Right at the top of most cruising people’s concerns is the ability to stay connected, to be able to use their smartphones, laptops and tablets, no matter where they are. Spotty Wi-Fi coverage, in-and-out cell networks, expensive (and often hard-to-understand) internet contracts all make for a major source of frustration and irritation. It doesn’t always have to be that way.
Here’s a very clear personal story in Canadian Yachting by Jim Leshaw, a lawyer from Key Biscayne, Florida, who in installed a wireless network on his 34-foot PDQ powercat that lets him work while he’s cruising. And he spent less than $2,500 to set it up.
Leshaw says he equipped his cat with an onboard network so multiple devices – laptops, tablets and smartphones – could connect to Wi-Fi stations and cell networks; he now has fast reliable internet and cell voice service throughout Florida and most of the Bahamas, up to 12 nm offshore. And the system was easy to install and affordable.
Like many coastal cruisers, Leshaw chose to rely on cell and Wi-Fi for his day-to-day communications. He selected a Wave Rogue Pro Wi-Fi antenna, which has the ability to access public Wi-Fi at greater distances and higher speeds than would be possible without an external antenna; this alone is a great benefit to cruisers to overnight in marinas, where the quality of Wi-Fi coverage can range from not-very-good to excellent.
He then installed an onboard wireless network so his Wi-Fi-enabled devices only need to connect to a single network, which is on 24/7. The onboard Wi-Fi system connects to the internet via external Wi-Fi and cell antennas. Read more:
https://www.canadianyachting.ca/diy/upgrades/5035-improving-wifi-on-board
