Alan Spicer Marine Telecom Main BLOG

What's a WiFi (Hotspot) Access and Sharing System? -- By Alan Spicer

* I just banged out an article on Cellular Internet using the Ericsson W25 device, so I figured I might as well go ahead and hit WiFi while I'm all warmed up.

Many businesses, homes, and for marine... many marinas - provide WiFi Hotspot Systems to their visitors, workers, or clients.

So what's a Hotspot System? Well it starts with an Internet Connection which is very likely land-based DSL or Cable Modem - that plugs into a specially configured WiFi Access Point/Router which has special outdoor (well sometimes indoor too, but who cares?) antennas covering either omni-directional (all directions) or Sectors (certain selective areas such as Marine Docks where boats can usually be found. WiFi Hotspot systems are often free, but there are also Public Hotspots which are commercial in nature and have Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly Subscription Fees. Often you can sign up from your computer using a credit card.

A WiFi Hotspot Access and Sharing System - is something that gets installed (well could go in a house, a building, a motor vehicle) [we do yachts] in marine vessels. It's usually a higher powered WiFi Client Device that connects to a Hotspot System - and allows you to share that connection within your (house, building, motor vehicle) [we do yachts!] to multiple wired and wireless clients (computers, PDAs,etc.) so that you can sign on your SITE (vehicle, vessel) just once and have everyone onboard be able to use it. This consolidates connections and can help save you money in commercial hotspot fees as well as the aggravation of having everybody connecting seperately.

I have a system that I'm currently recommending for marine - yachts that can do 250mW transmit on 802.11g and 500mW on 802.11b, which is High Power in the WiFi World. It comes with the marine omni-directional antenna, low loss coax cable, and the Main Unit that makes it all happen. Ask me about it!

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Alan Spicer Telecom / Alan Spicer Marine Telecom
http://www.marinetelecom.net
http://www.alanspicermarinetelecom.com
communications (at) marinetelecom.net
communications (at) alanspicermarinetelecom.com
a_spicer (at) bellsouth.net
+1 954-683-3426 +1 954-977-5245