To create an easier configurable UI we wonder if there is anyone out there willing to help us develop ready-made pre-installed skins for systems that are being uses for ship-shore wifi network confguration. Our goal is to develop a combination system with a Groove routerboard mounted onboard a sailing- or motoryacht and beneath deck a wireless AP e.g. mAP series / routerboard with wifi. See the picture below for the idea.
The Groove routerboard should be able to remember connected AP’s by means of saved profiles. When a ship goes from harbour to harbour it should preferably automatic remember the credentials needed. E.g. like a laptop or a phone does remeber former wifi networks added. The Groove routerboard should be able to connect ‘Enterprise’ wifi networks like Ziggo (ISP in Holland) has and also be able to one-time-login and connect hotspots (KPN hotspots ISP in Holland) with username and password (HTML weblogin). Clients should use NAT to connect the internet so multiple devices only need one login ticket.
Q: who can help us to create a good working dedicated easy configurable skin for both mAP router and Groove? Eventually with an external APP suitable on mobile devices for easy configuration when arriving a new harbour. We know this is a specific question. Maybe not for this forum, but our experience is that there are many boat owners looking for a proper product that can do this. All we want is a fool proof easy system to get wifi access onboard a boat/yacht or in mobile RV’s.
I have myself developed a outdoor solution based on a “RBwAPR-2nD” and a “RB Metal G-52SHPacn”. The first one acts a a wireless AP I connect all other devices to. There are still some open issues and I need winbox.exe on my laptop to establish the connection either through WiFi or through LTE. But in general the setup is working.
I am running both devices on the latest routerOS. I only need 24V to supply the power injector and the RBw.
Well If I understand how to post a picture here I caould do this as well…
As mentioned it is not yet an optimum but currently working in my RV on a campcround in Italy.
I have myself developed a system for my RV based out of a RBwAPR-2nD and a “RB Metal G-52SHPacn” both connected together. I only need 24V to the power injector an the RBw which is configured as an wireless access point I connect all other devices to. I still need winbox.exe to select the WiFi network and if I want to connect via LTE. But in principal it is currently working in my RV on a campground in Italy.
Cheers Richard
If I understand how to post a picture here I could do this as well…
Obvious your combination will work great too. What we are looking for in this specific recreational vehicle/boat setup (almost the same as yours) is a dedicated Webfig Skin for both MikroTik devices so a non-skilled person can configure the connection in a less comprehensive way without using WinBox. Just by using a phone or a tablet with a dedicated APP to arrange the neccesary WAN connection with the wifi or LTE network nearby. We use these setup onboard sailingships and vessels. Instead of the RBw we prefer to use a separate 4G LTE router configured as failover backup with external 4G mimo antennas instead. Once the Wifi setup is not working the 4G modem will take-over WAN function by 4G signals. Because the distance to the LTE base satation is very far in most cases and boats often are made of steel (Faraday cage) we need the external 4G LTE antennas mounted in the masts on the boat.
P.S. you can make a picture link by means of an URL to an elsewhere uploaded online picture.
Hi Johann,
I tried to run a hotspot on the RBwAPR-2nD&R11e-LTE and started to develop a website which would show me the available WiFi networks I can connect to as well as a button to “switch” between WiFi or LTE. This way you may not need an APP on a mobile device - just connect to your hotspot. For user management and first setup you still may need some more experiance person if you go this route. Underlying scripts still would need to be developed.
I personally want to manualy control which WAN interface is beeing used as I have family members which suck the last byte out of your LTE/mobile phone contract. Going this route, I would support someone in doing it as well.
Hi Johan,
I personaly think this is extreamly overpriced, but I can not fully judge the own skin functionality and it seems that their customers are paying for it! Compared to my solution hardware costs already about 3x and as shown in the pdf it does not support LTE.
A german company develops a custom hotspot web page for ~250€. Not sure if there are some scripts in there as well.
Anyway, I am more than happy with RouterOS functionality and if I have time I continue to develop the html page.
Cheers
