answer to wifi instead of BT? Airenabler

[wakebrdr94]

I've been looking at installing an apple Airport into the boat over blue tooth, and came across this today, going to purchase and give it a shot as wifi tends to have better range and sound quality. easier than cracking open an airport and modifying as well (although I will do if i need to) anyone seen or tried this? if not, I'll play guinea pig

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00EZWVZ44/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all

demo video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ecu_TxbyknU

[Asmodeus2112]

Wow! I like!

[Pistol Pete]

Zoe knows more about computers than I do.

And, she's adorable.

[Bill_AirJunky]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but this allows one or more sources (Iphones) to connect to one set of speakers (boat system)..... right?

I'd like to find something that allows one source to connect to multiple boats.

[wakebrdr94]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but this allows one or more sources (Iphones) to connect to one set of speakers (boat system)..... right?

I'd like to find something that allows one source to connect to multiple boats.

I'm 99% sure this could be achieved using multiple apple airports. You'd have to hack a couple to install in the boats you wanted, then link them together. You could do this with these for home use, can't see why it couldn't be done with boats. Hardest part is they need to be popped open and altered to run on power from a USB cable

[shawndoggy]

Looks promising. Would be plug and play for me too because I am already running my bluetooth dongle from a hardwired usb port up under the dash. I confess that I am skeptical about the range of that little box especially if hidden behind structural elemenrs of the boat.

Sent from my BNTV600 using Tapatalk

[wakebrdr94]

Shawn, I'll let you guys know for sure when it gets here. I will say this, the LED controller from XK Glow that I used in my previous boats are wifi, and I could control the system from over 60' away. Hopefully that router is just as good as the ones xkglow supplies. Any familiar with roadrunners in Parker, I could have my boat parked at the end of the dock, and control the system from the upstairs deck by the inside dance floor. More than 60', but trying to play it safe on a guestimate. The controller was mounted under my dash.

My only concern is when I run the new XK glow system, that too will be wifi. So will they interfere with each other? Or can I connect to more than one wifi source at a time that is not apple. I'll install a Bluetooth dongle as well, since I won't have a HU. I'm getting antsy already

I ordered one so we'll see. May have to try on my buddies boat first as mine won't be in until the end of feb

Edited December 31, 2013 by wakebrdr94

[TNWILSON]

I'm kinda new to the boat audio scene but that seems like a great idea! Depending on your luck with it I may have to purchase this as well. As far as the multiple wifi's goes unless you have a "jail broke" iPhone I don't think you can be connected to multiple wifi at the same time.

[wakebrdr94]

I'm kinda new to the boat audio scene but that seems like a great idea! Depending on your luck with it I may have to purchase this as well. As far as the multiple wifi's goes unless you have a "jail broke" iPhone I don't think you can be connected to multiple wifi at the same time.

I'm jail broken, still running iOS 6 something. Just bought an iPod touch 4th gen just for the boat. Only for music, might have to jailbreak that too if that makes It possible.

[shawndoggy]

seems like one of these would be a good add-on to the system: http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Hardwire-Charger-Vehicle-Motorcycle/dp/B007O59Z7I

[wakebrdr94]

I was going to mimic chadwicks system in the connector on the dash would be used for charging. This will be my first install going this route, so the charging situation I needed to research. that looks perfect, now just need one for ipod/phone 4. thanks for the tip

[shawndoggy]

I'm a big fan of the isimple IS43 too if all you need is usb charging: http://www.amazon.com/iSimple-IS43-Panel-Vehicle-Charging/dp/B0047XUDCQ

[G Spot]

So does this only work with music you have on your iphone, rather than streaming in tunes from pandora or something else? Once you connect to that router, wouldn't you stop getting emails, internet access?

[wakebrdr94]

You can stream pandora, etc. if you are using your phone, you shouldn't lose anything that your cellular service provides. Honestly, if that was the case, I wouldn't mind losing email or calls while on the water.

[robtr8]

Subscribed. Interested to see if you guys can make this work.

I know that you can connect to several Airplay Remote Speakers on a single network using iTunes on a Mac or PC. I'm pretty sure you need to turn on Home Sharing. You can control the music selection, volume and choice of connections using the Remote APP on your iThingy. I tried connecting to multiple Remote Speakers from my iPhone and could not find a "multiple Remote Speaker" choice like iTunes has.

[wakebrdr94]

Subscribed. Interested to see if you guys can make this work.

I know that you can connect to several Airplay Remote Speakers on a single network using iTunes on a Mac or PC. I'm pretty sure you need to turn on Home Sharing. You can control the music selection, volume and choice of connections using the Remote APP on your iThingy. I tried connecting to multiple Remote Speakers from my iPhone and could not find a "multiple Remote Speaker" choice like iTunes has.

There is an app for controlling everything the way iTunes does. IF it is all apple airports. I believe it is just called Remote.

I've been doing some reading and I can't think of a reason why this couldn't work for connecting multiple boats. Using the airports that is. you'd have to set one up as the base station and the others would have to be bridged.

Not sure if this unit is capable of that without some programming, but I really do not need to link boats together. I'm just looking for better range than Bluetooth. I'm just tryin to get the new system planned out so when the boat gets here I'm ready to install right away

Edited January 1, 2014 by wakebrdr94

[shawndoggy]

did you find someone to do the ipad integration?

[wakebrdr94]

I was recommended a shop, I'm going to talk to them. That one may have to wait. Wife already asking me about more spending on the boat. As little things arrive here and there. The iPod like Chadwick will work, the iPad I think would just look cool and be a little easier controlling music as its a bigger screen.

[hwsportsmitch]

I wonder if broadcasting over wifi instead of BT; It will kill your phone battery real quick? Because of constant data being sent to stereo.

[Nitrousbird]

I'm jail broken, still running iOS 6 something. Just bought an iPod touch 4th gen just for the boat. Only for music, might have to jailbreak that too if that makes It possible.

iOS 7 jailbreak is out - just released a few days ago. I'm waiting until I get home from vacation as I want my desktop handy before I upgrade.

[wakebrdr94]

I saw that, but I've been very underwhelmed with ios7. My wife has had nothin but issues with it since she upgraded. Crashes, phone had to be warrantied as if got stuck during upgrade, etc. thanks though

[wakebrdr94]

So I go my kit today, and pretty impressed so far. Obviously I don't have a boat to test it on yet, but I used the good old Prius and the range was awesome, more than I'll need with a boat. Here's a short video to test the range, worked like a champ. Pardon the video, shot from the wife's iPhone.

The ONLY problem I had wasn't with the unit itself, but ios7. When in the music player, there is no option to select your music source, it just picks one. My Bluetooth connected right away, and I could not choose an audio source, even if I just wanted it through the phone. I checked in pandora and YouTube and both still had the button to choose an option. So I had to choose the audio device in the other app, then swith it to music. Again, not the devices fault, just the way ios7 music app is. Really regretting updating to ios7 after, especially after my last post. I'll look for another music player app.

Edited January 7, 2014 by wakebrdr94

[robtr8]

You can turn BT off pretty quickly from the control center if it connects to the car when you don't want it to. If you're looking for the AirPlay soft key, it's also in control center, not the music player. Swipe up from the bottom and you'll see it.

Looks like the unit works great. Thanks for the review. You've got a lot of nerve showing off yer dang palm trees. It's COLD out!

Edited January 7, 2014 by robtr8

[wakebrdr94]

I want some cold. 73 here today, but it would be nice if the local mountains got some snow. Pretty warm winter we are having, even for us. I've been going stir crazy without a boat and this weather. Thanks for the tip on the control center, apparently my phone cover does not allow me to access it. Is there another way to get there?

Unit has worked well driving around today, so Looking forward to see what it can do on the boat.

Edited January 8, 2014 by wakebrdr94

[winddawg]

So I ordered mine from Amazon and it arrived last week. The model is a TP-Link WR703N which is the same as the one in the 1st post. I was surprised that all of the documentation was in Chinese, however, like the video it is simple to set up with an iPhone. A few days after the product arrived I received an email from the Amazon re-seller Qnology. Here is the link to the site: http://airenabler.qnology.com/. The email was inquiring to see if I liked the product.

You can find a bit more product information the site and Qui the person that contact me was very responsive and helpful.

In addition to working with an iphone I wanted to see if I could get it to work with my Android phone. I have a NON-ROOTED Galaxy SIII so after trying 6 different apps claiming to work with various forms of AirPorts I found this one on the google play store :Double Twist. I loaded the free version and of course found out that I needed to by the $9.99 paid version to enable the streaming. Well I took the risk and found out it works. So now I can stream via wifi to the airenabler from an iphone or an android phone.

-Dave