Help with Marina Wifi

First, please read the "Wi-Fi on a boat FAQ" at:

There's nothing wrong with having two wireless access points, as long as they're on different channels. If you just move the existing wireless router outdoors, the formerly friendly girl in the office, will not be very happy having her laptop go through 3 walls and probably not work. Therefore, you need two.

There are lots of outdoor access points with removable external antennas. To cover 90 degrees and 850ft, I suggest a sector antenna. These have plenty of gain, a 90-150 degree horizontal pattern, but only a 5-10 degree vertical pattern.

There are also home made version called AMOS/Franklin antennas:

For a marine environment, I would suggest the commercial version.

There are a myriad of possible access points that can be used. It really depends on how and where it's mounted. The best is near the antenna, but that has to be fairly environmentally resistant, and use PoE (Power over Ethernet). To start, I suggest:

However, I've never tried one of these and suspect there may be surprises. However, at about $50, it's cheap enough that a mistake won't be financially fatal.

If lost, you might want to find someone locally with wi-fi experience.

Well, yes I'm a little lost, but I'm trainable! Regarding the bullet, I don't see much info to tell me what it does or how to connect it. I think it goes cable modem---router---bullet---antenna, seems like the router and bullet are redundant, but I'm here to learn. I suspect this will add a second program for the office to deal with. I'd like to make this simple for the office. cable modem---router---antenna There may be a second complicating factor, I think the office has to go through the local cities computer network. (it's a city marina) Help me with the above and I'll learn more about the marina'a system in the next few days. Thanks, Mike

The manual is online but well hidden:

However, it doesn't cover the basics. I'm not sure where to point you. Try the various tutorials, how to's, and papers at:

Yep. The part that's not obvious is that your existing "wireless routers" is actually an "ethernet router" and a "wireless access point" in one package. A "wireless access point" (such as the Bullet thing) is actually just a "wireless ethernet bridge". You can connect any number of "wireless access points" to a single "ethernet router". (Incidentally, such multiple AP arrangements are often called a "wireless switch"). The added Bullet AP is simply plugged into one of the LAN ports on the back of the "ethernet router" section to provide additional coverage. On small complication is that this particular AP derives its power via a PoE adapter, which may make the wiring a bit complicated.

I'm fairly sure I've lost you at this point. Just read the above several times (slowly) until it sinks in. It's not as horrible as it looks. I've marked the buzzwords with double quotes.

Program? Huh? Leave the office system alone. Just add an access point outside.

Nope. The problem is that the office is inside 3 walls from the outside. In effect, you have two isolated coverage areas. You'll probably need two wireless devices. One already exists and is working in the office. Leave it alone. The other is simply added to the existing system.

If true, you've got a MAJOR security problem. To the city, adding wireless access to their network is treated as a "rogue access point" and is strictly discouraged. I smell an unauthorized project. The techology is simple enough. The politics never is.

Methinks you had better get permission from the city IT department before inviting all the local hackers onto their network.

Don't know about the rogue access and major security problem, I just know they have been saying they would get wifi set up for the marina, and now they say the have it. But I don't believe it's useful for anyone on a boat in the marina. I have a 15dbi panel antenna and receive between 15 and 23 signals on any particular day, depends on the wind and tide :-), but I don't see any signal from the marina office. Thanks, Mike

lots of good info here... Might try asking the "office" what the expected range of the WiFi might be ? and then have the "laptop girl" try it outside at various points.... ie - a site survey -

Also - might gently explain that WiFi is like a shining a flashlight on an area... If you can't physically see the access point (or flashlight) from your location - you can't use the signal (light)...

I talked to the office today, Since the access code was distributed to all the boat owners, I think the office thought everyone would have access. I setup my laptop about 30ft from the front door of the office, I did manage to connect but it was very weak. The closest boat is about

120ft. I don't think they could connect. The IT person was supposed to be there today but didn't show. I told the office manager where I wanted the antenna put, I'm would be on the the edge of any useable pattern, but I do have a large boat that docks near me and I want line of sight to the antenna. I'm about 500ft away with a 15dbi panel antenna and I don't see their signal. I think I have a better chance of the system working for me if the IT person is not involved. I ask about the budget for the system and all I got was a smile. Mike