It’s really good to be moving again. The weather is horrible and we are in St. Augustine.
We are just hiding out on the boat today. Sam and Guin are baking cookies and making ornaments for the small Christmas tree in our cockpit.
I’ve been huddled in the aft cabin working on the internet all day. I have a bunch of tech issues to work out with the web-store.
I got a new wifi system for the boat and I LOVE IT!!!!! I’m using a Ubiquiti bullet M2-HP, if you add a 9Dbi antenna, a power over Ethernet injector, and enough direct burial Ethernet cable to reach your mast head you’ll be in business with a 1 watt wifi system for about $150.00. I’m going to add a wireless router to the boat so everyone can surf. I’m keeping my eyes open for a used wifi skype phone. That way I wont need to have a computer turned on to make and receive calls. As long as the bullet is getting a signal I’ll be in business. Kind of techie stuff but really cool. If your interested in making one for your boat here are the links:
http://www.wlanparts.com/product/BULLET2-HP/UBIQUITI_BULLET2HP_800mW_WIRELES S_AP_or_CPE_OUTDOOR_80211bg.html
http://www.wlanparts.com/product/OD24-9/OD249_9dBi_24GHz_Omni_Antenna.html
http://www.wlanparts.com/product/EBU-101-01/Power_Over_Ethernet_Injector_EBU 10101.html
It takes a bit of work and a small learning curve putting this all together, but it is a really nice system.
It’s funny that I need to do all this sort of thing to keep the site going. Truthfully I’d like to pitch all the electronics and the head aches that go with them.
Sail far and live slowly.
Alex
Published in Alex Dorsey
Nice rig. Real nice.
You might want to buy a router that is compatible with DD-WRT (www.dd-wrt.com) router firmware upgrades.
If you hook a router that has been upgraded with DD-WRT to your fancy new rig you can do many more things than a stock WiFi router.
a) it can always look for an open Internet connection and connect to it automatically, you just connect to your router from the laptop and the router does all the work maintaining the connection.
b) You can boost (over clock) the router signal and the router CPU (faster/farther).
c) You get international compatibility (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11#Channels_and_international_compatibility).
d) You can ‘blacklist’ and filter sites on the router (good for little ones).
e) You can schedule or trigger Quality of Service (QOS), so that when someone is using Skype, it will adjust the bandwidth accordingly.
f) Better firewall & more security options.
g) a ton more stuff can be used if you REALLY want to tune it up.
h) It’s Linux, free, open source, and community tested.
I would recommend one of the Linksys N routers, or a used version 1-4 of the WRT54G (s)(l) models.
I’ve been using it for years in my home, at work, and in a mobile system in my car. They are an outstanding combination.
$0.02
Alex,
Look into Google Voice if you have a cell phone. It works pretty much like Skype but there is no need to be on the computer. I can use my cell phone and call anywhere for the same or less cost than I can on Skype.
Best,
John
we are snowed in and its getting worse–happy holiday–address please on your e mail so i can send guin a holiday gift
Another nice option for Skype is an Apple I phone. I droped the phone service when we got to Mexico but kept the phone. With the Skype app I can and thier reasonable monthly service for US calls I can use the I phone like a cell anytime I have internet service. it is working great.