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WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick #122810
03/04/2017 09:52 AM
03/04/2017 09:52 AM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
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Bgs Offline OP
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Bgs  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
Hello,

I am following up on our WIFI decisions from our trip in December.
Here is what we found out. No shocker here, but spoiler alert, you get what you pay for...

We were with Sunsail, not TMM this trip so we were on the hunt for WIFI at better than $40/day. A Mom Dad, 18 and 20 year old sons, (judge away but we all like a bit if connected time, weather, vids, et cetera. As long as it isn't work related)

Our findings:
1) No doubt the easiest thing: is spend the money at Sunsail and you can buy unlimited wifi $40 a day.

2) Hardest thing: travel all over Toronto for weeks before the trip looking for an unlocked mifi that I can use with a local Digicel sim card. Finally get to the infamous mall where all electronics of various shades of grey are available, negotiate away, and come up away with an $85 dollar MIFI that "is definitely unlocked for anywhere in the world"
Show up at digicel in Road Town, buy a 7gig card for $70 and ... NO JOY

3) Middle of the Road Option; (what we ended up with) at digicel in Road Town they sold us, on the spot, a MIFI for $80US and it worked with their card.
(That is what I had wanted to do in the first place but when I originally called down to digicel they said they don't stock them and you had to have a local address to order one. That was not true )

I now own a digicel mifi, that next time I can just get the SIM card loaded with the time we need.

I am curious. What are other wifi solutions are out there?

Also but unrelated, I need to give a big shoutout and thanks to Nick at Leverick Bay. Not only did he book us a rental jeep and keep that all sorted for us, we had an "almost boat hook tragedy" (the rivets gave way and the hook came of the handle so we had and separate handle and hook,) note bien: a boat hook without the hook is not nearly as useful a tool. But he was able to make us whole again. Many thanks Nick!

Take care,

Last edited by Bgs; 03/04/2017 11:23 AM.
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Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: Bgs] #122811
03/04/2017 12:18 PM
03/04/2017 12:18 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 277
trueblue Offline
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trueblue  Offline
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Posts: 277
Normally, with just the two of us we do not worry about wifi. But two years ago we had children and grandchildren on a Moorings 54.5. We went with the most expensive option, wifi from the office on Moorings/Sunsail dock. It was fabulously expensive, and worth every penny. With a boat full of teens, tweens, and adults who never did figure out what the word "vacation" really means, we had no problems at all. It was really really really expensive, but even one of the adults who was overseeing a software upgrade in Chicago from our boat admitted it was worth the money.

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: trueblue] #122812
03/04/2017 12:20 PM
03/04/2017 12:20 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 277
trueblue Offline
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trueblue  Offline
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Posts: 277
And one more thing, about that boathook. Didn't they tell you that the
long handled brush was your spare boathook?

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: trueblue] #122813
03/04/2017 12:25 PM
03/04/2017 12:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind Offline
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sail2wind  Offline
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GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
"Hardest thing: travel all over Toronto for weeks before the trip looking for an unlocked mifi that I can use with a local Digicel sim card."


Do they have Amazon or eBay in Canada? Why run around? We bought our mifi for $30 and have used it for years. They actually mail it right to your house.

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: sail2wind] #122814
03/04/2017 02:06 PM
03/04/2017 02:06 PM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
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Bgs Offline OP
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Bgs  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
Hi,

We are amazon and kijiji users but the Canadian mifis are locked to their proprietary distributors (Bell, Rogers Telus) and won't work on other companies networks.
I did look US ones, but I could not discern which ones would actually work in the BVIs, I just didn't know enough about verizon versus sprint et cetera.
I would have gladly paid the duty and border tax wink if I knew it would work in the BVIs.

Which one did you buy that worked down there?

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: trueblue] #122815
03/04/2017 02:10 PM
03/04/2017 02:10 PM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
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Bgs Offline OP
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Bgs  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
That is brilliant, so simple.
Most great ideas are I suppose.
I had not heard of that fix.

One time sailing we did get a halyard wrapped around a spreader and it was a boat hook the saved the day, but I will remember the brush for boat hook substitution in the future.

Thanks.

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: Bgs] #122816
03/04/2017 04:00 PM
03/04/2017 04:00 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
maytrix Offline
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maytrix  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
The two options I prefer are to either buy an unlocked 4G router on amazon or just buy an unlocked phone and use the mobile sharing option. I've done both and they've both worked well. I prefer the phone method since I can then use it as a phone as well.

You could also do the same with an unlocked tablet.

Sim cards can just be bought ahead of time from mrsimcard.com - little more expensive then doing it there, but saves you time.


Matt
Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: Bgs] #122817
03/04/2017 04:43 PM
03/04/2017 04:43 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
sail2wind Offline
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sail2wind  Offline
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Posts: 10,213
GJ, CO S/V Long Overdue
Quote
Bgs said:
That is brilliant, so simple.
Most great ideas are I suppose.
I had not heard of that fix.

One time sailing we did get a halyard wrapped around a spreader and it was a boat hook the saved the day, but I will remember the brush for boat hook substitution in the future.

Thanks.



Then buy an american router, why do you need a Canadian router for BVI

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: sail2wind] #122818
03/04/2017 05:08 PM
03/04/2017 05:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
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Bgs Offline OP
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Bgs  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 64
Toronto, ON
Yes I would use a US MiFi. I just didn't know if it would work in the BVIs.

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: Bgs] #122819
03/04/2017 06:15 PM
03/04/2017 06:15 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 36
Philadelphia
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marianneg Offline
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marianneg  Offline
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Posts: 36
Philadelphia
We are planning a trip w/TMM - its my understanding they provide free wi-fi inclusive in their charter package. Do any TMM charters have any comments or suggestions?

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: marianneg] #122820
03/04/2017 08:00 PM
03/04/2017 08:00 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 109
SailOrion Offline
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SailOrion  Offline
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Posts: 109
That is correct Marrianeg ... all TMM vessels have a free Internet enable wifi hotspot. Have a great trip! - Mark

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: Bgs] #122821
03/05/2017 12:40 PM
03/05/2017 12:40 PM
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 288
Kansas
Chriskal Offline
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Chriskal  Offline
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Posts: 288
Kansas
1. Spare iPhone 4s+digicell SIM card+hotspot = Wifi for all and local calling as well. Before that used cheap android phone for same purpose.

2. For $10/day with Verizon using my current phone internationally is the same as using it at home including data. Hotspot means wife and the boy can log on also.

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: Bgs] #122822
03/06/2017 09:11 AM
03/06/2017 09:11 AM
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 850
Manhattan Beach, CA
calsail Offline
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calsail  Offline
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Posts: 850
Manhattan Beach, CA
Oh how I remember and covet the 80's sailing the BVIs. No WiFi, no cellular, rarely a landline. In a pinch you might connect with the St Thomas Marine Operator. Now that's something most of the younger sailers have never heard of.

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: calsail] #122823
03/06/2017 12:40 PM
03/06/2017 12:40 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 8,530
Ya never know...
HillsideView Offline
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HillsideView  Offline
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Posts: 8,530
Ya never know...
I remember the first TV appearing in the bars along CGB. All down hill after that <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />


My foot fits right into my shoe and my shoe will fit right into your...
Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: marianneg] #122824
03/06/2017 07:56 PM
03/06/2017 07:56 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 114
Englewood, Florida
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DaveF Offline
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DaveF  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 114
Englewood, Florida
I hope it is not too late to ask this: I saw many nice info maps on www.BVIMariner.com but nothing showing where all the Wi Fi sites are located. Maybe I missed this. Just knowing this and being able to grab a Wi Fi at a bar, marina or mooring is a great help.

Is there a map or listing of Wi Fi sites?

Thanks,

Dave


Dave
Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: DaveF] #122825
03/06/2017 09:24 PM
03/06/2017 09:24 PM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 109
SailOrion Offline
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SailOrion  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 109
Hi Dave ... We recently updated the Marina pages on BVI Mariner to show Wifi availability based on a request from another TTOL'er ... look under the "Amenities" heading. Nothing currently in the works to provide a Wifi Map, but will add this to the feature request list. My concern with this type of data is keeping it up-to-date (i.e. accurate) as it can be very dynamic and we want to avoid stale data. After users become more accustomed to posting their observations, this type of feature will by more feasible. Thanks for the suggestion. - Mark

Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: SailOrion] #122826
03/07/2017 10:02 AM
03/07/2017 10:02 AM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,318
MD, USA
Dirichlet Offline
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Dirichlet  Offline
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Posts: 1,318
MD, USA
Voyage has wifi built into the boats. That's another option.


... DIF all the time...
[Linked Image]
Re: WIFI - and Shout Out to Nick at Leverick [Re: Dirichlet] #122827
03/07/2017 10:26 PM
03/07/2017 10:26 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,151
Ontario, Canada
warren460 Offline
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warren460  Offline
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Posts: 2,151
Ontario, Canada
TMM has unlimited wifi on their boats.


Warren S/V Scuba Doo
Lagoon 50 (winner of best crewed yacht under 55 feet at the St. Thomas crewed yacht boat show).

https://www.cyabrochure.com/ebn/2307/pdyrX/6642/4///

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