Broadcast WiFi a mile away

[ADM1NX]

I have a client that wants to broadcast wifi on a beach that is a bit under a mile away. He said that there are some trees blocking the line of sight to the beach, so the antenna is going to be at least two stories off the ground.

My plan was to order a 15dBi omnidirectional antenna, hook it up to an amplifier, and then connect it to a wireless access point. My question is will I even need an amplifier, and if so, how much power would I need to put through it. Do you know of any resources or formulas used to calculate how much antenna or power i need?

Here are some links to the equipment I was planning to get

Alfa 2000Mw radio amplifier: http://www.amazon.com/Alfa-Outdoor-802-11b...r/dp/B002R1FXU2

15dBi Outdoor Omni antenna: http://www.fab-corp.com/product.php?produc...=250&page=1

Here is a map of the area where it will be installed.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?source=s_q&...c19a203848c075a

[Netshroud]

Reciever sensitivity is more important than just cranking up the amperage.

[VaKo]

Ubiquiti Networks have some decent kit for this. Look at the PowerStation AP.

Is just so they can browse the web on the beach or is it for a business of some sorts? Because they will probably need some more powerful kit on the client end.

[metatron]

Ubiquiti Networks have some decent kit for this. Look at the PowerStation AP.

Is just so they can browse the web on the beach or is it for a business of some sorts? Because they will probably need some more powerful kit on the client end.

1. Yes use Ubiquiti kit

2. It does not need to be amplified and it will introduce more uneeded noise.

3. Use sector antennas

[subl1m1nal]

I'm no wireless expert, but my previous employer always used Cisco equipment to connect building at cooperatives, golf courses, and municipalities. Since you're doing point-to-point, I would look at directional antennas. They look like little satelite dishes. If you were doing point to multipoint, I'd go omnidirectional, which looks like a pringles can.

[ADM1NX]

My broadcast area is the coast, and buildings surrounding the AP, so if the panel antenna only handles the beach, that is fine since they already have an AP that covers the 4 villas. It's just so that guests can browse the web on the beach using their own computers, but they don't own the beach, so i can't stick a repeater or anything on the beach.

The Powerstation APs look pretty promising, but I'm curious if line of sight may be an issue, which i'm hoping it isn't. Getting it higher off the ground isn't much of a problem, but i would rather keep it closer to the rooftop in case it needs servicing.

[Charles]

I don't know if this will help, but I came across this when I bought one of my Alfa cards.

http://www.data-alliance.net/Page.bok?temp...network-diagram

Check it out.

[VaKo]

The powerstation is designed for running WISP's, and apparently has a 50km range with the right antenna. Going 1.6km through a few trees probably won't be an issue.

I've also just realized where your setting this up, and frankly your a bastard ;-)

[shonen]

I am using this 15dbi wifi antena with this 500mw signal booster hooked up to my shitty tp link access point. Also occasionally attach it to my netgear wpn311 wifi card.

I have it mounted roughly 4 meters high and have a few surrounding tree's n such and am lucky to pull 300m before the signal drops out.

I lol'd at the 2000mw signal booster. That would surely put me in breach of the legally allowed transmission (Think its 36 dbi in Aus). You may have similar policy in the states.

What are the chances of borrowing a building for mounting the antenna near the beach? Only problem here is the business may charge you some fee for renting the space for mounting or if the business owner sells up.

Question why do people need access to porn at the beach? Aint women in bikini's enough for some? Guess you wont need to have a laptop stand to give you that comfy vertical tilt with a laptop on your lap with beach babes walking around. =D

[ADM1NX]

The AP is going to be set up in the Bahamas, so I'm not sure if they have any rules related to how many dBi you can put through, or if they follow British laws, but I'll check with my client. I think I might just go ahead and order a PowerStation 5 AP and stick it on the roof of one of the buildings, but I'll test it in the states first before I fly down and install it.

[Keltha]

As you're using it to connect guest laptops, amplifying it will probably have no effect whatsoever

[VaKo]

They probally won't check until people start reporting patches of Trinitite forming on the beach sand tbh.

[barry99705]

The AP is going to be set up in the Bahamas, so I'm not sure if they have any rules related to how many dBi you can put through, or if they follow British laws, but I'll check with my client. I think I might just go ahead and order a PowerStation 5 AP and stick it on the roof of one of the buildings, but I'll test it in the states first before I fly down and install it.

You need someone to carry your toolbox? ;)

[dylanwinn]

I'm surprised that nobody has pointed this out yet, but if the clients are that far away from the AP, then they will likely have major problems connecting with the cheap antennas in ordinary notebooks. I would use wireless N router with DD-WRT (I've had success with the ASUS WL-500N, but it's antennas are not removable) and three of the biggest directional antennas you can afford, one for each of the antennas on the router. I would also strongly discourage the use of an amplifier unless the 200 mw provided by the stock transmitter proves insufficient, because you are likely to run into issues with interference.

If you do go the 802.11g route, get a WRT-54gl, install tomato, and set the left antenna to transmit and the right to receive. You could then install signal boosters on each antenna independently of the other, reducing the chance of interference. That said, you'll want to have the amplifiers as far away from the router and each other as possible.

[Roger Wilco]

I'm surprised that nobody has pointed this out yet, but if the clients are that far away from the AP, then they will likely have major problems connecting with the cheap antennas in ordinary notebooks. I would use wireless N router with DD-WRT (I've had success with the ASUS WL-500N, but it's antennas are not removable) and three of the biggest directional antennas you can afford, one for each of the antennas on the router. I would also strongly discourage the use of an amplifier unless the 200 mw provided by the stock transmitter proves insufficient, because you are likely to run into issues with interference.

If you do go the 802.11g route, get a WRT-54gl, install tomato, and set the left antenna to transmit and the right to receive. You could then install signal boosters on each antenna independently of the other, reducing the chance of interference. That said, you'll want to have the amplifiers as far away from the router and each other as possible.

Point-to point, then install an omni AP. If you're going to shoot a mile, then you'll need directional antennae.

[lostfiringpin]

Hey guys im currently on my 4th day of vacation, 9 days in freeport bahamas, I been stealin my wireless from the balconys via a soup can, but wish they would wise up an put wifi on the beach, they have wifi in the lobby though, its drunk an im late, talk to guys when more sober.

[will-wtf]

Going phising on the beach :)

No really but who would take their laptop to the beach?

[Mr-Protocol]

Well the thing is, If you get some big bad antenna and have it cover the area. The laptop cards might not be strong enough to send back to the big bad antenna. The best solution I could see is using a few access points to make a Mesh wifi network. You can use openmesh.com solutions or use Cisco AP's. I have a Cisco 1200 AP and it has the ability to do mesh/repeat and all sorts of fun wifi stuff.

[3TeK]

we use these @ work

one customer that has it is a bar about 1.5 miles down the street..works great :-D

[Infiltrator]

we use these @ work

one customer that has it is a bar about 1.5 miles down the street..works great :-D

I took a look at the website and I am already thinking in buying this one

http://store.comnet.com.au/details/763282.html

[Jokke]

Not gonna work with single AP at distance of 1mile. Check out what is the closest point (if wide sector of beach to cover colsest points) where you can hook up AP:s. Get some decent MIMO HW, small sector antennas to hook those on the network and F.E. 180dec antennas towards the beach. It's not problem to get wifi flying great distances as long as you have decent HW in _both_ ends. Second option if this is not possible is to hook users with alphas and directional antennas :P "Aim that antenna to that building and hope."

-Jokke

[Corrosion.]

Personally I'd just setup a router with a directional antenna and repeater or two, if you have to, pay to have the repeaters on a few buildings in the area.......