What CAN the wifi on the QM2 accomplish?

[Mercruiser]

I've owned 3 Moto Gs and been happy with them. I went for a Pixel 6a because of the Black Friday price, $300 unlocked; and the very good camera.

 

Like you mentioned, I get the best signal at the cabin door.  But it is perfectly usable while reclining in bed. Im only 1 cabin away from the router.

 

Maybe the next thing we need added to the deck plans are the Wifi router locations. 🤔

[hihilo]

On 5/22/2023 at 2:42 PM, fourmile.ranch said:

We've only had the standard package. Receiving photos of my doggos back home was a no-go so everyone knows to communicate words only via text and photos via email. That worked for us 

GREAT to see a post from you------ I was in  canon city last week for the high school graduation, I would have loved to connect with you. I'll be doing the  world cruise on  QV in Jan of 2024, what are your upcoming cruise plans??  On the **topic** here,  on the   internet, I've had good luck on all 3 ships, over the last 10 yrs. 

[DrTee]

I just want to be able to pay my bills and get updates from my Petsitter.

[Mercruiser]

Today's update, 8am ship time,  SW of St John's Newfoundland.

 

These are very good speeds for satellite. The main thing that makes it seem slower is the long Ping times (about 1 second, compare at home). The satellites in use are 22,000 miles away or 44,000 miles for the internet round trip, resulting in 1 second delays. In contrast, Starlink satellites are only about 500 km above earth, so they have much quicker Ping times. 

 

Reminder - this is the Premium package. 

 

 

[Mercruiser]

The other issue I see on QM2 is that the WiFi access points are far apart, resulting in poor signal strength in many of the cabins. Walking down the deck 5 corridors, I counted between 5 and 9 cabins between WiFi access points. There are many cabins where the nearest WiFi access point is 4-5 cabins down the hall. They probably need to double the number of access points for all cabins to have good WiFi. 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by Mercruiser

[Mercruiser]

Today's update, east of St John's, due South of Greenland.

6:22 am ship time

 

 

[ballroom-cruisers]

I suppose at the end of the day speeds like those are workable even if a 'bit' slower than typical on land, and the longer latency we can live with. It is really the inconsistency that bothers us, in not knowing whether you would have a signal at all when we want to send an email or WhatsApp message, or whether you might be bumped off the connection in the middle of doing something.  Consistency (as well as latency) is what is likely to be significantly better with Starlink.  Does anyone have any current information from Cunard directly about whether and when Starlink is scheduled to be installed on the current three ships?  Also will Queen Anne have Starlink already operational when she goes on her maiden voyage?

[Mercruiser]

In February, I was on the StarLink-equipped  Azamara Onward (former Pacific Princess) on a Lima Peru to Miami Panama Canal cruise. The Starlink system worked especially well. The speeds were very consistent.

 

Starlink works very well up to the +/- 60 degree latitudes. North of 60 degrees, as on a Norway cruise, Starlink does not work nearly as well due to the relatively few satellites in polar orbits.

[majortom10]

Currently using Basic plan on QM2 and find it very slow when working and doesn't at all at many parts around the ship and definitely not in cabin or balcony. Also unable to download any emails since I left Southampton on 18th May.

[Mercruiser]

I'm sorry to hear that it's not working for you. I have very good WiFi in my cabin. But that is just luck since I had no prior knowledge of WiFi access point locations. 

 

I'm glad I went with the Premium plan, based on D&N's review. 

 

Edited May 29, 2023 by Mercruiser

[majortom10]

1 minute ago, Mercruiser said:

I'm glad I went with the Premium plan, based on D&N's review. 

Bit too rich for me when Basic is $24 per 24 hrs.

[Mercruiser]

I paid $144 for the whole voyage  starting on day 2. (I had cell phone data till 10pm the day of departure.)

 

I'm booked in an inside cabin, so I guess this was my extra spend. 

[majortom10]

50 minutes ago, Mercruiser said:

I paid $144 for the whole voyage  starting on day 2. (I had cell phone data till 10pm the day of departure.)

 

I'm booked in an inside cabin, so I guess this was my extra spend. 

It all depends on length of cruise at $24 per 24 hrs and on a 15 nt cruise is a considerable sum and even more for Premium for what is a very poor internet service.

 

[Mercruiser]

I think we might be on the last cruise with this internet system. They are installing Starlink right now as I type. See my other post on Starlink. 

[ballroom-cruisers]

22 minutes ago, Mercruiser said:

I think we might be on the last cruise with this internet system. They are installing Starlink right now as I type. See my other post on Starlink. 

 

Is that on QM2 and are they working on the installation during the voyage?  I guess once the antennas are installed on the upper deck area, all the rest of the work is under cover within the ship once the cabling from the antennas is linked in to the central networking hardware in wherever the comms centre is on the ship. It is possible that the rest of the network cabling throughout the ship is being left as it is, with the only difference being the external router is feeding signal from Starlink rather than from the box that was connected to the original satellite antenna(s)? At some point improving the (many) wireless routers around the ship so that better wifi is fed to cabins and public areas may be on the cards, but unless a discussion is held with the engineers who are actually doing the install, or the managers who are directly involved with the decisions, then it will remain supposition and speculation!

[Mercruiser]

ballroom-cruisers:

 

See my response here

 

 

[ballroom-cruisers]

Excellent, Mercruiser, and yes from the pictures I have seen elsewhere the ones in your photo do indeed look like others I have seen for Starlink - though the design may well be continuing to change and get optimised of course. But that is very promising and indeed once the antennas are in place, and the cabling from them to wherever within the ship the main networking kit is installed then turning it on should be quite quick.  It will be very interesting to hear whether  people have access from the next voyage once QM2 gets back to Southampton.

[techteach]

We need to find someone from these boards who will be on QM2 on the next leg. @BklynBoy8 and I will be on her June 28. If no one else tests it prior to that I’ll  buy a package if Starlink is available to see how it works.

[Host Hattie]

There will be a few of us on board from June 9th !

[techteach]

@Host Hattie Let’s hope they get it up and running for you!

[Host Hattie]

I'm not getting my hopes up!

[techteach]

It takes a long time to run all of that cable through tight spaces. I wonder if this is one reason Stephen Payne has been on-board for several weeks. (I hope he stays on through June/July)

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, techteach said:

It takes a long time to run all of that cable through tight spaces. I wonder if this is one reason Stephen Payne has been on-board for several weeks. (I hope he stays on through June/July)

 

NE John is on the 23rd to 30th leg...

[NE John]

32 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

NE John is on the 23rd to 30th leg...

Yes. Doing the TA. I’ll report. 

[Mercruiser]

Here is my last speedtest for the old QM2 satellite internet system. Now that Starlink is being installed, it seems we have all the data needed for a comparison between old and new.

 

 

Once Starlink is installed, expect the text circled in yellow to include "Starlink" Also expect the Ping times, circled in red, to be dramatically reduced. The 2061 download Ping  time means there is a 2 second delay in downloads, due to the old satellites being 20,000 miles from early. The Starlink satellites are only 500 km away.