T&T: Radio Labs Wi-Fi

[John Owen]

A note for info re: wi-fi on-board. I have an HP laptop with built-in wi-fi
which works fine but has very low signal strength. While in the Abacos
(Bahamas) we found we could pick up a local network while in a marina, or
close to their antenna(a few hundred feet), but not in any anchorages. This
past winter I up graded to an SMC-2532 W-B pci card (100 watts), which most
importantly has a port for an external antenna.  We get a very strong signal
with just the card and when I attach the external antenna (8db Omni) have a
range that allows us to get a good signal in most anchorages throughout the
Abaco "hub".

The SMC card bought on-line, but had a time finding the antenna that would
connect. I did find a good outfit in S. Florida that has, or can make almost
any combination of cables/connectors. They have a packaged "marine wi-fi
antenna" that includes a standard marine antenna mount.

Sharper Concepts, Inc.
www.sharperconcepts.net
info@sharperconcepts.net


Happy with the rig so far.  No connection, blah, blah.

JohnO
CHB 41 INTERLUDE
Jacksonville, Fl


-----Original Message-----
From: trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com
[mailto:trawlers-and-trawlering-bounces@lists.samurai.com]On Behalf Of
Steven Dubnoff
Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 10:32 PM
To: Gil Johnson
Cc: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com
Subject: Re: T&T: Radio Labs Wi-Fi

>All, I purchased the marine Wi-Fi antenna system from Radio Labs and
thought
>I'd post my initial findings.

I also have one of these (as well as another, similar system) sitting
on my shelf and your post inspired me to do a head to head test.

As a comparison, I tried this:

http://www.netgate.com/product_info.php?products_id=328

which consists of a small Senao EUB-362 200mw USB adapter, and an 8.5
db Hyperlink antenna, plus a mount and assorted other goodies.  I am
not using, nor would I use, the 20' of coax that is included, because
a much better idea is to buy a male/male "RP-SMA gender changer" on
ebay and hook the three foot pigtail on the antenna directly to the
usb adapter (There is, at least on my boat, enough room to lead the
pigtail through the roof to the adapter).

For a cogent explanation of why you don't want a long coax lead going
to your wifi antenna and why the antenna height above the water does
not really matter, see this:

http://tinyurl.com/nnycz


In the fit and finish department, I have to say the Radio Labs system
has fewer connections and is thus less likely to give problems, and
its software is _much_ superior.  The Senao adapter supports the
faster G protocol, but I don't think that is much importance since B
adapters can talk to a G access points.

The important thing is, with both of these systems, set up side by
side, connected to two laptops, on my desk, the clear winner is the
Seneo/Hyperlink system.  With the Radio Labs system, I can see my own
access point and that of on immediate neighbor.  With the
Seneeo/Hyperlink system, I can see these, plus my other immediate
neighbor (two access points) and three other access points.  Since
that is, after all, what matters, I would recommend the netgate.com bundle.

Best,

Steve



Steve Dubnoff
1966 Willard Pilothouse
www.mvnereid.com
sdubnoff@circlesys.com
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