Setting up a HotSpot - Hardware needed for Long Distance

[Fresh101]

Hello Guys, I want to setup a HotSpot around a gated community that has atleast 100 Buildings, not higher than two floors each, and trees are also on path. I've been looking in different antennas and range extender amplifier and to many to choose from. My main goal is to try to cover as much area as possible without having buy big antennas and etc. This are some example that I have came up with and consideration but if there is any better suggestion please let me know. Remember is a HotSpot, all around 360 degrees. If it matters I have 2 routers, Linksys WRT54G v8 with DD-WRT running at Tx Power 160mw with heatsink and fans and the second one is a Linksys WRT54G-TM with DD-WRT running at Tx Power 251mw with heatsink, fan, W/SD/MMC Support. I live in a second floor apartment.

RadioLabs 500 mWatt 2.4 GHz Wireless Range Extender Amplifier
The antenna that this amplifier is attached with is a 5dbi but want to upgrade them to a 16dbi Antenna.

2.4 GHz 16dBi TNC Wireless WiFi Omni Terminal Antenna
Upgrading the stock antenna of the amplifier for a more sensitive one.

Any suggestion other than this are always welcome. Thank you in advance.

 

[milehigh]

Based on the info you've given, you're going to struggle to provide anything reliable.

Here's a little description of what I used in what sounds to be a similar installation covering a little less than a square mile. We have on average 75 or so clients connected at any given time.

Cable Internet (10 down/2 up) - > Linksys RV082 Router - > NetEqualizer Firewall/Traffic Shaper -> Dual Band Access Points (see link below).

We have 5 Access points in total. The access points are communicating with each other on the 5ghz band and the clients all communicate with the access points on the 2.4ghz band.

For the 2.4ghz antennas we have one sector antenna and the rest are omnis. Our 5ghz are all omnidirectionals.

The biggest challenge has been the individual user's computers and wireless card strength. Doesn't matter what you do if they can't communcate back to you. We've been able to remedy this by installing a couple Linksys Range Expanders to try to eliminate dead or weak spots. This particular installation has been running stable for 2 years now.

These are actually a lot of fun but can be challenging to set up. Each installation is unique.

This is the access points we're using:
http://www.deliberant.com/land...ct.aspx?productid=1278

Traffic shaping is critical to the success running a reliable system across 100 buildings, especially if your total bandwidth available is rather low like how I've described above.

 

[Emulex]

google open mesh
done.

 

[Modelworks]

How big an area is this ? How tall is the tallest building in feet, add about 10 feet to the roof itself for fresnel ? How tall is the tallest tree and is it in a signal path that you need to provide access ?
You are going to need an outdoor antenna, probably roof mount to cover a large area. Indoor or rubber duck antennas on a WRT54G router will not cut it.

 

[daw123]

Hello,

Linking from the previous locked thread here: http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2332362&enterthread=y

JackMBS mentioned:

Repeaters would not do either cause each one cuts the bandwidth by half, in addition when the bandwidth is shared with many clients the result at each Wireless client would be pitiful.

A project like this, to be cost effective, you need to run cables to 10 (or more) spots and install an Access Points connected to the main source by cable.

As for your Linksys WRT54G with DD-WRT running at Tx Power 251mw.

It works because it an over kill for what you need. Other for large coverage it probably would Not do well.

RF amps. that were not design for High Output, when pushed the way you pushed the Linksys, amplify the Signal and the Noise. The sweet spot of the WRT54 is about 70mW (in some units even less).

Good RF reception is more an issue of Signal the Noise Ratio (SNR) rather than brute dirty signal.

http://www.ezlan.net/wbars.html

I may be getting the wrong end of the stick, but if he's suggesting running cables, which would have to be below ground because the 'spots' will be geographically spaced apart (e.g. in several buildings) then you are getting into significant installation costs.

Think about:
Digging up the roads, paths, vegetation, lawns, etc.
Excavating trenches for the cabling
Installing the cables within a suitable protective sheath (conduit or pipe work)
Backfilling your excavations
Making good to the roads, paths, vegetation, lawns, etc.
Statutory and regulatory compliance and notification (e.g. In the UK; notifying the local authority and statutory undertakers as well as complying with the Regs, BS, etc.)
Appointing contractor(s) to carry out the work and the contractual (project management) undertaking for this.

The internal work within the buildings (chosen as the 'spots') comprises of running cabling (including through walls, floors and ceilings), installing the equipment, making the final connections, making good to all affected surfaces, gettting permission from the various affected parties, statutory and regulatory compliance, etc.

The above works are the basic items I've thought about off the top of my head, which would be required. There are bound to be items of work that I have missed or not thought about.

This work equates to significant expenditure.

 

[Emulex]

http://www.open-mesh.com/