Wireless (cellular) Internet Access

Boat Systems
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1

I’m trying to figure out the best way to provide Internet access to the boat via wireless (cellular) providers. This would be very useful in countries where StarLink isn’t available, or where wireless is less expensive than StarLink.

I will have StarLink, plus a PredictWind DataHub. From the PredictWind website:

A PredictWind DataHub utilizes “least cost routing” by automatically selecting the cheapest available internet connection to send data, whether it be through a cellular network, Wi-Fi hotspot, or satellite connection like Iridium, effectively minimizing your data costs depending on your location, prioritizing cheaper options like cellular when available over more expensive satellite connections; essentially, it intelligently switches between networks to find the most economical option for sending data at any given time.

The cellular connection can be through a tethered phone, wireless hotspot, or a cellular router. I’ll have a spare Google Pixel phone on board that I use with my drone, or I could tether my iPhone, or I could get a wireless router and mount a permanent wireless antenna on a spreader.

The router and external antenna is a nice option, as I’m sure that it would provide a better signal, but that would require getting a SIM card just for it, and potentially other ones for our phones while ashore. But it’s another piece of hardware to maintain.

Using the spare phone works well, but probably provides less signal strength. It also requires getting a SIM.

Using my iPhone via tether is by far the simplest, as it’s existing hardware, but that would preclude taking it ashore and using it for things like Google Translate, and I want to use the anchor drag alarm, so leaving the phone on the boat fails in multiple ways.

I’m just wondering what other people have done.

Thanks, and Happy New Year!

2

Kynsna Installed a cellular modum antenna on the mast for our boat. The modem just requires a SIM card. It works well. Very inexpensive and we use this for our cameras that require internet access.

3

Do you have any details on what was installed? Also, the thought of going up the mast to install a SIM doesn’t thrill me.

4

I will see if I can check my original paperwork but the modem is actually in the equipment room so you only put the Sim card in the modem and it’s wired to an antenna up on the mast. Basically the antenna just helps with the expand cell phone signal when you’re off shore. We find it works very well but can’t be too far off shore. We use it for all our cameras, Internet, movies. We are just currently working on getting Starlink so this is our only form of Internet and I do work on the boat and it works pretty well. When we go offshore we hook up iridium go . I’m go but we are currently working on getting Starlink So far getting a Sim card is pretty easy and we switch carriers for the best deal and best service currently with T-Mobile my husband gets a veterans discount so it’s pretty inexpensive

5

This from our contract

1 x omni-directional, marine & coastal WiFi WAN antenna

6

Its the Milesight “Industrial Celular Router” UR75 with a Poynting antenna which is mounted on the spreaders. It is a 4G solution and does not do 5G - you might want to consider if there is a 4G/5G version.

As Tracey says the sim goes into the router in the equipment locker.

In the past we have used a spare phone hoisted up the mast in a dry bag in the rare cases that the signal wasn’t strong enough at deck level.

7

Thanks for the info on the router. The UR75 looks fine. I thought the router was mounted on the mast, so there wouldn’t be any signal loss due to the cable length.

8

You can source either Milesight or Peplink at Knysna discounted rates from my company powertec.com.au

Identify what you need or ask for advice and let me know so you get the correct pricing. I have a Peplink and Starlink on Private Island 550, we only use the Starlink when passaging, the sims work perfectly most places.

9

How do you find the user interface on the Milesite?

For years, I’ve had an external antenna with a powered cradle that my phone goes into, which provides longer range. I would place the antenna outside on the sail bag, and that helped quite a bit, but I’m looking for a more permanent solution.

10

I would appreciate any advice you can provide on Milesite vs. Peplink, as I have no personal knowledge of either of them. Until this conversation, I had never heard of Milesite.

11

Hi Geoff.
I will have one of my technical guys contact you, what is your email?

12

geoff “at” geoffschultz.org

Thanks!

13

We have peplink. Have no issues with it. Had two SIM cards holders. Just with they had more internet cable ports to handle hard wiring the two TVs, printer, Zora box. I think it only has two.