Not a commercial very cool new Glomex Dome

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Billylll

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A few people on this board including Les know I was developing something similar to this Glomex dome to provide WiFi and Cellular 3G/4G inside KVH or Intellian domes to match their TV domes. For inside the vessel I was going to have a packaged 4 port POE/LAN/ WiFi AP/Voip Telco RJ11 port and possibly a Google Play dong or Roku Internet TV device.

So last night I check one of my favorite marine electronics boards and I see this from Glomex.

http://www.glomex.it/public/airwaves/eng/airwaves-2013-10.pdf

Right now this DOME only supports 3G and WiFi. They dance around LTE and really give you a quad band UMTS/ HSPA+ cellular modem.

I always come up with early good ideas but never seem to execute. This is just another example of my failure to execute.

I think this Glomex device is pretty cool. No I don't sell them and I'm not a dealer for Glomex.

Les if this doesn't belong here delete the thread.
Bill
 
great concept....

but.....

it still does not allow use of signals requiring passwords which limits its usability.

so for me, I'm just going to continue using the hotspot on my phone when on the water.

Don't feel bad Billy, I had the idea for coffee "tea" bags and K Kups in the late 1970's.

RWS
 
RWS, yes but the ability to place the dome high on a boats mast, hardtop or mast with a dedicated set of internal MIMO LTE antennas would outperform any and all Smartphones used inside a vesel. I would add WiFi mounted the same way because many of us have great Hotspots from the cable companies as well as marinas on the East and West coasts. WiFi encryption will always be a problem but with the advent of BYOD (Bring your own device) on WiFi systems and HetNet2.whatever many WiFi platforms allow access based on your cell carriers SIM card. So while technically the WiFi is encrypted you could use many systems based on the cellular carriers relationship with the WiFi company. Having dedicated antennas on WiFi and LTE and using MIMO (really 2 antennas for each service) with the proper provisioning and installation would yeild a much higher QOS (Quality of Service) than any Smartphone or modem that is used below the decks. The one caveat is if you dock close to a cellular tower or WiFi access point and that's the only place you use the service then using your Smartphone alone or as a mini access point would be fine.

K cups certainly made someone rich!

This wasn't a get rich quick idea just a packaging and performance idea that I had.
I actually built a prototype inside an older KVH TracNet2.0 however if I used an M3 dome I could install higher gain antennas because of the increased size of the radome.
Oh well it is what it is.
Bill
 
What do you mean that it doesn't allow use of signals requiring passwords? are you saying that if an access point is either encrypted or require login after the connection is established, this will not work?

It's a great idea but the devil is in the details... How smoothly does it switch, and how easily does it connect... Is it really put in the sim and you re done? Would it work with a voice/data sim as we get in the Bahamas?

Basically this is a data card/router/wave type evict neatly packaged and selling for 3 times the cost. If it is really seamless then it s worth it, otherwise I m skeptical
 
Too large for my boat. HOWEVER, I think this Glomex dome is going to list at $1,200 USD. I probably have that amount of money in my Rogue, 3G and 4G amps and antennas. It's a good concept. Time will tell. Heck, Bill, the "Sailor" satellite dome was a good idea too, but that didn't sell well, did it?
 
Good points about the SAilor/Skipper 150 but it's the increase in the service costs that put a hurting on that satphone data terminal Kurt.
Pascal I'll address your questions tomorrow when I'm not responding on my HTC!
Bill
 
Pascal I looked I'm not sure I used the word "seamless" anywhere? It isn't what I would call seamless can it switch back and forth between the 3G cellular modem and WiFi, yes.
I think it would also work on encrypted WiFi as long as you were given a password.
I think the heart of this unit and I could be wrong is a CradlePoint cellular data modem/router where "WiFi as WAN" can be enabled.
You should be able to use a voice and data SIM card but realize you will only get data when doing so.
BTC temporary SIM card use? I don't see why they wouldn't work the same way one uses a BTC SIM card now when visiting the Bahamas.
3X's the cost? I'm not so sure about that when you consider the unit has 4 self contained antennas you would otherwise have to purchase and install?
You have valid concerns and questions but this Glomex unit hasn't been released for sale or testing as far as I know.
Bill
 
Thanks bill... I know you didn't use the word seamless, I did, based on what glomex say on their site.

It is a very interesting product, going to be interesting to see how it turns out in the real world.
 
Pascal, I know I'm not purchasing this product, because I built something similar using an older KVH TracNet 2.0 dome.
My unit does 3G/4G (LTE) on Verizon using a Samsung UML-290 USB cellular modem and uses a CradlePoint router/ switch/ WiFi as WAN.
I also put the 4 port LAN switch and boats (5GHz 802.11A&N) access point inside the cabin.
I use an inexensive VOIP box for dedicated telephone service over data. It's monthly service cost is under $9.00 a month for unlimited calling (in or out).
I have a RoKu like device for internet TV it buffers at times depending on the SVC, it's terrible on 3G, pretty good on LTE and WiFi is dependent on the shore based provider.
Bill
 
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