Trouble Connecting to Network With Mac and iPad...

[BIllBallard]

Hello everyone -

My situation is a bit unique and requires some backstory, so bear with me.

My wife and I live aboard and sail on our sailboat full time. (Yes, we're retired...I am, anyway, she still works.) This past spring, we installed a router, modem, and cell boost antennae in the hope of attaining workable Wi-Fi on board the boat via our cellular phone system, T-Mobile. We have a Linovision Router, Pepwave Modem, and non-descript booster antennae. Let me digress a moment, and add that my wife is, at times, a cheapskate - and insisted we use the least expensive components we could find. We did just that, and here we are...

The kicker is, she's able to connect to our network with her PC and Android phone with no issues. She doesn't have super speed and frequently has to hotspot her phone if she's dealing with PDF files or other documents. I, on the other hand can connect to the network with no issues, but cannot do anything - nothing - I can't even open Safari or Firefox with the Macbook Pro or iPad - much less actually send or download emails, browse the web, use Google Drive, etc., unless I hotspot with my iPhone - but that kills my 'unlimited' data plan. If I don't use the hotspot, the phone works on the network, but is staggeringly slow.

I've finally convinced her this isn't a workable option and she's agreed to an upgrade. Unfortunately, that's not likely to happen until next spring. In the meantime, does anyone have any ideas/suggestions I could look at to at least make something work for my iOS gear?

Thanks!

 

[pm-r]

I've finally convinced her this isn't a workable option and she's agreed to an upgrade. Unfortunately, that's not likely to happen until next spring. In the meantime, does anyone have any ideas/suggestions I could look at to at least make something work for my iOS gear?

Do you keep your boat at a Marina and do they have any sort of Wi-Fi for boater guests and Internet access that you could use providing they don't have horrendous usage fees?

Of course if you are out sailing on the high seas, I guess you could be looking at Satellite access but that can get pretty expensive but works well for those I know that go boating for long stretches on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

BTW: welcome to Mac forums. Due to various aging conditions we had to give up our boating several years ago now but it was much too small for permanent live-aboard, but some great times. A bit expensive these days with the fuel prices the way they are heading towards the heavens... So best to stay moored at the dock!!!




- Patrick
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[BIllBallard]

Do you keep your boat at a Marina and do they have any sort of Wi-Fi for boater guests and Internet access that you could use providing they don't have horrendous usage fees?

Of course if you are out sailing on the high seas, I guess you could be looking at Satellite access but that can get pretty expensive but works well for those I know that go boating for long stretches on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

BTW: welcome to Mac forums. Due to various aging conditions we had to give up our boating several years ago now but it was much too small for permanent live-aboard, but some great times. A bit expensive these days with the fuel prices the way they are heading towards the heavens... So best to stay moored at the dock!!!




- Patrick
=======

Thanks for the welcome!

We're typically not in marinas very often. We usually anchor or take a mooring. Most marinas these days have Wi-Fi which is including in the docking fees. The last time we were in a marina that had good, solid, signal quality, nothing was different for me. I could, however, go into the lounges and log in to the network with zero issues, just as I could got to a coffee shop or somewhere with guest access and log on.

Starlink does have a marina system available, but it's geared for large ships and motor yachts. We do know some people who are using the RV version, with some modifications to the antennae with decent success. It's an option.

 

[pm-r]

We're typically not in marinas very often. We usually anchor or take a mooring

Starlink does have a marina system available, but it's geared for large ships and motor yachts. We do know some people who are using the RV version, with some modifications to the antennae with decent success. It's an option.

At least you have some options available to you even if they do seem a bit expensive, but certainly better than they were around this area a few years ago where one had to rely on marinas and their Wi-Fi service, if they even had such a service available. And using cell phone hotspots can get pretty expensive.

Just out of curiosity, how big is your boat and where is your boating/cruising area generally and are you usually using power or sail.

We were basically weekend power boaters but I was always amazed by the number of sailboats and the preferences of the owners to try and use sail, yet 90% of the time when we saw them out and about they were under and using their power. I would have thought more would have used nice easier furling rigs and make the sail handling so much easier.



- Patrick
=======

 

[BIllBallard]

At least you have some options available to you even if they do seem a bit expensive, but certainly better than they were around this area a few years ago where one had to rely on marinas and their Wi-Fi service, if they even had such a service available. And using cell phone hotspots can get pretty expensive.

Just out of curiosity, how big is your boat and where is your boating/cruising area generally and are you usually using power or sail.

We were basically weekend power boaters but I was always amazed by the number of sailboats and the preferences of the owners to try and use sail, yet 90% of the time when we saw them out and about they were under and using their power. I would have thought more would have used nice easier furling rigs and make the sail handling so much easier.



- Patrick
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We’re on a 34’ Pacific Seacraft sailboat. It’s a boat designed for ocean voyaging. We’ve lived aboard full time for over seven years. We do have a small diesel engine, but we also move under sail quite often. In fact, when conditions are right, we can sail faster than we can move under motor power alone.

Marina Wi-Fi has always been a mythical beast, not unlike unicorns and yetis. We know those who claimed to have used it, but we’ve yet to see it. I jest, of course; in recent years, it’s gotten to be quite good.

 

[pm-r]

We’re on a 34’ Pacific Seacraft sailboat. It’s a boat designed for ocean voyaging. We’ve lived aboard full time for over seven years.

Nice boat and that's a long time for two people to live together in a smallish but adequate boat

It looks like a West coaster has pretty well the same idea with the same model boat:

Pacific Seacraft 34 Sailboat - Design and Sailing Characteristics, Outfitting Ideas

Pacific Seacraft 34 design and sailing characteristics, sailing videos, published reviews, sales brochure, specifications, photos, equipment and outfitting ideas

web.pdx.edu

Happy safe cruising and good luck with your Wireless Internet connections.



- Patrick
=======

 

[ferrarr]

I don't know if you have this available, but if the router has an ethernet port to connect the MBP to it. Then use the MBP wifi as the hotspot for your other devices.

 

[BIllBallard]

Nice boat and that's a long time for two people to live together in a smallish but adequate boat

It looks like a West coaster has pretty well the same idea with the same model boat:

Pacific Seacraft 34 Sailboat - Design and Sailing Characteristics, Outfitting Ideas

Pacific Seacraft 34 design and sailing characteristics, sailing videos, published reviews, sales brochure, specifications, photos, equipment and outfitting ideas

web.pdx.edu

Happy safe cruising and good luck with your Wireless Internet connections.



- Patrick
=======

I've seen that guy's site before, years ago. The boats were built in California from the late seventies until 2008 or so. Pacific Seacraft went into liquidation and the company and assets were all bought and relocated to North Carolina. The company is still in business, building new boats to order and completing refits.

And thanks! Public libraries area great asset - I'm in one now!

 

[BIllBallard]

I don't know if you have this available, but if the router has an ethernet port to connect the MBP to it. Then use the MBP wifi as the hotspot for your other devices.

The router has an Ethernet port; however, the MBP does not - it's all USB-C - and I have no adapters. There is a Best Buy store here, so I'm going to try to get one before we leave in our upcoming break in the weather.