would this be illegal

benjimatt · 07-06-2004

i want to build a antenna that will reach about a mile to a free hot spot to use with my desktop computer.

The only reason I ask is because in my area we cant get dsl

Madhadder · 07-06-2004

It Might Work..

But The Signal From The Remote AP, Won't be strong Enough to make it back
without some type of high gain Antt.

As far as being "Illeagel", I think you'd have to contact the Service provider.

benjimatt · 07-06-2004

do you know what type of equipment it would take

another option was to have 2 other friends and all of of be connected wirelessly and one person have cable internet and hook us up through a router

no leaf clover · 07-09-2004

lol, i dont mean to offend anyone, but i find this pretty amusing... hittin that free spot from a mile away thats priceless

c0nv3r9 · 07-10-2004

I've hit some public nodes from a good half mile or so before with 2mb connections using a 500mW amp, a 12dB gain yagi, and a hermes based variant. Video tripods work GREAT for this. The downside was signal loss every time a bus or truck passed.. (read, rough line of sight, just enough additional interference killed it)

With decent line of sight a mile wouldn't be difficult, although maintaining anything reliable at that distance is a chore. How well is the public node broadcasting? That could be another variable in the equation.. if they already cover a block than you might have an easier time.

The Others · 07-11-2004

Using this setup, I recently stumbled upon an access point as illustrated below. I was on the mainland. The access point belong to marina hotspot provider called "square mile". There was no marina where I discovered the AP, so a quick google discovered that it was on the Isle of Wight.

The point of this post is to agree with c0nv3r9 in saying this maybe be possible. Although, I of course had line of sight. I might, one lonely night, take my yagi to the seaside and attempt a more stable trans-solent link.

Starpoint · 07-11-2004

If the hotspot is a TRUE free wifi spot, then I do not see any legal issue... You will have to build some form of antenna that can reliably reach to it for recieve and transmitting.

I would love to see the antenna design you come up with once you get it all solid since from a technical standpoint is interesting.

Best bet would be to ask the person(s) who run the wifi spot you want to target if they have any objection to you attaching from a distance.. and get their approval in WRITING.

CodeSlicer · 12-06-2004

I too am working on a similar project. There is a WiFi hotspot near my area but no cable or DSL connections in my area so i am building a long distance wifi hotspot hook up i have tried it from .8 miles LOS with a 12 dbi directional antenna and orinico gold classic card and gotten a good signal and little noise but to get it all the way to my house there are alot of trees i have to surpass so i have purchased a 60 foot tower and am working on installing it with an pickup on the top of the tower and then retransmit it down to my house or use POE but believe i am going to have to get a more powerful antenna and possibly a more powerful card any ideas or problems ???

Thorn · 12-06-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodeSlicer

I too am working on a similar project. There is a WiFi hotspot near my area but no cable or DSL connections in my area so i am building a long distance wifi hotspot hook up i have tried it from .8 miles LOS with a 12 dbi directional antenna and orinico gold classic card and gotten a good signal and little noise but to get it all the way to my house there are alot of trees i have to surpass so i have purchased a 60 foot tower and am working on installing it with an pickup on the top of the tower and then retransmit it down to my house or use POE but believe i am going to have to get a more powerful antenna and possibly a more powerful card any ideas or problems ???

Any ideas or problems? Do you mean besides the the longest run-on sentence in the history of the forums? Please read this:
http://forums.netstumbler.com/showthread.php?t=12814

That antena/card combination should work, but you should do the math to be sure. The biggest problem is making sure that this is a legal setup.

modemfox · 12-06-2004

I connect to stuff over a mile away on a dailty basis. I have a senao CB3 connected to a luxul 1 watt amp that then goes to a hypergain 24db grid which connects to the internet through various AP's belonging to friends upwards of 2 miles away. At one mile i can see a linksys router with no high gain antennas but at night it gets flakey. at 2 miles they use a hypergain 15db gain omni. Those connections accordin g to the CB3 are 51% signal at 71% quality. I think thats pretty good since I didn't clear the fresnel zone in the center at all.

RedSector · 12-06-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by modemfox

I connect to stuff over a mile away on a dailty basis. I have a senao CB3 connected to a luxul 1 watt amp that then goes to a hypergain 24db grid which connects to the internet through various AP's belonging to friends upwards of 2 miles away. At one mile i can see a linksys router with no high gain antennas but at night it gets flakey. at 2 miles they use a hypergain 15db gain omni. Those connections accordin g to the CB3 are 51% signal at 71% quality. I think thats pretty good since I didn't clear the fresnel zone in the center at all.

I am SURE that has to violate the transmission regulations of what ever country your from.
EDIT: I believe the FCC limit is 36dBm (antenna+radio) and 1 wat amp (30dBm) + 24dBm antenna + 200mW CB3 (23dBm) = 77dBm which is > 36dBm

wrzwaldo · 12-06-2004

Yep looks a little high, unless you are licensed...

http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaecalc.html

streaker69 · 12-06-2004

Ahh yes, I can see it now, a trail of dead birds between the OP's place and where he's trying to connect. Cooked in mid air by the microwave beam.

modemfox · 12-06-2004

actually with loss its 51.03db at 126.76518658578447 watts. I have many friends who use this setup. I did not say it was legal, I just said that with comsumer equiptment it is possible. I also have a 10 watt military amp on the same setup. It does 61.04db at 1270.574105208542watts. at least according to: http://www.axcess2go.com/AntennaCalc.htm
everybody always trys to just add the dB ratings. This is not always what you are supposed to do.

wrzwaldo · 12-06-2004

A 10 watt on the same setup? Your a damn moron! Sounds like you may have spent a few to many minutes in front of your antenna...

Quote:

...
I did not say it was legal
...

Did you happen to catch the topic of this thread? And we are quite aware that it can be done with off the shelf components.

07-06-2004	#1 (permalink)
benjimatt Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2	would this be illegal i want to build a antenna that will reach about a mile to a free hot spot to use with my desktop computer. The only reason I ask is because in my area we cant get dsl

07-06-2004	#2 (permalink)
Madhadder General "Noob Basher" Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Munich, Germany Posts: 1,620	It Might Work.. But The Signal From The Remote AP, Won't be strong Enough to make it back without some type of high gain Antt. As far as being "Illeagel", I think you'd have to contact the Service provider. __________________ Legends may sleep, but they never die!!!!

07-10-2004	#5 (permalink)
c0nv3r9 Church of WiFi Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: not behind you, or am I? Posts: 290	I've hit some public nodes from a good half mile or so before with 2mb connections using a 500mW amp, a 12dB gain yagi, and a hermes based variant. Video tripods work GREAT for this. The downside was signal loss every time a bus or truck passed.. (read, rough line of sight, just enough additional interference killed it) With decent line of sight a mile wouldn't be difficult, although maintaining anything reliable at that distance is a chore. How well is the public node broadcasting? That could be another variable in the equation.. if they already cover a block than you might have an easier time. __________________ He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. -- Nahum 2:5, The Holy Bible, KJV

07-11-2004	#7 (permalink)
Starpoint Pr0nStumbler Expert Level Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Houston Posts: 2,349	If the hotspot is a TRUE free wifi spot, then I do not see any legal issue... You will have to build some form of antenna that can reliably reach to it for recieve and transmitting. I would love to see the antenna design you come up with once you get it all solid since from a technical standpoint is interesting. Best bet would be to ask the person(s) who run the wifi spot you want to target if they have any objection to you attaching from a distance.. and get their approval in WRITING. __________________ Against the run of the mill, static as it seems We break the surface tension with our wild kinetic dreams Curves and lines -- of grand designs... Tonight's movie "Soylent Green" has been brought to you by our sponsor - Waste Management My mind is like a Steel trap - Rusty and Illegal in most states

12-06-2004	#8 (permalink)
CodeSlicer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1	2.1 Mile Distance HotSpot I too am working on a similar project. There is a WiFi hotspot near my area but no cable or DSL connections in my area so i am building a long distance wifi hotspot hook up i have tried it from .8 miles LOS with a 12 dbi directional antenna and orinico gold classic card and gotten a good signal and little noise but to get it all the way to my house there are alot of trees i have to surpass so i have purchased a 60 foot tower and am working on installing it with an pickup on the top of the tower and then retransmit it down to my house or use POE but believe i am going to have to get a more powerful antenna and possibly a more powerful card any ideas or problems ???

07-06-2004	#3 (permalink)
benjimatt Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2	do you know what type of equipment it would take another option was to have 2 other friends and all of of be connected wirelessly and one person have cable internet and hook us up through a router

07-09-2004	#4 (permalink)
no leaf clover Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3	lol, i dont mean to offend anyone, but i find this pretty amusing... hittin that free spot from a mile away thats priceless

12-06-2004	#10 (permalink)
modemfox Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 13	I connect to stuff over a mile away on a dailty basis. I have a senao CB3 connected to a luxul 1 watt amp that then goes to a hypergain 24db grid which connects to the internet through various AP's belonging to friends upwards of 2 miles away. At one mile i can see a linksys router with no high gain antennas but at night it gets flakey. at 2 miles they use a hypergain 15db gain omni. Those connections accordin g to the CB3 are 51% signal at 71% quality. I think thats pretty good since I didn't clear the fresnel zone in the center at all.

12-06-2004	#12 (permalink)
wrzwaldo I amuse you? Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 9,127	Yep looks a little high, unless you are licensed... http://www.csgnetwork.com/antennaecalc.html

12-06-2004	#13 (permalink)
streaker69 Psychic Amish Stumbler Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Virginville, BlueBall, Bird In Hand, Intercourse, Paradise, PA Posts: 11,708	Ahh yes, I can see it now, a trail of dead birds between the OP's place and where he's trying to connect. Cooked in mid air by the microwave beam.

12-06-2004	#14 (permalink)
modemfox Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 13	actually with loss its 51.03db at 126.76518658578447 watts. I have many friends who use this setup. I did not say it was legal, I just said that with comsumer equiptment it is possible. I also have a 10 watt military amp on the same setup. It does 61.04db at 1270.574105208542watts. at least according to: http://www.axcess2go.com/AntennaCalc.htm everybody always trys to just add the dB ratings. This is not always what you are supposed to do.

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