WiFi One year update and new design

by: Mike O'Quin
October 25, 2016

Well after installing the system and running it for over a year I thought there should be an update on the design, equipment and implementation list.

The original design worked quite well but due to equipment failures and new products I have changed the design. The original design had a switch inside the boat along with 2 PoE adapters for powering the outdoor and indoor access points. A company called MicroTik came out with a office switch/access point that has a 12vdc wall power supply. That meant that the switch/access point could be powered directly from the boat batteries. That eliminated one PoE adapter and the indoor access point. The other nice thing about this switch/access point is that port 5 is a PoE port. That eliminates the other PoE adapter for the outdoor access point. This switch/access point eliminated both PoE adapters, a 12vdc power cable, the indoor access point, and 3 cat5 cables. Additionally this switch/access point can be programmed to have a permanent VPN.

The equipment failure was the Ubiquiti BULLET2-HP High Power WiFi AP that was the access point outside FatDash that is used to connect to the shore hotspot. It appears that if it gets dropped into the ocean while on it fails. Not the BULLET2-HP’s fault but mine. I have replaced this with a similar device also from MicroTik.

So with the changes I made here is the new network block diagram:

WiFi Network

New design.

The new parts list are the following:

  • There are 3 versions of the inside router that I would recommend.
    • This is the one I am currently using.
      • [amazon_link asins=’B00JO48OP6′ template=’ProductInline’ store=’fatdash-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d19f537f-358d-11e7-8b4b-e72e0a7b9aa1′]
    • This is a replacement that includes 2.4ghz and 5ghz.
      • [amazon_link asins=’B019PCF3QY’ template=’ProductInline’ store=’fatdash-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d19f537f-358d-11e7-8b4b-e72e0a7b9aa1′]
    • This is what I would go to when I upgrade. It includes 2.4Ghz, 5 Ghz and gigabit ethernet.
      • [amazon_link asins=’B01BMMK4HI’ template=’ProductInline’ store=’fatdash-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d19f537f-358d-11e7-8b4b-e72e0a7b9aa1′]
  • [amazon_link asins=’B01DAHWW3C’ template=’ProductInline’ store=’fatdash-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d19f537f-358d-11e7-8b4b-e72e0a7b9aa1′]
  • [amazon_link asins=’B004NPMZOW’ template=’ProductInline’ store=’fatdash-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’91eacb90-1bd4-11e7-b667-e1881b54e976′]
  • [amazon_link asins=’B0085T97PW’ template=’ProductInline’ store=’fatdash-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’91eacb90-1bd4-11e7-b667-e1881b54e976′]
  • [amazon_link asins=’B0127J7NWE’ template=’ProductInline’ store=’fatdash-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’91eacb90-1bd4-11e7-b667-e1881b54e976′]

In the new design the interior of the boat has a private network that is accessible via network cable and WiFi.

The wiring diagram looks like this.

 

It is quite simple. Connect the 12vdc to 24vdc converter regulator to the switched/fused output of the battery bank on your boat. Then connect a  5.5 x 2.1mm male dc power jack adapter connector to the output of the 12vdc to 24vdc converter regulator. Then plug this into the inside router.

Technical:

I am using a 12vdc to 24vdc boost convertor because the Metal 52 ac outdoor wifi has a max power demand of 11 watts. If you use the boats 12 power then 11w at 12vdc would require 917ma (here is the calculator) The maximum output for the RB951Ui-2HnD indoor router on port 5 the PoE port is 580ma and from this I will do all the calculations.

With a 24vdc supply the PoE port on the routers will supply 22vdc at 580ma. The Metal 52 ac requires 11w. At 22vdc that will be 500ma. This does not allow for the cable between the inside router and the outside router. To calculate the drop in the cable I used this calculator. I used “Passive 2 pair”, “Cat-6 Copper”, “25 feet”, “22 volts”, “11 watts”, and “1 device”. This results in 21.74vdc at the outdoor router. The current at the inside router port 5 will be 510ma and the watts will be 11.13w.

  •  
  •  RB951Ui-2HnD
    • Port 5 max current 580ma
    • Port 5 voltage 2vdc below supply voltage
  • RB952Ui-5ac2nD (hAP ac lite)
    • Port 5 max current 580ma
    • Port 5 voltage 2vdc below supply voltage
  • RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT (hAP ac)
    • Port 5 max current 700ma
    • Port 5 voltage 2vdc below supply voltage
  • RBMetalG-52SHPacn (Metal 52 ac)

 

References:

  • RB951Ui-2HnD
    • Quick Guide
    • Brochure
  • RB952Ui-5ac2nD (hAP ac lite)
    • Quick Guide
    • Brochure
  • RB962UiGS-5HacT2HnT (hAP ac)
    • Quick Guide
    • Brochure
  • RBMetalG-52SHPacn (Metal 52 ac)
    • Quick Guide
    • Brochure