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802.11# WAP bridge between two glass windows and 300 feet

T

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Hi,

I need to use two wireless USB access points to create a bridge between two pc's to share internet. Both WAP's be sitting on the inside right at the window, facing each other in complete line of site across an intersection. The distance is about 300 feet. There are no power lines, no trees, or anything to get in the way. I only have DSL speeds from my office, so i am not worried about getting the full speed capable of the WAP's. Will this work?
 
Should work great, unless somebody parks a fuel tanker between them. 🙂

Linksys claims 1150 feet outdoors with their APs, but that's probably at only 5 or 6Mbps (oddly, their wireless router specs say less than 300 feet). Netgear says 875 feet outdoors for full 11Mbps. A couple of glass windows shouldn't cause any noticeable blockage.

I assume that the two computers can't just be given USB wireless adapters and stuck near the windows to create an ad-hoc network?
 
I do not recall seeing a USB WAP.

Two USB Wireless Adapters Ad-Hoc 300?? I doubt that it will provide a stable communication.

You need to go the "normal" way. Two Ethernet WAPs with the Antennae in the windows facing one the other.

If you have only USB connection on the computers you can use this Adapter and plug the WAP into it.

Ez Connect Compact USB 10/100 Converter.
 
With Linksys WAP11's, you have the option of replacement high gain directional antennas that can do wonders if just two WAP11's won't do it. www.hdcom.com sells them and can even advise on what you need for your setup.
 
I'm with Jack. I have never heard of USB AP. What brand and model AP are you using?
As far as your situation, it should be ok. 300 feet is do-able. Perhaps even at 11 Mb, but if your link is shaky then try bumping down the default rate, maybe even as low as 1 or 2 Mb to steady it. If the distance is not a problem (based on AP power output, antenna gain etc..), then it will really depend on any frequency interference or multipath. If your strength is good but your quality is poor, try going through various channel sets. Primaries are 1 (2.412), 6 (2.437), or 11 (2.462), but fiddling with the intermediaries can also yield good results. If all else fails you can add directional antennas, assuming you can (have detachable antenna posts). You really need directionals anyway in bridge mode. Alot of waste on a point to point using omni's, but if it will work with them, might as well use them.
 
access points don't need to be usb, i'd prefer ethernet, but we had the usb access points at my last job, either DLink or Belkin, dont remember which.



 
oh yeah, and one window is on the seventh floor and one is on the 10th floor, but I can shine a laser pointer between each window no prob

No power lines, no real interference unless there are some heavy radio waves going through the area, and its downtown St. Louis, so there may be some heavy frequencies.

My idea here is that I have internet from my work PC, and I want to use that PC as a bridge for the lan I have at home. I would use one home pc as a bridge as well, with it having two nics and the other nic going to my lan switch.

 
Might of had a USB interface for configuration purposes. I'd be willing to wager the direct network link interface was an RJ-45 port. There are a couple of router's with usb interfaces specifically for usb modems but I don't believe Belkin or D-Link offer any. Not worth arguing about but it would be new to me, and frankly, not a very practical product. The USB gateway AP/routers I have seen have both for flexibility, but not havin an ethernet interface on an AP would be absurd.

As far as the interference question. Being in a downtown area. You can bet there will be plenty of 2.4 Ghz microwaves whizzing around. Being elevated might help. Might hurt. All the more reason to direct your radiation pattern with narrow beamwidth directional antennas. At that distance, something like 15 degree Yagi's would work well.
 
Linksys claims 500 feet outdoors for their wireless PCI cards at 11Mbps (which is just a PC Card on an adapter), so I think an ad-hoc would be feasible.
 
Originally posted by: Lord Evermore
Linksys claims 500 feet outdoors for their wireless PCI cards at 11Mbps (which is just a PC Card on an adapter), so I think an ad-hoc would be feasible.
Click to expand...
You mean (for the two bridged computers) to buy 2 PCI cards with 2 x 10-30? of coax fitted with the correct plugs and lead to 2 x Antennae on the outside.

Quite expensive ordeal.

You do not expect the little PCI Antenna stuck behind the computer case low and close to the floor to transmit out of the room through 300' and than crawl on the floor to reach the little stick behind the second computer?

Even if it was 70' between the buildings it probably will not work.
 
Well, considering the specs say it can work at 500 feet, I'd assume it's able to transmit a signal strong enough to reach 500 feet, no matter what is receiving on the other end. I didn't expect any WIRING, which is why I mentioned whether the computers could be close to the window. And not all computers sit on the floor with the adapter in the bottom slot -- it could sit on the desk, line of sight right out the window. I also mentioned using USB wireless adapters, so it wouldn't matter whether the computer was on the floor as long as the USB cable was long enough to reach the window.

Of course, if more than just two machines are needing to be connected on either end, then APs would be needed since they can't all sit at a window.
 
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