I'm a networking noob, and I'm considering options on how to connect two building a bit over 100m apart. It's a clear line of sight over a field. No need for blazing speeds.

I've priced fiber to a bit over $1/foot plus the cost of converters, so that's right out. I have no aversion to burying cable, but I've been told to expect problems burying regular cat5e without conduit or outdoor rated cable, and even then there's lightening strikes to consider.

So what are my options in terms of wireless? Everything I read on google was written years ago, I'm wondering what the current best bang for my buck would be. Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks guys.

6/23/2009 11:59:45 PM

Pringles can antenna. Made one way back when to wirelessly connect two houses. Works great.

OR

http://wireless.gumph.org/content/5/10/011-building-100mbps-wireless-bridge.html

[Edited on June 24, 2009 at 12:09 AM. Reason : d]

6/24/2009 12:06:18 AM

The point of all this is to network an office and some IP security cameras at the other end. Can anyone suggest what I would need at each end? I guess a wireless router at the source, and then ? with a directional antenna at the remote office?

Your cantenna, did you just splice into the wires on a cheap wireless card? Would a similar antenna at the source help transmit the distance, or would it even be necessary?

[Edited on June 24, 2009 at 12:13 AM. Reason : Thanks for the link.]

6/24/2009 12:12:37 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2005/11/15/how-to-build-a-wifi-biquad-dish-antenna/

[Edited on June 24, 2009 at 12:45 AM. Reason : bang for the buck mainly]

6/24/2009 12:42:50 AM

If its line of sight, use lasers. I have a friend that has a mountain house (in hawaii), he beams wireless from a business down in the valley, maybe 2 miles away.

6/24/2009 12:57:41 AM

cantenna is going to be the cheapest way to do this. 100 meters isn't that hard, really... especially considering it's clear line of sight.

if you have access to old satellite dishes, ^^would be better... biquads are pretty impressive if you cut everything correctly.

you could also build your own yagi directionals and point them at each other.

if i were doing this (and i had to do it as cheaply as possible), i'd go get 2 routers with external antennas that can run DD-WRT, set them up as bridges, and solder a compatible connector on the cantenna lead/attach it to the router (one for each).

6/24/2009 1:57:33 AM

You don't need to make anything for this if you have routers that can take external connections and you can load aftermarket firmware on it (like evan mentioned).

I bought this thing to play with awhile back

http://www.l-com.com/productfamily.aspx?id=6119

and I can (just barely) pull in a signal a little over 100 meters away with my antenna behind a window and what I presume to be a standard router at the other end behind a window as well. I know which one it is because their SSID is their street number and name. It's not perfectly line of site as another house partially obscures it, but it's close.

I imagine with 1 of these at each end you'd have no problems getting a connection. You could even go with something more directional if you really do have a direct line of site.

6/24/2009 8:12:09 AM

Quote :

" Your cantenna, did you just splice into the wires on a cheap wireless card? Would a similar antenna at the source help transmit the distance, or would it even be necessary?"

Yep, got a cheap card and spliced the wires onto the lead. I made two. One as a back up. I setup a external antenna on the exterior of the target house. Pointed the cantenna at it. Worked like a charm at over 120m. Good speeds too.

I would recommend the dish antenna, but it's kinda big.

6/24/2009 11:26:39 AM

some guy on another forum setup a wireless link with his friend a couple miles away using some good antennas and a pair of these http://www.ubnt.com/products/bullet.php

Came out pretty cheap too I guess. Not as cheap as a cantenna tho. He also had clear line of site.

6/24/2009 12:22:27 PM

If you need an antenna...let me know. I sell them for a living. RadioWavesinc.com

6/24/2009 6:32:42 PM

^^holy shit, those look pretty damn cool. and only $39? that's around the same price (or cheaper) as a wrt54gs from ebay...

i think i might need to order a few to play around with...

6/25/2009 12:35:24 AM

we have a set of these http://www.wirelessnetworkproducts.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1995
we're shooting about 1.25 miles at 55megs/sec

6/25/2009 11:59:07 AM