Frequently Asked Questions
What is the range of The Wirie?
The Wirie has achieved connections of up to 4.75 nautical miles to on-shore access points. There are many variables that determine and influence the range of any WiFi signal. Though the quality of equipment being used on shore is undetermined when cruising, The Wirie, in conjunction with quality equipment on shore, has been able to connect from great distances, as long as there is line of sight with the access point.
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The range question is a very hard one to answer as you are dependent on the equipment you have on your boat or RV, and the equipment on shore that you are trying to connect to. Just like you are looking for better equipment for your boat or RV, the store/bar/marina/RV park owner can spend varying amounts of money for better equipment also. When both sides are utilizing good equipment, you can actually realize claims of 5 miles, or maybe even more. However, to do this, the shore side would have to be using very good/powerful equipment. What we tell people about range is that if you’re not able to connect with The Wirie in your anchorage or RV campground, we are fairly certain none of your neighbors are connected either. What we can provide is very good equipment for the boat and RV that is also very simple to install and use, but you will forever still be dependent on what’s on shore and what’s available to connect to. We are certain with an average onshore signal, a mile or two will be fairly easy for The Wirie to deal with. The better the equipment "on the other end", the further the range of The Wirie.
How high does The Wirie need to be mounted?
The Wirie should be mounted with the antenna in a vertical orientation approximately 4 - 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 meter) above the deck of the boat or clear of the roof of the RV.
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The Wirie should be mounted in as vertical a position as possible to allow the antenna to work to its fullest potential.
The location you choose to mount The Wirie will depend on your boat or RV. We recommend a height anywhere between 4 – 8 feet (1.2 to 2.4 meter) above deck on boats. The antenna should have as clear an area around it as possible. Some height will help The Wirie so it will have less interference with obstacles on the water, on your boat, or other vehicles parked nearby. Putting it up your mast will be unnecessary in most circumstances, not to mention difficult and
time consuming (some marine WiFi systems suggest this is the best place to mount their system, however in our extensive testing, this amount of height typically makes an insignificant difference in the ability of The Wirie to connect to access points).
A radar arch is a great place to mount it on a boat and the top of the ladder would work well on an RV, but every boat and RV is different, so this is up to you. (See our
photos of existing Wirie installations.)
Can The Wirie be used on a Recreational Vehicle (RV)?
Yes. The Wirie can certainly be used by RVs as well. Although The Wirie was originally designed to be used
in the marine environment, The Wirie can just as easily be used on an RV to allow greater WiFi range and signal strength from the comfort of your RV.
Can The Wirie be used on more than one computer?
Yes. The Wirie can be used on as many computers as you like. There are no limits to installing the required software. If you use Windows or a Mac, you can allow multiple computers or devices (like an iPhone or iPad) to all have access to The Wirie at the same time using Internet Connection Sharing.
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On S/V Irie that is what we do so everyone on our boat can access the internet at the same time. For more information on this, please see Microsoft's or Mac's website and inquire about "Internet Connection Sharing".
Here are a few links to get you started (If using Windows 7, the Windows 7 Wirie user manual contains all instructions):
Windows Vista
Windows XP
Mac
One major advantage of Internet Connection Sharing with The Wirie is that it also allows you to share a "paid" hot-spot service among all computers on the boat or RV. Using a Client Bridge, this is not possible, and only one computer/user can be online at a time.
Please note: Internet Connection Sharing is not supported on Windows 7 Starter Edition.
Is The Wirie built to be permanently installed outside?
Yes. The unit is completely sealed and waterproof (IP67/NEMA6). Some owners choose to install The Wirie once comfortably anchored and remove it while underway. Some owners install it permanently on the boat. The choice is yours.
How difficult is The Wirie to install?
Very easy. The brackets are designed to fit around any tubing between 1" and 2" or a standard antenna mount, and all
marine grade hardware is included. There is only one USB cable (included) that needs to be run to the computer from The Wirie. No other power cables, Ethernet cables, or additional USB cables are required.
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The Wirie has a 15 feet (5 meter) USB cable that can be extended simply by adding Active USB Extension cables up to 79 feet (24 meter) if needed. The software installation is simple and fully documented in our User's Guide to assist you. Within about 15 minutes most users are up and running.
Does The Wirie work worldwide?
Yes. The Wirie is being used successfully in all parts of the world at this moment (See our
Testimonials and Map). The Wirie allows you to utilize all worldwide 802.11b/g frequencies in the 2.4GHz spectrum.
What is the difference between The Wirie and a Client Bridge?
The Wirie is a USB based WiFi solution designed to make installation and use as simple as possible, while giving you the ability to connect to shore-side access points from great distances. A Client Bridge is used to extend the range of an access point (what you connect to onshore) to allow an onshore facility to reach more area and distance with their WiFi signal. The Wirie was designed for an "end-user", Client Bridges were originally designed for permanent static installation by a network engineer. There are some Client Bridge solutions available for the boat and RV, however, these solutions are typically far more complex to install and manage than The Wirie.
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Client bridges require additional electrical cabling to power the unit from the onboard 12/24V battery bank (or even 110v). The Wirie is powered via the computer directly with no additional wiring needed.
Since client bridges were not designed to be used as "end-user" WiFi adapters (The Wirie was), the configuration and set-up of the unit as you move from anchorage to anchorage is far more complicated than the standard "select a network and connect" that most users are familiar with today. All configuration of a client bridge (this includes selecting the access point to connect to each time your boat or RV is moved), must be done from a dedicated computer wired directly to the client bridge.
Most cruisers we have worked with find the complexity of a Client Bridge/Ethernet/POE solution difficult and often have to hire a professional to help sort out their issues (I have worked on many for people while in the Caribbean, and replaced them with The Wirie). The Wirie was designed to make installation quick and easy so you can install the unit yourself in a very short time period (usually about 10-15 minutes).
One advantage client bridge re-sellers will claim is that it will give you the ability to create a full network on your boat or RV. However, in reality, what people are looking for is the ability to share the internet connection among multiple computers at the same time, and this can be accomplished on both the Windows and the Mac platforms with The Wirie (click
here for more information). This shared connection can then be used by any device within range, including PC's, Mac's, PDA's, and any other WiFi enabled device. One major advantage of Internet Connection Sharing with The Wirie is it also allows you to share a "paid" hot-spot service among all computers on the boat or RV. Using a Client Bridge, this is not possible, and only one computer/user can be online at a time.
Does The Wirie use a directional or omni-directional antenna?
The Wirie uses an omni-directional antenna. For the marine environment, we strongly feel that an omni-directional antenna is the only choice.
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Directional antennas do not provide a consistent signal while your boat swings at anchor and will result in the WiFi signal disconnecting frequently. Using an omni-directional antenna will ensure, assuming the antenna has a clear line of sight, that your signal will remain consistent regardless of what direction your boat might be facing. (
Click here for more details about The Wirie antenna.)
I have read that USB limits the cable length to 15 feet or 5 meters. Is that true?
No. USB cabling can be extended up to 79 feet with the use of USB Active Extension cables, with no signal loss for the entire length of the run.
I am starting to hear about a new WiFi protocol called N. Does your product support this?
Currently our product does not support N. The wireless N protocol has just been released as a standard in January 2010. N is backwards compatible and therefore any equipment purchased today will continue to work in the future, even with access points that support N.
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The external USB WiFi adapters on the market today that support N, do not perform as well for B/G as the pure B/G adapters. This is something the manufacturers are working on, but so far, that is the situation and there is no N adapter that has the same range as the unit we use while using B/G. Most access points on shore are only running B/G currently since N is a bit "bleeding edge". There are very few N locations you will find to use that capability. Our feeling is that this will change over the 2010 year in more western countries, later in places like the Caribbean, as people start to replace broken wireless routers with new ones that will come with N support, or people simply want to move to the latest technology. So for now, The Wirie only supports B/G so that it can provide the longest range available for 99% of the situations. The good news about The Wirie is that you can purchase the unit as it is today, with support for B and G (which is what you will most often encounter), and in the coming year, if N becomes important to your use, simply replace the present USB WiFi adapter with one that supports N. One of the major benefits of our product is that it is upgradeable (unlike any other marine product). We have also yet to be able to confirm any added range or speed benefit that is apt to occur on a long-distance connection using N. N was designed to improve performace and range, although in an office environment with many obstacles present. What this will translate to in a more "open space" environment, we are not sure. Once there is an adapter available for us to test thoroughly, we will do that (see below).
Alfa just came out with a new 2000mW WiFi adapter, the AWUS036NH, that also supports N. Why are you not using that unit?
We have extensively tested this new unit by Alfa, but have found that it does not have the same range as the unit we are currently using in The Wirie for b/g networks.
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We were happy to see Alfa produce a high power WiFi adapter that included support for the N protocol. However, after testing this unit to determine if it performed as well on b/g networks as the WiFi adapter we currently use, the answer was no. Although the manufacturer specifies the performance to be equal or greater to that of the AWUS036H, in our testing on b/g networks, we have not found this to be the case. The receive sensitivity of the new unit was less than that of our current unit, and in field testing, there were some remote access points that were useable with the current adapter, but not with the new, AWUS036NH adapter. For this reason, in order to continue to sell only the best long range equipment available, The Wirie will continue to be manufactured with the AWUS036H adapter. We hope to be able to offer an N adapter in the future, but we will not sacrifice the range on b/g networks. (Click
here for test results.)
Why do you feel the Ubiquiti Bullet2HP is not designed for marine use?
Ubiquiti describes the Bullet2HP as "weatherproof", not "waterproof".
The Bullet2HP was designed for outdoor use, not marine use; most people agree it is rated at IP64 or
maybe IP65.
We have been unable to find any official ratings from Ubiquiti on this.
We do not feel this is enough protection when used in the marine environment to truly protect the sensitive
electronics and to be advertised as
"marine grade".
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Why do I see claims of 7, 12, even 30 miles on competitors' WiFi products?
One word: Marketing. No company can claim or guarantee any results with a WiFi product unless they own and control both sides of the communication link (the access point and the equipment on your boat or RV).
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If you have clear line of sight and very powerful equipment on both ends, claims of WiFi connections 100+ miles can be found. The Wirie works extremely well and at long distances, as our customers have attested to over and over again (
Testimonials and Map), but we feel it's our responsibility to set realistic expectations for our customers, about any WiFi system.
Do you sell The Wirie in white (or any other colors)?
No. Unfortunately the manufacturer of the waterproof cases does not produce them in white. However, you may paint the boxes any color you would like. We recommend
Krylon: Fusion for Plastic ® paint if you choose to paint The Wirie.
How can I protect the end of the USB cable from The Wirie if I store the cable outside?
If the end of the 15' USB cable is run into your boat or RV, the terminal on the cable will be fine.
However, if you store the cable outside, we do recommend treating the terminal with a product called
CorrosionX ®. It will ensure that the terminal does not corrode in the elements while stored outside.
