Marina WiFi - wireless bridge - Maxum Boat Owners Club

PJHoffnet · 03-23-2017, 03:17 PM

Nice WiFi coverage in our marina (our slip is right next to a repeater antenna) but we're limited to having two devices connected at a time.

Since between my wife and myself we have at least our phones and tablets desiring WiFi, then toss in a laptop too and well, you see the picture.

My plan is to purchase a wireless bridge to receive the marina WiFi (one device connected) and then input that into a WiFi router to service our boat's network.

Any suggestions for the bridge? The boat came with a light saber looking wand with a USB plug on it that I'm assuming is some sort of WiFi receiver antenna and one fixed mounted Shakespeare antenna (shorter and fatter than VHF) that I'm guessing is either a WiFi or maybe so other type of comms antenna?? (I'll look closer at it this afternoon after the downpours stop).

I'd think a bridge that could use an external antenna would be a plus in places with weaker signals.

I've also read a bit about using a WiFi router as a bridge also, this certainly cuts out the cost of the bridge, but I'm pretty sure the WiFi router I'll be using for the boat's WiFi network doesn't accept an external antenna input. Probably not a big deal in my marina, but problematic for weaker signals in other places.

Thanks in advance,

Kevlar7r · 03-23-2017, 03:22 PM

Doesn't solve all the issues you mentioned, but this repeater could work.

Kevlar7r · 03-23-2017, 03:25 PM

Oops, hit send...

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Wi-Fi.../dp/B00E98O7GC

I have used these in a couple of places and they work very well. You could log it in to their Wi-Fi, and rebroadcast a different ssid.

This doesn't solve your external antenna problem, and would require you to be on shore power, but a very inexpensive solution.

Kevlar7r · 03-23-2017, 03:28 PM

That other antenna might be AIS. Those antennas are technically vhf, but often 1/3 or 1/2 the length of a regular vhf antenna.

PJHoffnet · 03-23-2017, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevlar7r

That other antenna might be AIS. Those antennas are technically vhf, but often 1/3 or 1/2 the length of a regular vhf antenna.

Copy, will check it out for additional identifiers.

PJHoffnet · 03-24-2017, 01:39 AM

This is my unknown antenna. It sits on top of a Shakespeare extender. There is a label at its base, but it's completely sun bleached.

Kevlar7r · 04-06-2017, 11:29 PM

No clue on that one. Sorry

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