wifi connection 5 miles apart what do i need.?

Rodsonnow · 11-27-2004

here is what I'm looking to do.

My buddy and i are about 3.5 miles apart as the crow flies. We both have 65 foot tall towers. we both have Linksys wireless routers.

what we want to do is get a couple 24 db antennas and point them at each other and create a wifi LAN between us. my thought is too get an antenna each with a .5 watt amp and that should carry the signal far enough.

what i need to know is what do i have to do to make the 2 routers talk to each other so that we are on the same network so that we can file transfer from his machine to mine and use each others printers?

can these routers do this on their own or do we need to add a switch?

any and all suggestions on how to make this happen would be greatly appreciated. if I'm wrong on what equipment i am planning on using please let me know as well as i only want to buy the stuff once.

Thanks you in Advance.

Rodney

Mr.White · 11-27-2004

3.5 miles isn't very far if you both have nice high towers with no obstructions. You shouldn't need any amps, just 2 good antennas and lots of low loss cable. Try some LMR-400 and maybe even 600 if the cable runs approach 100 feet. Or better and cheaper yet, make everything power over ethernet and put it all in a weatherproof enclosure up top.

Setting up bridging with your routers depends on what model routers you are using.

Rodsonnow · 11-27-2004

so you think that a couple of antennas with out amps just pluged into the linksys router will do it?

here is the antennas we are looking at. http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2424g.php

good? or over kill?

linlsys befw1154 2.4 ghz routers

also could you explain what you mean by powering it wirh ethernet wire? are you talking about regular cat 5 wire?

Thorn · 11-27-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodsonnow

so you think that a couple of antennas with out amps just pluged into the linksys router will do it?

here is the antennas we are looking at. http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2424g.php

good? or over kill?

linlsys befw1154 2.4 ghz routers

also could you explain what you mean by powering it wirh ethernet wire? are you talking about regular cat 5 wire?

Two 24dBi antennae should be fine without amps. They may even be overkill if you do go with a Power over Ethernet. Do the math for your link budget and you should be able to compute exactly the needed power.

Yes, Power over Ethernet is exactly what it sounds like. Search on "Power over Ethernet" and "PoE" both here and on Google. www.nywireless.net has a good HOWTO for constructing your own PoE units.

Mr.White · 11-27-2004

Novilio had a setup with an ammo can, parabolic antenna, and some sort of POE unit inside the can. It was a nice tidy setup. I can't seen to find it on his site. (404)

Thorn · 11-27-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.White

Novilio had a setup with an ammo can, parabolic antenna, and some sort of POE unit inside the can. It was a nice tidy setup. I can't seen to find it on his site. (404)

http://www.duntemann.com/

and

http://www.drivebywifiguide.com/

Although I don't see the ammo can setup. Anyway, it's detailed in his book.

Mr.White · 11-27-2004

I knew I had a picture of the thing........

Rodsonnow · 11-27-2004

i may not be understanding how the antenna works. from what i can tell it takes a coax. so there is a solid inner core wire and a braided mesh outer wire.

I understand the idea of carrying the power in a POE set up, but i am not certain that i understand what the power is to do at the antenna on my tower.

my question i guess is this. if i go with the LMR 600 wire. i basically only have to put an end on each end of the wire. connect to the antenna and screw it into the linksys hub, correct? or is there a t block and power supply required as well?

with the PoE idea how is the power connected to the antenna?

sorry if i seem green here but I'm just trying to understand this before i go and buy the equipment.

streaker69 · 11-27-2004

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

That's what you need. took me all of 5 seconds to find it..

Mr.White · 11-27-2004

With a coax setup, you would just need the cable and connectors. Your radio stays indoors and you run a long cable to the antenna. Buy the stuff you need from fab-corp.com. Tell then what you have and what you plan to do with it and they will set you up.

A POE system is different. The radio is in a box near the antenna, eliminating a long coax run. The shorter the cable between your radio and antenna, the better. Long cable=lots of loss. Short cable=little to no signal loss. You put your router in the weatherproof box up near the antenna. YOu need to run ethernet down to your switch/hub/PC whatever. Instead of runnign a long damn extension cord up in the air to power the whole mess, you just supply the power for the radio over the ethernet cable. Hence- POWER OVER ETHERNET. You can run ethernet all over the damn place and it's cheap to boot.

wrzwaldo · 11-27-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodsonnow

...

linlsys befw1154 2.4 ghz routers

...

Are you sure it's befw1154 and not befw11S4? I don't think the befw1154's (befw11S4) will git-r-done! They do not support bridging do they (Mine does not)?

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/rema...2858~mode=flat

http://lists.bawug.org/pipermail/wir...er/028169.html

I think you will need a couple WET-11's or AP's that support bridging. If you feel like fooling with firmware you could use a couple WRT54's.

Rodsonnow · 11-27-2004

you are right it is a s4 not 54

as far as supporting bridging im not sure. i will have to look into it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrzwaldo

Are you sure it's befw1154 and not befw11S4? I don't think the befw1154's (befw11S4) will git-r-done! They do not support bridging do they (Mine does not)?

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/rema...2858~mode=flat

http://lists.bawug.org/pipermail/wir...er/028169.html

Mr.White · 11-27-2004

I have an s4. No bridge support. Try a WET11.

Rodsonnow · 11-27-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.White

I have an s4. No bridge support. Try a WET11.

would we both need a bridge or will the one do the trick?

Im assuming only the one is needed. but does the bridge have to be in wireless contact with both wirless routers? or would it then be added to the antenna

Airstreamer · 11-28-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodsonnow

would we both need a bridge or will the one do the trick?

Im assuming only the one is needed. but does the bridge have to be in wireless contact with both wirless routers? or would it then be added to the antenna

If you go with the 'box on the roof' idea, paint the friggin' box white to keep the temperatures down, if needed.

That green ammo can will get HOT in the summer sun.

Also, you can put a sun shield on it to cut down on the heat.

Mount a thin plate on 1" stand-offs on the box to shade it from the sun. You may have to build the shield in a 'U' shape with a top cover plate depending on where the sun hits. Take a look at some of the power poles around that have electronics packages for switching and data gathering, and of course, the good old cable company gear. Most of them will have sun shields.

sTEVE

11-27-2004	#1 (permalink)
Rodsonnow Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 10	wifi connection 5 miles apart what do i need.? here is what I'm looking to do. My buddy and i are about 3.5 miles apart as the crow flies. We both have 65 foot tall towers. we both have Linksys wireless routers. what we want to do is get a couple 24 db antennas and point them at each other and create a wifi LAN between us. my thought is too get an antenna each with a .5 watt amp and that should carry the signal far enough. what i need to know is what do i have to do to make the 2 routers talk to each other so that we are on the same network so that we can file transfer from his machine to mine and use each others printers? can these routers do this on their own or do we need to add a switch? any and all suggestions on how to make this happen would be greatly appreciated. if I'm wrong on what equipment i am planning on using please let me know as well as i only want to buy the stuff once. Thanks you in Advance. Rodney

11-27-2004	#2 (permalink)
Mr.White OH such tacos will I give Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,049	3.5 miles isn't very far if you both have nice high towers with no obstructions. You shouldn't need any amps, just 2 good antennas and lots of low loss cable. Try some LMR-400 and maybe even 600 if the cable runs approach 100 feet. Or better and cheaper yet, make everything power over ethernet and put it all in a weatherproof enclosure up top. Setting up bridging with your routers depends on what model routers you are using. __________________ A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. "Hear that?" you say. "That's dynamite, baby." -Jack Handey

11-27-2004	#3 (permalink)
Rodsonnow Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 10	so you think that a couple of antennas with out amps just pluged into the linksys router will do it? here is the antennas we are looking at. http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2424g.php good? or over kill? linlsys befw1154 2.4 ghz routers also could you explain what you mean by powering it wirh ethernet wire? are you talking about regular cat 5 wire? Last edited by Rodsonnow : 11-27-2004 at 05:44 PM.

11-27-2004	#5 (permalink)
Mr.White OH such tacos will I give Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,049	Novilio had a setup with an ammo can, parabolic antenna, and some sort of POE unit inside the can. It was a nice tidy setup. I can't seen to find it on his site. (404) __________________ A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. "Hear that?" you say. "That's dynamite, baby." -Jack Handey

11-27-2004	#10 (permalink)
Mr.White OH such tacos will I give Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,049	With a coax setup, you would just need the cable and connectors. Your radio stays indoors and you run a long cable to the antenna. Buy the stuff you need from fab-corp.com. Tell then what you have and what you plan to do with it and they will set you up. A POE system is different. The radio is in a box near the antenna, eliminating a long coax run. The shorter the cable between your radio and antenna, the better. Long cable=lots of loss. Short cable=little to no signal loss. You put your router in the weatherproof box up near the antenna. YOu need to run ethernet down to your switch/hub/PC whatever. Instead of runnign a long damn extension cord up in the air to power the whole mess, you just supply the power for the radio over the ethernet cable. Hence- POWER OVER ETHERNET. You can run ethernet all over the damn place and it's cheap to boot. __________________ A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. "Hear that?" you say. "That's dynamite, baby." -Jack Handey

11-27-2004	#8 (permalink)
Rodsonnow Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 10	i may not be understanding how the antenna works. from what i can tell it takes a coax. so there is a solid inner core wire and a braided mesh outer wire. I understand the idea of carrying the power in a POE set up, but i am not certain that i understand what the power is to do at the antenna on my tower. my question i guess is this. if i go with the LMR 600 wire. i basically only have to put an end on each end of the wire. connect to the antenna and screw it into the linksys hub, correct? or is there a t block and power supply required as well? with the PoE idea how is the power connected to the antenna? sorry if i seem green here but I'm just trying to understand this before i go and buy the equipment.

11-27-2004	#9 (permalink)
streaker69 Psychic Amish Stumbler Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Virginville, BlueBall, Bird In Hand, Intercourse, Paradise, PA Posts: 11,798	http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW That's what you need. took me all of 5 seconds to find it..

11-27-2004	#13 (permalink)
Mr.White OH such tacos will I give Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,049	I have an s4. No bridge support. Try a WET11. __________________ A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. "Hear that?" you say. "That's dynamite, baby." -Jack Handey

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