SOHO wireless between two structures

[boomerang]

There are two very similar posts here in recent history that explain a lot, but I have a question or two.
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Home - Two computers, one laptop.

Cable Modem - Wireless router - hard wired to WAP -
WAP - connected to Directional Antenna - to Shop

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Shop - One computer, one laptop

What hardware do I need at the Shop to connect the computer and laptop?
I can hard wire to the computer easily if needed. Obviously, the laptop would connect wirelessly.
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I have a decent understanding of how to configure the equipment. Jack, your site is a jewel of information. I also believe I understand the possible pitfalls involved in the endeavor.

My questions is in regards to the shop as stated above. If I'm really off base on anything, please let me know.

Edited for clarity. I made it too complicated - as usual.

Edit #2: I've been researching for an hour or so and I'm getting bleary-eyed. It appears I need to essentially duplicate the hardware, except the modem of course. So it would be;

CM>WR>WAP>Antenna><Antenna<WAP<WR

Any advice or pointers appreciated.

 

[Czar]

thats correct

but you can also try this, http://www.usbwifi.orcon.net.nz/

 

[boomerang]

Thanks for the link. Very interesting what can be done.

If there was no need to connect wirelessly at the Shop, and there was only one computer, would the WAP be sufficient?

 

[Czar]

Depends on the range I think. But you also have to take into account that even if you have a powerful wap to get the signal out, the computer on the other end has to have enough power to send to the wap.

 

[boomerang]

As I sometimes do, I made my question too cryptic to be answered.

There will be a WAP at the Home connected to a directional, external antenna. There will be a directional external antenna at the Shop, connected to another WAP. The distance is too great to use just a WAP at the Shop.

Assuming wireless was not required within the Shop, would a WAP suffice, or would a router still be needed? There's a single port on a Wireless Access Point. Is this solely for initial setup, or could a computer be plugged into it and be on the network? This was the question I should have asked.

I have never dealt with a Wireless Access Point. The Newegg pics I have seen show them with a single port in the back. I'm totally unfamiliar with them.

I hope this is clearer.

 

[zudo]

Can't you plug the comp into the laptop and then bridge connections?

 

[Czar]

I have only once setup a setup like you are proposing, at my home.. works like shit.

I have a Linksys WAP/WAG, says its a WAP but I can set ppp connection there too, never tired.
Thats what I have connected directly to my router.
In another room I have a Linksys Wireless Range extender.

I dont have any directional antennas so the range is not great... maybe 6 meters and sometimes the signal just goes down between the WAP and the Extender and all to often the Extender craps out and stops relaying DHCP traffic.

So, what you are trying to do is connecting two WAP's together, not sure you can unless it says on the box.

The port that is on the WAP is usualy just one ethernet port used to connect to a network. Switch maybe.

But if you have a range extender like you do then that port is only for configuration and nothing more. You would have to add a wireless nic on the desktop machine for it to connect.

 

[boomerang]

After researching what hardware would be needed and how to accomplish it, I tried something different and it worked. This is not anything new, exciting or cutting edge. It's just how I got the job done with the knowledge I had.

Purchased an Netgear N router, model WNR834B. We stuck it up at the high point of the house which just happened to be where it needed to reside anyway. Took one of the laptops and walked out towards the shop, 250 ft. away. I'm leaving out some of the details but we had a great signal both at the front of the shop and inside the front portion. In the rear half (behind a lot of metal) no signal. No surprise there, but I was surprised at the signal strength we had up to that point.

The whole job came to a standstill until Comcast came out to do their thing. We then ran some CAT 5 in the house and also got the wireless going without a hitch.

Purchased a second WNR834B and using some instructions I found at the Netgear site, turned the router in the house into the base station and the router for the shop into a repeater. There are configuration screens just for this purpose. But I had many hours of hair pulling on this task. Once the two had the same firmware in them, it took just seconds to get them working as they should. The automatic firmware update when accessing the router configuration arguably messed me up as the router connected to the modem automatically updated itself. The repeater router would never connect because it was not then on the same firmware version. Kind of a Catch-22 situation.

We then took the repeater out to the shop and hardwired one computer to it. The laptop(s) can also connect wirelessly out there. Everything is working just great. The two structures are 250 ft apart. There is a clear line of site, but there are buildings adjacent and there are several car haulers (think NASCAR type) parked between the house and shop. The house is at a higher elevation than the shop and as I said, the base station is at virtually the highest part of the house.

This was my first endeavor of this type and I'm really happy to have it work out as well as it did. I just wanted to update this old post on the chance that someone might pick up a little something they need from it. Of course, YMMV. For those wondering, I used Netgear, because for me, they have been very reliable in the past. Once again, YMMV in that regard.