Internet on board

More and more boaters want access to internet afloat. Marinas and ports as well as a large number of cafes, hotels, restaurants and service providers offer WiFi connectivity but you may just miss that vital connection if you’re moored or anchored away from the dock. Internet access afloat really adds to boating.

Not only can you keep abreast of news and email, but it’s a great source of entertainment, TV and media when allowing you take advantage of the latest entertainment services such as Netflix and Spotify. It can also be used to download the latest weather information. Free GRIB files are available to integrate with PC navigation programs to provide animated weather forecasts with wind, swell, pressure and temperature information.

On board internet connectivity can also help to entertain children and family when undertaking long passages. The ability to stream their favourite movies or TV shows through numerous entertainment platforms can make those long journeys that little more entertaining.

Whilst on board, you can access the internet through 4G systems, WiFi booster and satellite. Digital Yacht make a range of high power WiFi systems (WL510, WL60) which offer easy and cheap data access with ranges of up to 5NM. WiFi is cheap, global and fast and for many coastal sailors, it’s ideal. Satellite provides a trans-ocean solution but at a high price and substantial running cost. The WL510 will integrate with your on board PC system to provide internet access.

4G Connect Pro and 4G Xtream offer internet connectivity up to 25NM from the coast through 3G/4G/LTE connectivity which fulfils 99% of the recreational boating industry’s requirement. Simply insert a SIM card and you have your own independent internet network without hunting for WiFi access points and passwords. The 4G Connect utilises MIMO technology and dual external antennas. The 4G Xtream offers an ultra fast CAT6 modem with dual SIM card readers, built-in GPS as well as an NMEA 2000 interface for navigation app connectivity. They create a local WiFi (or wired) network on board for other devices to connect and they can also connect to another internet source and switch between the connections.

4G Connect and 4G Xtream have a WAN and LAN port so you can connect the WL510’s Ethernet cable to the 4G Connect/ 4G Xtream modem. This allows the 4G Connect/4G Xtream built-in WiFi router to share an internet connectivity from both LTE (4G) and WiFi hotspot.

By also connecting iKommunicate’s Ethernet cable, our universal NMEA0183, 2000 and Signal K interface, to the 4G Connect modem’s LAN port, the 4G Connect built-in WiFi router will also provide boat NMEA navigation, instrumentation and engine data on the WiFi network for use with navigation apps.

By integrating together 4G Connect, WL510 and iKommunicate, this solution provides under the same WiFi router an internet connectivity through 4G and WiFi hotspot but also all the navigation data for use with navigation apps and software.