Quick report tonight from Wigram's Turn Marina, where Granny's briefly staying (I'll update the cruising log later). It turns out that the new wifi there actually works within Granny's cabin, using my standard Centrino laptop without needing an external antenna. This is good news! I'd already resigned myself to needing one. 
Actually I probably still will for my longer term cruising plans; after all, right now I'm fairly close to the marina's office (perhaps 75 yards) and the furthest-flung are more than twice as far away. Rare will be the time when I'm closer to such a bright signal.
The marina's site engineer is one of those outlying moorers. He's jury-rigged a home-made system, using a Linksys USB wireless adaptor, protected from the weather by a plastic food container on the end of what looks suspiciously to me like a metal broom handle, all lashed together by what looks to me like masking tape. It works fine, and it's a satisfying solution: for an engineer there is nothing quite so rewarding as working out the problem yourself.
But you might, like me, prefer a bought-&-paid-for result. If so, this £30 hi-gain external antenna from Maplin might fit the bill. Although you'll also need a wireless card with a 'TNC' connector (pdf datasheet here) - many laptops such as mine don't have such connectors built in.
Many thanks to Andrew Smith (who installed the system at Wigram's and runs a neat little business called canalpost.co.uk doing the same for other waterways sites - the list will soon be in double figures) for helping me get it work. (Thanks to him for several other things this afternoon too, but I'll cover those later)
More thanks are due to Keith on Quidditch, who helped me last night by spending valuable time hunting downloading the drivers for the little pocket wireless connector I was carrying. I couldn't get it working in the end, but not for want of him trying. Thanks, Keith!
And now back to work for the week.
Thanks for the tip on Maplins hi gain aerial, never thought of going there. I picked up one of those Kensington WiFi/Bluetooth detectors from PCworld for £10 along with the Belkin 125MB USB Wireless network adaptor (£30)and a 5 metre USB extension cable (expensive at £18 but it does have gold plated connectors). Found a one bar signal inside the boat turns into 3 bars outside lying the 'hot' end on the roof.
After a dead easy installation and setup there's lots of fun guessing protocol settings but most satisfying especially when you're not restricted to working with the laptop up against a porthole.
The WiFi detector is a bit compulsive, can't stop myself from checking every marina, shopping complex and, of course, other boats just in case there's a free gateway to the internet. Even been known to check for no reason at all, impresses the kids, they're always suckers for gadgets (and so am I)
So which way after Wigrams?
Mo
Posted by: Mo | Tuesday, 31 January 2006 at 09:48 AM