WiFi cable - access

Billy, thanks for the link, and the help. Lots of hot spts downstate, but no coverage of those of us up north on Lake Ontario.

Rogue is working great, though. I just wish there were more options up here.
 
You will see more Cable WiFi builds in the future. The Cable Companies really just started aggressive public WiFi builds in the last 18 months. As usual they do build the major areas 1st before they start vacation areas and finally rural areas. We have loads of them along the entire Jersey shore where 2 years ago there were none other then the shared system at some McDonalds.
Bill
 
Nothing here in MD yet, but I keep checking the coverage maps and the systems do keep growing from NJ north. In the meantime, Verizon has really started to blast the Chesapeake shores with LTE (4G).
 
Kurt VZW/LTE 4G rocks. I still whenever possible share my data connections and use WiFi as long as the connection speeds are 3mbps DL and 1mbps UL. Anything slower is annoying. We still use the Ericsson W35 on AT&T 3.5G for the boats I-Pads and as our main phone number on the boats phone system.
I just added a Linksys VOIP box for an addition dirt cheap line on the system. When we have vistors or if I want my regular cellphone to go through the phone system I am using the Bluetooth X-Gate device it will do up to 3 seperate cellphones converting the tip & ring and voice.
Wave WiFi just came out with a series of data switches for boats it comes in 3 flavors 2, 4 or 8 ports. The switch allows connecting all the data modems and VSAT or Fleet Broadband and has a ROGUE like simplicity to connect to the service you want rebroadcast over an internal access point. The VSAT port has a seperate protected password that can only be engaged by the administrator or Captain. A 4 port BETA version will be at my marina tomorrow. I really can't wait to start testing over the weekend. This will allow me to shut off all the built in AP's on the various cellular modems (if I want to and I will) and give my Wave EC/HP extended range because my self made interference and noise floor will be reduced to just one 802.11B&G or A&N AP that I can control the power and channel.
Bill
 
You're dead on. I'm somewhat responsible (in part) to the CVC deployment(s) as well as working with Comcast and TWC. There is a full court press on future builds and the WiFi confed where you can use any MSO's AP and your credentials are forwarded to the respective MSO's back end. In so far as Wifi on the boat, we did have a pretty succesful deployement on the PJ Ferries. Very cool stuff.....
quote:
Originally posted by Billylll

You will see more Cable WiFi builds in the future. The Cable Companies really just started aggressive public WiFi builds in the last 18 months. As usual they do build the major areas 1st before they start vacation areas and finally rural areas. We have loads of them along the entire Jersey shore where 2 years ago there were none other then the shared system at some McDonalds.
Bill

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Doug, I would like you to contact me if possible. Please e-mail me at b.lentz(at)certifiedrf(.)com use the usual format on the e-mail address. I had to post it this way to get past the spam filter on this site.
Bill
 
This is going on a tangent but I think its a simple answer. If I'm following correctly, you are saying comcast allows access to the cable programming from something like a laptop if you have a wifi connection? We live in MD and have a house in Florida that we only get to FL a couple of times a year. We currently have internet and cable service through At&t in Florida and Verizon in MD. It kills me to spend $100 a month for at&t when we only use it a couple of times. I know verizon has something called on the go to acess some programs remotely but do you know of a way to use my verizon account when travelling to FL?
 
danielcooper9 this only applies to using WiFi and the authentication process. I know my Verizon data plan includes WiFi and the UML290 Samsung modem even has a WiFi chipset. The Cable companies need to for the time being thought of as seperate entities from Cellular companies. Before everyone jumps on me about Verizon purchasing spectrum from the cable companies it is licensed AWS spectrum not WiFi which is unlicensed spectrum. AT&T also had and offers free WiFi offloading for it's smartphones and data modems. The backend of authentication (known as 1X authentication for WiFi) is done through the cellular companies MSO (Main Sitching Offices) talking to the Cable companies 1X switches. Many WiFi systems authenticate through a common 3rd party company but use the same protocal. It's marrying Cellular and home or business internet customers to the authentication servers to use these free Hotspots that is challenging. It seems like Doug is involved in this aspect and possibly more.
He might be prohibited by contract to not disclose more then he already did.
Bill
 
I must say, Bill, that I keep checking the coverage maps at http://www.cablewifi.com/ and it's growing week by week. There are now some hotspots in and around Baltimore. A few weeks ago there wasn't anything in MD.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mixman

I must say, Bill, that I keep checking the coverage maps at http://www.cablewifi.com/ and it's growing week by week. There are now some hotspots in and around Baltimore. A few weeks ago there wasn't anything in MD.

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I'll blow my own horn when have I been wrong when it comes to predicting Communications, Cellular or WiFi?
There is a super agressive WiFi buildout. It's a very inexpensive way to offload data from the cellular carriers 3G(PPP)and 4G (LTE & WiMAX) data networks. The WiFi Hotspots can be shared by simple written agreements between the providers and cellular carriers.
Think of it this way when is the average data user using the most bandwidth intensive data on a modem or smartphone other then one's office? When they are stationary as in a hotel, while eating, grabbing a coffee so this data doesn't need to be mobile fixed services like WiFi generally provide a better QOS (user experience) when the user's device is at the access points location.
Because "we" boaters and the RV crowd use WiFi by extending it's intended range by using external antennas and higher power bridge routers we generally don't see the peak speeds one would see while sitting in the commercial stablishment's driveway or inside the business.
However a properly designed marina based WiFi system can provide excellent speeds provided the backhaul is affordable and available to the operator of the WiFi system. Controlling abuse is a balancing act but it is entirely possible given the latest AP's and switch/router can now broadcast different SSID's (system indentifiers) and independently control the bandwidth for each SSID. I know you think Verizon will let you keep your all you can eat 4G plan, I'm telling you it aint so, this will not be the case in the near future. Your listening to a customer service rep who's job is to keep you on their service but they have little influence on policy making.
Now to define "the near future"? That is the hard part!
Bill
 
Oh, I know "unlimited" will eventually go away, but I'll keep it while I can (otherwise, my bill goes up by $30-50/month on their new "shared" plans). I don't abuse it. This has been a heavy month for me and I'm just pushing 3 gigs (the Moto lapdock I bought is mainly to blame as I've been playing with it).

BTW, Bill, we're in Tolchester that is a huge dead-zone as far as all cell signal goes. No Verizon 3G at all. HOWEVER, I've got a little bit of 4G on my phone. I'm heading to the pool now, but later I'll put up the 4G amp and see what happens. I've also got that "beer can" antenna on order. I've decided not to bother with the Wilson 4G phone cradle and stick with the gear you have (one would be an idiot not to copy what you do :-). I'm going to take down my big 3G antenna and replace it with the beer can. I think I'm right that it covers all the cell frequencies? 700 and up?
 
The Cellphonemate Omni covers 694MHz through 2.7GHz. However hold up I just purchased a new Marine quad band Omni. It is a Wilson Marine Omni that is about 21" tall and has 2 sets of ground plane radials (small). It has a bit more gain and is more band selective then the Beer Can antenna. It's just been too hot or stormy for me to sit on the hardtop near the solar panels to do the installation and then a comparison. The Wilson part# is 301130 and it mounts on a standard marine mount. I hope to try and install it tonight and test it over the next few days. I have a Tohtsu coaxial 12VDC N connector relay that is rated to 3GHz (-.15dbm loss at 3GHz)so comparing the 2 antennas will be as easy as flipping a switch and comparing the Cradlepoint routers Dashboard signal level in dbm.
Bill
 
That sounds interesting, and it's interesting looking. Mounting would be very easy. Keep me posted as I can return the "beer can" if needed.
 
Kurt if the weather holds off I can get the Wilson Marine Omni installation finished just after the Sun sets. We have had a series of back to back severe storms here yesterday. At 5:30AM yesterday morning we were treated to 70-80mph winds and real heavy rain. Last night was like the perfect storm we had 2 fronts meet and for about 3 to 4 hours had sustained winds of 40mph and gusts officially recorded in the marina of 80mph. Almost the entire southern half of NJ is currently in a official State of Emergency. My Son that lives in Atlantic City has been without power since last night and my other 2 Son's that live at home lost power for 4 to 5 hours last night. I can not remote into my office because Comcast Cable and TV is completely out in many counties including my home and office properties. I just lost internet here at the marina but was able to restore it after I rebooted the Xfinity commercial service router. I am sure come Monday morning we will have a mess on our hands with customers calling with storm related damage from Philadelphia to Southern VA. The news reports I am seeing are talking about widespread damage from NN, Va DC, Baltimore and Phila to the Jersey shore. In Tuckerton there doesn't seem to be any real damage from the storms but I'm told just south of here there are damaged roofs, siding missing, trees uprooted, flattened billboards and telephone poles down all over the place.
Bill
 
Glad to hear the build out is going - unfortunately, it's still in limited spots. Just got back from a boat trip from the Hudson to Chatham/Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod, with a few stops on the way . . . while most marina's have wifi, it's not public, nor is it free. Heck, in
Stonington, CT, there was no (Verizon) cell service at the fuel dock!
 
quote:
Originally posted by Good Grief

Glad to hear the build out is going - unfortunately, it's still in limited spots. Just got back from a boat trip from the Hudson to Chatham/Pleasant Bay on Cape Cod, with a few stops on the way . . . while most marina's have wifi, it's not public, nor is it free. Heck, in
Stonington, CT, there was no (Verizon) cell service at the fuel dock!

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Gene, What equipment are you using to determine there is no WiFi service? You originally asked about finding a ROGUE's MAC address. Hopefully you are using the ROGUE not an I-Phone or laptop. I can only see my marinas Hotspot with the laptops in the boat. Using a basic WiFi system consisting of a modest gain Omni (8dbi) and a Wave ROGUE there are over 35 choices. Not all are open networks, some are open but probably private and I have over a dozen that are legitamte Access Points I can legally access. With my higher power system I can connect to about 6 additional AP's at reduced speeds. The built in laptop cards or Smartphones have very poor WiFi boards/chipsets in them, they are not made or intended for long distance WiFi. You might not know what you are missing if the survey isn't done with at least the ROGUE. Just because a marinas WiFi has a password doesn't mean they won't let you use it free of charge you won't know if you don't ask.
Bill
 
No storms in Tolchester tonight. Last night was a bitch for a heck of a lot of us here on the east coast. My house has power, but my Comcast modem is down. The same is true for my office in Baltimore. My servers are off-line, but being in the business I am, and it being a holiday time, I'll worry about it on Monday and enjoy the weekend.

I haven't lit the 4G amp up yet as we were at the pool and then making new friends at the tiki bar. They've got weak wi-fi here that my Rogue Wave is dealing with very well (and now I'm watching TV via the satellite dish and not NetFlix! :-)
 
Bill,

Any luck with that Wilson antenna? I am in the process of cancelling my order for the "beer can" (I can't tell as my office is out of power and I can't get any e-mails) and I was thinking of going to Tessco tomorrow and picking up the Wilson. It sure will be easier to mount since I'm just replacing a Digital Antenna.
 
Kurt we have a "winner" with the Wilson quad band marine Omni antenna. It seems to out perform even my Digital 563W antennas. It does outperform the Beer Can antenna by 5db on average. An increase of 5db is the equivelent of doubling your range on signals over an unobstructed path.
Bill
 
I will stop by Tessco and buy one tomorrow. Thanks for the review.
 
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