Many have asked what inexpensive wireless equipment will allow them to get Internet access from their boat. A lot of that depends on several things. First, if your laptop is down below in your boat, is it next to metal or wiring? This can block many wireless signals. Next, if you stand on your boat and look in the direction of the location of the wifi source, what is blocking it? If there are a lot of trees or metal structures, then the signal also will be blocked. This is called "line of sight" and it's very important for wifi signals.

Once you know you have good "line of sight", you may fire up your laptop and get a good signal, but not be able to connect. Why? Because your laptop can "hear" the antenna at the other end, but your laptop cannot " talk" loud enough for the antenna at the other end to hear your laptop!

All is not lost, though. With a few simple parts you can purchase over the Internet (or computer buddy.....) you can connect to wireless networks that may be miles away.

These parts have found to work not only at Cedar Mills Yacht Club (where we are located), but also in various anchorages in the Caribbean. You many not need all of them, but here are your options.

Wireless Network Adapter: Because the wireless built into your laptop has no external antenna, it makes it very hard for it to communicate with weak wifi signals, the best option is to not use it! Instead, use the Ethernet connection also built into your laptop. There is an additional part you can install on your wireless setup that will allow you to use your laptop's wireless antenna - but let's get to that later.

Down to business: the first thing you need to do is get a wireless network device that will be able to communicate with remote wifi sites. You also want something waterproof so you can mount it outside your boat - remember: you need to "see" the wifi site! An excellent item is the Ubiquiti Bullet M2 HP. This is a completely self contained system that only requires an antenna and a single cable routed down inside your boat. At the other end of the cable, you connect it to a power source and then directly to your laptop. This device has EXCELLENT transmiting and receiving power. You can find them on the Internet from $70-$100.

Antenna: There are 2 different external antennas that you can use. A "directional" antenna (that must be pointed at the wifi source) or an "omnidirectional" antenna that you can permanently mount on your boat, allowing it to listen in all 360 degrees for a signal. I highly recommend an omnidirectional antenna because it's almost impossible to keep an antenna pointed at a source when anchored. A good antenna is the Hawking Hi-Gain 15dBi antenna. You can find these on the Internet for around $125 and they are well worth the price. This antenna connects directly to the Bullet M2 HP.

Cables: This is the most critical part. You now need a length of network cable (called CAT5e or CAT6) that will run from where you mount the antenna to the location of your laptop in your boat. Warning: DO NOT use standard network cable that you can pick up from big box stores or your local electronics store. This will internally corrode very quickly and could even short out your Ethernet port on your laptop. Instead you need a length of outdoor rated cable. It make take alittle work to find some, but it is necessary.

Once you get the cable run and connected to the antenna, there's one last part you need. It's called a "Power Injector" and it supplies power from your boat to the antenna to make it work. They run around $15. All you have to do is plug the cable from the antenna into one port of the power injector, then plug a regular network cable in from your laptop to the other port. Plug the injector power cord in and your system will start up and be ready for you to configure.

Ubiquiti's instructions for use are very simple and you should be connected to your favorite wifi source in minutes.

Want more information? Want to know how to retransmit your wifi signal inside your boat so you can move your laptop around? Contact the webmaster and I'll let you know.