Onboard Isolation Network Solution Needed

KSalibs

KSalibs

Member
Feb 15, 2015
117
Brick NJ
Boat Info
2003 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer Ray Marine RL70 CRC Plus W/ radar.
Engines
Mercruser MX 6.2 MPI V-Drives
So my most recent project has me scratching my head for a solution... Perhaps someone ells has already accomplished this...

I'm in the process of updating my entertainment package. Id like to ultimately have Smart TV, Apple TV (sling box) Garmin products phones and tablets on a isolated wireless vessel network...

The Goal is to have a device that can pick up a provided Wifi signal from my house or at the marina we may be at. Then plum that internet signal into a wireless access point that I will connect all my devices to... This will allow all the devices to connect to each other. Blu charts to GPS Map...Phone to apple TV... Run spotify right off smart TV and control with phone... the list goes on. The reason this is so desirable is once this is set up i would never have to worry about connecting all these devices every-time to the new networks we use every time we travel... Instead I would just have to connect this one device... still don't even know if this "device" exists yet...


The only thing i have came up with is putting a small computer on the boat and utilizing Windows internet sharing... which will allow me to connect the computer to the interned then share it to a wireless access point that i can connect the devices to... not ideal but a solution none the less...

Has anyone else tried to do anything like this??? If so please let me know how and what products you used... Clearly I'm not interested in getting a satellite for internet lol to much dough...
 
Adios Dinero said:
You could setup a wireless range extender like this:

http://www.ampedwireless.com/family/repeaters.html

That would connect to whatever wireless access point is available.
Then just connect your devices to the range extender.

Neal
Click to expand...

was looking at that option but i have something like this t my house just to get the signal out to my dock and when you connect to it you still have to log into the main network from each device... (home or marina)

i need something like this but i would need to be able to log into the main network using the range extender then anything that you connect to the range extender has a free pass. eliminating the need to log everything into the network every time we change ports...
 
You probably should look at a Cradlepoint router, see here: https://cradlepoint.com/products/mbr1200b. I use one on my boat and there are several threads on this site describing implementations, including some good diagrams. This is a "failover" router that will shift from signal to signal based on a user-set priority. It also has "wifi as WAN" capability so that the primary internet input can be any available wifi signal. It can also accept a wired WAN input such as a Rogue or similar wifi antenna as well as an air card. So, in my setup, all my devices are connected to the Cradlepoint by wifi. The Cradlepoint's first priority input is my marina's wifi. Second priority is my phone's wireless hotspot (I used to use an air card but the hotspot actually works better for me). When I get underway and the marina's signal fails, the router fails over to my hotspot. If I visit a marina I've been to previously, the router already has that wifi stored and the router shifts over to that. If it's a new (to me) wifi I log in through the router's web page which is all the manual intervention ever needed. All other devices remain logged in to the router and never need to be changed.
 
I use this pepwave device. It connects to other wifi networks for wifi internet access then your other devices connect to it. You can predefine a ssid and password that is static. In our case I use the same credentials as we do at home so it's seamless for the family. If you connect to a wireless network for the first time only one device has to authenticate to grant access to all. I like it because I can cache wireless networks at marinas we frequent so as soon as we pull in we're connected. You can also connect it to your mobile hotspot and share the connection without reapplying credentials to each device. Comes in handy with Apple tv's, iPads, iPhones etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Peplink-Pepwa...8&qid=1449191873&sr=8-1&keywords=pepwave+mini
 
WOW!!!! and to think i almost didn't post this... Thank you Irie308 and Alnav! im so excited to have found a solution... Ill prob go with the cradelpoint product as i will need the LAN ports for the smart TV... you both have received legendary status in my book...

thanks again guys!
 
We have used cradlepoint for years, in fact just in process of upgrading to the mbr1200b as the old one finally stopped working after about 10 years.
 
Basically any travel router that supports WISP will do what you need. The Pepwave and Cradelpoint products look good, but you can find stuff a lot cheaper that will do the trick too. The Trendnet AC750 (Google this: TEW-817DTR) and TP-LINK TL-WR710N are a few other options for you. Since they are consumer targeted devices, you might find more community support too.
 
SmilingMonkey said:
Basically any travel router that supports WISP will do what you need. The Pepwave and Cradelpoint products look good, but you can find stuff a lot cheaper that will do the trick too. The Trendnet AC750 (Google this: TEW-817DTR) and TP-LINK TL-WR710N are a few other options for you. Since they are consumer targeted devices, you might find more community support too.
Click to expand...

but it doesn't accept a cell modem with auto failover like the cradlepoint does. Not necessarily part of the original question, but important if you want web access while away from the dock (and within about 15-20 miles of shore).
 
Sea Gull said:
... if you want web access while away from the dock (and within about 15-20 miles of shore).
Click to expand...

I'd love to hear your solution on cell service 20nm offshore. I assume you're referring to regular cell signal 4G LTE or 3G (not satellite).

From my experience, you can get low signal (mostly 3G, as 4G has much shorter range) within 5nm offshore in metropolitan areas. Once you're passing rural regions, you'll be lucky to have signal 2nm offshore. I think your experience with regular cell is similar, since we cruise in the same area.
 
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Sea Gull said:
but it doesn't accept a cell modem with auto failover like the cradlepoint does. Not necessarily part of the original question, but important if you want web access while away from the dock (and within about 15-20 miles of shore).
Click to expand...

you're right, that one doesn't but there are plenty out there that do: TP-LINK TL-MR3020 - $38 on Amazon

In the end, each will do the job it just comes down to how much you want to spend. For me (and how I would use it), the consumer level device for $38 is better value than the $150+ business level device. Just pointing out options...
 
SmilingMonkey said:
Another option is the Rogue Wave Wifi device (wavewifi.com). Pricey, but does exactly what KSalibs asked for and is built for the marine environment.
Click to expand...

I've used Rogue PRO for few years now. Very good unit. Unlike with cell boosters, this one really does the job. Although, the advertisement of "up to 7 miles range" is too optimistic, you catch netwroks within 2-3 miles range.

I wanted to mention that I don't know your situation and demand for automatic failover, but I'm being in IT business, found it not a real necessaty. In fact, when I was using Cradlepoint routers, I preferred manual fail over, knowing exactly when it took place and how long I'm using it. Otherwise, as you can imagine, with unlimited data plans no longer present, your wireless bill will jump through the roof.
 
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We use a Digital Yacht modem (and antenna) with a Linksys router. This does just what the op asked for. I access the Digital Yacht modem through its ip address to choose the wifi signal I want to connect with, and then use my own personal password protected router to network my devices. The Digital Yacht modem is DC, and they also sell DC routers which would be the preferred if you wanted to cruise without running a generator or inverter. The modem has range of several miles and works great. My marina's wifi signal is much stronger and faster when ran through my system than when I access the marina's wifi directly.
 
Alex F said:
I've used Rogue PRO for few years now. Very good unit. Unlike with cell boosters, this one really does the job. Although, the advertisement of "up to 7 miles range" is too optimistic, you catch netwroks within 2-3 miles range.

I wanted to mention that I don't know your situation and demand for automatic failover, but I'm being in IT business, found it not a real necessaty. In fact, when I was using Cradlepoint routers, I preferred manual fail over, knowing exactly when it took place and how long I'm using it. Otherwise, as you can imagine, with unlimited data plans no longer present, your wireless bill will jump through the roof.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the Great Input! Fortunatly I really doubt ill be using while that far off shore... wish i looked at some of the options provided later on in the tread. I was so excited to find a product that fit my needs i jumped on it! I whent with the cradel point unit. got it for 199... little more thqn I intended to spend but you get what you pay for i suppoese...

Alex F.... you wouldnt happen to have tied up with Sea Cure or Sea duced in the past have you? (goveners cut, barnigat Bay... a few years ago) if you are who I think you are then my family and I are meeting you in Key west for New years... let me know! thanks again for the feed back!
 
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KSalibs said:
Thanks for all the Great Input! Fortunatly I really doubt ill be using while that far off shore... wish i looked at some of the options provided later on in the tread. I was so excited to find a product that fit my needs i jumped on it! I whent with the cradel point unit. got it for 199... little more thqn I intended to spend but you get what you pay for i suppoese...

Alex F.... you wouldnt happen to have tied up with Sea Cure or Sea duced in the past have you? (goveners cut, barnigat Bay... a few years ago) if you are who I think you are then my family and I are meeting you in Key west for New years... let me know! thanks again for the feed back!
Click to expand...

test
 
KSalibs said:
... Alex F.... you wouldnt happen to have tied up with Sea Cure or Sea duced in the past have you? (goveners cut, barnigat Bay... a few years ago) if you are who I think you are then my family and I are meeting you in Key west for New years... let me know! thanks again for the feed back!
Click to expand...

Haha, what a small world.......SeaDuced (formerly SeaCure), that's my good friends Robert and Diane. I have been tied up with them many times over the years (goveners cut, tices shoal, high bar harbor, you name it...).


Looking forward to see you in Key West.

Don't be shy and jump on the KW thread: http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/74941-New-Year-in-Key-West
 
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Is anyone using T-Mobile's Binge-On service? Our marina WiFi has been down more than it's been working this fall, so I bought a T-Mobile hotspot to stream on the Apple-TV. Their data plans of 2 GB and above include Binge-On, which is free 480p streaming of services including Netflix, Hulu, HBO Go/+, ESPN, Slingbox etc.

It worked great for me for 20 mins the first day, and then slowed to a crawl. After 25 mins. in an online helpdesk chat session, the rep determined it was an "outage in the area". It worked again the next day, but the day after that the marina fixed the WiFi. (of course)

I decided to keep the hotspot anyway, but I haven't used it enough to know how often "outages" occur. If it's reasonably reliable, it really makes me question the monthly extortion fees I'm paying DirecTV.

I'm with Alex on the auto-failover. When the Apple-TV is on WiFi, I allow it to download huge screensaver and update files. I disable that before switching over to 4G.
 
Alex F said:
Haha, what a small world.......SeaDuced (formerly SeaCure), that's my good friends Robert and Diane. I have been tied up with them many times over the years (goveners cut, tices shoal, high bar harbor, you name it...).


Looking forward to see you in Key West.

Don't be shy and jump on the KW thread: http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/74941-New-Year-in-Key-West
Click to expand...

Will do thanks. Yes , Roberts my father in law. I have met you in the real world at one point lol. Should be a great time!
 
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