Pulling CAT5e for Aigean Link WiFi Marine Antenna

[beachbouy]

Where is the best location in the front of our Airstream to run the CAT 5e Ethernet cable without compromising any seal. I am assuming that it will be an area somewhere close to the inverter. If anyone has photos of how they did an install I would really appreciate it.

Aigean Link WiFi Marine Antenna

[lewster]

If you don't have the factory solar, you DO have the pre-wire which includes a Cat5-E cable that runs from the front of the trailer by the bus-bars to the area near your tank monitor panel (IIRC in the 30). I re-purpose this existing cable many times for use with a Blue Sky iPN-PRO remote, but you might find it useful for your device as well.

[beachbouy]

Thanks but where does it exit on the exterior?

[lewster]

It doesn't. It's interior only and you'll have to splice it. If you want to run it outside to the roof, you can use the fridge vent with a new cable.


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
ABYC Certified Master Marine Electrician
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center*AMS Lithium Batteries
Lifeline AGM Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

[beachbouy]

I have not found any CAT5 anywhere inside.

[lewster]

Should be taped onto the yellow and green 10 AWG solar pre-wire leads at the front next to the bus bars.

Inside, they usually hide it in the galley wall near the tank monitor panel. Should be a grey wire with 4 twisted pairs.


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
ABYC Certified Master Marine Electrician
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center*AMS Lithium Batteries
Lifeline AGM Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

[ghaynes755]

Is it possible that wire does not have RJ45 connector on the either end, if I'm interpreting Lew's latest post?

[lewster]

Originally Posted by ghaynes755

Is it possible that wire does not have RJ45 connector on the either end, if I'm interpreting Lew's latest post?

Right Gary!

The buried cables I have seen do not have the ends on them…..just raw cable.

[Jekerrville]

The Aegean Link WiFi antenna is for mounting to existing boat antenna masts. From the specs I found it uses a USB cable to feed to a laptop. The antenna houses the radio electronics within the base of the antenna and there is a special mount that allows you to power the antenna from a 12 volt DC wall pack or other 12 volt source. At the mount there is a coax connection for cable to lead into the cabin to a pigtail that accepts the USB cable and the 12 VDC then on to the antenna.

The Catagory 5 (cat5) cable will not help you.

You might consider just making a mast out of conduit and attach the WiFi antenna to it, run the cable down the mast and into the AS thru the same run with the battey box cables and put the power supply close to the distribution power panel and run the USB from there to your lap top.

You may need to southern engineer some sort of quick disconnect such that you can stow the mast and antenna in some fashion.

Happy Trails

[ghaynes755]

jekerrvile the one the OP is showing use Cat5. Looks like a rebranded Ubiquiti Bullet which is cat5/6 and uses a POE injector, as shown, for power.

That being said if the price is really $350 from the link beachbouy you may want to look at the WiFiRanger MiniPak or Elite. The Elite is $359 and WiFiRanger has a great interface and solid customer service.

[beachbouy]

Not sure how you determined it uses USB and 12V only.

It does use Ethernet by unscrewing the cap on the base of the LINK. You have to remove the silicone plug from the cap then thread the ethernet cable through the hole in the cap and plug into the port in the base.

It has a 110V AC power supply for the connector PoE and an optional 12 volt adapter.

Originally Posted by Jekerrville

The Aegean Link WiFi antenna is for mounting to existing boat antenna masts. From the specs I found it uses a USB cable to feed to a laptop. The antenna houses the radio electronics within the base of the antenna and there is a special mount that allows you to power the antenna from a 12 volt DC wall pack or other 12 volt source. At the mount there is a coax connection for cable to lead into the cabin to a pigtail that accepts the USB cable and the 12 VDC then on to the antenna.

The Catagory 5 (cat5) cable will not help you.

You might consider just making a mast out of conduit and attach the WiFi antenna to it, run the cable down the mast and into the AS thru the same run with the battey box cables and put the power supply close to the distribution power panel and run the USB from there to your lap top.

You may need to southern engineer some sort of quick disconnect such that you can stow the mast and antenna in some fashion.

Happy Trails

[Jekerrville]

Sorry for the confusion. The particular WiFi high power marine Omni directional I was looking at and have seen in operation was not a POE powered type as you apparently are installing.

All that said, your selection could still be installed in the same fashion without mounting the antenna element onto the skin of the Airstream and use a removal mast tied to the A frame at the nose of the TT.

Cat 5/6 cable is relatively simple to install by using off the shelf termination (fittings) on the ends. Just pay attention to color codes at each end. In most cases the fitting packages have the color codes for two different methods; EIA/TIA 568a and 568b.

What I am suggesting is that if you don't want to pop a hole in the skin of the trailer, just fish the Cat 5/6 cable through the existing hole for the battery box and install a RJ-45 8 conductor punch down network box outside (within) the battery box structure and wire in your lead from inside. Punch down the lead into the RJ-45 box.
I this way you can use a pre-made internet cable with molded fittings to connect to your outside mast and antenna. When you are ready to travel, just unplug from the RJ-45, stow you outside stuff and boogie.

Others may be able to suggest a permanent outside install for the antenna, but I could not live with myself if I punched a hole in the roof to mount a stiff antenna structure only to hang it on a low branch and tear a hole. (Murphy's Law and all that)
Best of luck with the project!
Happy Trails

[lewster]

You don't need to put a hole in the roof for either the cable or the mounting. Use 3M VHB tape and SikaFlex 221 sealant for the base and run the cable thru the fridge vent.


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
ABYC Certified Master Marine Electrician
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center*AMS Lithium Batteries
Lifeline AGM Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357