'Grabbing' a wireless signal from another building
Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 3:07 pm
I'm at a business where we have 2 buildings approx 70 feet apart. The main building has Satellite HighSpeed. There is a LinkSYS wireless B router in place too. In the 2nd building we are looking to put just 1 PC in it. I mentioned to the owner that we should set that PC up so it 'grabs' the wifi signal from the 1st building. Here is the problem. The owner said I can do whatever I want to the 2nd building, but everything stays as is on the 1st building. So no antennas or extra hardware on the 1st building.
Here is what I'm thinking of doing.
1. Get an external high gain antenna and put it on top of a pole in between the properties. Then run a cat5 cable to the 2nd building. Only approx 40 feet of cable will be outdoors. Not sure if it's possible, or if you need power to those types of antennas.
2. Get a WET11 and place it in a shed in the backyard shed. A window somewhat faces the room where the wireless router sits in the 1st building. From the shed, I'd run a LAN cable to the 2nd building. The thing is the cat5 cable would be outside for probably 125 feet or so.
3. Get a WRT54g and install the DD-WRT firmware which allows you to use the wireless connection as its WAN port. Then hook in bigger aerials and point them at the router. Not real sure how to use the FF-WRT firmware though.
I'd appreciate your thoughts... Your pros and cons to each idea are welcome. Obviously budget is an issue. I'd say $150 MAX.
Thanks a lot.
Here is what I'm thinking of doing.
1. Get an external high gain antenna and put it on top of a pole in between the properties. Then run a cat5 cable to the 2nd building. Only approx 40 feet of cable will be outdoors. Not sure if it's possible, or if you need power to those types of antennas.
2. Get a WET11 and place it in a shed in the backyard shed. A window somewhat faces the room where the wireless router sits in the 1st building. From the shed, I'd run a LAN cable to the 2nd building. The thing is the cat5 cable would be outside for probably 125 feet or so.
3. Get a WRT54g and install the DD-WRT firmware which allows you to use the wireless connection as its WAN port. Then hook in bigger aerials and point them at the router. Not real sure how to use the FF-WRT firmware though.
I'd appreciate your thoughts... Your pros and cons to each idea are welcome. Obviously budget is an issue. I'd say $150 MAX.
Thanks a lot.