More photos and diagrams will be added to this series of posts soon!
Part 1 – Internet for a boat
We live in a world where the internet allows us to be connected at all times. More and more devices are being built with the default assumption that a strong internet connection will always be available. Our Amazon Basics microwave we bought for the boat comes with Alexa built in from the factory. I assume with the intention that you can tell her to microwave something after you have placed the item inside the unit and closed the door. One now merely has to wake Alexa and tell her to “microwave my popcorn for one minute and thirty seconds” rather than press 4 buttons which I imagine is a huge improvement for people who hate buttons.
Talking microwaves not withstanding, there is a valid need for reliable internet for many cruisers (ourselves included). I need a strong internet connection while near shore at virtually all times as I am still working remotely as an IT administrator and software engineer. We both use apps to check forecasts for weather, wind, waves etc. We also use the internet for plotting our course and reading up on anchorages, marinas, snorkel and dive sites and more (as well as staying connected with Monster Sails!). In this multi-part series I will lay out how we started to tackle the problem of getting internet on a boat and what our experiences have been. Keep in mind that the intention is to have strong internet for coastal cruising. In certain circumstances like during our crossing from Antigua to Nevis, we never lost a strong 4G connection the entire time! Although at times like that we have gotten high speed (cellular) internet while 10-20+ miles from shore, the real use case is to ensure we have a good strong connection within about 1-5 miles from shore. If we are doing a longer crossing or making a passage we understand this solution may likely lose connectivity for some time. However, to stay connected during those periods would require direct internet via satellite which is still relatively slow in my opinion and outrageously expensive given the amount of data I would need to consume to be effective working offshore. Given that understanding, I think our setup would suffice for most cruisers who may be in a similar situation.
Tangent: I am aware there are satellite options that can give you internet access virtually worldwide with performance closer to what many people might find acceptable. But for me and many other cruisers, the huge initial and ongoing costs are simply not worth it when a similar setup to ours will outperform satellite internet 99% of the time we are cruising at a (tiny) fraction of the cost. For example, I recently priced out a a satellite based system using one of the most high end units and plans available for comparison. The KVH V11-IP costs between $50,000-$75,000 before installation. If you purchased the highest end data tier, it costs $90,000 for 1 TB of data which is valid for 12 months. With that plan they guarantee data speeds up to 1mbps upload and 4mbps download. To put that performance in perspective, I just ran a very brief speed test on a 4G LTE device and achieved 25mbps download and 7mbps upload. One of the super yachts near me in the marina as I write this has the KVH V7 – a more modest unit priced around $30,000. My $2500 system just achieved 20mbps download and 5mbps upload. Even if they have the most expensive plan, the performance I am getting is much better than the satellite based system. Granted they will be able to check Facebook in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but that is a luxury I am willing to forgo. As a tangent to this tangent, be aware that there is another dimension to speed which is known as latency or ping. While this often doesn’t factor into common “speed” tests it is extremely important when considering responsiveness of a system. Satellite based internet generally has a much worse latency than other common forms of internet access. With that being said, if one were to choose a satellite internet provider it would work very well with the architectural approach I lay out here. It would simply be another provider of access that work work in conjunction with other providers and be used as dictated by the fallback rules one defines.
Core concepts
The completed architecture at a high level requires the understanding of a few core concepts. Understanding these areas will provide a solid foundation upon which this approach can be expanded, upgraded or amended to suit a particular situation.
- Providers of internet access
To obtain internet access for a standard US home, it is common to contact an internet service provider (ISP) who would likely install a physical line that connects their systems to a device in the home and provides the ability to connect to the internet. With the mobile requirements of a boat and the fact SpaceX Starlink satellites won’t be available for some time (if it was available it would still fit in this architecture!), there is a need to locate other sources of internet access. In the first sections of this guide, existing WiFi and cellular based options are explored. Other sources of internet access like traditional marine satellite are not covered, but they are simply another source and this architecture allows for a virtually unlimited number of sources! - Network hardware and software
With the aforementioned requirements that internet access is not being provided by a standard ISP, it is even more important that the appropriate networking hardware and software is used and configured for optimum access, availability, security etc. With the right piece(s) of hardware and software, this challenge can be overcome quite easily. While this area is likely the most technical, a good solution comes with standard defaults, recommendations and direction for the most important features and components. Once the basic requirements are met, more features, modules and interfaces can always be added if enhancements are required. - Devices, applications and services
The whole point of setting up all of this infrastructure is to add devices, applications and services which can interact over the internet and communicate across a unified network. The end goal is for a fluid and seamless interaction for all interfaces. This means that whether a phone, laptop, tablet, smart TV etc. needs to connect to the network, communicate with another interface or access the internet it is accomplished in a single unified way.
Through the following articles I will layout step by step the approach I took to accomplish this goal. Hopefully this information will be useful to other cruisers who are trying to solve the problem of getting reliable (and even fast) internet while cruising without spending a fortune on data or over paying for inefficient hardware or software, especially in many systems marketed for the marine industry. If you have a suggestion, comment or a question anywhere along the way, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a message. If you find this information helpful, please considering sharing with others who might be interested!
Let’s get started by tackling the first aspect of the system – Internet for a Boat – Part 2.
