Lisahall24 Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 Hi, I’ve just purchased my first boat and will move onto it in the next couple of weeks. I’m an office working needing to work from the boat and have a lot of online workshops to do. Therefore good internet/ WiFi is important. I will be continually cruising so won’t benefit from moored WiFi. I also streem Netflix etc. Can somebody advise what my options are? Is the best option a mobile router or is there a cheaper option that will suffice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 Mobile wifi router, with Smarty ( 3 Network ) unlimited data at present £15 a month due to black Friday, normally £20 a month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noone Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 If you are cc'ing,you will find that there are quite a few places where the mobile signal is very poor or there is non at all.I know a gamer who lives in a marina with poor reception.He has his dongle on top of a 12ft fishing rod on his roof!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clanky Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 It all depends on the strength of signal IMO. I just use my phone as a hotspot and tether to it. I watch Netflix Amazon prime etc. I do have unlimited everything on my contract. A dongle or router is only as good as the signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith M Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 I suggest you talk with WIFI on Board Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doratheexplorer Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 5 minutes ago, Jinna said: It all depends on the strength of signal IMO. I just use my phone as a hotspot and tether to it. I watch Netflix Amazon prime etc. I do have unlimited everything on my contract. A dongle or router is only as good as the signal. I do this too. Works fine for me and obviously cheaper than getting a second contract just for wifi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard10002 Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 I have a Huawei router with an XPOL antenna and an unlimited data SIM. Whenever I venture to an area with a really poor signal, I get a reasonable connection with the above. If you rely on a good connection for work, a few quid on the equipment, plus £15-20 a month, is probably necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 21 minutes ago, Lisahall24 said: Hi, I’ve just purchased my first boat and will move onto it in the next couple of weeks. Is it that 60 footer with an old survey showing 5mm base plate and 1mm corrosion pitting ? If so how did you go on with the insurance ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doratheexplorer Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 2 minutes ago, Richard10002 said: I have a Huawei router with an XPOL antenna and an unlimited data SIM. Whenever I venture to an area with a really poor signal, I get a reasonable connection with the above. If you rely on a good connection for work, a few quid on the equipment, plus £15-20 a month, is probably necessary. I require a good connection for work. I'm video conferencing every day pretty much. I've never needed to do more than tether my phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Nicholas Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 If you rely on an internet connection to make a living, then you will need at least two working data capable SIMs on different networks (O2, 3, Voda, EE). One can be PAYG. I have a 3 data contract, a Giffgaff PAYG SIM (O2), an 1p Mobile PAYG SIM (EE). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Lowe Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 There's a previous thread on this here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 18 minutes ago, Lisahall24 said: Hi, I’ve just purchased my first boat and will move onto it in the next couple of weeks. I’m an office working needing to work from the boat and have a lot of online workshops to do. Therefore good internet/ WiFi is important. I will be continually cruising so won’t benefit from moored WiFi. I also streem Netflix etc. Can somebody advise what my options are? Is the best option a mobile router or is there a cheaper option that will suffice? Tethering (using your phone as a hotspot) works for most people on board BUT if you need your phone for work calls this could be a bit of a faff. Your best option would really to have a quality external antenna hooked up to a router inside the boat. That would keep your phone separate and available for use. It would also result in a better quality reception which in some areas can be hit and miss. Example antenna https://tinyurl.com/y4ho9dqr Example router https://tinyurl.com/y2yz8my4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisahall24 Posted November 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 57 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said: Is it that 60 footer with an old survey showing 5mm base plate and 1mm corrosion pitting ? If so how did you go on with the insurance ? I didn’t go with that boat in the end and have purchased a different one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 2 minutes ago, Lisahall24 said: I didn’t go with that boat in the end and have purchased a different one. Phew. Congratulations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kudzucraft Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 Surprised no one mentioned an external attenna (connected to a router). Pretty sure this was covered in the linked thread. But, steel boats are basically Faraday cages and block any signal inside. Windows allow signal through them. If you CC around London or a big town probably not as big an issue but if you are going out in the country side I would expect an antenna to make a huge difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 2 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said: Tethering (using your phone as a hotspot) works for most people on board BUT if you need your phone for work calls this could be a bit of a faff. Your best option would really to have a quality external antenna hooked up to a router inside the boat. That would keep your phone separate and available for use. It would also result in a better quality reception which in some areas can be hit and miss. Example antenna https://tinyurl.com/y4ho9dqr Example router https://tinyurl.com/y2yz8my4 23 minutes ago, Kudzucraft said: Surprised no one mentioned an external attenna (connected to a router). Pretty sure this was covered in the linked thread. But, steel boats are basically Faraday cages and block any signal inside. Windows allow signal through them. If you CC around London or a big town probably not as big an issue but if you are going out in the country side I would expect an antenna to make a huge difference. Cough..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sea Dog Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 3 hours ago, Lisahall24 said: Hi, I’ve just purchased my first boat and will move onto it in the next couple of weeks. I’m an office working needing to work from the boat and have a lot of online workshops to do. Therefore good internet/ WiFi is important. I will be continually cruising so won’t benefit from moored WiFi. I also streem Netflix etc. Can somebody advise what my options are? Is the best option a mobile router or is there a cheaper option that will suffice? Luckily, you've now discovered that there is a solution to this particular glaring omission in your research into the "important" stuff involved in moving your life and work aboard a boat. Fingers crossed you are better prepared in terms of the "essential" and "critical" aspects you needed to bowl out before contemplating continuously cruising, since many of the challenges have far more pressing consequences than not being able to work from home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard10002 Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 2 hours ago, Kudzucraft said: Surprised no one mentioned an external attenna (connected to a router). Pretty sure this was covered in the linked thread. But, steel boats are basically Faraday cages and block any signal inside. Windows allow signal through them. If you CC around London or a big town probably not as big an issue but if you are going out in the country side I would expect an antenna to make a huge difference. #12 & #7 mention router and antenna. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard10002 Posted November 27, 2020 Report Share Posted November 27, 2020 4 hours ago, doratheexplorer said: I require a good connection for work. I'm video conferencing every day pretty much. I've never needed to do more than tether my phone. Dependent on where you are, you might get away with tethering your phone. It would be a shame to have an important conference planned, only to find that the signal isn't as good as you need. For a couple if hundred quid of capital investment, and a monthly expense of £15-20, you can have something that will only "not work" in the very worst of locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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