WiFi while cruising - best solutions

A

AllanS

Active Member
Oct 30, 2020
180
Boat Info
1989 440 Aft Cabin
Engines
Twin Caterpiller 3208 (375 HP)
Anyone find a solid solution to getting WiFi while cruising, not just in marinas, but while cruising or at anchor?

I currently have a MoFi 4500 cellular router with a Proxicast omnidirectional antenna, which works fairly well, but looking for better reception. Leaning towards better antenna selection, but could use some advice. Anyone tried a directional cellular antenna on a boat, rotating to achieve max reception? Are there better omnidirectional antennas?
 
I use a hot spot which is cellular and and the wifi connects to that, the computer works off that and I have you tube TV which connects to that, this system has worked for me for 4 years. I have unlimited data on the hot spot and its just a $20 a month extra charge on my cell bill.
 
Atrick, what hotspot device fo you use, and does it have external antenna(s).

Starling, well, too expensive, and I don’t like patronizing Elon Musk! Plus, I’ve already invested in MoFi.
 
I use a blue tooth adapter and the SXM app from my phone works killer
 
AllanS said:
Atrick, what hotspot device fo you use, and does it have external antenna(s).

Starling, well, too expensive, and I don’t like patronizing Elon Musk! Plus, I’ve already invested in MoFi.
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I'm using one from AT&T right now but they don't have it any more but I'm grandfathered in but I think Verizon has same thing. Took boat from Baltimore to NC and had signal the whole trip plus use it in truck when driving from PA to and from NC. The new phones have it so they can be used as a hot spot also.
 
I use a Cradlepoint IRB600C. Setup is a bit complicated, but the nice part about it is that when you are in your home-port marina, with wifi, it will use Marina wifi, when out of range of your marina wifi, it will switch to cellular somewhat seamlessly. You can use any cellular network (sim card required). The best part of it is, you have your own boat wifi name and connect your devices to that wifi. And the cradlepoint will manage whether it is connected to a marina wifi or cellular data, your devices are always connected to your boat wifi.
 
I must be missing something on this whole 'long-range' WiFi thing. What are the odds, at anchor, of being able to receive a WiFi connection to which you know the password?

I use a hotspot on my boat serviced by T-Mobile, which seems to have the most reachable towers in my cruising area. I'm always on the lookout for better hotspot plans. My current one is $50 / month for 100 Gb.

I've been looking for a decent MIMO antenna that mounts to a a standard 1" - 14 marine mount, but haven't been able to find one. Anyone have any ideas on that?
 
bobeast said:
I must be missing something on this whole 'long-range' WiFi thing. What are the odds, at anchor, of being able to receive a WiFi connection to which you know the password?

I use a hotspot on my boat serviced by T-Mobile, which seems to have the most reachable towers in my cruising area. I'm always on the lookout for better hotspot plans. My current one is $50 / month for 100 Gb.

I've been looking for a decent MIMO antenna that mounts to a a standard 1" - 14 marine mount, but haven't been able to find one. Anyone have any ideas on that?
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Not missing much, there isn't any wifi once you leave the slip and why the peplink, or fore mentioned cradle point, is the only options for the most part. As mentioned in this thread and many others, you really need cell service to run alongside the wifi connectivity. How ever you want to dish up the cell service doesn't really matter. The peplink I find to be one of the best and have your own wifi router for the boat. The peplink also supports starlink sat service as does the cradle point. The Peplink is going to be a lot less expensive then the cradle point however.
 
Thanks for the input guys. Just curious:

1. I think my MoFi 4500 is similar to the Pepwave and Cradle Point, yes?

2. Are you using an external antenna on your Pepwave or Cradle Point, and if so, which?
 
AllanS said:
Thanks for the input guys. Just curious:

1. I think my MoFi 4500 is similar to the Pepwave and Cradle Point, yes?

2. Are you using an external antenna on your Pepwave or Cradle Point, and if so, which?
Click to expand...

I've been using those silly little paddle antennas with my Pepwave router. Reception has been spotty in my shed. I just ordered the Pepwave Maritime 20G, and hope to get it installed next weekend. I like its mount because you don't have to reverse-twist the cables in order to screw it down to the marine mount.
 
AllanS said:
Thanks for the input guys. Just curious:

1. I think my MoFi 4500 is similar to the Pepwave and Cradle Point, yes?

2. Are you using an external antenna on your Pepwave or Cradle Point, and if so, which?
Click to expand...

Not familiar with that unit. But yes I use external antenna's - cost as much as the PL 5G though.

Peplink Maritime 40G <-- Cell antenna w/GPS
Poynting Omni-496 <-- 2.4/5 WiFi

These antenna's are game changers for the PL. I get great service when my cell can't even work.
When using a marina's wifi I have to turn the power down because the signal get saturated and overloads the PL.

Very happy with this setup, worth the money spent on it.
 
All I know is on the Upper Chesapeake the cell reception is so bad on the water that it makes using your phone as a hotspot impossible.
 
SKybolt said:
Not familiar with that unit. But yes I use external antenna's - cost as much as the PL 5G though.

Peplink Maritime 40G <-- Cell antenna w/GPS
Poynting Omni-496 <-- 2.4/5 WiFi

These antenna's are game changers for the PL. I get great service when my cell can't even work.
When using a marina's wifi I have to turn the power down because the signal get saturated and overloads the PL.

Very happy with this setup, worth the money spent on it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing…yeah, the PL antennas aren’t cheap, but i guess you get what you pay for. I’ve considered trying a directional mimo antenna, but wonder how difficult it would be to tune the direction for the best reception, not underway, of course, but while anchored, morred or docked. Thoughts?
 
AllanS said:
Thanks for sharing…yeah, the PL antennas aren’t cheap, but i guess you get what you pay for. I’ve considered trying a directional mimo antenna, but wonder how difficult it would be to tune the direction for the best reception, not underway, of course, but while anchored, morred or docked. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

The 40G is a 4x4 mimo and works fantastically. A directional one is for a stationary object like a parked RV or a house. On anchor you would be swinging way to much to be effective.
 
SeaNile said:
All I know is on the Upper Chesapeake the cell reception is so bad on the water that it makes using your phone as a hotspot impossible.
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With my setup, I can watch live sports or stream what ever I like while in Fairlee Creek using the cell signal, as crazy as that sounds. All while my phone is next to useless.
 
Thats odd. I have a cool nav app on phone called Argo. Just like you big boat guys have chart plotter. Works great.
Have never lost signal anywhere on upper bay.
Iphone, Verizon, never lost signal.
 
Good point about swing at anchor, Skybolt. So your PL router must be 4 x 4 as well? What model do have?
 
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