Suggestions from the ones that know more than I do :)

[vpr]

Hello,

I live in an area where broadband is not avilable to me. Roadrunner doesn't have any cable installed in my neighborhood, and after many months of bugging them, it doesn't look like they will be installing it either. I also live to far away from the CO to qualify for dsl. Satellite broadband is out of the question because i'm an avid gamer. There is a company that opened up here in my area that is offering a Wireless Solution called RipWave - according to the providers website, it's been used overseas more and is starting to make it's way over here.

Anyways here's where my question lies. We have two houses right next door to each other, seperated by approx 100 feet - give-or-take a few. Both of these houses are Brick Houses if that matters. We've considered trenching a piece of CAT5 between the two houses, but a) that's a lot of work, and b) don't know how reliable it would be at such large lengths. I've been looking into a wireless solution.

My main question is a) which standard should we attempt to go with if we decided to go this route? 802.11g/b/a ? I've read some of the FAQs for networking, and well quite frankly, it's just not my area of expertise. Secondly, i'm assuming i'll probably need one of those antenna boosters - should I get an omni-directional one, or a LOS one? Any recommendations on which one to get?

Pretty much any help would be greatly appriciated. Also on a side note, suggestions on PCI adapters would be nice as well

Thanks in advance,
Vpr

 

[HKSturboKID]

I think yesterday, buy.com has some kind of VPN / Wireless access point on sale for like $30 each and the range was pretty good. That could be your answer right there. Otherwise, I think wireless G would give you a better range over the other 2.

 

[ScottMac]

If I understand your post correctly, one of the two brick houses is going to get an Internet connection through a wireless ISP, and you want to share the connection between the two houses .... is that right?

Next: If you don't know what you're doing, running copper between the two houses can be a fatal mistake. Taking that point a little further, Category-rated UTP (Cat3,4,5,5e,6) is not meant for external use, trenched or not. The very few varieties of "outside grade" UTP are meant for qualified installers that understand what the dangers are, the local building and wiring codes, and can install it safely. If you need to trench something, put in fiber ... at least you aren't likely to start any fires or electrocute someone.

Finally: Sharing a connection in the manner you describe is (at the least) almost certainly a violation of your "Terms of Service" (TOS) and possibly in the realm of "Theft of Service."

If your intent is to just connect the two locations, wireless is probably your best bet.

FWIW

Scott

 

[eLinux]

In addition to what ScottMac said:

Ethernet cables have a limit to the distance they can travel before the signal is no good...don't recall what it was. But either way, I strongly urge you not to go digging between houses to put an ethernet cable.

If you're going the WiFi route anyways, might as well just get a really strong booster, put it next to a window, and have him do the same thing...then maybe you can share the bandwidth? That'd be too risky for me: (1) it'd be violating TOS as SM said, and (2) there goes your privacy... Some home users don't use software firewalls on their computer b/c NAT is enough... If you let your neighbor into your LAN, you lose all of that.

 

[ktwebb]

No amp needed for an 100 foot link. Decent directionals with a short pigtail point out of two line of sight windows is plenty. For 100 feet, as long as your using directional antennas, you could get away with some very low gain, along the lines of 3-5 dBi. You'd bridge. Most SOHO AP's have a bridging mode. I'd look at some of the wireless gear sites for consumers. Fabcorp is one. There are a few others that cater to amateur microwave LAN/WAN users. Just get AP's with detachable antennas, then buy a pre-crimped yagi and pigtail from an online vendor. As long as you can point, you can make the link, IF you have line of sight. As far as what type to use, depends on what you want to do. Low bandwidth requirements, ie. sharing a broadband connection or gaming, 802.11b is fine. If you want to share files, alot, then 802.11g would be a good choice. I concur with the others however. Talk to the provider or at least get a contract to look over before you do something like this.

 

[vpr]

Thanks for the replies.

If I understand your post correctly, one of the two brick houses is going to get an Internet connection through a wireless ISP, and you want to share the connection between the two houses .... is that right?

This is correct.. My brother is the person that lives in the other house - so i'm not worried about privacy.

Hmm didn't even think about the ToS Violation - i'll have to look into that, thanks for the heads up.

-Vpr

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

The real issue with running a cable between buildings is lightning protection. I'd stick with the wireless solution, 100' is easy with a couple of $20 Cantenna directional antennas, even through walls.

 

[ktwebb]

"100' is easy with a couple of $20 Cantenna directional antennas, even through walls."

Let's not get out of hand here. It MAY be possible. If this poster takes these responses as gospel, your statement is irresponsible. Depends on alot of things, including the wall makeup, and making it plural, walls instead of a wall, significantly diminishes the chances of making a 100' link work. I would assume you have in fact done something along these lines. I would hope so given you just gave the guy a definitive statement as fact about making it through walls at 100'. Your experience doesn't make his chances firm a given however.

 

[JackMDS]

Yeah, in matter of fact I had the other day a problem with two walls 60? and very good Antennae.

The signal had to travel from: Good Directional Antenna, through Wooden wall. through 60? of green thin brush, through Aluminum siding wall, to the client equipped with a good Antennae.

Did not work until I took the Client antenna out.

 

[Paulson]

If they use a wireless system anything like ours in minnesota (it's through a small company called mvtv wireless) then you'll probably be satisfied. The connection here is line of sight. There's a tower about a mile outside of granite falls MN, and at each of the houses/businesses that subscribe to the service there is a reciever antenna. Works really well, I've had it for about 3 years now. It's kind of expensive at $49.95 per month for 256/256, but it used to be the only high speed option available until recently when the local cable and dsl came into play.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Originally posted by: ktwebb
"100' is easy with a couple of $20 Cantenna directional antennas, even through walls." Let's not get out of hand here. It MAY be possible. If this poster takes these responses as gospel, your statement is irresponsible. Depends on alot of things, including the wall makeup, and making it plural, walls instead of a wall, significantly diminishes the chances of making a 100' link work. I would assume you have in fact done something along these lines. I would hope so given you just gave the guy a definitive statement as fact about making it through walls at 100'. Your experience doesn't make his chances firm a given however.

I have run WiFi a lot more than 100 feet, including through walls, and I didn't even have antennas with as much gain as the Cantenna. I agree, let's not get out of hand, don't assume you know of my experience or expertise. If you feel that 100' is very difficult with directional antennas, then it's pretty clear that you have far less experience using and configuring wireless networking than I have.

Next time try stating your opinion without calling my irresponsible, there's really no need for a personal attack when it's clear you don't have the experience to judge if it's possible or not. :disgust:

 

[ktwebb]

For the record, I did nothing else but install 802.11b, and other proprietary low power microwave solutions from 97 through 02. 8-12 hours a day for 5 years. We ran some cable but it was to AP's. We sold laptop solutions, with our wireless products. I have nothing but experience where Wi-Fi is concerned and probably have as much experience with the subject matter as anyone who frequents this board. I will say this, others, ScottMac for instance, would embarass me if debating the technical aspects of it. My time was spent doing site surveys, installing, and maintaing the WLAN's and WWAN's we did. Path analysis, encryption mechanisms, and other highly technical specifics were not my focus. Making it work was, regardless of the environment. I stand by my statements. Your blanket statement of 100' links being easy was simply inaccurate and as such was irresponsible if they poster went out and bought gear solely on your comments. Sorry if you took it personally but questioning my experience in this area is a bit humorous. Reading the last few comments makes me wonder how much you pay attention in this forum, at least in the wireless threads. I mean, I know your not new, but reading that post makes me wonder how you can't be.

 

[vpr]

If they use a wireless system anything like ours in minnesota (it's through a small company called mvtv wireless) then you'll probably be satisfied. The connection here is line of sight. There's a tower about a mile outside of granite falls MN, and at each of the houses/businesses that subscribe to the service there is a reciever antenna. Works really well, I've had it for about 3 years now. It's kind of expensive at $49.95 per month for 256/256, but it used to be the only high speed option available until recently when the local cable and dsl came into play.

There is an antenna in my back yard practically. Sounds very similar, except the pricing, which is more:

Residential Broadband Service
Bandwidth Up / Down Monthly Fee
64/64 $29
128/256 $59
128/512 $69
256/1024 $199

- But hey, when your desperate, you pay extra.

How did it work for gaming? That's my biggest concern.

-Vpr

 

[Paulson]

my pings to the isp are about 30ms... only problem is their server kinda sucks at the actual isp dns servers... so I usually have a 100ms ping... but if your isp is better than mine, you should have only about a 50ms ping... still pretty damn good