Long range wireless network help

[AL BE]

I live out in the country in Wisconsin... but I'm a huge gamer and computer junky but broadband is not available in my area, and yet only 2 miles away houses have cable broadband. A friend of mine lives there and would be willing to do whatever needed to, to send me his broadband. But I need to figure out how to send the wireless signal to my house which is at the base of a hill with trees surrounding it. There is no line of sight but if I put a 20ft pole up and an antenna on the top I would almost have line of sight, there would still be trees in the way. If anyone could tell me what equipment I need to buy and what I need to do set it up I would really appreciate it. So far my idea was to buy a cantenna and see if I could get a signal, right now I have a linksys router and thats it.

 

[ScottMac]

Line of sight is the first absolute requirement.

No line of sight, no signal. End of story.

In addition to line of sight, you need enough additional clearance to accommodate the "Fresnel Zone."

Good Luck

Scott

 

[nweaver]

I am shooting 802.11b 7+ miles with radios in enclosers designed for this. Airbridge equipment

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: nweaver
I am shooting 802.11b 7+ miles with radios in enclosers designed for this. Airbridge equipment

yep. no problems here.

but there is line of site and no obstructions in the fresnel zone as ScottMac pointed out.

OP - you're gonna need line of site. You can maybe get a mast or other pole and mount as high as you can go to get over the trees. From there you put an access point and directional antenna at the top of the mast with proper grounding.

 

[JackMDS]

Link to: http://www.hdcom.com

:sun:

 

[ktwebb]

Since you say your at the base of a hill, and if he is up the hill, then fresnel zone clearance shouldn't be much of an issue, IF you get your directional above the tree line. From there assumably you'll be pointing the antenna up and fresnel issues would be a non issue. Mounting your bridge at the top of the mast can be tricky but that is the optimal solution. This will cost you a few hundred bucks minimum. A mast tall enough to get over trees, at least the ordinary trees in my part of the country, will be very expensive. If you can't mount the bridge at height then LMR cable is also very expensive. There are many scenarios that can play out. In your situation with the trees, none of them easy and virtually non of them reasonably priced for a guy just trying to steal....ahem, use a friends internet connection.

Whether he says it's ok doesn't make a whole lot of difference to the provider. I wouldn't think anyway. SOme are pretty loose with their TOS.

 

[xanis]

If you have good line of sight, then you could do the old satellite dish mod...