1-2 miles wireless range?

[antihero3zx]

I?ve been looking at a lot of options, but was wondering if anyone had any experience setting up long range wifi before I invest.

I have two locations separated by about a mile. One location I have complete control over, including roof mount antennas, parabolic reflectors, etc. The other location I cannot have any permanent installation or overly bulky apparatus.


What are my options for bridging about a mile?

 

[spyordie007]

What's the definition of "overly bulky apparatus"? You're probably going to need something on the other end to get the signal that far back.

Also you're going to need direct line of sight between the locations.

 

[spyordie007]

Great information on Cisco Anntenas here:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/...oducts_data_sheet09186a008008883b.html

 

[cparker]

If you have buildings or obstructions between the two sites that block the "line of sight" they will probably, almost certainly, interfere with the radio signals making a reliable link impossible. Assuming you have a direct line of sight you will need an antenna at each end. I would think that a 20 db antenna on each end would do the trick. It might even be possible to have say a 24 db antenna at one end and a smaller, say 14 db, antenna at the other less "bulky apparatus" site. But you would have to aim the antenna directly out the window of that site so that the antenna could be aimed right at the antenna at the other end of the link. If this is too "bulky" for your requirements then you have a problem.

 

[antihero3zx]

I have nearly line of sight. I have heard the 900mhz setups might be able to penetrate folliage or light obstructions. Im going to check today on exactly how close it is.

As far as size, it just has to be small enough that in an office enviroment its not going to draw much unwanted attention.

 

[skyking]

for a mile, you'll need complete line of sight. You will need similar equipment at each end also. It would be pointless to put some huge antenna at the one end and expect to get it done with a small one at the other. That's the way LR wifi rolls............

 

[ScottMac]

"Nearly" line of sight won't cut it.

In fact, you need a bit more than "Line of sight" to cover a phenominon called "The Freznel Zone" - a football-shaped region around the actual line of sight that expands the need, sometimes considerably.

Cisco has a calculator spreadsheet for LD wireless on their site. It will give you the numbers, including the Freznel Zone. It should eliminate the guessing.

Forget 900Mhz, it won't work any better than 2.4 or 5.6g as far as line of sight issues are concerned. Trees like 900MHz just as muchas the higher freqs.

If you have "a little" line of sight, you may be able to squeak by with optical. Something like a Canon CannoBeam (there are others, but this would give you the idea). With optical, you can go as high as GigE.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[T3C]

Mikrotik RB532.

Any questions PM me

 

[azev]

Originally posted by: ScottMac
"Nearly" line of sight won't cut it.

In fact, you need a bit more than "Line of sight" to cover a phenominon called "The Freznel Zone" - a football-shaped region around the actual line of sight that expands the need, sometimes considerably.

Cisco has a calculator spreadsheet for LD wireless on their site. It will give you the numbers, including the Freznel Zone. It should eliminate the guessing.

Forget 900Mhz, it won't work any better than 2.4 or 5.6g as far as line of sight issues are concerned. Trees like 900MHz just as muchas the higher freqs.

If you have "a little" line of sight, you may be able to squeak by with optical. Something like a Canon CannoBeam (there are others, but this would give you the idea). With optical, you can go as high as GigE.

Good Luck

Scott

Free space optics YUMMY!!!! can get very very expansive though.
for that distance you need a high power radio and some powerful antenna. It can be done though.... but wireless with that kind of distance will require some serious investment when its done the right way.

 

[Zbox]

Originally posted by: ScottMac
Forget 900Mhz, it won't work any better than 2.4 or 5.6g as far as line of sight issues are concerned. Trees like 900MHz just as muchas the higher freqs.

trees are typically far more opaque to 2.4GHz than 900MHz.

 

[ScottMac]

Trees block both.

A wall is a wall.

Blocked is blocked.

FWIW

Scott

 

[antihero3zx]

"What is the exact difference between a near-line-of-sight and NLOS product? The short answer is that signals from NLOS systems can actually penetrate obscuring objects. A near-line-of-sight product can deliver service to a location that is partially obscured, but not totally.

Many modulation schemes take advantage of multipath by allowing partially obscured sites to receive signals bounced from adjacent buildings. The multiple signals are integrated with advanced processing techniques. This type of system is near-line-of-sight.

However, if no reflected line-of-sight (LOS) exists from the access point to the client site, signals won?t carry. In contrast, an NLOS system penetrates tree cover and walls directly. The primary tradeoff is the decreased range of the new systems. WaveRider claims that its product has NLOS capability with indoor antennas from one to two miles, with outdoor antennas from two to four miles and LOS coverage from six to eight miles.

The farther up the spectrum chart a signal is generated, the greater its bandwidth potential. As frequencies drop to longer wavelengths, penetration increases. Therefore a 900 MHz radio will penetrate leaves and walls better than a 2.4 GHz or 5.8 GHz radio. However, it will inherently deliver less bandwidth." - broadband wireless business magazine

http://www.shorecliffcommunications.com/magazine/volume.asp?vol=28&story=279

 

[marulee]

You do have 'Line of sight' and suggested to use antenna between two locations separated by about a mile. I am assuming that you are wanting to create local networks between the buildings. Antenna can be the first consideration, but frankly speaking you may need to bridge the connection between two locations by using access points which will provide solid connection if 'Line of sight' concerns you. Other resolution is using the outdoor antenna, but make sure their compatibility.

 

[nweaver]

look into wireless bridges powered by POE, in "Rootenna" type enclosures