Mesh Network - Basics

[joejoe666]

Hello,

i am thinking about starting my own wifi network to sell wifi. i started looking in to mesh networks and came across these two as cost effective:
Ubiquiti and open-mesh (cloudtrax)

Assumptions:
*internet provider legally allows me to do this
*high dbi antenna is legal
*i am not a network engineer and have almost no experience beyond my standard wifi setup at home
*setting up 2.4Ghz system


Questions:
-- are there other more cost effective alternates to consider?

-- will these cloud managed systems allow me to limit download/upload speed after the individual users uses up the max allowed? for example (1gb limit, after user hits this limit, can software reduce speed automatically to 256kb or turn off the internet?)

-- can i replace the 8dbi antenna with larger 50dbi without any issues?

-- will other wifi networks cause interference with my mesh system in an urban environment?

-- will this system cause interference with other wifi networks in an urban environment?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

-- can i replace the 8dbi antenna with larger 50dbi without any issues?

If you're in the US, you might be violating FCC regs.

-- will other wifi networks cause interference with my mesh system in an urban environment?

Looking at a WAP cross-eyed will cause interference in an urban environment. So, yes.

-- will this system cause interference with other wifi networks in an urban environment?

Same. (You'd be cranking out a crapton of signal, lowering the Signal/Noise ratio for any nearby networks on adjacent channels.)

More than likely your ISP isn't interested in allowing you to resell WiFi access.

 

[kevnich2]

If you have no experience managing a network, why would you even want to pursue this?

WISP businesses really aren't in it for profit, they're more involved to provide a service to the community in rural areas where typical wire based internet is severely lacking from Telco's. But you REALLY need to do know what you're doing as you're effectively becoming a commercial ISP. A home based internet connection won't cut it, and is usually against their TOS anyway.

But open-mesh is for providing wifi within a building, not for what you're asking. Ubiquiti is a major player in both in building access and for WISP.