Wireless Internet for a Cruising Boat
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There are a lot of options available for getting wifi while living at a marina or at anchor. Even for a fairly tech-savvy user, the various configurations can become bewildering. Here's the (very) short version of what some of your choices are.
USB wireless adapter: The simplest option, this is just a part that plugs into your computer and has a small antenna, allowing your computer to connect to the internet just like it normally does, but with a slightly improved range.
Repeater: There are dozens of ways to set up a repeater, but they all basically receive a wireless signal just like your regular adapter, but then re-transmit the signal back out so you can connect multiple computers. Typically this is done with a wireless router and some setup headache.
Either system can be set up with an external antenna, either permanently mounted to a rail or mast, or removable. The best range is with a directional antenna (a dish) rather than an omni (regular antenna), but this isn't an option if you're at anchor and swinging around. Some cruisers have even fabricated their own directional antennas using household objects such as a pasta strainer.
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USB wifi | Router (set in repeater mode) | Think of this as "Plan B" |
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