kathysafari
23.04.2021 14:07:14
With this in mind, YachtSurfer, Seanternet and Azuz IT advised us on how to get the best marine internet connection at the lowest cost.
See full version: Yacht internet: A guide on the different ways to get connected
With this in mind, YachtSurfer, Seanternet and Azuz IT advised us on how to get the best marine internet connection at the lowest cost.
1. Smart booster antennas: Smart boosters have the software built into the antenna unit with a cable that uses a simple Ethernet connector.
2. Wi-Fi antenna and smart box: These systems have their software fitted in a box usually mounted below deck, rather than in the antenna itself.
For many, satellite TV on their boat is the ultimate way to receive television. Stabilized satellite dishes are capable of receiving TV anywhere within a provider’s broadcast footprint underway, at a dock, or at anchor. Satellite TV services are all pay services so a subscription is required with the provider. In the US those providers are either Dish Network or DirecTV. more
Streaming’s biggest downfall is it requires an internet connection, a topic I’ve covered in my article on our connected year on the water. I’ve found that if we can manage about 5 megabits per second we can pretty reliably stream anything we want. But, if you’re out of coverage for internet connectivity you will also be without TV. I use Amazon Fire streaming sticks on the boat. At $39.95 they’re cheap enough to put one on each TV on Have Another Day without even having to think about it. Application support is pretty good with all the major streaming services represented but only some of the live TV streaming options. There are many options including Apple TV, Roku, smart TVs, and a myriad of other devices.
If your boat primarily stays in a single area and you are interested in watching programs on the major networks or local channels, broadcast TV can make great sense for you. Reception will vary depending on your location and the antenna on your boat, but these days just about all over the air broadcasts are in HD.
If you’re interested in recording over-the-air TV you will need some sort of digital video recorder (DVR). You can buy a device like a Tivo Roamio or Tablo DVR or run software like Plex, Emby, or Silicon Dust DVR. These software options use over the air tuners like Silicon Dust’s HDHomeRun line of tuners to tune in available programming and record it. Those recordings are then available on a wide range of devices including PCs, tablets, phones, Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and many smart TVs. When these packages work they’re a great option. Reliability has proven to be challenging in my time using them.
Let’s face it. It’s an online world these days! Cruisers are constantly looking for ways to get internet access when away from the dock (and sometimes when they are still tied to the dock!). We hope we have found the solution. more
Enter in Coastal Marine WiFi! I was referred to CMW by a fellow cruiser who had recently purchased their WiFi booster and was very happy with the service he received from the company’s owner, Phil. I connected with Phil to ask about the possibilities of his system allowing for a cellular booster as well and ‘Project: Internet’ was born onboard Bloom. Phil advised me that it most certainly could be done and he would help me to achieve my ideal setup. He was extremely colloquial in his discussions with me about the setup and worked with me through the details of getting everything working. Overall, it was a fantastic experience and we were so pleased to be able to support a local business! In the end, here is what we’ve now got set up on Bloom:
California: Emery Cove Marina (San Francisco), Monterey (both marinas), Santa Barbara, Ventura Yacht Club, Pacific Mariners Yacht Club (Marina Del Rey), Kings Harbor Yacht Club (Redondo Beach), Alamitos (Long Beach), Avalon (Santa Catalina Island), Police Dock, Harbor Island West Marina and Southwestern Yacht Club (San Diego)
Mexico: Baja Naval Marina (Ensenada), Bahia San Quintin anchorage, Acuncion anchorage, Cabo San Lucas Marina, Ensenada De Los Muertos anchorage, Marina Costa Baja (La Paz), Bahia Candeleros, Puerto Escondido, Ballandra (Isla Danzante), Isla Coronodos anchorage, Santo Domingo (Bahia Concepcion), Santa Rosalia. (NOTE: We have not been to Mainland Mexico yet, but will update further once we do)
And don’t worry about buying the latest and greatest router. Most modern routers will have wifi strong enough to go around the rather small environment of a narrowboat! Just make sure it is a mobile 3G/4G/5G router and not a wired only router 🙂 The sim card you get from the network you subscribe to will need to go into this router. here
You want to match the required speed from the first list of activities (the ones you actually want to do!) with the speed of the mobile network above.
The total you get for a month will give you an idea of the right data cap to ask for when you purchase your monthly data plan. When buying a plan, make sure to ask what happens when you go over your data cap for the month. The best thing to do is to find one that simply slows down your connection for the rest of the month rather than charging more money 🙂
In the UK, OFCOM have an excellent tool you can use to find out what mobile networks are available in your area. Check it out at the address below.
The only other thing to worry about is the data cap. This is the total amount of data you can use on a plan. Look at your main activities from the first list above and add up an idea how much data you would use in a month. The data per hour figure will help you with that.