Long Range Network

[leapingfrog0]

Hi Guys,

I want to setup a wirless network to hookup my neighbors across the street, and from their house, broadcast the internet to my office (I live in a small town, so everything is close by 😉).

To get an idea for range, the other day I setup an old Wireless B router from a friend and was able to pickup internet at my neighbors place, but the signal was very poor, and moving around would drop the signal. I'm looking to buy a new pre-n router to hopefully extend range, but would like your recommendations.

From my neighbors house, I would like to install a signal booster? Or boost the signal with something... like maybe another router, and I'm hoping the signal will then be able to reach my office, which can be seen from my neighbors place.

Distance wise, I would say the total distance I want linked is 750 ft as the crow flies. My neighbor lives near the center, so about 375ft plus/minus. My office building has tin siding on it, which will probably decrease the signal a lot?

What would you guys recommend? So far I was thinking of buying a pre-n router, then some kind of a signal booster (outdoor signal booster?) and hopefully be able to get signal at my office, but of course I don't want to go through all this work if this won't work.

What would you recommend?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[ssbpgsr]

Your best bet is probably going to be external antennas on non-mimo routers. Don't bother with mimo.

You could setup a high gain omni-directional antenna at your neighbors house and see if that fixes the problem. If not adding a cantenna at your office and at home would improve it greatly. Setup the access point at your neighbors house in AP mode.

 

[leapingfrog0]

Okay, I don't have much experience with networking beyond my own home using a simple wifi router. How many cantennas would I need, and how would this all be setup? Would I setup a router at home, the cantenna at my neighbors (the cantenna would be connected to another router), and then just hope the signal reaches my office, or would I hookup another cantenna? I'm the type of guy that would want it all to work extremely well and fast. I will be transferring CAD/documents from my home computer to my laptop at the office. I understand wireless isn't extremely fast, but I would hate to have a signal that keeps dropping.

 

[JackMDS]

May be this can Help, Wirelessly Bridging Home / Network.

:sun:

 

[ssbpgsr]

To start, you are going to need at least 3 access points, which will function in both AP and client modes. Set the three up with the one at your neighbor's house in AP mode; the other two in client mode. Try a nice omni-directional antenna at your neighbors house, then see how the signal is. http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2409u.php

 

[p0lar]

Originally posted by: ssbpgsr
To start, you are going to need at least 3 access points, which will function in both AP and client modes. Set the three up with the one at your neighbor's house in AP mode; the other two in client mode. Try a nice omni-directional antenna at your neighbors house, then see how the signal is. http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2409u.php

High-gain omni-directional antennas are not very neighbourly. Please use directional antennas with the proper gain for your application and be a good RF citizen.

 

[leapingfrog0]

*bump* hoping some more people will have some more advice/suggestions on what to buy and how to set it all up...

Thanks.

 

[leapingfrog0]

*bump again*
any other ideas? ;/

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: leapingfrog0
*bump again*
any other ideas? ;/

Directional antenna


neighbors router ---ap (with directional antenna)<---->ap (with directional antenna)---office


then jsut use them as a network bridge


I would recommend not only a switch, but a router at the office as well, so LAN traffic doesn't have to travel over the AP all the time.

 

[Night201]

How much for internet at your office? It would probably be less of a hassle and more stable.

 

[leapingfrog0]

Ok, so let's say I get a Pre-N extended range router and the signal reaches my neighbors, but not my office. Can I boost the signal with the cantenna? How does this work? Does the cantenna take in the signal and send it out again? The cantenna will need to be hooked up to another router?

So:

home (pre-n) -> neighbor (cantenna w/ router) -> office (hopefully signal reaches)

Would this work, or not?

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[leapingfrog0]

Also, I am wondering.. if a buy a Pre-N wireless card for my laptop, will I see much advantages at my office, or not?