[MLB-WIRELESS] Wireless connection -1200m apart

[Phil Mawson]

Craig Mead wrote:

>>Hi,
>>
>>I am looking currently at connection a friends and my houses up via a
>>wireless link. We can both clearly see eachother's houses and are only
>>about 1200m apart.
>>
>>I am new to wireless, so I do not know much about it. I would like to
>>have a 802.11g (54mbs) connection across. I heard that it can have more
>>problems than 802.11b over longer distances. We are fairly close
>>together, both have direct line of site, should there be much problem?
>>    
>>
>
>.11g does need higher signal strength and reports from most people using
>11g in outside links have been basically that they have defaulted down to
>11b speeds anyway.
>
>  
>
Ok. Thanks for that. Is there anyone who has tried using 802.11g in 
similar circumstances that have had a sucesfull fast link?

>>I am looking at getting a hills antenna (Hills 25dBi directional
>>parabolic grid antenna
>><http://www.techtopia.com.au/product_info.php/cPath/1_19/products_id/682>
>>) for both ends - would that be a good move?
>>    
>>
>
>Bit of overkill in my opinion. Have you considered a Vagi?
>Cheaper.
>Smaller.
>Less visually impacting.
>Over that distance, more than enough signal too.
>  
>
I had seent he Vagi directional antennas by Hills. But it only has a 
15.6dBi rating. As I said before, I am new to wireless, but I gather 
that a 25dBi rating is better, and the parabolic grid antenna is only 
another $10. Or would the Vagi antenna be better because it is more 
directional therefore a higher signal strength?

>>What hardware should I use each end? I was told that an Access Point my
>>end and just a PCI card his end. I have servers at my end (9 computers
>>plugged in all up atm) and he only has 2 (which are networked). Can any
>>one sugest what would be the best to get? Brand & Model?
>>    
>>
>
>Depends on your budget.
>
>If your just going to bridge the 2 networks and don't want to allow P2MP
>(allow multiple connections to one of the nodes if others want to join) then
>maybe something like the WAP54G which can be thrown in bridge mode I
>believe, or WAP11 which you can do the same thing. ($197 for WAP11, $187 for
>WAP54G....prices on this site seem a bit old, but that'd be max).
>
>Other option is a pair of Minitar AP's (from www.pcrange.biz ) for $90 each,
>60mW output and can do AP, client, bridge mode, you can't really go wrong.
>Grab a pair of these, bridge them, point and go.
>
>  
>
It is just a small home project. Probably looking at about $250 per end 
(so $500 all up). The Minitar AP's look like a good option. I asume they 
have detachable antennas so an external antenna can be connected? And 
would either the Vagi or the Parabolic antennas work on that?

>>Also, I am looking at implementing a wireless network in my house for
>>the two laptops. Would that need a seperate AP for that or can it all
>>work off one? I would be thinking two, because of security. I am wanting
>>the link between my friends and my house to be infront of my firewall
>>(to make it more secure) and my wireless network inside my house would
>>be behind the firewall.
>>    
>>
>
>For security, I would reccomend the 2 AP's. Also reccomend a firewall which
>had
>
>eth0 - home lan
>eth1 - to home AP
>eth2 - to second AP
>ppp0/eth3/etc - to internet connection
>
>Reduces routing complications and your firewalls all in one spot.
>  
>
Ok. Thats what I though. I am currently using a freeBSD server as my 
router/firewall.
eth0 : home lan
eth1: net
I will buy another two NICs.
eth2/3: wireless connections.

>  
>
>>So yeah, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>>Kind Regards
>>
>>Phil Mawson
>>BlendTek [creative]
>>    
>>
>
>Best of luck!
>Let us know how you go if you decide to use G.
>
>  
>
Thanks Craig.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.wireless.org.au/pipermail/melbwireless/attachments/20040218/efa5e79f/attachment.html>