Installing a WAP on an outside wall?

[toffee_paul]

Hi,

 

We have need to get a decent WiFi signal on a part of the yard and our nearest indoor WAP isn't cutting the mustard. There's a room between the WAP and the yard that's causing a bit of a black spot so I've been asked to look into the feasability of a WAP on an outside wall. Does anyone do this, how do you go about securing it from thieves? Small cage?

Thanks

[3s-gtech]

We've done this using a WAP with an external directional antenna - the antenna connectors from the WAP (we use Cisco, and this needed a model with antenna connectors) connect into a single directional antenna which can be mounted to the inside of a window. Pretty effective, and covers the blackspot in the centre of our yard.

[pete]

We've done a few with external-grade APs. Typically we mount on 2-3 storey buildings as high as we can get, so theft isn't an issue.

 

Your "small cage" will cause signal problems unless you go for heavy-duty plastic.

[toffee_paul]

The WAPs we use here are HP. Documentation for them says they feature "four indoor RP-SMA connectors for use with optional external antennas". Do you think it would it be feasible to add say 20metres of the necessary cable onto the WAP and then pop an SMA antenna on the end? How would this affect the WiFi signal in and around the WAP, would it still be just a strong of would it suffer from a reduction in signal strength due to the external antenna being added?

 

Thanks.