"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
...
I think it would be wise to learn something about 2.4ghz wave propagation
and the Fresnel effect before you make that statement. If you just want a
couple of hundred yards range deck mounting is fine but for 2 miles plus
you need to be UP.

By far the best solution is a waterproof wifi bridge at the masthead
connected by Ethernet with POE to a hub. Long range because there is
minimal coax loss and a wide Fresnel zone.

The pattern of coverage from the antenna is crucial. Something with a high
gain might work great when you're a mile or two offshore, but will work
horribly when you're in a marina. The pattern from most omnidirectional
antenna resembles a 'donut'. The higher the gain the 'wider' the donut will
be, but it'll be more compressed vertically. When you compress it this way
you become more susceptible to signal loss from wave motion. You're tipping
the pattern away from the intended source. I'm no RF-weenie so forgive my
use of layman's terms.

The other downside to picking up distant signals is picking up TOO MANY
distant signals. Being able to grab a signal from a mile offshore is one
thing. But using that same setup while in an anchorage that has several
wireless networks will result in poorer network throughput. Higher power
sucks too, not just for you but for the other networks you're interferring
with.

After dealing with these issues for two seasons I decided it was a lot less
hassle to just get a cellular network data card. I pop the card into the
router and it's DONE. No fiddling, no leeching a wifi signal from someone's
unsecured network, etc. It "just works". I still have the wifi gear and in
the unlikely event I'm in an area not covered I'll certainly use it as a
fallback.

-Bill Kearney