The Peplink MAX BR1 Pro 5G is a powerful router capable of excellent performance on both 4G and 5G, and is a top pick for internet connectivity on a boat.
Starlink is still a very new technology, and not ready for being used underway or at anchor. However, in a marina it might work OK.
There have been a lot of new cellular antennas that have come out in the last few months from Peplink. I've been testing some of them for a while, and have some interesting findings.
Oro Bay on the south end of Anderson Island in the Salish Sea is a beautiful anchorage with a nearby park, quiet privacy, and wonderful views.
The Netgear Nighthawk 5G is an expensive upgrade to the Nighthawk line with moderate 5G support and some other interesting features.
Verizon has added new data only plans to their lineup for both pre-paid and post-paid customers. This is great news for those folks needing VZW coverage.
Working remotely from the boat requires a good system with multiple connections and cellular plans, redundancy, and good WiFi.
The Chasing M2 is an expensive ROV with some neat features, but still needs some additional improvements to be worth the rather high price.
Various devices from Victron and Tycon that can help power sensitive electronics and power over ethernet (PoE) devices.
Below are some of the current systems / hardware / plans I recommend. These are constantly changing, so check back often.
Many folks are asking about whether Starlink is a viable alternative for internet connectivity on the boat. I'll cover what I know and link to some other useful bits of info.
One of the biggest challenges with staying connected on the water is finding an appropriate cellular data plan. Before you embark on buying a new router, cabling, or anything else, start here - finding a plan can be challenging, and no amount of hardware will fix that.
