How to get INTERNET on a boat + WeBoost cell booster performance review [NORDHAVN 43]

Happy Sunday Funday!
Some of the most common questions we get asked are "what do you miss most about living on land?" and "how do you guys handle internet while living aboard your boat?"
And quite honestly, those two questions go hand in hand. For starters, we don't miss anything about living in a traditional "home" on land except for the more readily available and relatively inexpensive unlimited high speed WiFi. We now have sub par WiFi at our home marina in Seattle while mostly functioning on cellular based data for our internet needs both at the dock and while away cruising. Since we depend so heavily on CELLULAR service, having a really good and reliable cellular signal is critical for us to work while cruising. Thus, our recent installation of the WeBoost cell booster.
Click to watch our installation of the WeBoost Cell Booster:
• Do CELL BOOSTERS work?...
If you're interested in knowing more about what we have and use, we hope you'll find this video helpful. Plus, you'll learn where to get dockside wine delivery in the San Juan Islands as well as where to go if you LOVE slugs!
Enjoy!
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Website: www.mvfreedomseattle.com
Instagram: @mvfreedomseattle
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[@PeteHuntley]

It could be that I cleaned my glasses, but the vid seems a lot sharper. Keep em rolling.

[@utubetimothy]

Thanks for the 17 minutes of some normal. I work in a hospital.

[@msweaver2]

Can't wait for these weekly updates. Enjoy them immensely.

[@mgdaily]

Hey, you guys are great! Both of you are very real and I love the fact that you both work for a living. The videos are edited like a master. Keep the great stuff rolling and safe travels!

[@deanteam813]

thanks for sharing journey and adding vessel tidbits...remain safe!

[@brucewatts4439]

Love you guys, stay safe...

[@RandyWHorton]

Thanks for your content as always! I really enjoy it. 🙏

[@donb.1426]

Absolutely love your videos! Great stuff. Makes me wish I was younger again and had the knowledge that you and Shaun have!

[@philipjohnson9581]

The cell boosters definitely helped a lot. That was a good technical talk Shawn and I'm sure helped a lot of people understand better how is cell booster can work for them.

[@markduncan6690]

Living the Life! More power to you!

[@jgdwick4067]

Good morning again from Cincy! Great show! Stay safe and well and away from the crazy’s!!!! Mr.Sully your looking awesome!

[@KandiSueTheBlue]

You know, we really enjoy your videos. We love how you take us out and about to new anchorages, have a meal with you, watch Sully visit the llamas, just a nice pace and so enjoyable. Many thanks.😎🌴

[@mvfreedom]

KandiSueTheBlue we’re so glad you like them, and Mr Sully says 👋

[@Deerwood1985]

Beautiful video, thank you.

[@VashonRail]

Absolutely love your choice of 'Morning Mandolin' for the open segment of this video! Way to Mask!

[@James-seafan]

awesome video andan awesome sunset thank you for sharing

[@LetsGoOutdoors]

Hey guys, thanks for doing that update on cell boosters! I’m hoping to get mine installed in the next week. Also I need to thank you for the info on that snubber system I was able to locate the retailer you suggested. So again I really appreciate the advice. Thanks again from the crew of Journey, Ladysmith BC.

[@mvfreedom]

Let's Go Outdoors that’s great to hear about the snubber, it’ll make life at anchor much nicer and better for your vessel. And good luck with the booster!

[@guymanges3628]

Thank you guys

[@anthonymiller4550]

Tony & Susan here, We are getting our wine delivery here in Michigan the vary same way. Amazing , and the cell tutorial was also interesting.

[@thomasw5430]

Thanks for the cell phone tutorial!

[@billvandenouden7302]

Watching this video and think about all the mayhem and Seattle hope you guys are safe you guys rock as always the video was awesome Vegas bill piece

[@mvfreedom]

We’re sadly in awe watching our beautiful city go down a very sad and scary path, but we’re thanking our lucky stars we moved aboard when we did and can spend so much time on the water.

[@Sirena_Edonismo]

Wow, great info on finding the field service menu on the iPhone. Good information to have. Thanks and just when I thought I knew everything. 😀

[@johnjacobjinglehimerschmit3075]

I'm glad you put Sandy back into the video intro

[@mvfreedom]

JohnJacobJingleHimer Schmit she never left 🐶

[@tonandmarc]

very well done video presentation. thank you

[@scottskelton8204]

Cool to learn about the cell info.

[@jwrappuhn71]

Great vid ya'll.

[@colinnapier6662]

Great advice regards signal strength for the iPhone.

[@mnbsay9548]

So very early for professor Shawns tech lesson. Oye vey!! Hello guy’s always a good watch your videos. Great music choices too. Stay safe! Fair weather and calm sea’s to the three of you, is there any thing cuter than Mr. Sully?

[@WashingtonTuna]

Attitude is everything!

[@GusCarlson]

I watched this as I ate breakfast, and finished eating about 2 minutes before the slug footage rolled. Sometimes I do have good luck!

[@manfredseidler1531]

With that tech-talk, I saw your lips moving but I didn't hear a thing... pretty much over my head. The scenery and dancing routine was over the top, another well done.

[@LSDaigle]

Quite an interesting cell phone tutorial. I had NO idea...

[@jeffstewart3703]

Love your videos........❤

[@mvfreedom]

Jeff Stewart thank you!

[@kirkhuddleston9387]

Heading back to the San Juan’s on a 47’ Sea Ranger next week. Can’t wait to be back in our home waters

[@mvfreedom]

Where r u coming from? Maybe we’ll see you on the water!

[@James-seafan]

interesting video conversation nice sunset

[@stevelavigne9927]

Sucia is one of my favorite places in the world. Headed to Sucia this morning from Watmough Bay off Lopez island. Got my crab trap, crab license and Weboost. Left Shilshole yesterday. Have a full set of sails too, so I guess that part is different.

[@ericmitchell5350]

Nice job following up on the cell booster. Thx! Beyond the 30dB change in signal strength, when you check with a bandwidth testing app, Do you see a significant % increase in data rate? Wow, I️ sound like a geek!

[@troyy6778]

Hi! Planning on headed up to San Juans next week from Oregon and will be on power boat. Wondering how it is as far as "pandemic closures" etc. Have been up there many times before and usually do gulf islands as well, but obviously sticking to 🇺🇸 part this year. Any thoughts on current covid situation and predictions (as far as closures, potential problems with marinas, restaurants, stores, etc.) for next couple of weeks would be greatly appreciated! And love your vids and have subscribed as well. Thanks.

[@michaelsamuel4159]

I gave a thumbs up for the dancing!

[@richardr1627]

I bit you are happy you moved on the yacht full time ... away from what is going on in Seattle

[@33crowdog]

The background sounds of the cars getting off the ferry brought me back to my childhood of going to the San Juan’s. Also, no salt shaker on your hikes? Gotta keep those slugs at bay.

[@akajbssmith7423]

Don’t knock those minivans, lol. I like to tell the story about how my wife almost cried when she got a minivan and again when she got out of them for an SUV. They are not cool but very practical. I’ve been admiring a Nordhaven 43 fly for years that berths at the Beaufort docks where I stay a lot. He has the outriggers for the stabilizers. Don’t know what they are really called. I really enjoy your content and seeing the PNW boating which is much different than what I see in the outer banks. Keep it up and safe travels.

[@mvfreedom]

Yes those are paravanes but they likely also have active fins as main stabilizers. We have active fins as our main plus a flopper stopper which we’ve never used.

[@damienquinn]

6:50 Holy geez! This little dude blows my mind! I think about him all the time. #sullythefearless

[@teddyrivas1082]

Question! When stopping at different ports, do yous to pay for permits at different ports , or is it just one permit for all depending where you go?

[@AndreSchimmelbusch]

Nice videos.. So, I am a cellular guru, and I boat here in Puget Sound and the San Juans. It's interesting you have Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint for service. You might want to think about T-Mobile. Note, Sprint will be gone and absorbed into T-Mobile soon anyways.. But that hotspot likely won't work on T-Mobile's correct network freqs. T-Mobile actually has a very interesting reason they have awesome service in the San Juan's. It wasn't an accident. Several years ago, T-Mobile was buying up spectrum licenses in the 700mhz block to build out what they were calling at the time "Extended LTE". They got most from Verizon across the country. Vulcan had all the western Wash. licenses.. Except for one county. That would be San Juan county. OPALCO owned it in the San Juans. That's Orcas Power & Light, the electricity provider for the islands. They struck a deal with T-Mobile to give them the spectrum, in exchange for building out the network on OPALCO power poles throughout the islands. This allowed Rock Island (ISP for the islands, owned by OPALCO) to offer fixed broadband LTE service to island residents using the T-Mobile LTE network through the islands. The end result of this agreement was spectacular coverage for T-Mobile customers. There are now LTE radio heads on a ton of power poles throughout the islands, and a ton by the water as well. You can read about it here: www.opalco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/What-is-Rock-Islands-Agreement-with-T-Mobile.pdf

[@AndreSchimmelbusch]

You guys actually popped up in my Google feed, is how I found your channel.. I wonder why - my wife and I own a 30 foot Bayliner, we are 40-somethings, boat to places like Blake island and Roche Harbor, and Sucia.. I wonder how I found you! :) Full disclosure, I actually work for T-Mobile, not in sale though, I work in corporate finance at our HQ in Bellevue. I love tinkering with my boat, I'm always doing something to it, just like you guys.. Great job on your videos! They are amazing...

[@josemurillo314]

Hello, you guys always have great meals. I love how you don’t try and promote fifteen different ways to eat quinoa.

[@mvfreedom]

Well we’ve been eating a ton of potatoes lately and joked that we should do a video about all the ways to cook a potato...like a Forrest Gump shrimp rendition 😉

[@josemurillo314]

MV Freedom haha, awesome! Keep posting the great videos, I’m living my dream through you guys!

[@gordonlewandowski77]

Sprint now = T-Mobile and T-Mobile has the best coverage in the Islands. No surprises there; we switched from ATT for a number of reasons bu Island coverage was a big factor.

[@CaptainJackSparrow110]

If you happen to have a computer that is several years old; you should verify that the wireless card is fast enough for the marina's free wifi. I have a seven year old Dell with 16 gig of memory and the fast chip of the time. Eventually, after several moves it was slow to download video. I found out my wireless card is too slow and used an ethernet cable to hook directly to my cable router. Now I get my full speed 50 mbps that I pay for. My computer can handle over a hundred open windows and tabs because of its chip and large memory. It was my wireless card that was slow. You might want to ethernet cable your computer to the marina internet and see what happens. You may not need a new computer; just a wireless card.

[@mvfreedom]

Everything we have (laptops, phones) is less than a year old so we should be OK but good to think about longer term!

[@BoatingJourney]

Lol! Give me your sad face, happy face ;) Great tips on the cell phone coverage 👍

[@kaijackson6471]

Very nice presentation MV BLESSED

[@soaredfish45]

Hey guys, loving your videos. Please would you make a "nordhavn cost of ownership and cost of cruising" video. Loads on sailing but not so for motor cruising. Keep living the dream. We have 2 young kids and would love a '47. Brisbane Australia.

[@mvfreedom]

Trevor Coetzee sure thing, hopefully within the next month or so we’ll share all of that. We get tons of questions about costs, and that’s usually the first thing we’re wondering when we watch other sailors/cruisers.

[@soaredfish45]

@@mvfreedom Thank you, you guys rock. I know we can pick up a 43-47 Nordy say between $600-$950K USD (While your at it maybe also your top tips on boat purchase negotiation), but there is a severe lack of info out there on cruising/maintenance costs of such vessels. As well as cruising and living budgets. Thanks guys.

[@williamconway1287]

Hello MV Freedom, I wondering 1thing . I noticed the Dutch door on the boat,do you actually use the Dutch door and if you do how do you like them?

[@mvfreedom]

We LOVE the Dutch doors and use them all the time. They come in handy if we want to make sure Sully stays inside or if Shawn needs to place a fast food order when waxing the boat 😉

[@justanotherdayinparadise7267]

how far from land in ocean do you get internet? """without a boster"" ? With cell phone. thanks im about to go in ocean .

[@jeffaiello6124]

Do you have a dedicated internet connection, meaning static IP address at the dock? I’ve heard that providers, like Comcast or others will run a wired right to your slip. Thanks in advance for responding. Jeff

[@mvfreedom]

We have Ecco wifi at the marina, not Comcast. After a test of the two both were OK at best with Ecco being much less expensive...and not Comcast which was nice.

[@SeaTacDelta]

Do you guys get to see the northern lights at all? Seattle and Vancouver are too light polluted to see any stars or aurora

[@markduncan6690]

Your mask is right on the money Elizabeth!

[@gerhardvanwaltsleben8944]

Lekker man lekker

[@darbovision2672]

You look like Neegan with the mask on! :-)

[@m2pozad]

That steering wheel knob- They use to be legal in cars. I'm guessing they mess with the D.M.V.'s 10 and 2 hand position thing. Super calm that week... poor sailors. So there are vineyards on the islands. Not sure I knew that.

[@mvfreedom]

There are many 👍 🍷

[@eugeniusro]

I understand that the Starlink network is already operational in Canada and the northern US, do you not consider an internet solution from them?

[@mvfreedom]

eugeniusro at this stage we’re not eligible to get the service but possibly in 2021 🤞

[@eugeniusro]

@@mvfreedom I've seen others like you use this kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJ6xhX2ombF7g8U

[@kirkep]

Can you access safe link there? I am eager to try it out in Florida if it ever gets here.

[@mvfreedom]

No I don’t believe boats are part of his pilot test yet 😏

[@drmoseley]

OK, I don't know technology enough to be critical but isn't your iPhone registering signal strength of the booster (when it's on)? Said another way, as long as the booster is on, can you motor away from the land based source without seeing a decibel change?

[@mvfreedom]

No, those values are individual towers that it’s connected to. If the decibel reading was only the booster all those values would be the same. So the farther we get from a land based tower, the harder it will be to get a strong signal.

[@jackvisser]

We Love Ya Both! Try Nomad internet Look it up!

[@mvfreedom]

Jack Visser will do!

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

I like the cooking inserts. My question is Shaun is a big dude. The pasta dish didn't look like that much food comparatively speaking. How does the portion breakdown work with the both of you. Is it 95%-5% Shaun vs Elizabeth Also did you have a any add-ons you didn't show. Maybe do a weekly food episode. What kind of planning goes into your provisioning, where you buy etc.. How organized is that process. Thanks gang.

[@mvfreedom]

Haha we’ll definitely show more good stuff! It’s about an 80/20 breakdown between Shawn and I and this regular dish of ours makes about 5-6 portions paired with a giant salad. Once all the veggies and sausage goes in it’s a TON...great for lunch the next day or a quick reheat underway 👍

[@thereissomecoolstuff]

@@mvfreedom thanks, we are scheming like crazy to buy a nordy. Food is an area where we are thinking we could save money. Top ramen and an extravagant dollar General steak (3 oz)now and then and a couple of chickens and fresh caught seafood might make it happen. Shaun making faces in the mask was hysterical. Best part of the video was you admitting it was the best idea you'd ever done. Hopefully you give us an update in mid February after neither one of you have shaved or seen the sun for 4 months. If it's still great you are a lifelong liveaboarders. Btw what will you do if family come to town and wants to stay aboard? That would be great content as well. Thanks E&S. Love the channel.

[@immDroidz]

What type of dog is that? Its so cute!

[@mountee]

Love the channel. How does the little doggie go toilet on the boat? Genuine question from a dog owner. Thanks

[@mvfreedom]

mountee hey and welcome! He has a doggie pee patch and fire hydrant on the back of the boat that he’s great at using. We’re shown it in some older videos, it’s quite small and we hose it after each use so it doesn’t smell.

[@mountee]

MV Freedom makes sense. Thanks very much.

[@DadKarn]

Have heard stories of floating trees/logs in and around the Puget Sound. Is this really a concern and/or have you seen logs floating freely in the water?

[@dc2288]

Lots of logs all through Washington and BC. Be very carful! The reason is all of the logging and the tugs towing logs all over the place. They must loose a lot of them. When ever I'm under way I see at least a few logs.

[@mvfreedom]

Yes logs and debris are a major concern in this region. We started going at trawler speed with our last cruiser to avoid them and the stress, so now only traveling 7knots is easy and much needed in the PNW!

[@DadKarn]

@@mvfreedom is there an electronic device or other equipment that is or can be deployed to avoid/mitigate this type of hazard? I am soon to retire on a boat in the Puget Sound to join those like yourselves that are fulltimers.

[@dc2288]

@@mvfreedom Oh ya, I forgot crab traps. The crabers place them like landmines.

[@philsaunter1956]

Just make sure a signal booster like the weboost is legal in the country you are sailing to. Not all countries allow the sending side of the device and you could be hit with a VERY nasty fine. Better to have a good antenna on your 3G/LTE router and use a Wifi method of calling people if needed.

[@Q-ey2jk]

How long did it take your husband to learn how to drive a boat and the navigation

[@jeffstewart3703]

How long...please tell me

[@dalestrnad1]

I just use Verizon mifi- works everywhere. Matia bay gets a little choppy though.

[@blewyd]

How does mifi work? I have heard of it before.

[@dalestrnad1]

blewyd the mifi- has 4 antennas in the box. There’s some good info on KZbin about how they work. Was just out at Sucia and as always, works great!

[@blewyd]

@@dalestrnad1 thanks for the response. Will be doing research on it!

[@mrkmwatson]

Has to be the first time someone wanted crabs. just kidding

[@yasinpasta1247]

PASTA PASTA

[@ccswede]

Perhaps you could cook the slugs like shrimp. Enjoy

[@raybon7939]

you can spend a life time i the wa ak vancouver water ways,

[@suunto61]

Got crabs... LOL I think your smiling and your mask is totally ineffective against viruses. On the other hand it is 100% effective to prevent against the BS you would get without any mask. In general.. great video

[@joemurray9131]

where is the second dog

[@mvfreedom]

Joe Murray we’re sad to share she passed away in Dec at nearly 14 years old. Haven’t had it in us to update the intro since she was our girl 🐶

[@michael123cody5]

Those slugs are really good bait. But I see yall dont fish much

[@mvfreedom]

Not yet...

[@okay777]

🙋‍♂️🖖👏😷🇳🇴🇬🇧=🇺🇸⛵️ groovy

[@manuelcastro1103]

Where's the Lab?

[@mvfreedom]

Manuel Castro sadly we lost her to cancer before Xmas. We haven’t had it in us to change the intro since she’s still very much a part of our lives 🐶

[@manuelcastro1103]

@@mvfreedom Yes, So Sorry, picked up on the news from one of your other videos.

[@kj3rd2657]

You have a very pretty face in this video

[@kj3rd2657]

Please you two be very careful when visiting other places, because one of the sailing video I been watching on and off have lost her husband to C-19 last month. It was so sad to watch her tell us about it in her video and now she has to operate their boat on her own until she can find someone, who will be sailing around with her.

[@wunderwoman6577]

That is so sad Keep medicines for it on hand!

[@blewyd]

@@wunderwoman6577 medicine???

[@RC-ld3cn]

People who are healthy don't die from C-19 because their immune is strong enough to fight the virus. People who have comorbidity (unhealthy) can die with C-19. There is a BIG difference. It would be more prudent to boost your immune system than to wear a useless mask.

[@jimh.5286]

Crabs plus slugs gives a fully complete diet.

[@richardmartin404]

Why are you wearing mask's on the dingy?...

[@mvfreedom]

We put them on since we were heading to the public dock on Orcas to get delivery, and there’s usually people there. It’s mandated now so we figured we’d arrive fully prepared. They’re also great wind shields 👍

[@seikibrian8641]

*Richard Martin* "Why are you wearing mask's…" * *Masks.* With exceptions so rare that they can be all but ignored, an apostrophe-s NEVER makes a word plural; it makes a singular possessive. Example: "We had *three masks* available, but *one mask's* design was better than the others' in breathability."

[@johnjanssen2213]

It will be amazing when Starlink is fictional.