WiFi trackside???

[Hanover1]

Is this possible?

[statik27]

Is this possible?

I use my iphone, kinda geeky, but really handy. If there's a question I have that isn't in the PP's, it helps.

[BillW]

Is this possible?

Mobile broadband cards will also work. The third option is using on track Wi-Fi if offered.

[Hanover1]

Mobile broadband cards will also work. The third option is using on track Wi-Fi if offered.
I understand it is "possible", now I am trying to determine if it "is' offered, and where....

[miesque]

Arlington Park offers free Wi-Fi (no surprise since they are the best at customer service) and I believe it is also available at Santa Anita and Tampa Bay Downs.

[andymays]

Does anyone see the problem with WiFi? Why would a track want to encourage Horseplayers to bet online when they are at the Track. Isn't it a big hit on their piece of the take?

Just sayin!

[Hanover1]

Does anyone see the problem with WiFi? Why would a track want to encourage Horseplayers to bet online when they are at the Track. Isn't it a big hit on their piece of the take?

Just sayin!
Good point, but why would you take your laptop to a race, anyways?? I want to set up a feed from the backside to update another site on daily doings is all....I may go via iphone if it can set up to access websites....

[Tampa Russ]

Does anyone see the problem with WiFi? Why would a track want to encourage Horseplayers to bet online when they are at the Track. Isn't it a big hit on their piece of the take?

Just sayin!

I almost always take my laptop to the track. I also always make sure to bet some $'s through the windows just to show my appreciation for tracks that offer WiFi. Plus it's also a great tool for days when I am supposed to be working from "home".

[JustRalph]

Palm Pre........got one this week..........

incredible ............and cheap.........

[ghostyapper]

Does anyone see the problem with WiFi? Why would a track want to encourage Horseplayers to bet online when they are at the Track. Isn't it a big hit on their piece of the take?

Just sayin!

They could offer wifi while blocking all the well known adw sites.

[GameTheory]

They could offer wifi while blocking all the well known adw sites.Very easy to get around blocking. I was using wifi at Whole Foods of all places and TwinSpires seemed to be blocked.

Anyway, offering wifi would potentially bring in customers or get them to stay longer because people can goof off at the track and still keep track of work, etc.

And anyone that uses handicapping software wants to bring their laptop to the track. I think that anyone at the track will tend to bet at the track except maybe for ADW users that absolutely must do paddock inspection to play the way they want to. If you bet with an ADW and don't care about actually seeing the horses, why would you go to the track anyway? So I think most will bet at least a portion of their bets at the track -- everyone likes to win cash. The problem is it is probably not a trivial expense to wifi-enable a track -- they are large areas, not like a coffee shop. And since most people don't have laptops there now, it would take an investment-type mentality to want to do it. Racetracks do not have investment-type mentalities.

I'd trade trackside wifi for decent food & coffee. I went to Arapahoe Park locally, which admittedly is a tiny tiny track, but they're still giving me bad "Barney Miller"-style coffee in a styrofoam cup with nothing but powered non-dairy to take the edge off. They do have a fancy restaurant on-site there, seems like I could get some coffee at least on par with 7-Eleven.

[InTheRiver68]

The problem is it is probably not a trivial expense to wifi-enable a track -- they are large areas, not like a coffee shop.

Not necessarily true. The track that I frequent piggybacks their public internet access onto their corporate access. For an intelligent IT guy, it's not tough, and all it takes is a few extra wireless routers and a server to act as a firewall between the corporate section and the public section. Not enough people use it to really cause a drain on their bandwidth. I find it very useful.

- InTheRiver68

[JustRalph]

Not necessarily true. The track that I frequent piggybacks their public internet access onto their corporate access. For an intelligent IT guy, it's not tough, and all it takes is a few extra wireless routers and a server to act as a firewall between the corporate section and the public section. Not enough people use it to really cause a drain on their bandwidth. I find it very useful.

- InTheRiver68
:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: you can set it up in a couple hours .......no problem.

Btw, T-1's are pretty cheap now days........for a grand a month they could have an awesome system for customers............completely separate from their corporate net if they wanted it that way

[GameTheory]

:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: you can set it up in a couple hours .......no problem.

Btw, T-1's are pretty cheap now days........for a grand a month they could have an awesome system for customers............completely separate from their corporate net if they wanted it that wayI was thinking more about the physical router & wiring setup to cover the area -- they would need wiring to at least a handful of powerful, industrial strength routers mounted on poles and buildings around the grounds, etc. They've got to get the networking wires where they need to be, etc etc. Racetracks are big. If they just want to cover a small area in the grandstand or turf club it is easy, but doing all the public areas in the whole place would take planning, cost, and labor. I assume they would wire all the routers in a setup like that, although maybe they could use wireless bridges between them. That would make it easier, but it seems like that would limit the bandwidth. Other places I can think of that installed wifi over a large area took months to do it...

[BillW]

I was thinking more about the physical router & wiring setup to cover the area -- they would need wiring to at least a handful of powerful, industrial strength routers mounted on poles and buildings around the grounds, etc. They've got to get the networking wires where they need to be, etc etc. Racetracks are big. If they just want to cover a small area in the grandstand or turf club it is easy, but doing all the public areas in the whole place would take planning, cost, and labor. I assume they would wire all the routers in a setup like that, although maybe they could use wireless bridges between them. That would make it easier, but it seems like that would limit the bandwidth. Other places I can think of that installed wifi over a large area took months to do it...


Keeneland's routers are having a tough time today. I'm using the phone now.
:)

[jballscalls]

emerald downs does it as well

[JustRalph]

I was thinking more about the physical router & wiring setup to cover the area -- they would need wiring to at least a handful of powerful, industrial strength routers mounted on poles and buildings around the grounds, etc. They've got to get the networking wires where they need to be, etc etc. Racetracks are big. If they just want to cover a small area in the grandstand or turf club it is easy, but doing all the public areas in the whole place would take planning, cost, and labor. I assume they would wire all the routers in a setup like that, although maybe they could use wireless bridges between them. That would make it easier, but it seems like that would limit the bandwidth. Other places I can think of that installed wifi over a large area took months to do it...

What the hell is an industrial strength router? You take the footage you want to cover/divide however you want, test the signals........move routers around a little and away you go.

It's more a math problem than anything else.........how many users/how much bandwidth............easy as hell.........

if you are smart you put in hard points.......much more reliable.......and sell those tables at a premium...........nope......makes way too much sense.......

[docicu3]

Laurel and Delaware both offer or more accurately are within range of free WiFi in their simulcast areas. My airport card off my laptop from ATT is within range anywhere. It is very helpful for downloading sheets or other tools when you need more info on the fly.

[GameTheory]

What the hell is an industrial strength router? One that broadcasts over a large area and can be placed outside exposed to the elements. I've 'em seen mounted on buildings in places where they offer wifi to outdoor spaces, large courtyards etc. Don't know if they are actually routers or just antennas connected to internal routers somewhere -- they look like big routers.

[JustRalph]

One that broadcasts over a large area and can be placed outside exposed to the elements. I've 'em seen mounted on buildings in places where they offer wifi to outdoor spaces, large courtyards etc. Don't know if they are actually routers or just antennas connected to internal routers somewhere -- they look like big routers.

ok......http://www.radiolabs.com/products/antennas/images/2.4gridbig.gif

There are lots of choices.......... but all in all, it is damn easy to do and tracks should have them.......... :ThmbUp:

[HPFridays]

Bump to this old thread.

Is WIFI pretty much available at most tracks now?

[speldedo]

Does anyone see the problem with WiFi? Why would a track want to encourage Horseplayers to bet online when they are at the Track. Isn't it a big hit on their piece of the take?

Just sayin!

And Arizona has taken this one step farther by not letting you bet online no matter where you are.

[titans1127]

Belmont has a few wi-fi networks but all are password protected for some reason. Including the one that says "NYRA-Guest". :bang: Hopefully thats changed for this meet.

[JustRalph]

Bump to this old thread.

Is WIFI pretty much available at most tracks now?

no, and if it is....... it's slow as hell