Need Wireless Ideas...

[klibby]

This is the first I've used the network forums on this site, im normally on the VB or C++ forums.. but anyway, Im just posting to gather some ideas... I consider myself to be rather good with networks (setup my home network and made some apps to keep everything running in sync.. plus i do most of the networking in my high school lol )...

anyway.. here's my situation... I setup a home network.. its running 10 computers right now, not wireless.. I wired it all, it runs out to a seperate guest house.. and nextdoor to my uncle's house.. and ties into a main hub in my closet with a server running Win2k Server and connected to a firewall and DSL... but because of where I live (18,000 ft from the nearest c/o) I get piss poor DSL (esp for 10 comps)....

now.. about 5 houses down... bout 500 - 700 ft (more than a cat5 line can reach) there is a family run ISP.. I used to have an account with them.. I always talk to a couple of the guys down there, so we know eachother pretty well....

they're running 3 T1's.. and one of em down there brought up the idea that If I ran a line down there and paid for a router at both ends, they would hook me up with their connection (so i'd be connected to T1) for $20 a month... It was incredible...

but the problem... I thought of running Cat 6 line down there. My uncle who I share the network with is a contractor / electrition... the poles on the street may be public access so we MIGHT be able to get a permit to run lines down there... but that would be a bit much work for that....

I thought wireless.. but I'm not too keen with wireless networking.. how far they will reach, how effecient they are through a distance like that.. how fast it would be, etc...

stupid pac bell! they need to build a closer c/o! just for me!!!!!

well, thanks for your time

 

[jimbopalmer]

I run wireless about 7 miles with a 1 meter dish at each end, they claim it is 11 Mbps but throughput is close to 5.5 Mbps, which is larger than T1 anyway. it can add about 10 ms to ping times I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[klibby]

hmm.. a dish eh? how much would that cost?... or... since I probably dont need it as far as a dish would reach.. how much would something using an antennae slow it down ping wise if its going say 800 ft?

 

[jimbopalmer]

I use antenna like this to go about 1 mile

http://www2.warehouse.com/product.asp?pf_id=DEC4613&cat=pc

and an antenna like this to go about 7 miles

http://www2.warehouse.com/product.asp?pf_id=DEC4426&cat=pc

plus one of these at each end

http://www2.warehouse.com/product.a...w&home=networking&cat=networking&blind=&view=

and cables, lightning protectors, etc. I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[klibby]

I've never worked with Wireless network antennas before... what else would I be able to hook say either that first antenna you mentioned.. or something like this

http://shop3.outpost.com/product/3177000

to? any less expensive bridges I could use? Keeping in mind that I dont need a network to extend across the city.. just about 5 houses down ('bout 800 ft)

 

[DefinityCorporation]

Wireless is cheap and easy to RIG, but a professional setup that meets codes and is safe is a little more expensive. Do you have line of site? What about elevation, is one house higher than the other? Do you have a place to mount ant? We have shot 20+ miles with aironet bridges, but the speed really suffers. Dont worry about ping times because radio-frequency electromagnetic energy, like visible light, and electricity, all travel roughly the same speed. (~300 million meters per second) I would look for the cheapest Yagi's you can find. If you have line of sight, go read about fresnel zones. Good luck!

 

[daronwilson]

Hmm, which codes are those that a professional setup would adhere to?

You should have no problem connecting the two sites with wireless at that distance. I would shop for a couple directional antennas (panel antennas, yagis or reflectors) with 10+ dB of gain or more. That short hop should be able to tolerate some fresnel zonal interference, but height of the antennas are important. Imagine stringing a string between the two antennas, nothing would be in the path. Now imagine letting that string sag slightly dipping in the middle, that is what the area referred to as a fresnel zone. Ideally you would keep the antennas high enough to keep things out of the first fresnel zone as well. I know that is over simplified, but it's the concept.

Worry or not, ping times will lengthen with the equipment and the path. While it is an interesting comment about the same speed of travel, that assumes the same medium. Wire and air are not the same medium. More to the point, keep in mind that when a packet gets to the wireless gear, it is completely repackaged with a ton of overhead to move the data packets over a radio link. Of course, at the other end, all the overhead is stripped out, data checked, etc. before being sent to the ethernet port. The short story? This process adds latency and therefore can increase ping times. Is this a problem for your installation? I seriously doubt it.

Keep in mind also that the 11 mbs wireless link will likely yield you 5.5 mbs or so. This is due to the overhead management involved with transmitting the data over radio.

All in all, you could easily yield 5 mbs through things, pretty nice compared to 1.5 mbs on a T1.
It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com

 

[negley97]

If you are 500-700ft away from the ISP wireless will be the way to go. I seriously doubt that the public utility company will allow you to install your own cable on their poles without forcing you to take certain maintenance responsibilities or signing a contract (don't do it). Second is the distance, Once you go over 250ft with CAT 5e or CAT 6 you're going to need a repeater to strengthen the signal the rest of the way to the ISP and back. Placement of that is critical being this is all outdoors unless you wire other homes along the way to the ISP. If you don't use a repeater with that distance (Don't see how you could) you will lose quality on the signal and basically still get the slow speeds you have today. With the cheap cost of wireless you could use just about anything on the market today and still save $$$ compared to running a physical wire down the street.

 

[dearman]

All you need to do is get an access point(wireless)and an external antenna to broadcast the signal from the T1 pop, then get another ap on your end to catch the signal and retransmit. then route it to your switch that can be plugged into your network. Probably a $200.00 setup or less, cheap for access to a T1.Get an access point and antenna in the 2.4ghz range and remember it is line of sight----- no trees--- no bushes -- no green stuff----
but will pass thru a house with a little loss of dbm. Check out ydi.com for some ideas but you can buy the cheaper equipment like d-link for personal use.
GOOD LUCK and have FUN.

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