Your Macerator Pump Professionals Feel the Need For More Internet Speed
Raritan Engineering Company would like to share with you this week amazing tips on how to boost your internet speed while out on the water.
As high-speed, cellular data service extends throughout the coastal U.S. and abroad, the ability to turn your phone into a mobile hotspot (MiFi) has diminished the need for a Wi-Fi connection to a shore-based network.
In the October 2016 issue of Practical Sailor we look at the WiriePro ($700), an integrated antenna/WiFi adapter/router that allows you to quickly connect to the internet using either a shore-based Wi-Fi network or cellular service (2G/3G/4G/LTE).
Every sailor knows that VHF radio range is dependent upon a good-quality antenna mounted as high as possible (see “3dB VHF Antenna Test,” PS February 2007 online).
Plug “Wi-Fi” into the search box on Practical Sailor’s website, and you’ll see a number of articles dating back to 2009 on Wi-Fi boosters and antennas. These range from do-it-yourself solutions costing less than $200 (“An Experiment in Boosting Wi-Fi the DIY Way,” PS April 2014) to our recent report on the latest trend: combination antennas that work with both broadband cellular signals (2G/3G/4G/LTE) and Wi-Fi (“Wi-Fi Booster Versus 4G Cell Data,” PS June 2016).
One of the first Wi-Fi boosters on the scene before the recent explosion in the “marine-grade” Wi-Fi antenna/boosters, was the original Wirie, developed by Mark Kilty and Liesbet Collaert while cruising aboard their 35-foot Fountaine Pajot Tobago, Irie. The new WiriePro uses the same basic package as the original.
The main problem with most of the Wi-Fi equipment we’ve tested is durability in the marine environment. Very few carry long-term warranties. Canada-based Bitstorm is the only maker that we know of who offers and extended 3-year warranty. But just because it doesn’t have the marine label on it, doesn’t mean it won’t last.
Your Macerator Pump Experts Say Upgrading Is Not Always Needed
Your macerator pump specialists know that the WiriePro mounts the Bullet and a 2-dBi wide-band antenna for cellular service (xG/LTE) onto a hard-shell, waterproof (IP67) box. Inside the box is a commercial-grade 2G/3G/4G/LTE router, with access to the slot for installing a cellular provider’s SIM card.
When using cellular systems, The WiriePro will work with GSM carriers worldwide using 3G/4G networks with speeds up to 21 Mbps. In areas with LTE support, speeds of up to 100 Mbps are possible.
There are also some upgrades specifically geared toward sailors, like an optional, integral GPS ($25) that—so long as you are connected to the internet—lets friends follow you online using the free Spotwalla service.
It took testers about a half-hour to temporarily install The WiriePro using the hardware provided. (This did not include running cables through the hull, which would have added another hour or so.)
Most techies recognize that they can set up a Wi-Fi adapter using Ubiquiti’s Bullet for less money (as we have done ourselves), but the Bullet’s native firmware is not the easiest for a novice to manage. In fact, the more simplified interface is the main reason many users will pay more for systems from Wirie, Bitstorm, or Rogue Wave.
Learn more from us here at Raritan Engineering this month about macerator pumps as well as other great marine products.
via A Simplified Internet Connection for Boats