[Rhodes22-list] Internet from your boat?

[brad haslett]

Mark,

Here's a good article on your service vs Cingular and
what's happening down the road.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1770717,00.asp

Now here's something else that's interesting; beating
the system.

http://www.lawtechguru.com/archives/2005/03/19_free_wireless_internet_via_your_3g_cell_phone.html

If I'm smart enought to put it together the low-tech
solution would work for us until the next level of
technology comes out.

Brad
--- Mark Kaynor <mkaynor at gmail.com> wrote:

> Brad,
> 
> We just used the stock stick on antenna he provides
> and held it above the
> car roof for testing last night. In real life, I
> expect we'll mast mount
> something like a 9-15 db  omindirectional antenna -
> that'd really boost the
> signal, I'm thinking <g>. The amplifier works very
> well - I was impressed.
> In several locations we were unable to get enough
> signal to connect w/o it,
> we were able to browse the web at an acceptable
> speed w/ it plugged in. We
> didn't have any bandwidth testing tools on my wife's
> laptop, so can only
> report  subjectively.
> 
> We thought about a repeater, but 1) they cost a lot
> more, and 2) I wasn't
> too keen on having a bunch of cell phone electrons
> bouncing around the cabin
> all day every day. The amplifier connects directly
> to the card, so almost
> all the energy is at the antenna. We also have
> concerns about the speed of a
> shared connection - I believe we're each going to
> need our own card, amp,
> antenna, etc. until someone comes up w/ a dual-card
> router - that'd be
> pretty cool.
> 
> Mark
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of brad haslett
> Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 9:52 AM
> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> boat?
> 
> Mark,
> 
> How effective is the amplifier?  Where did you
> locate your external antenna
> and what type?  Is yours hardwired or wireless?  I
> found the best prices
> last night on WMJ Marine, on amplifiers and other
> electronic items.  Every
> map of my lake by every provider shows a "black
> hole" along the course of
> the river, probably because of the terrain.  The
> idea of having a repeater
> so that the cellphone and laptop can be used
> anywhere on the boat is
> appealing.  We have been looking at satellite or DSL
> for our shop building
> near the lake at $70 per month.  I already pay $10
> per month for NetZero
> dial-up while travelling.  Cell service may fill all
> three squares: 
> boat/building/travel.  I hadn't really looked at it
> for about a year but
> things seem to have progressed quite a bit.
> 
> Brad
> 
> 
> --- Mark Kaynor <mkaynor at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Brad,
> > 
> > We paid $175 - regular price from the guy is $190,
> but I got a 
> > discount because I'm a "member" of this forum:
> > http://www.evdoforums.com/about129-0.html
> > 
> > Mark
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> > [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> Behalf Of brad haslett
> > Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 6:44 PM
> > To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> boat?
> > 
> > Here's another link to some simular products.  The
> cost has come down 
> > from the article date, now around $225.  Brad
> > 
> >
>
http://www.consumersmarine.com/products2/productdetail.cfm?i=910001&c=91&loc
> > =PL&m=5&sc=91&v=0&sb=0&p=0
> > 
> > --- Mark Kaynor <mkaynor at gmail.com> wrote:
> > 
> > > >From the Verizon web site:
> > > 
> > > "NationalAccess is capable of data speeds
> bursting
> > up to 144 kbps,
> > > delivering average speeds up to 60 to 80 kbps.
> > Speed claim based on
> > > our network tests with 5 MB FTP data files,
> > without compression. 
> > > Actual throughput speed and coverage vary."
> > > 
> > > There are two major factors limiting performance
> -
> > signal strength and
> > > number of users.
> > > 
> > > If we have 2 bars it's about the same speed as
> > dialup - perhaps even a
> > > bit slower. Without having done any actual
> > performance tests, I'd say
> > > we probably see 70-100 Kbps with a good signal,
> > depending on the
> > > number of users using that cell. Upload speed is
> > slower.
> > > 
> > > Cellular Internet access is like cable Internet
> > access in that it's
> > > shared bandwidth, so the more users online at
> one
> > time, the slower the
> > > connection.
> > > 
> > > In DC we got to use the Broadband Access at
> > 400-700 Kbps - that was
> > > nice.
> > > 
> > > Mark
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> > > [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On
> > Behalf Of Robert Quinn
> > > Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 12:31 PM
> > > To: raz; The Rhodes 22 mail list
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> > boat?
> > > 
> > > Raz:  Right off hand I do not have the speed but
> > it is set at a data
> > > rate.
> > > I'll hook it up tonight if I have time and get
> the
> > speed.
> > > 
> > > Mark may have it at his finger tips as he is a
> bit
> > more "techie" than
> > > I.
> > > {:>)
> > > 
> > > Bob
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "raz" <razsail at gmail.com>
> > > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list"
> > > <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > > Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 12:22 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Internet from your
> > boat?
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Do you have an idea of the bandwidth (baud)?  Is
> > it noticeably faster
> > > than dialup (58K)?
> > > raz
> > > 
> > > On 5/23/05, Robert  Quinn
> <rjquinn at bellsouth.net>
> > > wrote:
> > > > Kathy and I have been using the Verizon
> wireless
> > > card for the last 18
> > > > months
> > > > with good success.  Yes, there are spots where
> > > your reception will not be
> > > > satisfactory but that is true of most cell
> > phones
> > > as well.  We find that
> > > > if
> > > > it is not critical, we will wait until we move
> > to
> > > connect again.  If it is
> > > > critical, we'll move to a location where we
> can
> > > receive and transmit with
> > > > not problems.
> > > >
> > > > Bob and Kathy on the "NoKaOi" and the Lazy
> Daze
> > RV
> 
=== message truncated ===


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