T&T: The WiFi equipment I've been looking for (maybe)

[Elliott Bray]

Over the next few weeks I will be trying out a wifi setup that looks like it
will do some stuff I've been doing the hard way.
This is an external supposedly waterproof Customer Premise Equipment device
designed for the wireless ISP business.
The device is an external directional antenna and wireless router in a small
case designed to be mounted outdoors and is powered by 12v POE(Power over
ethernet) on the single ethernet cable.  MSRP $ 49.

I got carried away and ordered one  http://www.ubnt.com/products/loco.php!!
$58 including shipping.

If you speak Russian (maybe Ukrainian) here is a Youtube installation video
of it's big brother the NanoStation 2.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNaLYIrCleM
And one in Spanish (?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJsnPsDAJ1Q&feature=related

The device can be configured as a bridge or a router.
Here is a Quick-Setup Guide
http://www.ubnt.com/downloads/Nano_Quick_Set-up.pdf for pretty much I would
use it on the boat.

It looks like I can configure it so that I can drive (float) up to the
marina, search for the wireless  AP I want to connect to and connect while
leaving my internal boat router and devices on their own ip subnet. (the
objective of this whole exercise).

The device is directional (60 degrees or so). They talk about a 10km range.
This would have let me connect gracefully to the wifi AP in any marina we
have tried. I'm remembering the outer slip at Orillia, ON.


Manual/documentation is here http://wiki.ubnt.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page


Mounted on a Follow-me-TV mount you could sit at anchor across the bay and
access the marina..


I do have to say, I probably use my cell phone as a tethered modem to my PC
more than wifi but a router inbetween with NAT will give a more secure
feeling about wifi. (I experienced funny stuff after we used an 'open' AP
directly to my laptop in Parry Sound in Georgian Bay).

I'm thinking that I can use my CradlePoint PHS300 (Portable hotspot) to
generate wifi from the phone and then pick it up for the wired ethernet
network. I'll see. If Rube could only visit with me...

I'll report back when I get it and play on this summer's trip.


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Elliott Bray
M/V Letitia - Gulfstar 44 MC
www.loopcruiser.com
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