Outdoor Wi-Fi antenna
OK here is the deal. I have a Linksys WRT54G running dd-wrt. My model is one that has removable antenna's. I would like to connect an outdoor Antenna so I can extend the range to my sisters house about 800 Feet away. She can get a signal from my router but it's just one bar and drops the connection. So I figured an outside antenna would extend the range. The router has 2 antenna's. Does that mean I need 2 outside antenna's? Or would I need one? Or maybe it would be better to have the antenna at her house maybe a directional antenna pointing to my house. There are some pine tree's between my house and hers but there not fully grown. I know one day I may need outdoor antenna's on both ends. There is a 30 foot tower at her house the antenna could go on it. Just would like suggestions. The reason I want to do this is because she cannot get high speed DSL. The ports in the box down the road are full. at&t could move her line to the new box but they refuse to do it.
Just incase anyone wondering I am talking about one or two of something like this.
Or if it is on her end it would be one of the above or one of these two.
or
I heard some of these antenna's extend the range over a mile depending on several things.
Just incase anyone wondering I am talking about one or two of something like this.
Or if it is on her end it would be one of the above or one of these two.
or
I heard some of these antenna's extend the range over a mile depending on several things.
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Comments
Should work pretty well, especially since there aren't enough nerve impulses in you to interfere.
Ok your joke is funny. Maybe it's meant for a joke. But just to let you know I am trying to be nice here. I will just let you have that comment. Have a nice day!
If you mean aerial (antenna) install on my property as in restrictions there are no restrictions. As far as the channel my router is CH 11. There are only a few neighbors with routers. I cannot get there signal from my house so there is no interference. I live in a ruel area. I just need a setup that will reach my sisters house. I will have to look into this more. I can get one of those antenns's for under $100.00 I think.
The lack of output power eliminates the WRT54G idea. Even if you crank it up past what the radio is supposed to be capable of (and I'm seeing under 90mW on Google), you still can't guarantee you'll have enough signal available to reach the other side, or that the other side will have enough power to transmit back to you. Even with a large antenna.
This requires some actual planning and some actual mathematics to work out how much transmit power you'll need, the types of antennas on either side, etc. It's nowhere near as simple as just getting a signal to a couple of rooms in your house. By the way, RF waves aren't really invisible - once you start playing with that much power you need to consider how you're going to cool your antennas.
I'm told Mikrotik gear is nice as far as base stations go and I've heard of some rather long-distance deployments with appropriate antennas. I've only used their wired products though, can't speak for the wireless lineup.
No I meant you installing it, required equipment, and the actual physical position, you can't just trow an aerial up and expect it to work off the bat.
"As far as the channel my router is CH 11.There are only a few neighbors with routers. I cannot get there signal from my house so there is no interference."
That channel number maybe congested at the second site due to overlap of other wireless equipment and even simple things such as TV's, radios, cars, mobile phones (cellular phones for my western neighbors), and the overall emi of the earth. We are bombarded with interference from nearly every electronic device, especially if it's an older device or cheaply made where the shielding has started to degrade with age or just wasn't there to begin with. Just because you can't pickup a wireless signal from their houses at your house, doesn't mean there isn't one.
"I live in a rural area. I just need a setup that will reach my sisters house."
Fair enough but this is the same principal whether connecting a site 10 miles away or 10 yards, the same factors apply. Difference is you need less equipment to do it. Or more all depends on the stuff around your area.
My mathematics are shocking now, but as a principal I know what I mean and what to do as I studied this and had a passing interest in it a few years back. I was never able to get into a job at the time with my qualification which has now expired. But the basics are still sound.
BlueSun reiterated what I said about power output from your router, and nightice brought everything to a head with some more in depth info, as to the how's and whys.
"I will have to look into this more. I can get one of those antenns's for under $100.00 I think."
I would definitely do some further reading on the subject, ultimately it might be easier for your sister to switch service provider to one who will offer better speeds or to give her current provider (was it AT&T you said?) the suggestion that that's what she's going to do and see what happens
Anyways, Win7User, how far away is your sisters house? It may be practical to run a wired connection instead. You've got 300 feet with copper cabling. Longer with optical, but optical cable is expensive. But if you're prepared to pay $100 for an antenna, you may be able to get some fiber optic cable and a couple of media converters (to go from fiber to copper) for that much or a little more. I haven't looked up prices per foot on optical cable, so I can't say for sure.
Then again as I understand it, if your line is from a firm other than BT, then ultimately you are not using any of BT's system. As far as your service provider is concerned it's theirs. But as we all know that's just not true as the physical line is owned and maintained by BT and said firm(s) is merely renting the lines off of BT to provide the same service but at their choice of rates.
I would have suggested cabling as well but Win7User says that there are houses and plants-trees in the way.
1. Exact distance between the transmitting point and receiving point. Google Earth will suffice if you don't have any other means of measuring.
2. Environment. We need to know what is in the way of your line of site (if anything). What I have done in the past is used a green laser to shoot a beam point to point. This is also how I fine tune line of sight antennas. If this isn't an option, again Google Earth is your friend.
So with no requirements gathering and the little information I have so far, I can say you've got two options:
1. a. Run CAT5 outdoor grade between the points. This will require a repeater every 300 or so feet. If it's on the lower side of 800 feet total distance (less than 700 feet) then you can get away with just one regen half way but that depends on power availability and the real distance. Looking at about $100-$125 for switches, hubs, and cabling here.
b. Go the multimode fiber route. A 250 meter jumper is going to cost you between 130-150$. Put two Catalyst 2960s out there to terminate the fibers and you are looking at about another $600 for switches and SFPs. Total cost coming to $850-$900.
2. Setup outdoor WAP bridges. I'd recommend EnGenius' products for a cheap solution that works. You'll need to fork out a little money here though. You can probably get away with one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6833168093
But then again, it depends on your line of site. Something with an external antenna may be better fit. You will be running these in bridge mode (think wireless switch). On the far end (sister's house) you will need a switch that will directly connect with the EnGenius receiving the signal.
About $300 for the WAPs and switch here.
If you're really serious about this and money is your main limiting factor, I can hook you up with some cheap quality Cisco gear that will do the job. Email me at j@jcm.me
The antennas by default both operate for RX and TX. I believe that DD-WRT allows you to specify though.
If you are going to be putting this outdoor, you should really look at our recommendations. You'll end up damaging your $2 router if you put it outside.
L.O.L I do not mean put the router outside. I mean an outside antenna I can remove the antennas and run a wire from outside to where the factory antenna's connect. The question is on my end do I need 2 outside? I tried to make myself as clear as possible. Sorry to confuse you.
OK now I see what you are saying. I guess it was me that did not understand.
I will have to talk with my sister and brother in law first and see when or if they still want to do this.