Wireless IN from ISP to wired OUT inhouse - possible?

Your problem is that you will probably need a directional antenna on the boat to get any kind of range from your WISP. Since gyro stabilized WiFi antennas aren't particularly common, you aren't going to be able to get the connection to the boat. Distributing on the boat is no problem as an omni antenna will give you the coverage.

Of course if money is no object, you can look into Inmarsat satellite service or have someone build a custom gyro mount for you.

Actually, I do need the internet connection. That's the major point.

I want to have wireless broadband in to my boat. I am calling the receiver/router a "base station". I will then either run cables to my fixed pc's, and if possible have short range wireless from the "base station" to a laptop. IOW, having a wireless receiver/sender into which I can plug a router so that I may access the internet from all of the pc's on my in-boat network is the essential desire.

Have mine set up that way (wireless network with non internet connection in boat, RV, plane etc, just use it for the wireless network part), and never had it interfere with navigation, just had a problem with a cordless phone on the boat and the wireless network (changed channels and all was fine). When any sort of connection (WiFi, cable, sat, cell etc) is available, it's just a shared resource to other clients on the network.

DL> If im reading you right you want to have you want to setup a wireless

If im reading you right you want to have you want to setup a wireless network on your boat. Thats exactly what wireless is for...You do not have to have a Internet connection to the wireless router to creat a network.

A boat would be a great place for a wireless network, except, and Im not to sure on the frequencies involved in marine equipment, but Radar and Radioused on your boat might cause interferance, you would have to look into that.

If you would like all your systems to be wireless just purchace PCI, USB or PCMCIA Wireless client adapters for your systems and a wireless router. The router you would want to place in a central location between your systems for best signal performance.

No Special equipment needed, just your everyday on sale wireless networking equipment will do.

Robert...

Actually, there are companies that specialize in providing wireless broadband to and through marina's. So the transmitter would not be far away. In Baltimore's harbor there are at least 3 marina's with wireless available, and I expect the rest will be soon. It's happening all along the coast.

Verizon is also rolling out their wireless broadband using the same cell towers they use for cellular telephone. Not as fast as a cable modem at home, but far faster than any dialup.

Sorry to be confusing. But I'm very new to wireless hardware. So if I am asking a "is 2 + 5 = 5" kind of question please excuse me.

What I have seen to date, is a wireless router hardwired to the internet (DSL or cable), allowing wireless access from the cable modem to the owners's computers. So, like having cable internet, cabled from wall to modem, then to wireless router, but then wireless to various pc's. Seen that many times. Bog standard my english friends would say.

What I am not clear about is whether this can be easily done in the reverse direction:

Wireless ISP into my wireless router, then ethernet cable out to my pc's and Vonage phone.

Any other questions I might have would be dependant upon that answer.

Can I ask which hardware you use? And if you wanted to link your in-boat network to a wireless ISP, such as offered at many marina's along the ICW, how would you do that? Would the wireless router you use also make the broadband internet connect (if compatible standard of course)?

ok so you want to set it up just like any other wireless network sharing an internet connect..... So can I ask you what your question is? Because im lost......

Do you already have a basestation to recieve your Internet? Does it plug into a computer via ethernet? A wireless router will have ethernet ports and wireless built in to connect your pcs and laptop.

Robert...

True. I was thinking that the OP wanted it for use while the boat was away from the marina.

Thats not reverse, thats the way wireless networking works.....your wireless ISP basestation would plug into the wireless router just like DSL would.......

he means he wants a wireless connection from his router to the internet, but is then happy with wired links from the router to his PCs on the boat. Presumably he wants to be able to dock and connect to a local hotspot.

To the OP: the simplest way would be to set up one of hte PCs as a wireless client, connecting to wherever the local wireless internet service is. Then on this PC, route traffic to your wired lan.

Ok, they exist? Great. (As i said i'm new to wireless)

Not a problem with those.

So what is the industry term for what I call a "base station"? Any specific examples? I don't think I see them in the retail ads, unless I don't know what I'm seeing. Regular routers, though, advertised everywhere.

That would be nice, and that day is coming. At present, being able to have it daily while living aboard in a marina, and also being able to access other broadband nodes while cruising, when at - or very near - other marina's that offer access, will be quite sufficient.

Yep. :)

That makes sense. That will work for me if no "base station" is available.

So pc #1 would be the access device using common wireless hardware. Then a basic router would be downstream of it, splitting off to other pc's and devices. I guess I then set up internet connection sharing in the OS.

In the long run I'd like to be able to have the computer(s) off and just a base/router on. But the above approach will get me started and operational.

Thanks!

Yes.

Some retail APs are capable of being recievers as well as transmitters. I seem to recall that "repeater" or "bridge" mode is what you're looking for.

A cheap approach would be to use a monitorless linux box for the wireless client. Configure it and get it running with a monitor and kbd, then install VNC or similar, so you can administer it remotely. Effectively you're making your own wireless bridge.

Ok, so I'll go looking for a "bridge". I'll report back when I have solutions in hand.

The linux box would be great for land based, but I'd rather not have another computer running in addition to the 3 I already will have, if I can avoid it.

Thanks for your and everyone's time responding to my queries.

Euh, don' t forget that a router is nothing more than a dedicated computer. Your linux box would be no different.

Granted. But remember I am setting this up on a boat. If I can run a self contained, purpose built device the size of a small book, rather than a personal computer (even sans keyboard and monitor) it would be a lot easier, much, much smaller, and use less power. (If it uses 9-14v DC that would be super, but even a unit with a small AC>DC adapter would draw minimal current.)

Thanks again for your info.