Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

[silvachris1]

So a few weeks back there was a thread asking who was still on dialup. I am stuck with that unfortunate fate at home. School is a different story, but that wont last much longer anyways. On to my idea.

We've been considering HughesNet, which is internet over our DirecTV dish. The cost is comparable to a fast cable connection, but the speed is closer to DSL. Anyways, it's about 60-70 per month for the service, and about 400 for the equipment right now. We can't justify that cost to just one household. My sister would split the cost if we can share the net with her.

Here's the details:
Her house is about 320-350' from ours, with a clear line of site.
I'm not sure about the frequencies on the cordless phones, but it's just ours and hers. I know we have 900MHz, and I think our other is a 2.4 GHz, but I'm not sure what hers is.
I have a perfect location to mount anything I need right between the two houses, and it has power on it already.

What I'm curious about is sharing the signal with her wirelessly. We have a desktop and my laptop at the house. My sister has a desktop at her place. I don't know anything about repeaters or antennas, or range boosters. I plan on using my wireless router from school (when I finish) to broadcast the signal. I can get another router (same model) which supposedly can act as a repeater (or access point).

Can anybody help guide me in the right direction on this. I think I can use that 2nd router (that I don't have yet) as an access point on her computer to pick up the signal, but 300+ feet and indoors doesn't sound too likely. Help if you can, we'd love to get rid of dialup, but 500+ initial cost isn't going to happen. If we can split it between 2 or 3 of us, that will be perfect.

I know when you have that many people on one connection it's going to be "slow", but remember, we're all using dialup right now.

[Crazed98Camaro]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

You can all use the same network, as i have 'used' some of my neighbors unsecured networks before when my wireless network was down.
Just make sure if you do share the network, have a WEP (encryption key) so it is secure.

As far as the range of the wireless routers goes, im not so sure how far it will go, and the farther you go, the less reliable and fast the network will be.

I have a 54 mbps card on my laptop, and it works fine for the 50+ feet in my house, but im sure you will have to go higher; get a really good linksys or netgear router to range that far. The access point sounds like a good plan if you can get it wired correctly.

[stevethepirate]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

too much to read for me now, but you should be able to share the signal... it might not always be the best though.

[Camaro Dom]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/st...p?storynum=578

at relay for life this past year, our student-run radio station was a good 1500 feet from the nearest wireless uplink but they were getting internet feeds fine, but i dont know about the speed. at the bottom of the link you can see the pasta strainer they used to focus the beam. I can get into contact w/ them if thats something that you'd be interested in...

[SpeedingFirebird]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

Cheap home wireless routers have a pretty short range. You may have to buy a repeater. What someone I know did in the same situation was buy a piece of coated cat5 and run it underground between the houses. Faster speeds and more reliable.

What you are trying to do is possible, but I suspect you'll need a repeater.

[DAS BOOT]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

I saw autocross thing set something up with a repeater for an autocross and the start and end timeing lights. They had a few hiccups I think.


I suggest, just running a Cat 5 cable, especially if she is only running one computer. It will be better, more reliable, and cost less... But for the labor of putting it down.

just buy a $20 cat5 crimper and I think people sell spools of cat5 on ebay. (I have a few spools at work we just get from sites they upgrade or renetwork, and only use half the 1000' spool)

[nikon]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

you don't need a repeater...you need a directional wifi antanee
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833164156

now, thats only an antenna...you remove the current antanee on your router/access point and plug this one in and mount it outside....you only need one of them....the 'basic' access point at your sisters house will be able to communicate with it........and 300-400ft is no prob....good luck.

[josh98bird]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

that shouldn't be any problem at all... just do like stated above and buying a booster doesn't hurt anything.

[silvachris1]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

Cheap home wireless routers have a pretty short range. You may have to buy a repeater. What someone I know did in the same situation was buy a piece of coated cat5 and run it underground between the houses. Faster speeds and more reliable.

What you are trying to do is possible, but I suspect you'll need a repeater.

I don't really know anything about using repeaters though, which ones to look for, or what I really need.

I saw autocross thing set something up with a repeater for an autocross and the start and end timeing lights. They had a few hiccups I think.

I suggest, just running a Cat 5 cable, especially if she is only running one computer. It will be better, more reliable, and cost less... But for the labor of putting it down.

just buy a $20 cat5 crimper and I think people sell spools of cat5 on ebay. (I have a few spools at work we just get from sites they upgrade or renetwork, and only use half the 1000' spool)

I wouldn't mind using the Cat5 like you and SpeedingFirebird mentioned, but the cable will have to cross a stream to get there. I can't dig up the stream and burry the cable there. If anybody has ever tried to dig in a stream, you'll know what I'm talking about. So I'd have to suspend the cable at the stream crossing, well above ground level so it doesn't get messed with. The other problem with suspending it is getting it cut by a lawn mower or wead eater where it starts up a pole. It can't be a tree because trees will grow around the cable in a few years and actually sever it. I'm not saying these are bad ideas, I've just gotta find a way to make it work. Do you have any sugguestions for this?

you don't need a repeater...you need a directional wifi antanee
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833164156

now, thats only an antenna...you remove the current antanee on your router/access point and plug this one in and mount it outside....you only need one of them....the 'basic' access point at your sisters house will be able to communicate with it........and 300-400ft is no prob....good luck.

So, a directional antenna would work fine then? Do I need another directional antenna at her end, or just another router working as an access point to pick up the signal? One more thing, lets say I want to use my laptop my uncles house on our other side. A directional antenna wont let me do that. Would a repeater be the best bet then? Or how bout a different router like this one: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Belki...oductDetail.do
Then get 2 directional antennas, one for both directions, leaving that 3rd antenna for around my home? Again, do I need just routers on the recieving end or what?

Oh, and what good is a "range booster"? Does it just act like a directional antenna too, or is it just an amplifier that you put in line between the antenna and router? How good do those work?

I know just enough about this stuff to get me in trouble, and not enough to really work it out. I appreciate the advice guys. Keep it coming.

[silvachris1]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

http://www.kettering.edu/visitors/st...p?storynum=578

at relay for life this past year, our student-run radio station was a good 1500 feet from the nearest wireless uplink but they were getting internet feeds fine, but i dont know about the speed. at the bottom of the link you can see the pasta strainer they used to focus the beam. I can get into contact w/ them if thats something that you'd be interested in...

I appreciate the link, the idea is interesting, but this thing will have to stay outdoors all the time in all kinds of weather. I know that nothing we do is going to last forever, but I'd like this thing to be hassle free for a couple years. Lol, I know, dream on. It's looking like the Cat5 cable might be the best option for longevity.

Is Cat5 the best option (if we're going wired), and is there any signal loss over 300' ?

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

my buddy set up some kind of wireless booster resembling a sort of satallite dish, and used it to aim at hotspots downtown from atop the hill he lives on. Got plenty of networks from literally miles away. but that might be a bit much ;)

cat5 would be a good choice. 300' range you should be fine as far as signal. I had wireless for a while on my desktop but it was horribly slow. i ran a 100' cat5 to the access point and it's about 50 times faster especially file transfers..gigabyte lan FTW!

[nikon]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

I don't really know anything about using repeaters though, which ones to look for, or what I really need.



I wouldn't mind using the Cat5 like you and SpeedingFirebird mentioned, but the cable will have to cross a stream to get there. I can't dig up the stream and burry the cable there. If anybody has ever tried to dig in a stream, you'll know what I'm talking about. So I'd have to suspend the cable at the stream crossing, well above ground level so it doesn't get messed with. The other problem with suspending it is getting it cut by a lawn mower or wead eater where it starts up a pole. It can't be a tree because trees will grow around the cable in a few years and actually sever it. I'm not saying these are bad ideas, I've just gotta find a way to make it work. Do you have any sugguestions for this?



So, a directional antenna would work fine then? Do I need another directional antenna at her end, or just another router working as an access point to pick up the signal? One more thing, lets say I want to use my laptop my uncles house on our other side. A directional antenna wont let me do that. Would a repeater be the best bet then? Or how bout a different router like this one: http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Belki...oductDetail.do
Then get 2 directional antennas, one for both directions, leaving that 3rd antenna for around my home? Again, do I need just routers on the recieving end or what?

Oh, and what good is a "range booster"? Does it just act like a directional antenna too, or is it just an amplifier that you put in line between the antenna and router? How good do those work?

I know just enough about this stuff to get me in trouble, and not enough to really work it out. I appreciate the advice guys. Keep it coming.

no, you only need one directional antenna...just aim it at the other access point...as for the link you provided...I'd stay away from wireless N, waste of money for your application you'll save money and probably get better performance out of a G network and an omnidirectional antenna. or two antenna's.

[silvachris1]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

The more I read, the more I lean toward just using Cat5 and running it to both locations, assuming my uncle wants me to be able to connect there. So whats the best option for burrying a cable? Do I need shielded? Double shielded? Is there a cable specifically for burying and exposure to other elements (I'm sure there prolly is, I just don't know what it is)? Cat5 looks like it will prolly end up being the cheapest, and still be more reliable than wireless. I guess when I get a chance, I'll bring my wireless router home, and see how far away the signal travels using my laptop.

And what do you guys think of this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-2Mile-802-11b-...QQcmdZViewItem

[silvachris1]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

no, you only need one directional antenna...just aim it at the other access point...as for the link you provided...I'd stay away from wireless N, waste of money for your application you'll save money and probably get better performance out of a G network and an omnidirectional antenna. or two antenna's.

I wasn't necessarily looking toward the N technology, just that it had muliple antennas so I could aim one toward my sisters home, and the other toward my unlces, while still getting signal in my own home. Bang for the buck.

And I gather you mean 1 directional antenna and 1 reciever per location that I want access.

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: Anybody know anything about wireless networks? I have an idea.

just a warning. Some cordless phones mess with the wireless internet. Our internet kept disconnecting and the phones were messed up. that was a 2.4ghz phone. we got a 5.8ghz to replace it and haven't had problems since.