. They sell a hotspot device for about $70 if you want a dedicated “link” on board for monitoring, extra data is about $20 last time I checked. Just purchased a gl-iNet travel modem that can use a tether (phone or hotspot) and it works great! (Reviewed on Panbo.com). I’m going to do a post re wireless cameras, no Internet, etc in about two weeks after I have everything installed and sorted. (Reolink Argus2 camera). We are totally satisfied with tMobile in the PacNW plus they have the best coverage in the San Juan Islands based on our experience the last 15 months.

Drive the marina WiFi wild, view porn on it and then run for public office ROFLMAO

In the Caribbean for non critical stuff can go in to a restaurant or bar and get their PW. Then go back to the boat and use your WifFi booster to surf, FaceTime or WhatsApp.
Recent years we pick up a local phone and a chip for the French islands (orange) then Digicel or what ever is best for the rest . Use our I devices off hot spotting the local,chip. Phones are harder to hack then WiFi even on a vpn. For best security use the fleet one. Save data using Sailmail through the 802 SSB . Get Chris Parker that way for both voice and daily email.
On passage depend on the SSB and fleet one Immarsat. Phone is cheap on satphone but data is expensive.
Coastal on east coast find having different phones on different companies plans works best. That way can nearly always find a tower with a few bars. Don’t game and rarely download films. Mostly watch TV and radio on local channels when in the USA. Haven’t seen the need to incur the expense for satellite TV. Rather read on the iPad during downtime.

Mystic Blue said:

Can someone recommend a good wifi system for a cruising boat? Will not be too far off shore. Can probably just use Marina wifi but usually too weak to be of much use and also not secure.

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This is my area of expertise/what I do for a living. You’ll need to start by defining what’s “good enough” and how much you‘re comfortable spending. If your needs are just to check email, browse the web, and socialize on the trawler forum, then marina WiFi may be good enough. The biggest problem with any large, public WiFi network is that if you’re (your slip is) a long way away from the nearest access point, you’re out of luck. (WiFi boosters are generally worthless unless they are of the 2-piece variety — in which case you’ll be dependent on the marina’s willingness to install one of the 2 units on their end.) Most of the time, the only real solution to poor marina WiFi will be to get a different slip that’s closer to one of the access points. As for the security issue, as others have said, a good VPN service will address that. I recommend TorGuard. It’s one of the (if not THE) best in terms of speed and absolute privacy. And it’s only $5/month if you pay annually.

If you want to watch YouTube videos and reliably stream Netflix and/or Amazon Prime, etc. — or if you need to work from home or conduct business, marina WiFi will definitely be inadequate. (It may be OK sometimes but if enough people decide to watch Netflix at the same time, you’re going to be SOL.) Contrary to what most people think, you only need 5Mbps for an HD stream. Still, marina wifi won’t deliver that reliably. 4G/cellular generally will, though (and much more) as long as you’re not too far from the nearest tower. Adding a mobile hotspot will make your monthly bill go up, though. As for the hotspot device, you can often get one for next to nothing if you’re willing to sign a contract. (Don’t do it - more on that below). A much better bet is to get a SIM card from your cellular provider. (Even if you have to buy a cheap burner phone to do it; you can keep the burner phone as a backup in case you ever lose your main phone overboard.) Plug the SIM card into a 4G modem (get the cheaper one - not the one “w/POE”) and connect an external antenna (mounted outside - the higher the better) using a long, TS9/SMA antenna cable. This setup should get you at least 20Mbps - even some distance out to sea. Note that the Netgear LB1120 is a MODEM - not a ROUTER, so you’ll need to connect it, using an Ethernet cable, to a router.

Important note on buying a router: Please do yourself a favor and do NOT buy a conventional/“porcupine” router with a bunch of antennas sticking off it. You want a *mesh* router system. “Mesh” means that more than one unit work together to provide good coverage all over your boat/home. Mesh systems are superior to conventional/“porcupine” WiFi routers - they’re probably cheaper, too (unless you’re looking at $50-100 routers — bad idea). Mesh systems are expandable, too. A 2-node system will be good enough for an average sized boat - one in the bow, another in the stern. For larger boats, you may want a 3rd unit somewhere in the middle - especially if there’s an upper deck or a flybridge where you spend a lot of time. Get a mesh system from a reputable company - Eero, Orbi, Google Nest, etc. If you’re the type that doesn’t mind spending a little extra to get the very best, you’ll be happiest with the Ubiquiti Amplifi system. If (like me) you’re more the frugal type and like the best bang for the least buck, go for a TP-Link Deco system which will perform well and be considerably cheaper than the aforementioned options.

IMPORTANT NOTE re: the future of internet access... Things are looking bright due to something called LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellite internet. There are some major players (Amazon, SpaceX and others) that are working to bring this to market in 2021. They’re promising 50-100 Mbps speeds for approximately $50/month with no data caps. Unlike current satellite internet from companies like HughesNet (which are all lousy, inadequate, and only worth considering if you have NO other options), these services should provide performance comparable to midrange home broadband service as currently offered by cable internet providers. What makes this possible is that these satellites sit much lower in the sky so that there’s much lower latency (delay) and much higher throughput. But because they’re much lower in the sky than those from Hughes/Dish/DirecTV, they can’t be in “geosynchronous orbit”. To get around this problem, they’re deploying thousands of them (over 7500 for SpaceX/Starlink alone) at altitudes from 200 to 350 miles to create a big satellite “constellation” (mesh network) in the sky. When complete (by late 2021/early 2022), they expect to be able to offer GLOBAL coverage - so you’ll be able to get excellent broadband performance anywhere in the world - even way out to sea on an ocean crossing! LEO Sat internet is coming - and soon - so don’t get locked into any long-term 4g or 5g contracts!

In case anyone is interested - business/enterprise class networking/WiFi is absolutely doable on a boat if you’re someone who needs that. I wouldn’t recommend spending the money on it until LEO Sat is available but if you want to know more, PM me.

Lastly, if there’s sufficient interest (let me know and) I’ll post a primer on basic home internet/networking technology/terminology.

Donny, Thanks very much. This is very helpful.
Still doing investigations, and the links help a lot. Just need good coverage and connection at a marina, anchored nearby or cruising a close to cell towers, at the most 3-5 nm away from land.

Donny Bahama, thanks for your review of what is coming to market. Hopefully, it will work. If it does, it may destroy hard line service. As to marina wifi efficacy, yes, generally, many marinas offer subpar service, but not all. Many marinas have recognized that customers expect good service and customers choose accordingly. The marina in which we live is one. It has installed repeaters on every dock (285 berths). We stream Netflix and other services with ease even on weekends when more folks are jumping on. Still, I would gladly pay $50/month for wholly reliable fast satellite service anywhere. Very exciting.

My Boat is setup with an external wifi AP: MicroTik GrooveA 52HPn and a 951 router for all my wifi devices to connect to. The Groove is used to pull in wifi signals from wherever I can get free wifi and the 951 as my Network.

catalinajack said:

The marina in which we live is one. It has installed repeaters on every dock (285 berths). We stream Netflix and other services with ease even on weekends when more folks are jumping on.

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That’s impressive. They obviously invested heavily in their network. I’m sure they’re passing the cost on but still good to see that they’re paying attention!

DrissZougari said:

My Boat is setup with an external wifi AP: MicroTik GrooveA 52HPn and a 951 router for all my wifi devices to connect to. The Groove is used to pull in wifi signals from wherever I can get free wifi and the 951 as my Network.

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Nice. MicroTik makes good stuff. I bought a MicroTik Routerboard for the rack in my lab. Haven’t installed it yet.

If my shabby memory serves me right, about 10 years ago there was talk about populating the AICW with WiFi towers..... so a traveling boat would never be without WiFi. That would have covered us out to over 2nm into the ocean too. Never happened.

Lastly, if there’s sufficient interest (let me know and) I’ll post a primer on basic home internet/networking technology/terminology.[/QUOTE]

I would be interested in the basic info. I don’t really try to keep up with technology, I leave that to my son and grandsons... The LEO internet sounds exciting. I would go with something like that for home and carry it onto the boat.