WiFi while cruising - best solutions

[KevinC]

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.

Nav app will just need cached or local stored data and a GPS signal. You don't need a cell phone connection for the GPS to work.

-Kevin

 

[liv2ryde100]

so just to get an understanding u guys buy a hotspot from a cell carrier like verizon, pay a monthly fee, then u boost that signal with an antenna?

 

[b_arrington]

so just to get an understanding u guys buy a hotspot from a cell carrier like verizon, pay a monthly fee, then u boost that signal with an antenna?

Not exactly.

The hotspots from carriers are small, not hardwired, and are difficult (or impossible) to attach to an external antenna of any sort. They are kind of a convenience device.

What many of us have done is buy a purpose-built mobile router intended for RVG/Marine/Mobile applications. They have multiple antenna ports where the standard paddle antennas can be screwed in, but can also be used with a high performance external multi-band antenna. We buy a plan from the mobile carrier, and insert the physical SIM card into the router.

The two are similar in concept, but the hardware execution, features, and performance are significantly different.

 

[Skybolt]

Anyone willing to read a complete post should reread this one and follow the links with in.

http://clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/wifi-while-cruising-best-solutions.113399/#post-1411771

All of the trial and tribulation and other possibilities.

Also the Starlink thread for sat service.

 

[Skybolt]

Good point about swing at anchor, Skybolt. So your PL router must be 4 x 4 as well? What model do have?

As mentioned, yes 4x4

I am using the following:
Peplink Max BR1 Pro 5G
Peplink Maritime 40G 4x4 mimo <-- Cell antenna w/GPS
Poynting Omni-496 <-- 2.4/5 WiFi

 

[liv2ryde100]

Not exactly.

The hotspots from carriers are small, not hardwired, and are difficult (or impossible) to attach to an external antenna of any sort. They are kind of a convenience device.

What many of us have done is buy a purpose-built mobile router intended for RVG/Marine/Mobile applications. They have multiple antenna ports where the standard paddle antennas can be screwed in, but can also be used with a high performance external multi-band antenna. We buy a plan from the mobile carrier, and insert the physical SIM card into the router.

The two are similar in concept, but the hardware execution, features, and performance are significantly different.

ok great thanks, this will def be a future project for me....

 

[KevinC]

Not exactly.

The hotspots from carriers are small, not hardwired, and are difficult (or impossible) to attach to an external antenna of any sort. They are kind of a convenience device.

What many of us have done is buy a purpose-built mobile router intended for RVG/Marine/Mobile applications. They have multiple antenna ports where the standard paddle antennas can be screwed in, but can also be used with a high performance external multi-band antenna. We buy a plan from the mobile carrier, and insert the physical SIM card into the router.

The two are similar in concept, but the hardware execution, features, and performance are significantly different.

Some of the new "Home Internet" routers that work off 5G have the ability to be hardwired too. The also can be used as an access point themselves and some have external antenna connections. With these plans the carriers are also pushing "unlimited". I know a number of people with T-Mobile and Verizon units using them on boats.

-Kevin