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In need of some advice

PostPosted: Mon Dec 28, 2009 2:23 pm
by paintballaddict
Well guys it's finally come time that I am in need of some advise as to what hardware you guys would use for a .33 mile PTP bridge? I am planning to set up a wifi bridge at my paintball field. I will have PERFECT line of sight as soon as I get over the trees on the field side. The other side of the link already is above the tree line (on top of a barn). Nothing will be done until spring, I'm just trying to come up with a ballpark number as to what this is going to cost for the bridge link hardware.

I was looking at ubiquiti's bullet line up and seems very appealing (Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. - Products).

However the nanostations (Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. - Products) are looking real nice as well with the integrated antenna with the option to use the external antenna connector if a higher gain antenna is needed... The other thing attracting me to the nanostations is the power requirements.... 12v 1A that is exactly inline with what I will have down on the field side supplied by deep cycle batteries. The bullet isn't very clear on the power requirement of up to 20v POE... I don't know how well the bullets will run on 12V much less whatever is lost going through a ethernet cable....

Overall I'm thinking the nanostations seem to be the better overall choice. But I'd like to know what type of hardware would you guys use for a 3rd of a mile ptp bridge....

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:25 am
by renderman
Your defiantly going down the right path. Personally I'd avoid anything with an integrated antenna and opt for a dish/yagi as budget allows. Mostly for the added signal on non-optimal days. Often things with integrated antennas get set up and then weather changes or bird shits on it something and it's enough to break the connection. A couple dishes ensure maximum signal from PtP.

Don't forget things like lightening arrestors in your mix to protect your new gear.

Nice to hear someone on here looking at professional, purpose built gear to do a link. I can remember all the years of 'I have this shitty d-link, how do I use it to connect to my friend 10 miles away so I don't ahve to pay for internet' posts.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:23 am
by Barry
renderman wrote:Your defiantly going down the right path. Personally I'd avoid anything with an integrated antenna and opt for a dish/yagi as budget allows. Mostly for the added signal on non-optimal days. Often things with integrated antennas get set up and then weather changes or bird shits on it something and it's enough to break the connection. A couple dishes ensure maximum signal from PtP.

Don't forget things like lightening arrestors in your mix to protect your new gear.

Nice to hear someone on here looking at professional, purpose built gear to do a link. I can remember all the years of 'I have this shitty d-link, how do I use it to connect to my friend 10 miles away so I don't ahve to pay for internet' posts.


Have you every played with the RooTenna? I've not had the need to do a real long range point to point, so I've not had the need to pick a couple up yet.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:30 am
by little dave
paintballaddict wrote:Well guys it's finally come time that I am in need of some advise as to what hardware you guys would use for a .33 mile PTP bridge?



There was this thread that would be worth reading .

renderman wrote:Nice to hear someone on here looking at professional, purpose built gear to do a link. I can remember all the years of 'I have this shitty d-link, how do I use it to connect to my friend 10 miles away so I don't have to pay for internet' posts.


Ya but where would you be now if you only used off the shelf hardware and never had to screw around and figure out how and why?

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:10 am
by Thorn
Barry wrote:Have you every played with the RooTenna? I've not had the need to do a real long range point to point, so I've not had the need to pick a couple up yet.
I used three RooTennas in a triangular PtMP configuration with two WRT54Gs and a WET11, using PoE power units. It's about 1000 feet between the points, so its not quite what paintballaddict needs, but the RooTennas do worth well. That installation has been up and running four years this month. The original WET11 died last year (replaced with the WET54G) but other than that, it's never had a hitch functionally.

On the other hand, the USERS have managed to unplug the PoE power supplies several times, just because they wanted the to use outlet. The big "Do NOT unplug!" sign didn't mean anything to them. :rolleyes:

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:23 pm
by paintballaddict
renderman wrote:Your defiantly going down the right path. Personally I'd avoid anything with an integrated antenna and opt for a dish/yagi as budget allows. Mostly for the added signal on non-optimal days. Often things with integrated antennas get set up and then weather changes or bird shits on it something and it's enough to break the connection. A couple dishes ensure maximum signal from PtP.

Don't forget things like lightening arrestors in your mix to protect your new gear.

Nice to hear someone on here looking at professional, purpose built gear to do a link. I can remember all the years of 'I have this shitty d-link, how do I use it to connect to my friend 10 miles away so I don't ahve to pay for internet' posts.


I think I'm going to go with a nanostation. Ubiquiti is claiming 10km out of the nanostation loco, but unfortunately it does not have an external antenna connector. The nanostation does have an external connector for whenever or if ever needed. I'm personally thinking that even the nanostation alone should be overkill since I'm only shooting 0.531km with clear line of sight once I get over the tree's. But still have the external RP-SMA connector if needed.. I was originally thinking of getting the loco, but based on your advise I'm thinking the normal nanostation is the better choice and worth the extra cash for the ability to add an external antenna with no modification.

Also what I plan on using this link for is to setup a small system on 4 deep cycle batteries and some solar panels to a decent charge controller, and have a ptz camera, (or 2) to a small switch (for local connectivity), and backhaul it the .33 mile shot to the barn up near my stepfathers cabin with the nanostations. Then once at the barn power isn't an issue as it has grid power. I'm planning on using a modded xbox as an ftp server for video storage in the barn. Then from the barn to the cabin is a simple ethernet line to another small switch in the barn to connect it all together. Static IP's for all as I don't want to deal with DHCP.

The sweetest thing about it all is anything and everything between the points of the bridge link I want to set up is ours.. If there happens to be a specific tree in the way that needs to be trimmed or taken out completely. I can, we own it :D

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:30 pm
by paintballaddict
Barry wrote:Have you every played with the RooTenna? I've not had the need to do a real long range point to point, so I've not had the need to pick a couple up yet.


I've seen those, and thought about it. But I figure if I got a few WRT54G's and installed DD-WRT on them, then stuck them in an enclosure that would work.
But I'm thinking that the price of the WRT54G's, enclosures, mounting hardware, and antenna's are going to be more then just getting hardware that's already made for outdoor use. Not to mention less work. :cool:

And yet I just remembered that the rootenna has a built in antenna.... Hmmmm

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:32 pm
by streaker69
paintballaddict wrote:And yet I just remembered that the rootenna has a built in antenna.... Hmmmm


Thus the term 'tenna' in the name of the product. :rolleyes:

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:38 pm
by paintballaddict
little dave wrote:There was this thread that would be worth reading .


Actually I've been reading that again lately, I didn't want to revive a zombie:cool: I remember reading that back when it was a current topic :D. I've been around here for a while... I also figured that a new thread was needed as that one is a bit outdated.... Hardware has changed quite a bit and there's a lot of new affordable gear out there. I figured I'd see what you guys would suggest or think about it. Thanks for showing me that though.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:43 pm
by paintballaddict
streaker69 wrote:Thus the term 'tenna' in the name of the product. :rolleyes:



Yeah I was having a brain fart for a bit there. Although an appealing idea I'm still left wondering if the rootenna is going to still be cost effective. Since they are nearly the same cost just for the enclosure/antenna as a nanostation, which has radio antenna and all in its own enclosure.... I'm glad I am planning this throughout the winter instead of just trying to "wing it" in the spring :D

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:46 pm
by paintballaddict
Have you guys seen the new Airgrid series that Ubiquiti is going to come out with? I'm liking the looks of these a LOT...
Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. - Products

But with Ubiquiti's history of supply chain problems with production and distribution, I'm not getting my hopes up for these things being around by spring to install them.... Not to mention the bugs to work out of a new product...

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:50 pm
by streaker69
paintballaddict wrote:Yeah I was having a brain fart for a bit there. Although an appealing idea I'm still left wondering if the rootenna is going to still be cost effective. Since they are nearly the same cost just for the enclosure/antenna as a nanostation, which has radio antenna and all in its own enclosure.... I'm glad I am planning this throughout the winter instead of just trying to "wing it" in the spring :D


Did you consider that if you'd go with other types of antenna's you'd need longer lengths of high quality coax? With the rootenna you'd only need cheap CAT5.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:05 pm
by paintballaddict
streaker69 wrote:Did you consider that if you'd go with other types of antenna's you'd need longer lengths of high quality coax? With the rootenna you'd only need cheap CAT5.


That's what had me looking at the bullet series is no antenna coax just attach it straight to the antenna, same with the nanostations they are POE... I'm already including a 1,000ft box of cat6, or cat5 in the list of hardware needed... You can NEVER have too much ethernet cabling around. ;)


Also as far as higher antenna gain.... Would I be able to mount the nanostations to a dish to increase gain and narrow beamwidth?

Would this achieve the same effect as using a high gain yagi, without antenna coax loss?

PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 7:04 am
by Scruge
paintballaddict wrote:That's what had me looking at the bullet series is no antenna coax just attach it straight to the antenna, same with the nanostations they are POE... I'm already including a 1,000ft box of cat6, or cat5 in the list of hardware needed... You can NEVER have too much ethernet cabling around. ;)


Also as far as higher antenna gain.... Would I be able to mount the nanostations to a dish to increase gain and narrow beamwidth?

Would this achieve the same effect as using a high gain yagi, without antenna coax loss?


The nanostations look like a viable option.. the price certainly is right.

I would think you could run all (link, camera, ap) with less than 15 watts.
If you want a battery with enough reserve capacity to operate system for several days without recharge, you'd probably need at least 500-700whrs capacity. A 12v battery with a 40-60amp hour rating should do.
I wouldn't consider any thing less than a 25 watt solar panel.

PostPosted: Wed Dec 30, 2009 2:21 pm
by hydro27405
The nano's should work fine, I've used several of them. I've done an 8 mile PTP at 5.8 with 63mw radio's and 26db grid antenna's, ran for 5 years with no problems. I had one nano on a customers house at about 3 miles with -65 to - 70 siganl.