How do you get internet access?
“How do you get internet access” definitely needs to be on our FAQ list. Although I’m sure I’ve talked about this subject a dozen times or more, we still get asked this question on a regular basis. To begin, although many people have dreams of being off-the-grid when they set out cruising, accessing the internet remains as important for those on the water as it is for those on land. And it’s not just those of us who keep blogs who feel that way. We have friends who home-school their kids on their boat who need access to the web for lessons and research. Many cruisers use the internet to acquire up-to-date weather forecasts. Countless others use Skype and other web-based telephone products to keep in touch with family members, and of course banking and bill payments are more often than not carried out online. All of these things and more mean that obtaining internet access is important and an inability to do so can cause a bit of stress.
So, back to the question, how do we get on the net? To begin, we, and most other cruisers, use a Wi-Fi amplifier and antenna combo to increase the range that we can pick up signals. Specifically we use the WirieAP system which operates as described on their site. Many others use a system based on the Ubiquiti Bullet. Regardless of which system you choose, having one is a necessity. Using the laptop computer’s built-in antenna just won’t cut it unless you’re sitting inside a Starbucks.
The second step to getting online is being in range to pick up a signal. Having an amplifier, as described above, helps but if you anchor too far off the beaten path, it’s unlikely you’ll find a signal. You may choose to do this of course, for a variety of reasons, but you must be prepared to give up access to the web if you do. Fortunately, we have found signals around almost all of the popular anchorages all the way from Canada to Grenada.
OK, so you’ve picked up a signal, how do you access it? If you’re lucky, an unlocked signal will show up in your amplifier’s software. If so, connect to it and consider yourself fortunate. More times than not we do find open signals. Unfortunately, where we’re anchored right now, that is not the case. Although there are plenty of signals showing up, all of them are locked, which obviously complicates matters.
If there is a commercial internet provider showing up in your list of Wi-Fi signals, you might then choose to pay for access. Depending on how desperate we are, and how much the service costs, we may opt to take advantage of this. Occasionally we’ll even pay for access in spite of there being a free signal available, especially if the free one is too slow. Occasionally however, such as where we are right now, the commercial signals do not have any provision for paying for access online. This I do not understand at all, and can be extremely frustrating.
What if the locked signal is originating from a nearby business? Frequently you’ll be able to tell this by the name that shows up on your computer. If so, often you can visit the business (bar, restaurant, etc.) and if you take advantage of their services, purchasing a drink for example, they will share the password to their network. If you’re anchored close enough, and they don’t change the password daily, you may then be able to access their system later on from your boat. We made a quick attempt at that here in Barbuda but were thrown off our game by the $19.00 US beer at the bar!
The last resort for us is bringing our computer to shore to get internet access. Not to mention the fact that this is inconvenient, taking expensive electronics in the dinghy is something we try to avoid. We do have to do it from time to time, today being one such example, but we don’t like it.
Update Jan. 5, 2013: Check this post for new additions.
Thanks for taking the time to spell it out! Great rainbow pic!
You’re welcome. That was an incredible rainbow!
I don’t think you mean “in lieu of” as that means ‘instead of’, and I am pretty sure you had to pay for their service (drink or whatever) to get the password.
Fixed. Thank you!
🙂
Great post and the last thing to add is: cruisers share those passwords.
Right you are! We will actually share our network with friends if their antenna can’t pick up the signals.
Hi Mike & Rebecca
Enjoyed your blog hope to catch up down south somewhere.
Gary & Marie on Mai Tai.
Hi Gary and Marie
Thanks for posting and also for inviting us on board Mai Tai. Hope you had a good sail back to Antigua. We’ll no doubt see you “down the road.”
Mike,
I also wanted to mention that other hot spots are becoming popular around the world. As an example I have a Samsung Galaxy S II that has WiFi hot spot capability. All I do is by a prepaid data SIM in the country I am in, and turn my phone into a hotspot like what you have, but with GPRS connection to the internet.
The downfall is it is not free, and you have to have cell service, but it is another option..
I just spoke with another cruiser about this too (using cel phones to access the web). I haven’t checked pricing down here but do know that others are using it.
Please say hello to the crew of Earthling. We were neighbors in Monroe Harbor year before last. (Hunter 36 t and k aweigh on sc9) Wow, we are envious!
Hi Ken.
Will do.
Mike,
I have been following your blog for a while and it is pretty amazing what you guys are doing. My question for you is if you have had any issues using unsecure signals. For example, are you worried about loging in to your bank account using an open signal? I have heard of identity theft issues at airports (even in the U.S.) when people use the unsecure signals.
Thanks and fair winds,
Pedro
Hi Pedro
I confess to being a bit ignorant of the risks. I assumed the https connections were secure. I have recently purchased a VPN account with Witopia which I believe prevents unauthorized access to data when using Wi-Fi signals.
https://www.witopia.net/
Hey Mike, this is Mike too.
Thanks for spelling out the how-to’s of getting internet while cruising. My wife and I are in the infant stages of our cruising…I’m retiring in three years and then we’re off!
I found your site while doing some research and I just subscribed to your feed so I’ll be looking forward to hearing more about how you guys get it done out there.
I read your post about the headaches of setting up your blog…funny! More so because I had some issues myself [and I’m a fairly competent website builder] :-).
We plan to name our sailboat Siochana, which is Peace in Irish. Fitting, since we’re both from Irish backgrounds. Our blog is at http://www.siochana.us if you wanna check it out!
Take care,
Mike
Thanks for the link, Mike. I will definitely give your site a view, as I’m sure many other readers will.
Hey Mike,
Long time reader, first time poster. Are you still using the WirieAP? We are looking at boosters now and like the look of the WirieAP. Say we buy one, do you get a little something if I mention your name?
We are leaving for Mexico this summer to cruise for awhile.
Best
Marcus