Frequently Asked Questions
What is the range of The Wirie and The WirieAP?
The Wirie Marine WiFi systems have achieved connections of up to 5 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. 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 do The Wirie systems need to be mounted?
The Wirie/The Wirie
AP 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 systems 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/The Wirie
AP will depend on your boat or RV. The antenna should have as clear an area around it as possible. Some height will help The Wirie/The Wirie
AP 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/The Wirie
AP 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.)
The Wirie
AP uses a standard 12-volt electrcial cable. This allows you to mount The Wirie
AP anywhere on your boat or RV.
The cable can easily be extended as needed if you choose to use a higher mounting location, such as your mast.
Can The Wirie systems be used on a Recreational Vehicle (RV)?
Yes. The Wirie systems can certainly be used by RVs as well. Although The Wirie was originally designed to be used
in the marine environment, The Wirie/The Wirie
AP 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 WirieAP be used with more than one computer?
Yes. With its built in local access point, The Wirie
AP provides 100% access for any WiFi enabled device. It allows all
devices to share a single internet connection (paid or free), and also allows the devices to communicate to one another over the local network.
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When using The WirieAP, you can connect to pay services or networks that require you to login via a web page.
Once The WirieAP is connected to the network, the first computer that tries to access the internet will typically be re-directed to a login
page where they can enter payment information or a code. Once this has been entered, and the computer can access the internet, all other devices
and computers that are connected to The WirieAP will also be connected to the internet without entering additional login or payment information.
Is The WirieAP secure to use since I will have a network onboard?
The Wirie
AP comes set-up with the highest level of WiFi security enabled (WPA2-AES) to make sure your onboard network is safe.
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We strongly recommend leaving this default setting, however you are
free to disable or use any security setting you would like for your onboard network. You can share the password with your neighbors, or you can keep it secured
so no one else is able to access your onboard network. More information is available in the user manual.
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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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
Internet Connection Sharing with The Wirie allows you to share open or paid hot-spot services among all computers/devices on the boat or RV. A computer must be turned on and connected to The Wirie to use Internet Connection Sharing.
Please note: Internet Connection Sharing is not supported on Windows 7 Starter Edition.
Are The Wirie systems built to be permanently installed outside?
Yes. The units are completely sealed and waterproof (IP67/NEMA6).
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Some owners choose to install The Wirie/The WirieAP once comfortably anchored and remove it while underway. Some owners install it permanently on the boat or RV. The choice is yours.
The WirieAP was designed only for permanent mounting as it requires a 12volt power supply. It is possible to install a 12volt plug (not included) at the end of the cable if portability is desired.
How difficult are The Wirie systems to install?
Not difficult at all. The brackets are designed to fit around any tubing between 1" and 2" or a standard antenna mount, and all
marine grade hardware and cabling is included.
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The WirieAP uses a simple, single DC electrical cable (40'/12M included). No confusing Ethernet cables or Power Over Ethernet injectors are needed.
The Wirie uses a single USB cable that needs to be run from The Wirie to a computer. No other power cables, Ethernet cables, or additional USB cables are required.
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.
Detailed instuctions and installation information is included in the User Manuals.
Within about 15 minutes most users are up and running.
Do The Wirie systems work worldwide?
Yes. The Wirie products are being used successfully in all parts of the world at this moment (See our
Testimonials and Map). The Wirie systems allow 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).
Do The Wirie systems use a directional or omni-directional antenna?
The Wirie products use 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/The WirieAP 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?
Yes and no. The router of The Wirie
AP supports b/g/n protocols for your local network. The adapter used in both The Wirie and The Wirie
AP supports only b/g networks.
If using The Wirie
AP you will benefit from faster speeds among your local computers/devices on board, but it will not effect your connection speed to the
access point you are connected to. N is backwards compatible which means The Wirie and The Wirie
AP can connect with N access points just fine.
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In order to connect with and maintain the speeds of N networks (> 54Mbps), you have to be in extremely close proximity to the access point. From your boat
or RV it is unlikely you would ever connect to shore at those speeds, and because of this, the N protocol is not very important in making long range WiFi connections.
The good news about The Wirie systems is that you can purchase them with b/g today (which is what you will most often encounter), and in the future, if N becomes important to your use, the WiFi adapter can be upgraded. One of the major benefits of our systems is that they are upgradeable (unlike any other marine product).
We don't feel that N will be much of a benefit for long range connections, but if we find an adapter in the future that works with b/g networks as well as the adapter we use, and also works with N, we will certainly provide that as an option to existing and future customers.
Alfa now sells a 2000mW WiFi adapter, the AWUS036NH, that also works with N. Why are you not using that adapter?
We have extensively tested this adapter by Alfa, but have found that it does not have the same range as the adapter we are currently using in The Wirie/The Wirie
AP 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 adapter was less than that of our current adapter, 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 products 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 systems?
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 systems work 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.
If I own The Wirie, can I upgrade it to The WirieAP?
Yes. We offer a full
upgrade kit to convert any existing Wirie into The Wirie
AP. The kit comes with all
hardware, and the installation instructions are available on our
download page and will be sent to you upon purchase.
Do you sell The Wirie and The WirieAP 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 your 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.
