Outdoor WiFi

[indie]

I'm moving into a place which is only about 300 meters from where I work, I work 8 - 4:30 but our centre is open till 9 so most nights I get a call from someone saying something's broken, how can it be fixed.

 

Most of the time it's an AP that needs rebooting and I can VPN in and reboot it, which I dont mind doing.

 

I talked to our director and proposed that if I can set up a wireless link I would be prepared to provide out of hours support as much as I can (and get uncontended 100Mbit intenet access ).

 

I have near line of sight, with the very tops of a few houses in the way, has anyone here ever done anything like this? I know for something like this we should really call someone external in to do a site survey but we'd prefer to keep costs down, if we spend £200 and it doesn't work, it's better than spending thousands to get it working.

 

I've been talking to a friend of mine who's recommended the kit i'd need, just wanted some input before I tried it!

 

20dB Yagi Antenna

 

Linksys WRT54GS (UK Version)

 

Talisman Firmware (Power output can be turned up well over the legal limit :twisted:)

[MkII]

Just one AP? - wouldn't it be better to have a bridge?

[Ric_]

2 APs with a Cantenna at each end?

[indie]

Sorry, 2 Yagi's, 3 AP's. 2 for the bridge, 1 to relay the signal around the flat!

[StewartKnight]

correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that to use an ariel above 12dB, you need a licence??

[Ric_]

@StewartKnight: The way I understand it is that you need a license for certain frequency ranges - 802.11a/b/g are in a range that is free for public use. The gain (measured in dB) is of no consequence.

 

Incidentally, check out http://www.wwc.edu/~frohro/Airport/Primestar/Primestar.html - 10miles with an old bean tin and a surplus minidish!

[russdev]

also be warned there are various lea rules on putting ariels on school buildings so check with lea...

 

Russ

[Ric_]

also be warned there are various lea rules on putting ariels on school buildings so check with lea...

 

Russ

 

"... but it's not an aerial... it's an old bean tin," says the network manager in defence of his newly commisioned cantenna

[RobC]

correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that to use an ariel above 12dB, you need a licence??

 

@StewartKnight: The way I understand it is that you need a license for certain frequency ranges - 802.11a/b/g are in a range that is free for public use. The gain (measured in dB) is of no consequence.

 

I think Stewart's actually right on this one. Although a/b/g frequencies are essentially unlicensed, there is an upper gain limit that you can use. I thought it was either 19 or 20db, it could easily be 12dB.

[Geoff]

There's no limit on Gain. There's a limit on power output. ie, 500mW. There's also a limit on the type of antenna you can use. Basically you can't use any type of directional antenna. Yagi's, Bean Tins, etc.